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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

McGruder And Increase In K-State Top No. 7 Texas 75-70

Texas, the team that two weeks ago looked unstoppable in the Big 12, it is the incorrect receipt.

Rodney McGruder made 22 points, Jacob Pullen scored 20 and Kansas State muscled past No. 7 Texas 75-70 on Monday night, the fifth straight victory the Wildcats' first road and the Top Ten since 1994.

Pullen example the hard physical nature of the game, scoring 16 points in the second half despite falling hard on his right wrist as Kansas State (21-9, 9-6 Big 12) sent the Longhorns to their loss right, second and third in four games.

"Everyone wrote off. Launch the season down the drain," said Pullen Wildcats' 1 -4 start in the conference. "People say we're a good team again, but we can not let things as they come in our room and we can not relax our vigilance. Our morale is in heaven. "

Texas is headed in the opposite direction.

11-0 to begin conference play Longhorns were among the contenders for the No 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Now they are trying to put together and not worry about what they may drop.

"We're better than what we play and that's the concern," Texas coach Rick Barnes. "You have to stay disciplined with what you do. The Kansas State did exactly what I thought it would be and I was trying to get us out of our offense."

Texas (24-6, 3.12) has met its match against the Wildcats defense, which held the Longhorns shot 34 percent. Freshman Tristan Thompson scored 26 points for the Longhorns, but his teammates shot just 14 of 54 on the ground. Kansas State shot 50 percent two days after Texas gave an advance of 22 points and let Colorado get a 53 percent loss of the road.

Curtis Kelly scored 15 points for Kansas State, did much of his damage in the first half, when he had trouble scoring Pullen. McGruder was 4 to 6 in 3 points.

Thompson was the only Longhorn who could match the physical play Kansas State. He grabbed 10 rebounds and dunks are several, but got little help on the offensive. Jordan Hamilton scored 14 points on 5-of-18 shots and was a non-factor for most games. J'Covan Brown scored 11 points but did not make a field goal until hitting two long 3-pointers in the last minute.

"We were so well but we just missed our shots," said Texas guard Cory Joseph.

Texas, which was used to blow teams at home, knew it was a struggle, when Kansas State Jamar Samuels, who is 6-foot-7, trimmed Texas guard Jai Lucas 5-10 in a near collision course starts in midcourt.

But Thompson was the only one who really answered the first three dunks and difficult to bounce back. He scored 12 of Texas's first 20 points and Kansas State Best Counter Punch inside scoring Kelly and 7-footer Jordan Henriquez-Roberts.

Thompson immersed in the first quarter to put Texas up 29-24. At the time of his six field goals were more than the rest of his team. Thompson is a blow for Kelly to make Texas the first of five 3-pointers McGruder Kansas State pulled within 33-31 at halftime.

Kelly scored two consecutive baskets over Thompson starts another, then blocked Hamilton Kansas State quickly took command. Hamilton is also the edge off the 3-pointer, his tenth missed 11 shots.

"I try to be aggressive," said Kelly. "They are big and aggressive and try to attack and return to them."

Pullen then made three consecutive baskets to put Kansas ahead 50-42 with 12:06 to play.
Kansas State has maintained the lead for the next 5 minutes, but began to accumulate critical kick. Henriquez-Samuels and Roberts both took their fourth, sending a lot of inner strength for the Wildcats to the bench.

The Wildcats went just outside the points. McGruder Hamilton slipped away with his fourth 3-pointer and 60-51 lead.

Kansas State appeared to have wrapped the game when McGruder passing on a fast break 47 seconds. Brown two long 3-pointers from the right wing gave a little life in Texas before Pullen and the Wildcats put the game out of reach of the free throw line.

"Some of the specifications are confusing to be honest with you," said Barnes. "I can not tell you why, because we have shown that we can be really good defensive and offensive."

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