Kansas was never able to take control of the game Monday night in Manhattan, never leading by more than two.

The game went back and forth for the first five minutes with each team exchanging baskets before K-State went on a 7-0 run to lead 13-5 with 13:12 to play in the half.

“I felt like there was a time where we could have taken the lead and just get away with it. They did not stop fighting, they were fighting the whole game and they were relentless,” Nadiir Tharpe, Kansas junior guard, said after the game.

Kansas was able to battle back in the first half though and kept it within four for the final ten minutes. KU even led by one with :50 seconds left in the half but a free throw by K-State’s Omari Lawrence tied it back up again at 29-29. A missed dunk by Perry Ellis and Brannen Greene’s put back on the rebound was blocked by Lawrence in the final seconds of the half ended it tied 29-29.

“The first half was an ugly game. You can ask anybody, even the officials. It is hard to referee a game with a lot of missed shots, a lot of kicking and banging going on, but I thought that kind of gave us the best shot to make them not play as well,” Bill Self, Kansas head coach explained.

The second half started the same way the first half started. Both teams swapped points for the first few minutes before Kansas State took off on a 9-0 run to lead 46-37 with 13:26 to play in regulation.

“We did not do anything to make them play poorly in the second half,” Self said.

Kansas never did go away though. Whenever the Wildcats would go on a run Kansas would find a way to get a shot to stay in it.

The Jayhawks finally made their move in the final two minutes of regulation, going on a 9-1 run to tie it up 69-69.

Kansas scored first in overtime to go up 71-69 but Kansas State’s, Will Spradling, quickly responded with a three to retake the lead. Two free throws by Perry Ellis with 3:32 to play in overtime gave the Jayhawks the lead back, however, K-State’s Marcus Foster scored on a fast break to retake the lead, this time for good for the Wildcats.

“We did not play very well in overtime,” Self said. “Give them credit though, that is kind of deflating the way the way we came back against them, but they responded well in overtime. They had some guys step up and make some really nice plays.”

The Jayhawks had four players in double figures and were led by Perry Ellis who finished with 19 points.

Kansas fell to 18-6 on the season and 9-2 in the Big 12. K-State improved to 17-7 overall and 7-4 in conference play.