Three Key Takeaways from Kansas State's Win over Cal
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Here is a look at the three takeaways from Kansas State's 99-96 victory over Cal.
3. The Wildcats dominated in the first half against the Golden Bears.
Kansas State scored 55 points in the first half to have a comfortable 21-point lead at the halftime intermission. The Wildcats' defense held Cal to only 34 first-half points, and K-State shot a scorching 68% from the field and 75% from three-point range in the first 20 minutes of play. Ultimately, this commanding start provided the winning margin.
2. Cal's huge comeback attempt in the second half.
Despite being outscored 62-44, the Wildcats allowed Cal to stage a massive comeback in the second half, and the Golden Bears almost came back to win this game. Excellent three-point shooting, especially from Chris Bell, who finished with 27 points and was amazing from beyond the arc, going 7-of-9 from three. His teammate Dai Dai Ames had an outstanding night as well, scoring 25 points and only missing once from behind the arc, going 5-of-6 from three. Both of them greatly helped drive Cal's comeback. After halftime, K-State's defense struggled to stop the Golden Bears' perimeter offense as Ames and Bell combined to make 12 three-pointers in this game.
1. The scoring attack of the three stars of the game for the Wildcats.
Three K-State players played very well offensively, each scoring 20 or more points in their win over Cal. K-State's offense in this game was led by P.J. Haggerty, who had six assists, three rebounds, and 23 points. His teammates, Khamari McGriff, who scored 21 pts, and Nate Johnson, who put up 20 in this game are contributed especially offensively in the game, and they all had high shooting percentages from the field in the game.
The overall takeaway from the game.
K-State is going to put up some points this season, as they have scored 93, 98, and 99 points in their first three games this season. The Wildcats next face off against a fellow undefeated 3-0 Tulsa team at home on Monday. They should win that game before taking on Mississippi State in the Hall of Fame Classic tournament in Kansas City. The Bulldogs lost to Iowa State by 16 in a game in the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the Wildcats have a decent chance of defeating Mississippi State to advance in the championship game.
The final takeaway of the Wildcats' non-conference win over ACC opponent Cal.
Both Cal and K-State had good to great shooting percentages during the offensive shootout. Cal shot 56% from the field during the game, compared to K-State's 64%. This high-scoring event was one of the highest-scoring games in Bramlage Coliseum's history. Trying to outscore teams can be risky, but having a high-powered offense bodes well for both the Wildcats and the Golden Bears moving forward.
Issues over free-throw shooting and defensive errors are a bit concerning, as we witnessed in this game. Even though K-State is undefeated at 3-0, there is still room for improvement given the near-dramatic second-half collapse and the close victory. The defensive effort in particular came under fire for letting off the gas pedal after gaining a sizable lead in the second half. In the last minute, the Wildcats also missed crucial free throws, which allowed Cal to reduce the lead to its final three-point margin. In closer games, K-State must make its free throws in the final minutes of a close game.
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Ryan Kay is a journalist who graduated from Michigan State in 2003 and is passionate about covering college sports and enjoys writing features and articles covering various collegiate teams. He has worked as an editor at Go Joe Bruin and has been a contributor for Longhorns Wire and Busting Brackets. He is a contributor for Kansas State On SI.