MANHATTAN — When Rodney McGruder is hitting on all cylinders with his rapid-fire jump shot, it spells big trouble for Kansas State’s basketball opponents.
McGruder, a junior, got on a roll again Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Bramlage Coliseum, hitting his first five shots from the floor and scoring a game-high 24 points during a 77-58 victory over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Conference and regular-season finale.
McGruder, who finished 10 for 14 from the floor, including 4 for 6 on 3-pointers, hit back-to-back 3s during a one-minute stretch early in the second half, triggering a 14-0 second-half getaway for the Wildcats (21-9, 9-8).
“Rodney, obviously, he has been engaged, outside of that little two-week period, for the whole conference season,” Kansas State head coach Frank Martin said. “We’ve got a group of guys that really, really get it, and we’ve got some other guys that are trying to figure it out.
“That’s been our challenge this year, but we’re being a lot more consistent than what we used to be and we can grow during the course of a game, which, as a coach, is what you look for.”
Senior forward Jamar Samuels, playing in his final home game, went out in grand style, recording a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
“I just woke up (Saturday morning), thinking that this was my last game at Bramlage and I’ve got to go out with a bang,” Samuels said.
Oklahoma State (14-17, 7-11) was led by Keiton Page with 22 points. OSU’s lone senior and the Big 12’s active leader for 3-pointers, Page increased his career total to 291. He knocked down 4 of 5 in the first half, but cooled to 6 for 10 for the game as Kansas State pulled away.
For McGruder, it was the ninth time he has scored 20-plus points this season and the 13th in his career, where Kansas State is 11-2 in those games.
“Rodney, I just said on the radio that in his freshman year, he couldn’t defend me,” Martin said. “Here’s the deal with him. When I take him out of games, it’s not because he’s tired. That’s the kind of pride he has and whenever we get the ball, he runs harder than anybody down the court.
“He never gets beat on defense going back. He’s our second-leading rebounder, he guards the best player on the other team and yet we run half the stuff we run to create cracks for him to make a play. That’s how good he’s been for our basketball team.”
It was an emotional farewell for Samuels and fellow senior Victor Ojeleye. The win enabled the duo to tie three players (Luis Colon, Chris Merrieweather and Jacob Pullen) for the most victories (95) in school history.
Samuels and Ojeleye have helped the Wildcats to a 95-40 record in their four-year careers, including a 40-26 mark in conference play. The duo is also hoping to become the third straight senior class to lead K-State to the postseason in four consecutive seasons.
With Kansas State leading 77-54 and 2:32 remaining, Samuels, a native of Washington, D.C., left to a thunderous roar from the 12,528 fans.
Kansas State now turns its attention to the Big 12 Tournament, which starts next Wednesday at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

GAME NOTES — Samuels is one of just 11 players in school history to tally at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career, joining the likes of Rolando Blackman (1977-81), Bob Boozer (1956-59), Ed Nealy (1979-82), Jack Parr (1955-58), David Hall (1969-72), Dick Knostman (1950-53), Ernie Kusnyer (1970-73), Willie Murrell (1962-64), Steve Mitchell (1970-73) and Cartier Martin (2003-07). … Nealy, a product of Bonner Springs, is the only player in school history to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career (1,304 points and 1,609 rebounds). … In an emotional pre-game ceremony recognizing Ojeleye and Samuels, Ojeleye, an Ottawa native, teared up when he was introduced. Ojeleye will become a three-time, first-team academic All-Big 12 selection when postseason accolades are announced.