MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Bruce Weber was so confident his team would beat top-ranked Oklahoma that he had his team practice what to do when fans stormed the court.

Weber should have let the fans in on the plan.

Led by Wesley Iwundu and Dean Wade, the Wildcats overcame a slow start to each half and beat the Sooners 80-69 on Saturday night. But when the final seconds ticked away and Weber’s bunch jogged to the safety of center court, they were startled to see all those fans celebrating in the stands.

“I’m not sure what happened!” Weber said with a smile.

Maybe they expected it, too.

They certainly acted as if they had been there, even though it was the fifth time in school history that Kansas State had knocked off the nation’s No. 1 team.

“That’s the best team in the country and we just beat them,” said Iwundu, who had 22 points. “We have every reason to hold our heads up high right now.”

Wade finished with 17 points, D.J. Johnson had 12 and Justin Edwards scored 11 for Kansas State (14-9, 3-7 Big 12), which snapped the Sooners’ four-game win streak in part by holding Buddy Hield in check.

The player of the year front-runner had 23 points, but a big chunk came in the final minutes, when the Sooners (19-3, 7-3) were desperately trying to rally against a team that wouldn’t budge.

“We got beat by a club that out-fought us,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. “They were more energetic to loose balls and more active and I thought all night long they were a little quicker.”

Ryan Spangler had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Sooners, and Isaiah Cousins scored 16 points before fouling out. Cousins picked up a personal in the closing minutes — his fourth — and then kicked the ball into the stands in frustration for a technical foul and a seat on the bench.

It was that kind of game for Oklahoma. Coupled with No. 2 North Carolina’s loss at Notre Dame, there have been 26 losses by top-5 teams this season, which is five more than all of last season.

Hield was just 7 of 16 from the floor, and didn’t attempt a free throw until there was about seven minutes left. Fellow guard Jordan Woodard went 0 for 5 and failed to score, and forwards Dante Buford and Khadeem Lattin were plagued by foul trouble.

“If you don’t play well, get out-fought, you’re not going to win in the Big 12,” Kruger said.

The start of the game hardly provided any indication of the result.

Kansas State started in about the worst shape possible, turning the ball over four times without getting up a shot. And when it finally did, it was an air ball from 18 feet.

Oklahoma took advantage by scoring the game’s first nine points, but was unable to deliver a knockout blow, and eventually Kansas State started fighting back.

Wade was the instigator, hitting a couple of 3-pointers and scoring 10 first-half points. But everybody else got into the act, too: Edwards converted a three-point play just before halftime, and a thunderous dunk by Iwundu a moment later gave Kansas State a 38-32 advantage.

By that point, Hield was so frustrated that he was barking at officials for fouls. The senior guard, averaging 25.8 points, was held to just six on 2-for-7 shooting in the first half.

Kansas State got off to a similarly poor start in the second half, turning it over twice and missing four of its first five shots, only to find its rhythm again. The hustling Wildcats tracked down every loose ball, and slowly turned a 45-41 deficit into a 58-50 lead.

Hield and the Wildcats then began matching each other blow for blow, with the plucky underdogs maintaining their cushion even when the talented guard began getting to the rim for easy layups.

Iwundu and Wade were there for big buckets down the stretch, and a team missing point guard Kamau Stokes because of an injury held its poise until the final buzzer.

“I was waiting for them to storm and they didn’t,” Weber said, “but that’s fine.”

SMALL WORLD

The last time Kansas State played No. 1 Oklahoma at home was on Feb. 1, 1989, when Kruger was the coach of the Wildcats. He came out on the losing then, too. The Sooners won, 90-82.

TIP-INS

Oklahoma: Lattin finished with six points and two rebounds. … Hield finished 0-4 in his career at Kansas State. … The Sooners have not won at Bramlage Coliseum since 2012.

Kansas State: Freshman G Barry Brown started for the first time in place of Edwards, and Johnson started in place of Wade. … The Wildcats shot 53 percent despite not scoring on a fast break.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma plays Texas on Monday night.

Kansas State plays No. 15 Baylor on Wednesday night.

— Associated Press —

WACO, Texas (AP) — Alexis Jones had a perfect night shooting and then got to sit back and watch the fourth quarter with other Baylor starters.

Jones was 5-of-5 shooting with three 3-pointers and Niya Johnson had eight points with 13 assists — both without playing the final 10 minutes — as the No. 4 Lady Bears stretched their winning streak to nine games with an 87-52 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday night.

“She just got open looks, especially in the full court. We would throw it up there to her and she’d shoot a 3,” coach Kim Mulkey said of Jones. “She was feeling it, and she was letting it fly.”

The break for the starters extended into postgame, when Mulkey brought with her for interviews only two backup players who played primarily in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Bears (22-1, 9-1 Big 12) scored the game’s first six points and never trailed.

“We were clearly beaten tonight by a very talented Baylor team,” K-State coach Jeff Mittie said. “They played in some areas as well as we had seen them.”

Khadijiah Cave had 16 points and Kristy Wallace, the only Baylor starter who saw any action in the fourth quarter, scored 10.

Kindred Wesemann scored 15 points and Breanna Lewis had for Kansas State (14-7, 4-6).

After jumping out to 17-8 lead through the first quarter, Baylor opened the second with a 9-0 run over a 97-second span. Jones had an assist and two free throws before her spurt-ending 3-pointer on a pass from Johnson that led to a Kansas State timeout.

Lewis responded with a layup, but the Lady Bears then scored 13 straight points when Johnson had three of her assists, including on the first of back-to-back 3s by Jones.

“Johnson’s a player that probably doesn’t get enough credit. She’s light years ahead of the players on the floor in understanding where the ball needs to get to,” Mittie said. “Jones has a great night because she’s a very talented player, but Johnson gets her the ball and delivers it. I think she’s very good.”

Another of Jones’ baskets was a long jumper when her toe was barely touching the line. The former Duke transfer, who had to sit out last season, also made her only two free throws in her 18th double-figure scoring game at Baylor, plus six assists and four rebounds.

3 FOR 3 NOT ENOUGH: Baylor led 44-19 by halftime, even after Wesemann had three consecutive 3s in a span of just 1:43 for the Wildcats. Baylor then made 12 of 15 field goals during a 31-point outburst in the third quarter.

CHAMEKA’S CANCER: Baylor players wore T-shirts that read “Sic Cancer” on the front to honor former player Chameka Scott, and on the back had her first name scripted over No. 21. That was her jersey number when she started for the Lady Bears’ 2005 national championship team. Scott attended the game with her mother and was recognized near midcourt by coach Kim Mulkey before tipoff. Tests in December revealed that Scott was cancer free after a lengthy treatment for colon cancer.

TIP-INS

Kansas State: It was not the most lopsided loss of the season for the Wildcats, who fell 97-57 at No. 1 UConn in their fourth game this season. … Kansas State had a four-game winning streak in the Big 12 before losing consecutive games to the league’s co-leaders, Texas and Baylor.

Baylor: Johnson has 207 assists this season. She is the Big 12 career leader with 874, and last season set a Big 12 record with 322. … The Lady Bears are 14-0 at home this season. … Baylor has won 162 consecutive home games against unranked opponents since losing to Auburn in the WNIT final at the end of the 2002-03 season.

UP NEXT:

Kansas State at West Virginia on Saturday.

Baylor hosts Kansas on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Suzie Fritz, K-State volleyball’s winningest coach and leader of the program for the last decade-and-a-half, has signed a four-year contract extension, K-State Athletics Director John Currie has announced.

Fritz agreed to the extension through the 2020 season, which was approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors and President Kirk Schulz. Fritz had one year remaining on her current five-year contract signed in 2012. Under the new deal, she will receive a base salary of $161,500 in 2016; $166,500 in 2017; $171,500 in 2018; $174,500 in 2019; and $177,500 in 2020.

“First, I would like to thank President Kirk Schulz and Athletics Director John Currie for their continued support of me, my staff and our program,” Fritz said. “Under their leadership, we have seen tremendous things happen at Kansas State University, and I am extremely proud to have the opportunity to be a part of their team. We place tremendous value on being part of the K-State Family and are very blessed to work at such an exceptional University within the wonderful community of Manhattan.”

Fritz, 43, is 295-168 (.637) in her 15-year head coaching career, all of which has been spent at K-State. The longest-tenured coach in program history has accumulated 158 of her 295 wins in Big 12 play, placing her fourth in league history in career conference wins.

“Being the volleyball coach at K-State is sincerely my dream job,” Fritz added. “During our time here we have coached and been a part of the lives of many extraordinary young women who have gone on to have impactful careers, which is an incredibly rewarding experience for us as coaches. I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to have that role in addition to maintaining the wonderful relationships with our exceptional staff and administration. My family loves K-State and Manhattan, and we are thrilled to serve and represent both for many years to come.”

Originally from Clay Center, Kansas, Fritz has guided K-State to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four over the last five years. Since 2001, the Wildcats’ 11 trips to the NCAA Tournament are the second-most by current Big 12 teams.

“Under Coach Fritz’s leadership, we have achieved sustained success with 11 NCAA Tournaments in her 15 seasons including appearances in four of the past five years,” Currie said. “She has done a tremendous job as head coach while being a great role model and mentor for our student-athletes, and we look forward to continued success with her leading our volleyball program.”

The Wildcats have been ranked 124 times under Fritz while she has also taken three teams that were not ranked in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll to be slotted in the final poll of the respective season. The last time she lifted a team from outside the top-25 into the final poll was in 2011 when K-State reached the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history.

From an individual awards standpoint, Fritz has tutored Wildcats to earn 12 All-America honors, 18 all-region selections, 40 All-Big 12 awards, and 101 Academic All-Big 12 distinctions (the most in the conference since 2001).

The Academic All-Big 12 honors represent Fritz’s leadership in success on and off the court. The Wildcats, who had a perfect APR score in 2013-14, have garnered 12 AVCA Academic Team Awards under Fritz, including one in each of the last five years. This past season, Katie Brand and Kersten Kober were the only Big 12 student-athletes to earn academic all-district honors, bringing the total honorees of that award to 18 in Fritz’s tenure. Kober also earned the program’s first Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award this past season.

Last season, Fritz helped a team without any seniors overcome a 1-3 start to conference play by winning eight of its final 12 regular season matches to capture its highest finish in the Big 12 standings in four years. The Wildcats also reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

Fritz is a two-time winner of the Big 12 Coach of the Year award, capturing the honor during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The 2003 campaign was the best in program history as the Wildcats set a school record for wins (30) and were a perfect 16-0 at home en route to winning the Big 12 title.

Fritz was originally named the head coach during the 2001 season after earning the interim head coach title prior to the start of that campaign. She served as an assistant coach with the program from 1997-2000, helping the team reach four NCAA Tournaments. Fritz has served as a coach for 15 of K-State’s 16 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Next year’s team will return 14 letterwinners, including two-time All-America Honorable Mention Brand alongside fellow seniors Kober, Katie Reininger and Brooke Sassin. Other key returnees include 2014 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Kylee Zumach, 2015 All-Big 12 Freshman Team selections Macy Flowers and Alyssa Schultejans, and rising junior Bryna Vogel, who finished third on the team in kills and digs last season.

— KU Athletics —

MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — The way Ole Miss star Stefan Moody has scored this season, all Kansas State coach Bruce Weber could hope for was to keep the guard in-check.

His Wildcats did one better on Saturday.

Moody didn’t attempt a shot in the second half as Kansas State’s D.J. Johnson scored eight of his 14 points during a 19-2 run in the final period to help the Wildcats hold off Ole Miss 69-64 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

“We said we were going to make him pass,” Weber said of Moody. “They knew how we were going to scheme it defensively, but we did a great job on close-outs and making them make tough plays. He’s a good player.”

Wesley Iwundu finished with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists for the Wildcats (13-8, 2-6). Justin Edwards and Stephen Hurt added 10 points apiece.

A 17-point swing in favor of the Wildcats, spanning six minutes, helped blow the door open and give the home team a 63-45 lead with 7:48 remaining. Johnson led the stretch with eight points, but it was Barry Brown who bookended it. Brown missed the second of two free-throw attempts following a foul with 8:49 left, but grabbed his own rebound and then sunk a 3-pointer from the corner.

“When you go on the road in an environment such as this,” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said, “with a program that’s had so much success in this building — and you’re minus-seven on the glass, turn it over 17 times, and allow the other team to shoot over 45 percent while you shoot under 40 percent — that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Ole Miss (13-8, 3-5) was 2 of 14 from the field during the Wildcats’ spurt, including a near four-minute scoring drought. Moody entered leading the SEC in scoring averaging 24.3 points, including 14-straight games with 20-plus points. But after his 10-point first half, Moody was held scoreless in the final period, with Kansas State wedging him off ball screens.

“He was doing the right thing I thought, with five assists, trying to find the open guy,” Kennedy said. “He’s been doing a much better job of that. I just didn’t think he had much pop, which is why I sat him at the end.”

Kansas State opened the game with a 16-8 lead, on the heels of a 9-0 run, before losing starting point guard Kamau Stokes to a non-contact knee injury. Stokes was examined on the sidelines briefly before being taken to the locker room on a wheelchair.

Ole Miss recovered swiftly and took its biggest lead of the first half, 24-19, with 6:30 left. Moody, who was held scoreless for the first seven minutes, hit consecutive 3-pointers and finished the first half with a team-high 10 points. However, it was the Wildcats and backup guard Carlbe Ervin who went into the locker room at halftime with the lead. Ervin scored five points in a three-minute stretch to give the home team a 38-36 advantage at the break.

Ole Miss was led by Anthony Perez with 13 points.

“We needed this game,” Iwundu said. “It was very important to us as a team for us to move forward.”

—

TIP-INS

Ole Miss: Moody had led the Rebels in scoring in 19 of 20 games before Saturday. Ole Miss is now 0-2 against Kansas State in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Kansas State: Undersized forward Austin Budke proved big off the bench, finishing with four points, six rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes. The Wildcats are 66-21 under Weber when holding a team to 69 points or less.

STOKES UPDATE

“We don’t know what’s wrong with Kamau,” Weber said. “He’s going to have an MRI. Initially, nothing major structurally, but we’ll see.”

UP NEXT

Ole Miss: At Missouri on Wednesday.

Kansas State: At No. 4 Kansas on Wednesday.

— Associated Press —

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia played so well against Kansas State on Tuesday night that two technical fouls couldn’t even slow down the Mountaineers.

Jonathan Holton had 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 9 West Virginia to a 70-55 victory that gave the Mountaineers a sweep of the season series.

It was Holton’s second double-double in three games for the Mountaineers (17-3, 6-2 Big 12).

Justin Edwards had 11 points for Kansas State (12-8, 2-6), which cut West Virginia’s lead to single digits in the second half just once. Dean Wade had nine points for the Wildcats, who connected on 20 of 57 shots (35.1 percent), and lost for the fifth straight time.

West Virginia, which led 34-25 at halftime, picked up consecutive technical fouls in the first half with no time going off the clock.

First, Tarik Phillip was whistled for a technical after making a layup to tie the game at 7. That was at 16:35 and Wade made one of the two free throws. The West Virginia bench was then hit with another technical. Edwards missed two free throws so the Wildcats led by one point.

“It’s not what I was trying to do,” Phillip said of the drawing the technical. “I guess it’s our emotions. They’re just trying to control our emotions, so that they can focus on controlling the game, I guess. That’s just part of it.”

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins was at a loss to explain the technicals.

“I don’t know (about the bench technical),” he said. “Ask them. I’m to the point (to where) I’m going to defend our guys. They can’t do it, obviously. Tarik got a technical for I don’t know what happened. But I’m going to defend them. It wears on you.”

The Mountaineers then went on a 10-0 run to go ahead 17-8.

When Edwards finally scored it had been over 6 minutes since the Wildcats had scored. It was 17-10 with 10:14 remaining in the first half and the lead would get to nine for the Mountaineers.

Kansas State scored six straight points to make it 21-18 with 4:48 to go.

But led by seldom-used Teyvon Myers, who scored seven points, the Mountaineers took the nine-point halftime lead.

In the second half, Kansas State got as close as 41-34 after seven straight points, but Nathan Adrian, playing for injured starter Esa Ahmad, knocked in a 3 and West Virginia led 44-34 with 12:12 to play.

“I think it’s always ironic, you get two technicals and we go 1-for-4 from the line,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. “I think if you go study the next foul calls, I think it changed a lot. But that’s basketball and they’re a good team. He’s got them playing hard and they’ve got a lot of confidence and play well.”

TIP-INS

West Virginia: The Mountaineers were tied with Oklahoma and Baylor for first place in the Big 12 coming in. Oklahoma beat Texas Tech 91-67 on Tuesday.

Kansas State: is 0-4 on the road in the Big 12, but two of those losses were in double overtime, to Texas and Baylor. The Wildcats are one of 10 schools to have at least 11 conference wins in the last three seasons.

UP NEXT

Kansas State hosts Mississippi on Saturday in the Big 12-SEC Challenge.

West Virginia goes to Florida on Saturday for the Big 12-SEC Challenge.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS

Huggins led Kansas State to a 21-12 record in 2006-07, the Wildcats’ most wins in 19 years. He has a career coaching record of 782-315. That victory total puts him in sole possession of 10th place on the all-time winningest coaches list. He needs four wins to tie Lefty Driesell for ninth place.

CONFERENCE EFFORT

Jaysean Paige, who has been the Mountaineers’ sixth-man through most of the season, is averaging 17.7 points in the Big 12. Phillip scored a career-high 20 points in the victory at Texas Tech. Neither player starts.

The Mountaineers’ bench outscored the Wildcats, 30-15.

Kamau Stokes, Kansas State’s freshman guard, was averaging 15 points over the previous four games. He delivered 42 error-free minutes in the Mountaineers’ double-overtime victory at Kansas State in early January.

Kansas State turned the ball over just five times in its first meeting with West Virginia. Huggins was forced into a 1-3-1 zone to break the Wildcats loose from the ball. On Tuesday, the Wildcats committed 19 turnovers.

WHAT HAPPENS

West Virginia has allowed its opponent to shoot 50 percent or better only 49 times under Huggins in 295 games. West Virginia is 155-30 under Huggins when holding opponents to 69 points or less.

— Associated Press —

LUBBOCK, Texas – Kansas State secured its fourth straight win with a solid first half defensive effort to defeat Texas Tech, 65-53, on Sunday at United Supermarkets Arena. This is the first four-game Big 12 winning streak for K-State since the 2011-12 season.

Megan Deines paced K-State with 20 points, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. Breanna Lewis tallied her second straight double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

K-State secured an early 10-7 lead, as Deines drained a 3-pointer and a perimeter jumper to pace the Wildcats in the first five minutes.

The Wildcats’ defense clamped down on the Texas Tech (10-9, 1-7 Big 12) attack to end the quarter, holding the Lady Raiders scoreless for the final 6:09 of the frame. K-State used a 10-0 run to build a 15-7 advantage at the end of the first frame. Lewis converted her second layup of the period, while Kindred Wesemann completed a 3-point play with 1:10 remaining.

In the second quarter, the Wildcats held Texas Tech scoreless for the first eight and a half minutes to build a 27-7 lead with 1:33 to play. Kaylee Page knocked down 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, while Kayla Goth added a right wing jumper.

A running jumper by Wesemann with 34 seconds to play helped give the Wildcats a 29-11 lead at the half. The 11 points surrendered in the opening half by K-State were the fewest allowed in a first half this season.

The 11 points allowed by K-State in the first half were the fewest since K-State surrendered just 10 points to Dartmouth on Nov. 12, 2011.

Deines knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to open the second half for K-State and give the Wildcats a 35-11 lead with 8:27 to play.

Texas Tech used a quick 10-2 run to claw back to within 16, 37-21, with 6:41 to play in the third quarter.

K-State used an 8-2 run to build a 49-34 lead at the end of the third quarter, as Kelly Thomson provided the energy with a corner three-pointer.

Deines, Lewis and Page scored the first six points to increase K-State’s lead to 55-34 with 6:01 to play.

A late 7-0 run by Texas Tech brought the final score to 65-53. Despite the run, K-State was 5-of-8 from the field in the final quarter.

K-State will have the middle of the week off and will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 30 against (6/6) Texas at 7 p.m.

— KSU Athletics —

MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — Kansas State coach Bruce Weber has long insisted that when it comes to practice, the rim likes attention.

“If you come in the gym and give it attention,” Weber said, “it’ll like you and good things will happen.”

By that token, the Wildcats must’ve put in work the last few days, because it certainly appeared to favor them on Saturday.

Kamau Stokes and Justin Edwards scored 13 points apiece, and Kansas State hit nine 3-pointers to help snap a two-game losing streak, topping Oklahoma State comfortably 89-73.

Dean Wade and Wesley Iwundu finished with 12 points apiece, and Stephen Hurt added 11 points and five rebounds.

“I think our coaching staff did a good job trying to get them to them realize there’s still a lot to play for,” Weber said. “Even though we’ve lost these games, if you play the right way — hard and as a team — good things will happen.”

Lackluster shooting had plagued Kansas State (12-7, 2-5) in Big 12 play so far, but it was the 3-point ball that propelled the Wildcats to a second conference win. The Wildcats converted 9 of 17 3-point attempts, led by Stokes with four makes.

Even when the deep ball wasn’t connecting, Kansas State still found a way to score. D.J. Johnson rose above two Oklahoma State defenders to throw down an emphatic put-back dunk with 13:02 to play after Barry Brown missed a 3-point attempt.

Tyree Griffin led Oklahoma State (10-9, 2-5) with 18 points and five assists. Jeff Newberry added 14 points and five rebounds.

“Both teams were teams that needed wins,” Cowboys coach Travis Ford said. “Two different scenarios, but the question was who was going to respond, and we didn’t respond. Give them all the credit.”

The 3-point shot caused an offensive surge early and often for Kansas State. The Wildcats connected on 6 of 8 3-pointers in the first half, including four during a 27-13 run to close out the half. Stokes buried two of the triples, while Wade bookended the barrage with a 3-pointer at the top of the key to give Kansas State a 45-28 advantage with 1:41 to play. Brown later finished a tough layup at the buzzer as the Wildcats went into halftime with a 19-point lead, 49-30.

“We were at a magic level, just like Oklahoma State was at a magic level against Kansas,” Weber said. “We made those threes, but we also got to the paint.”

The Cowboys shot 30 percent (7 of 23) from the field in the first half, including a seven-minute cold spell where the visitors shot just 2 of 12.

Oklahoma State guard Jawun Evans entered the game as Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after posting 42 points against No. 1 Oklahoma, a near triple-double at Texas and 22 points against No. 3 Kansas. But after scoring seven points in the first half, Evans was forced to the bench with 15:18 left after picking up his fourth foul. He didn’t return until the 6:18 mark.

Lacking an offensive spark, Oklahoma State could only get as close as 13 points before the Wildcats opened up a 21-point lead with four minutes remaining.

“It’s always good to get a win, but from here on out it doesn’t get any easier,” Iwundu said. “We want to enjoy this win but get back to work tomorrow for the next game.”

—

TIP-INS

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys have lost five-straight games at Bramlage Coliseum, with their last win coming on Jan. 23, 2010, and are still winless in true road games this season (0-4).

Kansas State: The 89 points are the most in Big 12 play since scoring 94 against Texas Tech on Jan. 15, 2011.

ACCOUNTABILITY

“His parents have made sure since we’ve come back from Christmas break that he’s in the gym,” Weber said of Stokes. “They even make him FaceTime from the gym to show that he’s there.”

UP NEXT

Oklahoma State: Hosts No. 13 Baylor on Wednesday.

Kansas State: At No. 6 West Virginia on Tuesday.

— Associated Press —

WACO, Texas (AP) — Al Freeman scored all 11 of his points after regulation, Lester Medford hit the go-ahead free throws to start the second overtime and No. 13 Baylor stretched its home winning streak to 15 games with a 79-72 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday night.

Medford made two foul shots in the opening minute of the second overtime to put Baylor (15-3, 5-1 Big 12) ahead to stay before Freeman added a driving layup.

After assisting on Johnathan Motley’s layup, Medford made a steal and then added a floater for the Bears. Medford finished with nine points and 13 assists.

Taurean Prince had 19 points and 13 rebounds for Baylor, and Motley had 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting. Rico Gathers scored 11.

Kamau Stokes led Kansas State (11-7, 1-5) with 20 points. D.J. Johnson had 11, and Wesley Iwundu scored 10.

The Bears, who trailed by as many as 10 before halftime, have won five consecutive Big 12 games for only the second time in school history. They took over first place in the league after No. 6 West Virginia (15-3, 4-2) lost 54-49 at home to Texas earlier Wednesday.

Baylor’s 15-game home winning streak matches the longest in the Ferrell Center, its home for 28 years.

Freeman, who was 0-for-5 shooting and scoreless in regulation, had seven points in the first overtime. But his potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer ricocheted off the back of the rim.

After a breakaway layup off the overtime tip, Freeman had another go-ahead layup and his 3-pointer with 37 seconds left put Baylor up 66-64. Iwundu had a follow-up basket for Kansas State with 8 seconds left to tie it.

The Bears led 59-57 after Prince made the first of two free throw attempts with 5.8 seconds left in regulation. K-State called timeout after Johnson’s rebound.

Stokes went to the free throw line when Medford was called for a holding foul near midcourt before the inbounds pass. Stokes made both free throws to tie the game.

Baylor had one more chance in regulation but Medford, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in a victory at Texas Tech on Saturday, had his 15-footer bounce off the rim as time expired.

TIP-INS

Kansas State: Four of K-State’s Big 12 losses have been to Top 25 teams. The Wildcats previously lost to No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 6 West Virginia and No. 19 Iowa State. … K-State still holds a slim 17-16 series lead against Baylor.

Baylor: Gathers almost had an airball on a free throw attempt. His attempt late in the first half barely nicked the bottom of the rim while rippling the outside of the net. … The Bears have won 26 consecutive home games against unranked teams.

UP NEXT

Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Baylor hosts No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Following the recent addition of Stanford to K-State’s future football schedules, Athletics Director John Currie has announced that the Wildcats have reached an agreement to play a home-and-home series with Arizona of the Pac-12 Conference in 2024 and 2025.

The series with Arizona’s Wildcats begins with a game in Manhattan in 2024, while the series will shift to Tucson in 2025. The two teams have squared off a total of seven times with the last meeting being back in 1978, while Arizona holds a 5-1-1 edge in the series.

“We are excited to announce a home-and-home series with Arizona of the Pac-12 Conference,” Currie said. “It is important for us to continue to schedule non-conference games with opponents that make sense for K-State, and we feel playing a nationally-recognized program like Arizona is a great opportunity for our program and the entire K-State Nation.”

The agreement with Arizona continues a solid trend of marquee matchups for the Wildcats as K-State has already played recent series with Auburn (2007, 2014), UCLA (2009, 2010) and Miami (Fla.) (2011, 2012), while future series with Stanford (2016, 2021), Mississippi State (2018, 2019) and Vanderbilt (2017, 2020) have previously been announced.

The Wildcats, under hall of fame coach Bill Snyder, open the 2016 season on September 2 at Stanford on the heels of their sixth straight bowl appearance and riding a 27-game home sellout streak.  The 2016 season will also mark the completion of Phase IIIB of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium master plan culminating $180 million in improvements to the stadium.

— KSU Athletics —