Strong Shooting Lifts K-State to 102-68 exhibition win over Emporia State

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State connected on 52.1 percent from the field, including 55.6 percent in the second half, as the Wildcats eclipsed 100 points in home exhibition play for the first time since 1993 in a 102-68 win over Division II Emporia State on Wednesday night before 9,268 fans at Bramlage Coliseum. It was the first 100-point game in home exhibition play since a 101-80 win over Fort Hood on Nov. 22, 1993, while it was the most in a home exhibition game since scoring 111 in a win over Michigan AAU on Nov. 15, 1991. The victory also extended K-State’s winning streak in home exhibition play to 29 games, which dates to 2003.
Junior guard Cam Carter paced four Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 field goals in just 14 minutes, while redshirt sophomore forward Jerrell Colbert added 13 points off the bench on perfect 5-of-5 shooting, along with 5 rebounds, also in just 14 minutes. Freshman guard Dai Dai Ames and junior wing Arthur Kaluma also broke double-digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Freshman wing Macaleab Rich grabbed a game-high 9 rebounds to go with his 8 points off the bench. Senior guard Tylor Perry dished out a team-best 5 assists to go with 8 points.
The 100-point game was the eighth in the school’s exhibition history, including the fifth in Bramlage Coliseum. K-State scored its 102 points on 38 made field goals, including 29 coming inside the 3-point line, while knocking down 17 of 19 attempts (89.5 percent) from the free throw line. The Wildcats scored 56 points in the paint to go along with 25 fast-break points, 21 points off turnovers and 53 bench points. They also had assists on 26 of their 38 field goals with 9 players having at least 2 assists led by Perry’s team-high 5.
Emporia State was led by junior guard Solomon Oraegbu’s 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while First Team All-MIAA selection Owen Long added 17 points. The Hornets are ranked No. 20 in the NABC Division II preseason poll and were picked second in the preseason MIAA poll. They return 6 lettermen, including 4 starters, from a team that went 23-9 overall, including 15-7 in the MIAA, and advanced to the second round of the Division II National Tournament.
K-State is now 74-21 all-time in exhibition play dating back to the first such competitions in 1964, including a 57-9 record at home and a 51-9 mark at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats are now 6-0 all-time vs. Emporia State in exhibition play.
K-State officially opens the 2023-24 season on Monday, Nov. 6, as the Wildcats take on USC (0-0) in the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be the last of a quadruple header to tip off the season with an expected 9 p.m., CT tipoff on TNT.

The K-State/Emporia State box score is available here

HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
*On the game…* “Tonight, was a good night because we won, and no one got seriously injured. We have a long way to go, but I like our guys.” *On Cam Carter’s night…* “I’ve asked Cam, and clearly defined his role that I need him to be a bucket. Be a scorer, do not think about facilitating. I was thinking early on in practices and, a little bit in Israel, that he was just trying to be a good teammate. He had a lot of turnovers. I liked that he had three assists, and one turnover, but that’s happening because he’s not thinking about trying to make plays for other people. He’s being really aggressive, and he can shoot the ball. We can shoot the ball better than we shot tonight, I’m not concerned about that, but for the most part, they took good shots.”
TEAM NOTES
9-2 Run Ignites Strong First Half: K-State scored the first 6 points, including a 3-pointer by junior Cam Carter to open the game, before Emporia State rallied to tie it at 10-all. The Wildcats used a 9-2 run capped by a 3-pointer from senior Ques Glover to create separation and build as much as an 18-point lead in the first half. Four different players (senior Will McNair Jr., Carter, junior Arthur Kaluma and Glover) all scored buckets in the run. The Wildcats scored 51 points on 48.6 percent (18-of-37) shooting in the first half with 28 points coming in the paint and 26 points coming off the bench.
Noteworthy Numbers: K-State connected on 52.1 percent (38-of-73) from the field, 28.1 percent (9-of-32) from 3-point range and made 89.5 percent (17-of-19) from the free throw line. Emporia State shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59), including 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from long range, and 60.9 percent (14-of-23) from the line. The Wildcats held decisive advantages in points in the paint (56-34), fast-break points (25-7), bench points (53-13) and points off turnovers (21-12). They also had 26 assists on their 38 made field goals with nine players having at least 2 assists.
Mixing and Matching: Head coach Jerome Tang used a starting lineup of senior guard Tylor Perry, junior guard Cam Carter, redshirt freshman wing Taj Manning, junior wing Arthur Kaluma and senior wing David N’Guessan. All 13 available players saw action in the first half, as Tang mixed and matched various lineups, including one with all 3 true freshmen (Dai Dai Ames, R.J. Jones and Macaleab Rich). Redshirt freshman guard Dorian Finister started the second half, along with Perry, Carter, Kaluma and N’Guessan.
Playing all 13: All 13 available players saw action in the exhibition with no one playing more than Arthur Kaluma’s 28 minutes. Only three players (Kaluma, Cam Carter and Dai Dai Ames) eclipsed 20 minutes of playing time with everyone playing at least 7 minutes.
PLAYER NOTES
Carter Leads the Way Again: Junior guard Cam Carter led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-13 field goals to go with 3 assists and 2 steals in 24 minutes. He scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half on 5-of-10 shooting, as he helped the Wildcats build as much as an 18-point lead in the opening half. It marked the second straight year that Carter led the Wildcats in exhibition play, as he scored 13 points in a win over Washburn in 2022.
Colbert Perfect from Field: Redshirt sophomore Jerrell Colbert went a perfect 5-of-5 from the field off the bench with 13 points to go with 5 rebounds, a block and steal in 14 minutes. It was his first game in Bramlage Coliseum after redshirting his first season in 2022-23.
Kaluma Also In Double Figures: Junior Arthur Kaluma registered double figures in his first game at Bramlage Coliseum, posting 10 points on 3-of-6 field goals and 3-of-3 free throws to go with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block in a team-high 28 minutes.
True Freshman Impress in First Action: Redshirt sophomore Jerrell Colbert notched a double-double with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting with a game-high 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.

What’s Next
K-State and USC tip off the 2023-24 season on Monday, Nov. 6 in the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena at 9 p.m., CT. The Wildcats play Bellarmine (0-0) in the home opener on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., CT.