Green Bay Phoenix vs Kansas State Wildcats Match Player Stats On Dec 12, 2021

Markquis Nowell registered game-high totals of 22 points and eight assists Sunday as Kansas State cruised to an 82-64 nonconference win over Green Bay in Manhattan, Kan.

Ismael Massoud hit every shot he attempted -- five field goals, four of which were 3-pointers and three free throws -- to score 17 points. Mark Smith added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats (6-3), who used hot shooting to control the Phoenix. Kansas State sank 54.9 percent from the field, including a blistering 11 of 21 from the 3-point line.

Japannah Kellogg III scored 15 points and Kamari McGee added 14 for Green Bay (2-8), but it simply couldn't keep pace with its Big 12 opponent. The Phoenix made 47.7 percent from the field and were 4 for 17 from behind the arc, but trailed for all but about four minutes.

McGee's 3-pointer with 15:23 left in the first half gave Green Bay a 15-12 lead, but the Wildcats responded by scoring the next eight points. Consecutive 3-pointers by Smith in a 36-second span gave them a 20-15 advantage with 12:42 on the clock.

The Phoenix stayed competitive until about the 6 1/2-minute mark. After a Kellogg layup trimmed their deficit to 29-26, Kansas State pulled away with a 17-4 run. Massoud drained consecutive 3-point shots and Nowell finished the half by driving for a layup to give the Wildcats a 46-30 cushion.

The lead never dipped below 13 in the second half, although Green Bay was at least able to make the final margin respectable with one of its better shooting performances of the year. It entered the game making only 40.2 percent, ranked 315th in Division I.

But Kansas State pushed the margin to 20 for the first time with 9:52 left when Luke Kasubke converted in transition for a 68-48 advantage. Massoud canned a 3-pointer with eight minutes left to make it 73-52.

The Wildcats earned a 26-22 advantage on the boards and committed just eight turnovers. They drew 17 assists on 28 made buckets.

--Field Level Media