LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) – Devaugntah Williams and Keenan Evans each scored 20 points as the Red Raiders defeated Kansas State 80-71 Saturday in the Big 12 Conference finale for both squads.

With the win, the Red Raiders (19-11 overall, 9-9 Big 12) ended their conference slate at .500 for the first time since the 2006-2007 season.

D.J. Johnson finished with 21 points to lead the Wildcats (16-15, 5-13).

Kansas State appeared to be on point early on, building a 12-2 advantage in the first four-and-a-half minutes. During that spurt, Dean Wade contributed four points.

But the Red Raiders clawed their way back, closing the deficit to 23-11 before going on a game-changing 25-5 run to close out the final nine-and-a-half minutes.

Zach Smith started the offensive surge with a tip-in followed by a fast-break dunk by Justin Gray to cut the deficit to 23-15 at the 8:29 mark.

HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Rockets have signed free agent forward Michael Beasley.

Beasley, who was the second overall pick in the 2008 draftout of Kansas State, spent this season in the Chinese Basketball Association, where he averaged 31.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals.

The 27-year-old last played in the NBA in 2014-15. He appeared in 24 games for the Miami Heat, with whom he averaged 8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds.

Beasley spent his first two seasons with the Heat before returning to Miami in 2013. In between those stints, he played for the Timberwolves and the Suns. He’s averaged 13 points and 4.8 rebounds in seven NBA seasons.

GAME 31

KANSAS STATE (16-14, 5-12 Big 12)

AT TEXAS TECH (18-11, 8-9 Big 12)

Saturday, March 5, 2016 >> United Supermarkets Arena (15,098) >> Lubbock, Texas

 

 

 

 

 COACHES

Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)

Overall: 391-207/18^th season

At K-State: 78-52/4^th season

1. Texas Tech: 7-1

 

Texas Tech: Tubby Smith (High Point ‘73)

Overall: 556-274/25th season

At Texas Tech: 45-48/3rd season

1. Kansas State: 1-3

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (16-14, 5-12 Big 12)

G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (11.9 ppg., 4.6 rpg.)

G: #5 Barry Brown (9.1 ppg., 2.8 rpg.)

G: #14 Justin Edwards (12.1 ppg., 5.7 rpg.)

F: #32 Dean Wade (9.7 ppg., 5.1 rpg.)

F: #4 D.J. Johnson (8.8 ppg., 5.2 rpg.)

 

Texas Tech (18-11, 8-9 Big 12)

G: #12 Keenan Evans (8.5 ppg., 2.9 rpg.)

G: #20 Toddrick Gotcher (11.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg.)

G: #5 Justin Gray (8.8 ppg., 3.8 rpg.)

F: #11 Zach Smith (9.9 ppg., 7.2 rpg.)

F: #34 Matthew Temple (3.6 ppg., 1.9 rpg.)

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: K-State leads 22-11 (series began in 1955)

In Big 12 era: K-State leads 15-10 (4-7 on the road)

In Lubbock: Texas Tech leads 8-7 (last meeting – 2/4/2015)

Current Streak: K-State, 1

Last Meeting: K-State, 83-70, in Manhattan, Kan., on 1/12/2016

Weber vs. Texas Tech: Weber leads 7-1 (2-1 on the road)

Weber vs. Smith: Weber leads 10-4 (3-3 on the road)

 

QUICK HITTERS

• Kansas State (16-14, 5-12 Big 12) concludes the regular season this weekend, as the Wildcats travel to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech (18-11, 8-9 Big 12) at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday on ESPNews.
• K-State will be looking to sweep the season series from Texas Tech for the first time since 2014 after an 83-70 win on Jan. 12. The Wildcats own a 22-11 record in the series, including a 15-10 mark in the Big 12 era.
• K-State has struggled on the road this season with just a 3-9 record away from home, including a 1-7 mark in Big 12 play. The Wildcats have won 4 of the last 5 meetings with the Red Raiders in Lubbock.
• Including the TCU game and Saturday’s finale at Texas Tech, K-State will play consecutive unranked opponents for just the second time since the start of Big 12 play. The Wildcats are 15-2 against unranked teams.
• Regardless of Saturday’s results, K-State will be playing in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the Sprint Center on Wednesday. The Wildcats will the No. 8 seed for the second straight season and will play No. 9 Oklahoma State (12-18, 3-14 Big 12) at 6 p.m. CT.
• K-State owns the 14th-best strength of schedule and has played a school-record 13 Top 25 opponents, including 11 in Big 12 play. Thirteen of the 14 losses have come to teams that are currently ranked in the AP Top 25, including 6 in Top 10, with a combined record of 177-59 (.750).
• K-State snapped a 3-game overall losing streak and a 3-game skid at home with a dominating 79-54 victory over TCU on Senior Night, as the Wildcats connected on 56.5 percent (26-of-46) from the field, including 76.2 percent (16-of-21) in the first half.  The 76.2 percent clip was the 7th-highest mark for a half in school history and the highest since 2014.
• Freshman Barry Brown led 4 Wildcats in double figures with a team-high 15 points on a season-high 5 treys, while senior Justin Edwards (12) registered double figures for the 7th time in the last 8 games. In all, 11 players scored in the contest, including 10 with at least one field goal.
• K-State has improved nearly every offensive category from 2014-15, surpassing marks for scoring, field goals, 3-point field goals, points in the paint, second-chance points, rebounds, blocks and steals. The 225 steals are the 10th-most in school history and the most since 247 in 2012-13.
• One of the youngest teams in the country, K-State has had at least 2 true freshmen start together in 26 of 30 games (13 of 17 Big 12 games), while there has been at least one freshman starter in all 30 games.

 

–www.kstatesports.com–

————
TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

Kansas Prep Scores
Thursday’s Scores
By The Associated Press
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Class 1A Sub-State Tournament
Division I
Semifinal
Centralia 48, Onaga 40
Doniphan West 58, Frankfort 56
Flinthills 50, Marmaton Valley 43, 2OT
Goessel 45, Marais des Cygnes Valley 44
Hanover 56, Clifton-Clyde 32
Osborne 42, Stockton 41
Otis-Bison 42, Hodgeman County 35
Pike Valley 47, Rock Hills 38
Pretty Prairie 53, Fairfield 39
Satanta 58, Minneola 53
Triplains-Brewster 46, Hoxie 45
Victoria 71, Quinter 35
Wakefield 39, Rural Vista 27
Division II
Semifinal
Ashland 45, Argonia 39
Attica 67, Caldwell 42
Chase 60, McPherson 49
Crest 46, Wetmore 40
Deerfield 54, Fowler 43
Dighton 63, Weskan 49
Hutchinson Central Christian 55, Pawnee Heights 54
Ingalls 55, Moscow 42
Logan 47, Northern Valley 44
Palco 49, Wilson 44
St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 62, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 21
Sylvan-Lucas 47, Tescott 45
Wallace County 98, Western Plains 34
Wheatland-Grinnell 34, Golden Plains 28
Class 3A Sub-State Tournament
Semifinal
Fredonia 71, Caney Valley 44
Garden Plain 39, Cheney 35
Hays-TMP-Marian 55, Beloit 51, 2OT
Hesston 60, Eureka 29
Humboldt 56, Oskaloosa 49
Norton 48, Ellsworth 44
Osage City 70, Silver Lake 51
Riverton 59, Galena 48
Rossville 56, St. Mary’s 32
Sabetha 56, Marysville 55
Scott City 64, Lakin 54
Southeast Saline 57, Halstead 40
Sterling 68, Larned 64
Wellsville 65, Northeast-Arma 43
Wichita Independent 47, Conway Springs 45
Class 6A Sub-State Tournament
Sub-State #1
Semifinal
Lawrence 80, KC Wyandotte 62
Manhattan 56, Washburn Rural 39
Olathe East 68, Gardner-Edgerton 39
Olathe North 70, Olathe South 66
SM Northwest 71, SM West 63
Wichita East 60, Derby 42
Wichita Northwest 63, Wichita Campus 58
Wichita South 73, Hutchinson 41
Sub-State #2
Semifinal
BV North 41, Blue Valley Stillwell 35
BV Northwest 68, BV West 50
Dodge City 53, Wichita West 42
Garden City 72, Wichita North 63
Lawrence Free State 54, Junction City 52
SM North 69, SM East 64
SM South 68, Olathe Northwest 53
Wichita Southeast 85, Topeka 70
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Class 2A Sub-State Tournament
Play-In
Meade 59, South Gray 19
Uniontown 40, Oswego 30
Semifinal
Berean Academy 46, Canton-Galva 32
Central Plains 66, Pratt Skyline 28
Ellis 71, Trego 52
Hill City 54, Oakley 22
Jefferson North 33, Horton 22
Moundridge 60, Hillsboro 57, OT
Olpe 55, Chase County 33
Pittsburg Colgan 43, Sedan 40
Republic County 36, Washington County 33
South Central 44, Kiowa County 26
Sublette 56, Spearville 49
Valley Falls 44, Troy 22
Valley Heights 58, Solomon 28
Wabaunsee 52, Madison/Hamilton 37
Class 4A Sub-State Tournament
Division I
Semifinal
Abilene 45, Wamego 33
Andale 58, Andover Central 53
Atchison 67, Tonganoxie 61
Bishop Miege 74, Basehor-Linwood 38
Buhler 48, Hays 38
Chanute 72, Independence 43
KC Piper 70, KC Sumner 63
Labette County 44, Coffeyville 19
McPherson 57, Ulysses 27
Ottawa 43, El Dorado 32
Paola 67, Louisburg 39
Rose Hill 46, Winfield 19
Spring Hill 60, Fort Scott 50
Wellington 58, Mulvane 16
Division II
Semifinal
Chapman 44, Smoky Valley 26
Frontenac 73, Baxter Springs 49
Girard 40, Columbus 29
Haven 45, Nickerson 27
Holcomb 41, Goodland 39
Hugoton 57, Colby 27
Iola 44, Anderson County 38
Jefferson West 48, Holton 44
Kingman 33, Pratt 16
Prairie View 52, KC Bishop Ward 38
Topeka Hayden 62, Rock Creek 33
Wichita Collegiate 53, Clearwater 43
Wichita Trinity 53, Parsons 43
Class 5A Sub-State Tournament
Sub-State #1
Semifinal
Goddard 52, Goddard-Eisenhower 47
KC Schlagle 64, Topeka West 41
Lansing 57, KC Washington 15
Maize South 61, Great Bend 56
Mill Valley 60, KC Harmon 10
Salina Central 56, Andover 43
Wichita Heights 40, Valley Center 38
Sub-State #2
Semifinal
Kapaun Mount Carmel 56, Emporia 52
Leavenworth 57, Highland Park 21
Maize 44, Liberal 37, OT
Newton 41, Salina South 25
Shawnee Heights 43, Topeka Seaman 41
St. James Academy 52, Pittsburg 37
St. Thomas Aquinas 68, KC Turner 13
Wichita Bishop Carroll 57, Arkansas City 43

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) – Kansas City Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson is expected to miss the start of the season after straining his oblique while batting during the World Series champions’ spring training opener.

Dyson was removed from Wednesday’s game against Texas and taken for an MRI that revealed the Grade 2 strain. That type of injury typically takes about six weeks to heal, and manager Ned Yost said Thursday that Dyson will likely begin the season on the disabled list.

The speedy Dyson was expected to platoon with Paulo Orlando in right field.

Orlando now becomes the front-runner for the everyday job, though the Royals have an abundance of other options. Veteran Travis Snider, hot prospect Brett Eibner and Reymond Fuentes each could earn time there.

Kansas Prep Scores
Wednesday’s Scores
By The Associated Press
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Class 5A Sub-State Tournament
Sub-State #1
Semifinal
Bonner Springs 63, Blue Valley Southwest 42
Goddard-Eisenhower 66, Great Bend 35
Kapaun Mount Carmel 64, Andover 42
KC Washington 74, KC Schlagle 39
Maize South 69, Wichita Bishop Carroll 68
St. James Academy 51, St. Thomas Aquinas 37
Topeka Seaman 61, Leavenworth 55
Wichita Heights 57, Newton 35
Sub-State #2
Semifinal
Highland Park 61, Topeka West 51
KC Harmon 61, Pittsburg 50
Liberal 62, Arkansas City 52
Maize 70, Goddard 55
Mill Valley 75, KC Turner 63
Salina Central 69, Emporia 49
Salina South 77, Valley Center 67
Shawnee Heights 66, Lansing 53
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Class 6A Sub-State Tournament
Sub-State #1
Gardner-Edgerton 41, Blue Valley Stillwell 38
Semifinal
Derby 62, Wichita Southeast 23
Garden City 34, Hutchinson 29
Manhattan 68, Topeka 55
Olathe Northwest 58, SM North 47
Olathe South 66, BV West 24
SM Northwest 70, KC Wyandotte 12
Wichita South 60, Wichita West 1
Sub-State #2
Semifinal
BV North 56, BV Northwest 51
Dodge City 58, Wichita Campus 23
Lawrence 60, SM East 48
Lawrence Free State 50, Wichita East 17
Olathe East 49, Olathe North 33
SM West 66, SM South 52
Washburn Rural 60, Junction City 38
Wichita Northwest 53, Wichita North 35

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Barry Brown scored 15 points on 5 of 8 3-pointers, senior Justin Edwards added 12 more in his final home game, and Kansas State routed TCU 79-54 on Wednesday night.

Brown and Edwards combined to hit eight of Kansas State’s 10 3-pointers. Wesley Iwundu finished with 11 points and seven assists for the Wildcats (16-14, 5-12 Big 12).

Brown hit his fourth 3-pointer with 13:37 left to stretch a 19-point halftime advantage to 58-33. Dean Wade gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game – 31 points – with a pair of free throws late.

Chauncey Collins led TCU (11-19, 2-15) with 11 points. The visitors finished 18 of 54 from the field (33 percent).