In a thrilling match-up at the Big 12 Tournament, Coleman Hawkins delivered a standout performance with a season-high 26 points to lead the 10th-seeded Kansas State to a hard-fought 71-66 victory over the 15th-seeded Arizona State. David N’Guessan’s critical three-point play in the final minute sealed the win for the Wildcats, who will now face the 7th-seeded Baylor in the next round.
Alongside Hawkins, Dug McDaniel contributed 14 points, while Max Jones and Brendan Hausen each added 10 points to secure the win for Kansas State. On the other side, Alston Mason led the charge for the Sun Devils with 17 points, supported by Joson Sanon and Basheer Jihad with 13 points each, and Shawn Phillips Jr. with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Kansas State surged ahead early with a 17-4 run, but Arizona State fought back with a 20-4 run of their own. However, Kansas State regained control with an 11-0 run in the first half. The game remained tense until N’Guessan’s clutch play in the final seconds secured the victory for the underdog Wildcats.
Notably, Arizona State played without freshman Jayden Quaintance for the fifth consecutive game due to a knee injury, while Adam Miller returned after recovering from a strained oblique.
Looking ahead, Kansas State will face a tough challenge against Baylor in the upcoming round, as they aim to continue their impressive tournament run.
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