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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- This was every shooter's dream game.
Darren Kelly hit 13 of his first 15 shots and scored a
career-high 33 points Saturday night, leading Texas (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) to a 99-70 victory over Kansas State that doomed the Wildcats to last place in the Big 12 race.
"I was on fire," the 6-foot-3 guard said.
Eclipsing his season average by 15 points, Kelly threw in
everything from off-balance fallaway jumpers to driving layups to
long-range bombs.
"I felt like I couldn't miss out there, especially after I hit
that first 3-pointer when they left me all alone in the second
half," he said. "Look at me -- I'm not even tired. I wish I could
go right back out there and play another game."
Kelly wound up 13-for-17 and missed only two of eight 3-point
attempts and compensated for the absence of 7-footer Chris Mihm,
who sat out much of the game because of foul trouble.
`A lot of good things happened in this game, especially Darren
Kelly," Texas coach Rick Barnes said.
Texas (22-7, 13-3 Big 12) finished second in the regular season
Big 12.
The Wildcats (9-18, 2-14) who earlier in the season tied their
single-season team record with an 11-game losing streak, ended the
miserable regular season losing 15 of 17.
Coach Tom Asbury, who also finished last in the conference race
his first season in 1994-95, is certain to come under greater heat
from fans and alumni and could be the first Kansas State coach in
55 years to depart with an overall losing record.
"Through the good times and the bad times and we've had a lot
of bad times this year, that family in the locker room has always
stuck together," said Tony Kitt, Kansas State's senior forward.
"If I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't trade it
for anything."
Asbury drew a technical foul in the first half for arguing with
officials and threw his suit coat onto the floor in disgust.
"I think if we would have played perfectly, over our heads, we
would still have ad a hard time beating them," Asbury said.
Texas, which had never before won at Kansas State, put the game
out of reach with a 9-0 run early in the first half, turning a
54-44 lead into a 63-44 bulge. Kelly made sure the Wildcats never
recovered, hitting a 3-pointer for a 78-55 lead with eight minutes
to go, then scoring every point in a 7-0 run that gave the
Longhorns a commanding 88-61 advantage.
Gabe Muoneke finished with 27 points, including 12-of-15 from
the foul line. Mihm had 17. Groves had 17 for Kansas State and
Travis Reynolds and Josh Reid each had 12.
Mihm went to the bench with his second foul halfway through the
first half with Texas leading by 10. But Muoneke and Kelly took up
the slack as the Wildcats failed to take advantage of the
7-footer's absence and trailed 44-35 when Kelly hit a baseline
jumper at the buzzer.
Texas outrebounded the shorter Wildcats 39-31.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
Kansas State Clubhouse
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