With team leader David N’Guessan in foul trouble, Kansas State basketball still found a way

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The fact that David N’Guessan spent the better part of Kansas State basketball’s Big 12 Tournament opener on the Wildcat bench should have been a recipe for disaster.

Now that the Wildcats have survived and advanced, it could turn out to be a positive.

N’Guessan, the super-senior forward who leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, was limited to 17 minutes by foul trouble and the 10th-seeded Wildcats still found a way to hold off No. 15 Arizona State, 71-65, Tuesday night at Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center.

“Some might look at it as a bad thing. We look at it as a blessing in disguise,” point guard Dug McDaniel said of N’Guessan’s extended absence. “He should be fresh for tomorrow, and I hope today showed him we have his back.

“Guys are going to step up if he goes down, and I felt like it brought us closer today for tomorrow.”

Related: Big 12 Tournament is a final chance for Kansas State basketball to finish on a high note

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Kansas State guard Dug McDaniel (0) drives to the basket against Arizona Stte’s Joson Sanon (3) during their Big 12 Tournament first-round game Tuesday at T-Mobile Center in the Kansas City, Mo.

K-State (16-16) is back in action Wednesday to face No. 7 seed Baylor (18-13) in a 6 p.m. second-round game.

McDaniel was one of the players who helped fill the void after N’Guessan picked up three fouls in just eight minutes in the first half and was whistled for his fourth less than three minutes into the second period. He finished with 14 points — 12 in the second half — and five assists.

The biggest lift came from Coleman Hawkins, who scored a season-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocked shots. Guards Brendan Hausen and Max Jones each added 10 points, with Jones also grabbing eight rebounds.

“I thought we did a good job of just trying to execute as well as possible,” said Hawkins, whose 19 first-half points helped the Wildcats to a 38-31 halftime…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/team-leader-david-nguessan-foul-034609671.html

Author : The Topeka Capital-Journal

Publish date : 2025-03-12 03:46:00

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