Tuesday, March 3
Manhattan, Kan.
8 p.m.
West Virginia University
17-13,8-9Big 12
63
at
65
Kansas State
12-18,3-14Big 12
1
2
F
West Virginia
26
37
63
Kansas St.
23
42
65
Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Mountaineers Fall at Kansas State
March 03, 2026 10:47 PM | Men's Basketball
West Virginia dug itself a deep hole early in the second half and lost 65-63 to Kansas State Tuesday night at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas.
The Mountaineers overcame a sluggish start to lead 22-15 at one point late in the first half. Then they went on an eight-minute scoring drought midway through the second half that enabled K-State to take a 19-point lead with 7:29 left in the game.
A Jasper Floyd basket started an 11-0 run that got the Mountaineers back into the game.
A Chance Moore layup and two Honor Huff free throws with 48 seconds remaining reduced K-State's lead to three, 61-58, and the Mountaineers regained possession of the basketball when CJ Johnson turned it over. Moore was unable to get a close one to go down and the ball eventually wound up in Jones' hands when Huff turned it over.
Moore was forced to foul Nate Johnson with 17 seconds left and he made both free throws. At the other end, Moore was able to follow up Floyd's miss and was fouled by Taj Manning in the process, making it again a one-possession game with seven seconds showing on the clock.
Moore missed the free throw, and Lorient was called for a foul trying to grab the offensive rebound, leading to a pair of Khamari free throws.
Huff's 3 ahead of the buzzer concluded the scoring.
"When you are playing a team that is a little down and out, you can't give them life and you can't give them hope and we had so many opportunities in the first half at the beginning of the game to make some plays that give you a bigger cushion," West Virginia coach Ross Hodge said afterward.
Kansas State, now 12-18 overall and 3-14 in Big 12 play, made just one field goal over the final 8:15 of play.
With so much on the line, tonight's defeat was particularly frustrating coming in a near-empty building against a team without its leading scorer PJ Haggerty and an interim coach that is finishing out its season.
"In the second half it was the same type of deal. The level of urgency and desire to win a game with so much on it just wasn't where it needed to be in that stretch," Hodge said.
"Their physicality and ability to make plays around the rim was so much better than ours, and not always in life, but sometimes you get what you deserve and we deserved this loss tonight," Hodge added.
McGriff, who didn't play in the first game in Morgantown, led all scorers with 18 points. Johnson chipped in with 16 and a team-best nine rebounds.
West Virginia shot just 39.3% overall, 26.1% from 3-point distance and also didn't help itself at the free throw line missing seven of its 16 freebies.
Moore scored 18 off the bench, Lorient contributed 14 and DJ Thomas added 12.
Huff collected 11 points and Treysen Eaglestaff grabbed 11 rebounds.
The Mountaineers drop to 17-13 overall and 8-9 in Big 12 play and will wrap up the regular season at Hope Coliseum on Friday night against UCF.
The Mountaineers overcame a sluggish start to lead 22-15 at one point late in the first half. Then they went on an eight-minute scoring drought midway through the second half that enabled K-State to take a 19-point lead with 7:29 left in the game.
A Jasper Floyd basket started an 11-0 run that got the Mountaineers back into the game.
A Chance Moore layup and two Honor Huff free throws with 48 seconds remaining reduced K-State's lead to three, 61-58, and the Mountaineers regained possession of the basketball when CJ Johnson turned it over. Moore was unable to get a close one to go down and the ball eventually wound up in Jones' hands when Huff turned it over.
Moore was forced to foul Nate Johnson with 17 seconds left and he made both free throws. At the other end, Moore was able to follow up Floyd's miss and was fouled by Taj Manning in the process, making it again a one-possession game with seven seconds showing on the clock.
Moore missed the free throw, and Lorient was called for a foul trying to grab the offensive rebound, leading to a pair of Khamari free throws.
Huff's 3 ahead of the buzzer concluded the scoring.
"When you are playing a team that is a little down and out, you can't give them life and you can't give them hope and we had so many opportunities in the first half at the beginning of the game to make some plays that give you a bigger cushion," West Virginia coach Ross Hodge said afterward.
Kansas State, now 12-18 overall and 3-14 in Big 12 play, made just one field goal over the final 8:15 of play.
With so much on the line, tonight's defeat was particularly frustrating coming in a near-empty building against a team without its leading scorer PJ Haggerty and an interim coach that is finishing out its season.
"In the second half it was the same type of deal. The level of urgency and desire to win a game with so much on it just wasn't where it needed to be in that stretch," Hodge said.
"Their physicality and ability to make plays around the rim was so much better than ours, and not always in life, but sometimes you get what you deserve and we deserved this loss tonight," Hodge added.
McGriff, who didn't play in the first game in Morgantown, led all scorers with 18 points. Johnson chipped in with 16 and a team-best nine rebounds.
West Virginia shot just 39.3% overall, 26.1% from 3-point distance and also didn't help itself at the free throw line missing seven of its 16 freebies.
Moore scored 18 off the bench, Lorient contributed 14 and DJ Thomas added 12.
Huff collected 11 points and Treysen Eaglestaff grabbed 11 rebounds.
The Mountaineers drop to 17-13 overall and 8-9 in Big 12 play and will wrap up the regular season at Hope Coliseum on Friday night against UCF.
Team Stats
WVU
KState
FG%
.393
.408
3FG%
.261
.300
FT%
.563
.760
RB
35
34
TO
13
16
STL
10
8
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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