Kansas St. blows lead, rallies past Washington St.

[December 21, 2017]  Kansas State blew a 17-point first-half lead and then made a furious rally to beat Washington State 68-65 on Wednesday night in Pullman, Wash.

Barry Brown scored the Wildcats' final six points as Kansas State closed the game with a 10-2 run.

Washington State outscored the Wildcats 40-15 over a 16-minute stretch that spanned halftime. Malachi Flynn's 3-pointer gave the Cougars a 57-49 lead with 7:21 to go.

Brown had 23 points to lead Kansas State (10-2). Makol Mawien added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats.

Carter Skaggs made 9 of 14 shots, including six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points for the Cougars. Flynn, Washington State's leading scorer, overcame a 2-for-9 first half to finish with 23 points.

The Cougars started the second half 5 for 6 from the field after a rough-shooting opening 20 minutes and took their first lead of the game, 48-47, at the midway point of the second half.

Kansas State dominated early until Washington State closed the first half with an 8-1 run to cut the Wildcats' lead to 35-25 at the break.

The Wildcats scored nine straight points to take a 17-6 lead with 13:12 to go in the half as the Cougars missed their first seven attempts from behind the arc.

Kansas State pushed its lead to 34-17 with 4:54 to go.

Washington State (7-4), which has lost four of five, made 6 of 25 field goals to start the game.

Skaggs was the Cougars' lone bright spot early.

The sophomore guard came off the bench to make 3 of 5 3-pointers and score 13 of Washington State's 25 first-half points.

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