Kansas State basketball survives epic collapse to beat West Virginia in overtime
MANHATTAN — An epic collapse was no match for Kansas State basketball's overtime magic.
After blowing a 25-point lead in the last 13 minutes of regulation and then erasing a four-point deficit in the final minute, the Wildcats forced overtime and took it from there Monday night, grabbing the lead early in the extra period and hanging on for a harrowing 94-90 victory at Bramlage Coliseum.
It was K-State's seventh overtime victory this season and pushed its record to 12-0 in extra time under coach Jerome Tang. With the win, the Wildcats improved to 17-11 overall and 7-8 in the Big 12, while West Virginia fell to 9-19, 4-11.
It marked K-State's first back-to-back wins since beating Baylor and Oklahoma State on Jan. 16 and 20, and helped them avoid the biggest comeback loss in school history.
Tylor Perry scored nine of his game-high 29 points in overtime for K-State, with Cam Carter adding 19, and Arthur Kaluma and Will McNair 13 each. RaeQwan Battle had 28 points and Kerr Kriisa 25 for West Virgina.
Here are three takeaways from the narrowest of escapes for K-State.
Related: Kansas State basketball gets back on track with impressive victory over BYU
Related: Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang keeps a positive outlook amid mounting losses
NCAA bubble back in view for K-State
In losing seven of eight games, K-State went from an NCAA Tournament bubble team to not even meriting consideration.
Consider the Wildcats back in the conversation.
Victories over No. 21 BYU and West Virginia have them within a game of .500 in the Big 12 with a winnable game at Cincinnati coming up Saturday. There is still work to do, but for the first time in a while, the Big Dance is not just a pipe dream.
Ready, Ames, fire
Dai Dai Ames, K-State's freshman point guard, tied his season high of three 3-pointers by halftime. He was 3 of 5 from outside the arc before intermission.
The Wildcats also got a 3-pointer from freshman RJ Jones, who made 1 of 2 in the half.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, neither Ames nor Jones scored the rest of the way.
K-State in a zone against Mountaineer zone
West Virginia dared K-State to win the game from the 3-point line, and the Wildcats gladly obliged.
With West Virginia playing zone, K-State knocked down 6 of 12 threes in the first five minutes on the way to a double-digit lead. The Mountaineers didn't fare any better after switching to man-to-man as the Wildcats tacked on three more to finish the period 11 of 19.
K-State's 15 3-pointers were a season high.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball escapes with seventh overtime victory, 94-90
