• Recap
• Bleachers

No. 5 Kansas State romps over still-winless Alcorn State

Dec 7, 2010 - 6:56 AM Manhattan, KS (Sports Network) - Jacob Pullen dropped a game-high 24 points to help fifth-ranked Kansas State cruise past winless Alcorn State, 89-55, at Bramlage Coliseum.

Jamar Samuels added a double-double performance of 16 points and 14 rebounds for Kansas State (8-1), which has won four straight since its November 23 loss to Duke. Curtis Kelly chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds for the victors.

Marquiz Baker had 17 points and seven boards for the Braves (0-7), who have posted double-digit losses in every game this season. Kendrick McDonald added 12 points but turned the ball over six times in the loss.

"We just want our kids to get better, and that is why we play against some elite teams. You cannot get better unless you play the best, and that is something that we try to instill in our players," Alcorn State head coach Larry Smith said.

After jumping to a 10-0 lead in the early beginnings of the game, the Wildcats kept their distance by building a 22-12 edge on a Pullen layup with 8:17 left to play.

Pullen scored five straight points with 1:08 left in the half, before Baker made a short jumper with 13 seconds remaining to make up the 46-30 score at the break.

Kansas State claimed a 27-point edge, 74-47, with seven and a half minutes left in the game thanks to a Rodney McGruder three-pointer. That started an eight-point spurt that was capped off by Samuels' free throw.

The edge never got below 26 after that as the Wildcats finished out the game easily.

The always entertaining Frank Martin still had a few things for his club to work on despite the lopsided result.

"Guys are not excited about playing," the Kansas State head coach said. "We were pretty good for the first three or four minutes of the game, and then we just go into lulls. You get to play 30-some games a year if you are lucky. If you cannot get excited about competing at your ultimate, best level 30-some times a year, you are going to have a hard life. I just do not understand it."

Game Notes

Alcorn State shot 26.6 percent from the field, while Kansas State shot 41.7...The Wildcats made six three-pointers to the Braves' one...It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams...Kansas State is on a 28-game home win streak, which is the longest in school history since the team rattled off 38 consecutive wins against non-conference teams at home from 1971-78, while it is the longest in Bramlage Coliseum history (surpassing a 24-game streak from 1995-2000).