Kansas State forward Thomas Gipson (42) rebounds over Oklahoma State guard Anthony Hickey Jr. (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Bruce Weber
Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber directs his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma State in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Anthony Hickey Jr., Jevon Thomas
Oklahoma State guard Anthony Hickey Jr. (12) and Kansas State guard Jevon Thomas (1) chase a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
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MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Nino Williams scored 20 points on some hot shooting, Marcus Foster added 14 points and Kansas State led Oklahoma State from start to finish in a 63-53 victory Saturday.
Justin Edwards also had 14 points for the Wildcats (12-8, 5-2 Big 12), who avenged a loss to the Cowboys earlier this month by winning for the fifth time in their last six games.
The Wildcats shot 57 percent from the field, going 12 of 16 in the second half.
Phil Forte poured in 22 points and Le’Bryan Nash had 13, but the only other Cowboys player with more than one field goal was Michael Cobbins. He was 2 for 4 and had seven points.
Oklahoma State (13-6, 3-4) still has not won at Bramlage Coliseum since 2010.
Williams, who finished the game 10 of 13 from the field, was 6-for-6 shooting and had 12 points in the first half. Foster added eight, the two nearly outscoring Oklahoma State themselves.
Nash’s two foul shots and scooping layup got the Cowboys within 31-21 at the break.
The lead was a credit to Kansas State’s defense more than anything.
Foster spent the entire game in Forte’s back pocket, preventing the Big 12’s third-leading scorer from getting any open looks. The junior sharpshooter was 1 for 4 from the field in the first half, his only make a long 3-pointer, and managed just six points.
Things were a struggle for him right from the start, too. On the Cowboys’ first possession, Forte threw up an off-balanced jumper as the shot clock expired. Realizing it was off line, he tried to jump into a defender, but the officials refused to call the foul. Cowboys coach Travis Ford exploded on the sideline, earning a technical foul less than a minute into the game.
Foster made both free throws for the Wildcats, who were off and running.
Oklahoma State kept trying to whittle into its deficit in the second half, closing to 37-30 on Forte’s 3-pointer with 15:47 left, then within 42-35 on Nash’s jumper with 11:25 to go.
The high-scoring duo didn’t get a whole lot of help, though.
Meanwhile, the more balanced Wildcats kept answering the call, whether it was Edwards at the foul line or back-to-back dunks by big man Thomas Gipson down the stretch.
Nash’s basket got Oklahoma State within 58-49 with 2:52 remaining, but a couple of wasted opportunities followed by Edwards’ 3-pointer with just over a minute left put the game away.
TIP-INS
Oklahoma State still has not swept a season series from the Wildcats since 1994. … The Cowboys are 2-5 in true road games this season. … Nash has scored in double figures in 18 straight games. … Forte scored 20 against the Wildcats in their first meeting.
Kansas State committed just one turnover in the first half and had 10 in the game. … The Wildcats honored former coach Tex Winter by renaming the road outside the arena “Tex Winter Drive” prior to the game. … Wildcats coach Bruce Weber improved to 20-2 at home in Big 12 play.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma State returns home to face No. 21 Baylor on Tuesday night.
Kansas State continues its homestand Tuesday night against No. 18 West Virginia.