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 Beasley overcame early trouble to have another big game for the Wildcats (21-11), scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the 27th double-double of his brilliant
-- and likely only -- college season. The NBA beckons, after all.
But 11th-seeded Kansas State is used to big things from Beasley. It was his supporting cast that made the difference.
Walker carried the load in the early going, scoring 17 in the first half and hitting a dagger of a 3-pointer in the closing minutes. Pullen, a lightning-quick guard, scored 11 points and doled out five assists. Anderson, averaging only 3.1 a game, scored 10 and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Wildcats dominate the boards.
And don't forget yet another Kansas State freshman. Dominique Sutton stuck to Mayo like a nagging cold, helping limit USC's freshman star to 6-of-16 shooting. Mayo, who signaled his intentions by wearing NBA socks, scored a couple of late baskets to reach 20 points but it didn't matter.
Beasley put off his expected jump to the pros for at least one more game. The Wildcats moved on to face either No. 3 seed Wisconsin or No. 14 Cal State Fullerton in the second round Saturday.
Walker, who missed most of last season after tearing up his left knee, stepped up for the Wildcats after Beasley picked up two early fouls and would up spending nearly half the opening period on the bench, handing out towels, slapping hands with teammates as they came off the court and checking out the scoreboard from his seat.
Walker accounted for nearly half of Kansas State's points, hitting 6 of 8 from the field
-- including both 3-point tries -- and going 3 for 3 at the foul line to push his team to a 37-27 lead at the break.
Beasley, playing only 11 minutes in the first half as coach Frank Martin subbed him in and out trying to avoid that third foul, managed only 5 points. But USC wasn't about to keep him down the whole game.
The 6-foot-10 forward kept bullying his way inside, despite constant double-teaming, to pick up three points the old-fashioned way. Beasley made four shots while being fouled, and hit the free throw every time to complete the only trey that existed before the 3-point line.
Mayo simply couldn't shake Sutton and the rest of the Wildcats' defenders, who played defense with an intensity that belied their youth. And the inside game evaporated when Davon Jefferson and Taj Gibson piled up one foul after another trying to stop Beasley; both of them wound up fouling out.
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Jefferson had 15 points and Gibson 10, but they were manhandled on the boards. Kansas State had a 44-27 rebounding lead, including 21 at the offensive end to set up 22 second-chance points. The Trojans had three second-chance points.
USC rallied in the second half, actually pulling ahead for the first time since the opening minute when Mayo stole a pass from Clent Stewart, drove in for the layup and was fouled. The free throw gave the Trojans a 48-47 lead with 13:06 remaining.
It was short lived. The Wildcats went right back to Beasley, who drew the foul and made both free throws to put Kansas State back in front. Pullen scored on a drive and Beasley followed with his fourth three-point play of the game, pushing the margin to 54-50.
The Wildcats pulled away from there. Walker hit a 3 from the corner for his first points of the second half, making it 67-58 with just under 5 minutes left. Beasley finished off the Trojans with a 3-pointer of his own that made it 72-60.
Kansas State, which finished third in the rugged Big 12, slipped all the way to an 11th seed after losing six of its last nine games heading into the NCAAs, including a quarterfinal loss to Texas A&M in the conference tourney.
But the Kiddie Corps grew up just in the nick of time.
[Associated Press; By PAUL NEWBERRY]
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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