Field Level Media
Jan 6, 2018
Keenan Evans scored 27 points, including a 13-of-14 showing from the free-throw line, to lead No. 18 Texas Tech to a dominating 74-58 win over Kansas State on Saturday in Big 12 play at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.
Barry Brown led the Wildcats (11-4, 1-2) with 24 points while Dean Wade added 14 and Cartier Diarra scored 11 points off the bench for Kansas State.
The Red Raiders (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) led by 22 points at halftime but saw their advantage pared to 48-40 with 11:43 to play when Kansas State capped an 18-8 run with a free throw by Diarra.
But Texas Tech woke up with a vengeance from its slow second-half start and scored 16 of the ensuing 21 points to derail any chance of a Wildcats' comeback. The Red Raiders have won eight straight games and remain atop the Big 12 standings.
Zhaire Smith added 11 points off the bench to lead the 34-point contribution by the Red Raiders' reserves. Texas Tech shot 58.5 percent from the field while Kansas State shot 47.6 percent.
Texas Tech roared to an early 15-2 advantage over the first seven minutes and led by as many as 21 points after a Zhaire Smith layup with five minutes to play in the first half. The Red Raiders shot 69.6 percent from the field and owned a 16-6 edge in rebounding while building a 40-22 lead at intermission.
Evans hit for 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range, in the first half to lead all scorers in the first half. All 10 of the Red Raiders who saw the floor in the first 20 minutes of play scored.
Brown led the Wildcats with 10 points but Kansas State's other four starters tallied a combined six points in the first half. All six of the Wildcats' rebounds in the half were on the defensive end.
--Field Level Media