MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Alex Collins ran for 185 yards and three touchdowns and Arkansas capped its late-season surge with a 45-23 victory over Kansas State on Saturday in the Liberty Bowl.

Ranked 18th to open the season, Arkansas stumbled through a 1-3 start that knocked the Razorbacks out of the Top 25. The Razorbacks (8-5) turned things around won six of their last seven games.

Collins overwhelmed Kansas State’s defense in front of a sellout crowd of 61,136, the fourth-largest crowd in the game’s 57-year history.

Kansas State (6-7) finished a season below .500 for the first time since Bill Snyder began his second stint as coach in 2009.

Arkansas’ Brandon Allen was 20 of 26 for 315 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Kansas State’s Kody Cook, starting at quarterback for the first time, went 12 of 24 for 163 yards with a touchdown.

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – No. 19/17 West Virginia scored the final four points of the second overtime, including a pair of free throws from Jevon Carter with 5 seconds remaining, to hold on for an 87-83 win over Kansas State on Saturday before 12,270 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.

 

The game went back and forth between the two teams with the lead changing 29 times to go with 19 ties, including 11 lead changes in the second half to force overtime. It marked the first double overtime game in Bramlage Coliseum history and the first overtime contest since an 85-82 win over Kansas on Feb. 10, 2014.

 

With the score knotted at 83-all, Tarik Phillip converted on a jumper with 1:08 remaining in the second overtime to give the Mountaineers (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) the lead for good. The Wildcats (10-3, 0-1 Big 12) had two shots in the final minute, as freshman Dean Wademissed a 3-pointer with 48 seconds left and junior Wesley Iwundu had a layup blocked with 7 seconds left on the clock before Carter’s two free throws.

 

The loss snapped K-State’s 11-game homecourt winning streak, including its 8-0 mark this season. It was the first loss in a home Big 12 opener since No. 6 Oklahoma knocked off the Wildcats, 61-53, on Jan. 10, 2009.

 

Freshman Barry Brown paced four Wildcats in double figures with a season-high 20 points on 6-of-12 field goals, including 2-of-6 from 3-point range, while Iwundu (16), Kamau Stokes (15) and Wade (13) all scored double-digits. The three freshmen accounted for 48 of the 83 points on 14-of-29 field goals.

 

West Virginia’s Jaysean Paige scored a career-high 25 points on 9-of-17 field goals to go along with a career-tying 7 rebounds, while Phillip scored 14 points, 9 of which came in both overtime periods.

 

The Mountaineers now lead the all-time series, 5-4, which includes four consecutive wins since 2014.

 

The Basics

Final Score: Kansas State 83, 19/17 West Virginia 87 (2OT)

Records: Kansas State 10-3, 0-1 Big 12 // West Virginia 12-1, 1-0 Big 12

Attendance: 12,270

Next Game: Tuesday, Jan. 5 \\ at Texas \\ 7 p.m. CT \\ Longhorn Network

 

The Short Story

·         K-State saw its 11-game homecourt winning streak come to an end on Saturday, as No. 19/17 West Virginia posted an 87-83 win in double overtime before 12,270 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.

·         There were 29 lead changes and 19 ties during the course of the game.

·         The Mountaineers’ 87 points were a season-high for an opponent and the most by an opponent since Nebraska also scored 87 on Feb. 17, 2010.

·         West Virginia connected on 47.1 percent (32-of-68) from the field and held a 43-35 edge on the glass, which included 15 offensive rebounds resulting in 13 second-chance points.

·         The Wildcats shot 44.8 percent (26-of-58), but just 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from 3-point range, including a combined 0-of-11 in the second half and overtime. The team also missed 15 free throws, including 10 in the first half when they held as much as a 9-point lead.

·         West Virginia’s Jaysean Paige led all scorers in the game with a career-high 25 points, which included 20 in the second half and overtime, and tied a career high for rebounds with 7.

·         Freshman Barry Brown set a new season-high with 20 points to lead four Wildcats in double figures.

·         The Wildcats dropped to 0-3 this season vs. Top 25 opponents.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Wayne Selden scored 24 points, Perry Ellis added 17 and No. 2 Kansas used a big run over the first 10 minutes to swamp No. 23 Baylor 102-74 on Saturday in their Big 12 opener.

Devonte Graham added 15 points and Frank Mason III had 11 for the Jayhawks (12-1, 1-0), who charged out to a 22-4 lead, then turned back every attempt by the Bears (10-3, 0-1) to make it a game.

It was the Jayhawks’ sixth straight win over Baylor – which has never won in 14 trips to Lawrence – and 25th consecutive conference-opening win. It was also their 31st straight win at Allen Fieldhouse, where No. 3 ranked Oklahoma will visit for another high-profile showdown Monday night.

Taurean Prince had 13 of his 17 points in the second half for Baylor. Lester Medford added 15, all but three after the break, while Rico Gathers finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Kansas State ( 6-6 ) meets Arkansas ( 7-5 ) on Saturday in the Liberty Bowl football game in Memphis, Tennessee.

On Friday did not name his starting quarterback for the game. Top candidates include Joe Hubener and Kody Cook.

Arkansas will pose a tough challenge for the Wildcats. The Razorbacks, coached by former K-State assistant Bret Bielema, have a senior quarterback Brandon Allen, who threw for 3,125 yards and 29 touchdowns, plus a solid tailback in Alex Collins, who has rushed for 1,392 yards and 17 touchdowns.

The Razorbacks started the season slowly but rallied to win five of their last six games. Among them were wins over LSU, Mississippi, Auburn, and Missouri. Kansas State endured a six-game losing streak but then closed out their regular season schedule with wins over Iowa State, Kansas, and West Virginia.

The game in Memphis is a sellout.

Kickoff is at 2:20 p.m. You can hear the contest on KJCK AM, 1420, with the pregame broadcast beginning at 12:30.

 

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs pass rusher Justin Houston returned to practice for the first time in more than a month on Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.

Fellow linebacker Tamba Hali is also questionable after missing a game with a broken thumb.

Houston has not played since hyperextending his knee against Buffalo on Nov. 29. The Chiefs have considered him day to day ever since, though he has not participated in any workouts.

Even if Houston or Hali does not play Sunday, the fact that they are questionable increases the likelihood they’ll be available for the playoffs. Kansas City (10-5) has already secured a wild-card spot and could still win the AFC West.

UNDATED (AP) – The top-ranked Clemson Tigers and second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide have earned a trip to Arizona. The two teams will square off in the CFP championship game by dominating the second half of their respective semifinal bowls.

Clemson trailed by a point before outscoring Oklahoma 21-0 in the second half of a 37-17 rout of the fourth-ranked Sooners. Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson ran for a touchdown and threw for another while rolling up 332 total yards. He completed 16 of his 31 throws for 187 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown to Hunter Renfrow that gave Clemson some breathing room late in the third quarter. The Heisman finalist also ran for 145 yards on 24 carries, scoring the Tigers’ first touchdown on a 5-yard run.

Clemson ran for over 300 yards, with Wayne Gallman carrying 26 times for 150 yards and two scores. Gallman’s four-yard TD run with 10:28 remaining capped the scoring.

Baker Mayfield was 26 of 41 for 311 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Sooners didn’t score after Mayfield hit Mark Andrews for an 11-yard TD with 1:34 left in the first half.

Clemson will carry a 14-0 record into the title game.

The Tide are 13-1 following their 38-0 pounding of Michigan State. Jake Coker shredded the Spartans’ defense by completing 25 of his 30 passes for 286 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry had a pair of TD runs while carrying 20 times for 75 yards.

Freshman Calvin Ridley grabbed both of Coker’s scoring strikes and had eight receptions for 138 yards.

Connor Cook struggled in leading Michigan State’s attack, going 19 of 39 for 210 yards and two interceptions. Cook didn’t get any help from the Spartans’ running backs, who finished with just 29 yards on 26 carries.

Michigan State’s only trip to the red zone ended with Cyrus Jones intercepting a pass at the goal line late in the first half.

GAME 13

19/17 WEST VIRGINIA (11-1, 0-0 Big 12)

AT KANSAS STATE (10-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Saturday, January 2, 2016 >> 11:01 am CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

COACHES

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

Overall: 385-195/18^th season

At K-State: 72-40/4^th season

1. West Virginia: 3-3

 

West Virginia: Bob Huggins (West Virginia ’77)

Overall: 776-313/34^th season

At West Virginia: 186-102/9^th season

1. Kansas State: 4-3

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (10-2, 0-0 Big 12)

G: #3 Kamau Stokes (9.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)

G: #14 Justin Edwards (13.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg.)

G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (13.3 ppg., 4.3 rpg.)

F: #32 Dean Wade (10.8 ppg., 5.8 rpg.)

F: #41 Stephen Hurt (7.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg.)

 

19/17 West Virginia (11-1, 0-0 Big 12)

G: #2 Jevon Carter (13.0 ppg., 2.8 rpg.)

G: #4 Daxter Miles, Jr. (12.2 ppg., 2.2 rpg.)

F: #1 Jonathan Holton (9.2 ppg., 7.5 rpg.)

F: #23 Esa Ahmad (5.3 ppg., 3.1 rpg.)

F: #41 Devin Williams (15.5 ppg., 9.1 rpg.)

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: Tied 4-4

In Manhattan: K-State leads 2-1 (last meeting – 1/27/2015)

Current Streak: West Virginia, 3

Last Meeting: West Virginia, 76-72, in Morgantown, on 2/11/2015

Weber vs. West Virginia: Tied 3-3 (2-1 at home)

Huggins vs. K-State: Huggins leads 4-3 (1-2 on the road)

Weber vs. Huggins: Weber leads 5-3 (2-1 at home)

 

QUICK HITTERS

• Kansas State (10-2) opens Big 12 play on Saturday, as the Wildcats play host to No. 19/17 West Virginia (11-1) at Bramlage Coliseum at 11 a.m. CT. Saturday’s game ties for the earliest league opener in school history, as the Wildcats opened Big Six play on Jan. 2, 1945 (vs. Oklahoma) and 1946 (at Nebraska) and Big 12 play on Jan. 2, 1999 (at Oklahoma State).
• K-State is 50-52 all-time in conference openers dating back to Missouri Valley play in 1914, including 7-12 in the Big 12 era. The Wildcats are 35-18 when opening league at home, including 5-2 in the Big 12 era.
• K-State has won 5 of their last 6 Big 12 openers at home, including 3 of their last 4 when the Big 12 opponent is ranked (No. 23 Texas Tech in 2003, No. 22 Oklahoma State in 2013 and No. 6 OSU in 2014).
• Saturday’s game will be the 9th meeting between K-State and West Virginia with the series tied at 4-all, including 3 wins apiece in the Big 12 era. The schools have played 7 times since 2011 with the Mountaineers sweeping the season series for the 1st time a season ago.
• K-State is off to its best start since 2012-13 when the Wildcats also went 10-2 to open to the Bruce Weber era. The two losses have come to No. 9/8 North Carolina (70-80) and at No. 25 Texas A&M (68-78).
• Despite an 0-2 record vs. ranked foes this season, K-State is one of 10 schools to tally at least 11 wins vs. Top 25 teams the past 3 seasons, along with Iowa State (19), Kansas (17), Kentucky (15), Duke (14), North Carolina (14), Wisconsin (14), Baylor (13), Oklahoma (12) and Connecticut (11).
• K-State has won 14 of its last 19 home games vs. ranked opponents, including 9 of the last 11, dating back to 2010. Overall, the Wildcats are 32-49 vs. Top 25 foes at Bramlage Coliseum, including 17-9 since 2008.
• K-State is 8-0 in home venues this season, including 7-0 at Bramlage Coliseum, and have won 11 straight at home dating back to last season.
• K-State claimed its 10th non-conference win in Tuesday’s victory over Saint Louis, marking the 9th time in the last 10 seasons that the Wildcats have accomplished that feat, including the first time since 2013-14.
• The key to K-State’s successful start has been its balanced scoring, as 5 different players have led the team in scoring and 6 players have at least 3 double-figure scoring games. It marks the first time the Wildcats have started a season with five different leading scorers since 1998-99.
• K-State has used the same lineup in all 12 games and those starters are responsible for 73 percent (641) of the team’s scoring, 63 percent (295) of rebounding, 78 percent (132) of assists and 63 percent (55) of steals.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) – TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin has been suspended by the team after being charged with felony assault of a police officer. The incident took place at a bar in San Antonio where TCU is getting ready for the Alamo Bowl. Boykin was being heckled by fans and when police arrived he took a swing and made contact with a police officer.

The suspension brings to an end his career and prevents him from showcasing his talents for the pro scouts one final time.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Ron Baker scored 14 points, Fred VanVleet added 13, and Wichita State beat Drake 67-47 on Thursday for its eighth straight victory.

Baker was 3 of 4 from 3-point range as Wichita State made 8 of 24 from distance.

Zach Brown added 10 points for Wichita State (7-5), which has won six straight Missouri Valley Conference openers.

Kale Abrahamson hit a 3-pointer for Drake to tie it at 25-all before Wichita State closed on an 8-0 run, with a Baker 3-pointer, for a 33-25 halftime lead. The Shockers started the second half on a 13-2 run, with balanced scoring from VanVleet, Brown and Anton Grady, as Drake only made one field goal in the first six minutes.

Abrahamson and Graham Woodward scored 12 points apiece for Drake (5-8). The Bulldogs were held to 16-of-43 shooting (37 percent), were outrebounded 38-28 and turned it over 18 times.

By Ron Wilson

Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

What is more All-American than growing up and playing ball in small town Kansas? Today we’ll meet a young man who experienced such an upbringing. He came from rural Kansas and is making an impact in big-time college basketball.

Dean Wade is a freshman forward for the Kansas State basketball team. He had what might be considered an All-American upbringing, growing up in a small central Kansas town.

Dean is the son of Jay and Trish Wade. Jay and Trish are originally from small town Kansas also. Jay grew up at Haviland. Trish’s dad was in the Navy so they moved around a lot. Trish came to Haviland when she was in the sixth grade.

Jay and Trish went to school together and then on to successful athletic careers. Jay played football for K-State and then transferred to Western Illinois University where he became all-conference and honorable mention All-American. Trish played volleyball and basketball at Barton County Community College before attending Florida Southern where she too became all-conference and All-American.

Trish and Jay got married and settled into careers in Wichita. She was a fitness and health trainer and he ultimately went into sales with Foley Caterpillar. They had a daughter and then a son. While the kids were still little, Foley Caterpillar transferred Jay to western Kansas so the family moved west.

“We looked all over for a good community to live in,” Trish said. After visiting lots of communities, they decided to settle in the Stafford County community of St. John. “We loved the school. They had the nicest school secretary,” Trish said.

Jay continues to work for Foley Caterpillar. Trish took a coaching and substitute teaching job at St. John High School. She is now the volleyball and track coach at the school, where she has had lots of success. Her volleyball teams won three state championships and she is a three-time Kansas Volleyball Association Coach of the Year.
Among her players was their daughter Teresa. Teresa became an all-state volleyball player at St. John, the Class 1A Most Valuable Player, and then played at Hutchinson Community College where she became a – what else? – All-American.

Teresa’s younger brother Dean also followed in his parents’ athletic footsteps. In high school he lettered in football and track, but it was in basketball that his talents shone the brightest. He became a four-year letterman on the basketball team, leading the team to three consecutive state championships and two undefeated seasons.
As a senior, he averaged more than 25 points per game while playing less than 20 minutes per game. Dean was named Mr. Kansas Basketball and the state Gatorade Player of the Year.

Of course, there are lots of standout athletes in high school, but small town Kansas kids tend to be overlooked by the large colleges and big media markets. Dean Wade started to get more attention in the summer before his senior year when he led his regional AAU team to the Great American Shootout in Dallas. In the title game, he scored 30 points.

Kansas State was the first major college team to show interest in Dean Wade. Wichita State and others followed, but Wade committed to come to Manhattan. He is now a 6’10” forward who is starting on the K-State basketball team. He is the team’s second leading rebounder and third leading scorer.
One of his most exciting games was against Georgia. The game was back and forth. Dean Wade got hot in the second half and scored 16 points, including the game-winning shot with four seconds to play.
It was a lot of excitement for a player from a rural community like St. John, Kansas, population 1,295 people. Now, that’s rural.

What is more All-American than growing up and playing ball in small town Kansas? We commend Jay and Trish Wade for making a difference by seeking a good small-town environment in which to raise their children. Just as Jay had been an All-American in football and Trish and Teresa became All-Americans in volleyball, how fitting that basketball-playing Dean Wade would be named a Parade All-American.