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Wildcats pull away from Omaha 84-66
spt ap KSU
Kansas States Justin Edwards shoots under pressure from Nebraska-Omahas TreShawn Thurman (15) during the first half of an NCAA basketball game on Tuesday in Manhattan. - photo by AP Photo

MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — Nino Williams had 19 points and Marcus Foster added 16 points as Kansas State beat Nebraska-Omaha 84-66 in the first-ever meeting between the two schools on Tuesday night.
It is already the fourth 80-point game for the Wildcats (4-3). They only surpassed the mark twice during the 2013-14 season.
C.J. Carter had 22 points to pace the Mavericks, who were held to their lowest score of the season.
Nebraska-Omaha (3-3) overcame two nine-point leads just after halftime, but 10 points from Foster in the first eight minutes of the second half never allowed the Mavericks to close within six points through the remainder of the game.
A 3-point play from Marcus Tyus closed Kansas State’s lead to 56-48 with 11:19 left, but Williams scored nine of Kansas State’s next 13 points to open a 69-50 lead.
It didn’t start nearly as well for the Wildcats as they didn’t lead until a Jevon Thomas 3-pointer with 7:32 left in the first half. Thomas’ 12 points were a career-high, surpassing a nine-point performance at Kansas on Jan. 11.
Nebraska-Omaha opened up a 16-10 lead with 11:29 left in the first half, shooting nearly 50 percent during the stretch.
However, the Mavericks’ largest lead opened up the floodgates for Kansas State.
After struggling through his first six games, Justin Edwards followed a Foster basket with a spinning layup through traffic that aided a 12-3 first-half scoring run. He also knocked in his second 3-pointer of the season.
The Mavericks trailed 37-31 at halftime, but Carter’s 14 first-half points kept them in range after making only four shots in the final six minutes.
Williams led the Wildcats with eight points in the first half, including the first five points of the game.

TIP-INS
Nebraska-Omaha, who was picked sixth in conference preseason polls, leads the Summit League in points per game, field goals made per game, 3-point percentage and total rebounds.
Kansas State is now 36-0 in December home games, dating back to a 76-66 loss to Rutgers Dec. 28, 2004.

UP NEXT
Kansas State will go to Tennessee on Saturday.
Nebraska-Omaha will play at Air Force next Monday.

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NEBRASKA-OMAHA (3-3)
Patterson 2-8 1-2 7, Rostampour 1-3 1-1 3, Carter 9-15 2-2 22, Thurman 2-8 1-2 5, Tyus 3-7 2-4 9, Smallwood 2-7 0-0 5, Reed 1-1 0-0 2, Erickson 0-0 0-0 0, Murry 4-5 2-2 11, Newsome 0-2 0-0 0, Meyer 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 25-57 9-15 66.
KANSAS ST. (4-3)
Thomas 4-5 2-4 12, Foster 6-13 1-2 16, Williams 8-11 2-5 19, Iwundu 1-4 0-0 2, Gipson 3-5 3-6 9, T. Harris 2-3 0-0 6, M. Harris 2-6 0-1 4, Schoen 0-0 0-0 0, Edwards 3-7 2-2 9, Bolden 0-0 0-2 0, N. Johnson 1-4 0-0 2, Rohleder 0-0 0-0 0, Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Hurt 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 32-60 11-24 84.
Halftime—Kansas St. 37-31. 3-Point Goals—Nebraska-Omaha 7-24 (Patterson 2-3, Carter 2-7, Tyus 1-2, Murry 1-2, Smallwood 1-6, Newsome 0-1, Thurman 0-3), Kansas St. 9-21 (Foster 3-8, T. Harris 2-3, Thomas 2-3, Williams 1-1, Edwards 1-1, Iwundu 0-1, M. Harris 0-2, N. Johnson 0-2). Fouled Out—Rostampour, Thurman, Tyus. Rebounds—Nebraska-Omaha 25 (Thurman 9), Kansas St. 43 (Foster, M. Harris, Hurt 7). Assists—Nebraska-Omaha 15 (Patterson 6), Kansas St. 23 (Thomas 7). Total Fouls—Nebraska-Omaha 24, Kansas St. 20. Technicals—Smallwood, Thomas. A—12,126.