Kansas St defeats UL Monroe 94-85
Kansas St Upset UL Monroe in Bramlage Coliseum, 94-85
In a thrilling non-conference matchup, the Kansas State Wildcats (Home) emerged victorious over the visiting Louisiana Monroe Warhawks (Away), 94-85, on Monday night at Bramlage Coliseum.
The game was a defensive battle from the start, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. However, it was the home team that seized control in the second half, outscoring UL Monroe by 12 points and never looking back.
P.J. Haggerty led the Wildcats' charge, pouring in 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. The senior forward also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out three assists to pace Kansas State's balanced attack.
"We knew it was going to be a tough game coming into tonight," Haggerty said. "UL Monroe is an excellent team, and we had to be focused from start to finish."
The Warhawks, led by Krystian Lewis' 25 points, put up a valiant effort but ultimately came up short. Lewis connected on 54.5% of his field goal attempts, including three 3-pointers.
Kansas State's strong rebounding effort also played a key role in the Wildcats' victory. They outrebounded UL Monroe by 13 boards, with P.J. Haggerty and Elias Rapieque leading the way.
The home team's advantage on the glass helped them secure a significant edge in paint points (44-32) and fast break points (16-11).
UL Monroe's Dylan Diaz was his team's top scorer off the bench, with nine points on three rebounds. However, the Warhawks struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 39% of their 3-point attempts.
The Wildcats' impressive shooting performance, including 47.0% from the field and 75.0% from the free throw line, was a major factor in their success. Kansas State's ability to limit UL Monroe's scoring opportunities also played a crucial role in the outcome.
In the end, Kansas State's well-rounded attack proved too much for UL Monroe to handle, as the Wildcats emerged with a hard-fought 9-point victory.
Final Box Score:
Kansas St (H) - 94
UL Monroe (A) - 85