Rodney McGruder scored 21 points and No. 16 Kansas State stretched its winning streak to seven games with a 67-54 victory at Big 12 newcomer TCU on Wednesday night.
The Wildcats (14-2, 3-0 Big 12) got off to a slow start before taking control with a 19-4 run midway through the first half.
McGruder’s layup with 11 minutes left in the first half tied the game at 10, after Kansas State had fallen behind 10-5. The Wildcats led for good when McGruder had a defensive rebound and turned that into a fastbreak 3-pointer by Will Spradling. A floater by McGruder stretched the lead to 24-14.
Adrick McKinney had 18 points and nine rebounds for TCU (9-8, 0-4).
When the Horned Frogs cut the gap to five points with a chance to get closer before halftime, they started making mistakes.
Connell Crossland had a steal and passed to Kyan Anderson, but TCU’s top scorer missed a layup after getting himself in an awkward position under the rim. Martavious Irvin then hit a 3-pointer for Kansas State. Anderson had a turnover that led to a 3 by McGruder.
When TCU freshman Clyde Smith III was called for a 10-second violation, unable to get the ball past midcourt while being defended by Irving, McGruder drove for a high bank shot and a 34-21 lead that matched Kansas State’s biggest of the half.
TCU got the first basket after halftime when Devonta Abron scored, but McGruder responded with a 3-pointer and Spradling hit another from long range.
While McGruder finished 9-of-15 shooting with three 3-pointers and was the only K-State player in double figures, three others scored eight points. One of those was Jordan Henriquez, who had 10 rebounds.
Anderson had 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting for TCU
The Wildcats are two wins shy of matching the 16-2 mark they had three seasons ago that is their best start over the past 25 years. They have won their last five conference road games, dating to last season.
Kansas State and TCU played for the first time since a 1999 NIT game the Horned Frogs won. They had played five times previously, TCU winning that NIT game and another in the 1968 NCAA tournament while the Wildcats had won all three regular-season meetings.
— Associated Press —