Kansas State Overcomes Ugly 3-Point Shooting, Defeats Arizona In Sixth Consecutive Victory

The Wildcats won a thriller at home against Arizona behind Dug McDaniel and David N'Guessan.

Feb 8, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Dug McDaniel (0) drives to the basket during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Kansas State won its sixth consecutive matchup after defeating Arizona Tuesday night, ending its opponents' six-game win streak. Here are the takeaways from the Wildcats' thrilling victory:

1. This was Dug McDaniel's night to shine.

How can we even start discussing this game without talking about Dug McDaniel? The Wildcats' point guard had his best performance of the season with 24 points, five steals, and three assists. He was the catalyst late in the game when the momentum shifted in Arizona's favor. McDaniel had seven points in the final seven minutes, as well as the steal setting up Max Jones at the line and halting Arizona from getting a complete scoring sequence.

We can't overlook performances from players like David N'Guessan and C.J. Jones. But tonight, everyone's going to talk about McDaniel.

2. Neither team could get anything going from 3-point range.

One issue Wildcats coach Jerome Tang highlighted was the team settling for 3-point shots instead of aiming for better production closer to the basket. Fortunately, it stopped being a concern...until Tuesday night. They went 1-of-19 from the arc, with McDaniel hitting the lone shot. Brendan Hausen and Coleman Hawkins went cold, going a combined 0-for-10 from 3-point range with many forced or questionable shots.

Luckily, Arizona didn't fare any better, shooting 9.1 percent from 3-point range. Most of the scoring from both teams came inside the paint or at the line. Kansas State winning this type of battle shows they can win the gritty battles they lost earlier in the year.

3. The old mistakes are no more for Kansas State.

As the midway point approached the second half, so did worries of Kansas State losing momentum to its opponent.

But once again, this is a new Wildcats team. They reciprocated Arizona's slight lead with their run, making plays to hold on. Their ability to clamp down when necessary shows the drastic change from their inability to close games or keep momentum.

Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Kansas State Wildcats on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.