Kansas State loses another close one, 66-65 at Texas Tech

Another close basketball game. Another no-call. Another loss.

This is starting to become a painful trend for Kansas State.

The Wildcats suffered their third gut-wrenching defeat of the season 66-65 to Texas Tech on Tuesday at United Supermarkets Arena, a result every bit as excruciating as a 69-68 loss to Maryland in November and a 90-88 loss at Kansas last week.

Victory was within K-State’s grasp, but it slipped away -- again.

“It’s my fault and I have got to do a better job at the end of games and executing,” K-State coach Bruce Weber said. “But they have to do the little things that matter. We played our butts off. We had our chances. Obviously, there were some questionable calls at the end, but you have to overcome those on the road.”

The No. 25 Wildcats (13-3, 2-2 Big 12), playing as a ranked team for the first time in nearly three years, were unable to do so and let a late lead go to waste. They led 50-43 midway through the second half and 62-58 with 1 minute, 29 seconds remaining, but didn’t score again until Barry Brown hit a meaningless three-pointer at the buzzer.

Here’s what went wrong:

Texas Tech (13-3, 2-2) got to the free-throw line a lot and score seven points from the foul line in the final pivotal moments. K-State also didn’t take advantage of its opportunities on offense, including a Wesley Iwundu turnover with 20 seconds remaining that turned into a go-ahead layup for Texas Tech’s Keenan Evans. And, for the second straight road game, K-State was on the wrong end of a controversial no-call.

Only this time it was a Texas Tech defender getting away with a hand to the forehead of K-State guard Barry Brown as he missed a layup with 8 seconds remaining that would have given the Wildcats a lead, instead of Kansas guard Svi Mykhailiuk getting away with a four-step travel on a game-winning layup.

“It was just a no-call, but I have to make that layup at the end of the game,” Brown said. “We are at Texas Tech, so I have to expect stuff like that. I just got to tough it out and make that layup … I got my head kind of pushed back, but I just have to fight through that.”

Making matters worse, K-State forward D.J. Johnson was called for a foul while players fought for the rebound. Then Weber was called for a technical, allowing Texas Tech to ice the game with free throws at the other end.

K-State players fought back tears as they walked off the floor.

“It’s frustrating, very disappointing,” Weber said of Big 12 officiating. “If I say something I will get in trouble and there is no sense in saying anything. So, just like last week, you guys watched the game. Just be consistent. That is all I ask.”

He wasn’t done.

“I raised my hand and thought Barry Brown got fouled,” Weber said. “I raised my hand and maybe I was out a little on the court, but it is the end of the game and it’s emotional and we are hoping for a play. I don’t cuss. I don’t cuss at the officials. I treat them right. Everyone tells me I am professional, but I don’t know if that does any good. Maybe I should try the other way.”

As tempting as it is for Weber and Kansas State fans to blame this loss on officiating, that won’t help as the Wildcats prepare for another difficult game on Saturday.

This week ranks among the toughest stretches of the season for K-State. Texas Tech is not easy to beat in Lubbock and knocked off No. 10 West Virginia here last week. New coach Chris Beard appears to have the Red Raiders within reach of their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Next up is No. 1 Baylor, which will be looking for a bounce-back win of its own coming off a loss to the Mountaineers on Tuesday.

K-State will need to put this loss behind it quickly.

“It’s not really one possession. It’s the little things throughout the whole game that add up to that kind of possession,” Brown said. “Just like boxing out and second-chance points, stupid fouls, stuff like that. It all correlates to the last play, which it might seem like, ‘Oh, it’s the last play or last foul,’ but really it’s little stuff throughout the game.”

There were a lot of little things K-State could have done better against Texas Tech.

Sophomore point guard Kamau Stokes was the team’s only consistent scoring threat in the first half, but did little after. Only three of his 17 points came in the second half. On the other end of the spectrum, sophomore forward Dean Wade went scoreless in the first half and finished with 12.

There was a silly defensive foul by Johnson underneath his own basket late in the first half that sent him to the bench with two fouls and eventually contributed to him fouling him out of the game along with Wade. There were also too many scoreless stretches.

Texas Tech was the more consistent team behind 18 points from Evans and 16 points from Zach Smith and it made plays in the final minute that K-State could not.

“We feel fortunate and really happy for our players to beat a team like Kansas State, a team that we have nothing but respect for,” Beard said. “We knew it was going to be a grind out game and nothing easy about it. We told our players the last three days, it was going to be a one possession game. That’s what it ended up being.”

It was also another depressing loss for K-State, which has now lost a total of three games by a total of four points.

“It just sucks to blow the lead, man,” Brown said. “We just entered the top 25 and to come out like this and not get this road win and be up seven points late in the game and up four points with a minute and a half left … It just hurts my heart.”

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Kansas State loses another close one, 66-65 at Texas Tech."