3.24.23

PAGE 2: NEWS

Investor withdraws, Aggieville construction paused

AJ SHAW staff writer

Even with a bad ankle, guard Markquis Nowell came to play on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, breaking the NCAA tournament record for assists in a game with 19 in a 98-93 Kansas State overtime victory over

Michigan State.

PAGE 4: NEWS

How residents can keep Riley County safe from high fire danger this season

PAGE 7: ARTS & CULTURE

Green Bandana Project aims to help students find mental health resources

victory.

Nowell shined, breaking Mark Wade’s single-game record for assists in a tournament game with 19. He also dropped 20 points and recorded five steals — his last coming on Michigan State’s final possession where he drove the length of the court to hit the game-clinching layup as the

PAGE 13: SPORTS

Know Your Opponent: K-State faces the Huskies in the WNIT Super 16

mael Massoud all scored in double figures.

Massoud had 15 points and connected on four of six 3-point shots, while N’Guessan made all fi ve of his attempts and Carter made all but one of his attempts.

The victory sends K-State to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2018.

for the first time since 2018.

The game will be remembered by many, as neither team held a lead bigger than nine points throughout. Whenever it seemed like one side would get on a run, the other came back. It was a classic heavyweight

ther team held a lead bigger fight for the ages.

The Wildcats’ efficient shooting from the floor and forcing turnovers were the major contributors to its

buzzer sounded. game, which he tweaked while driving to the basket early in the second half.

The 5-foot-8 guard from Harlem, New York, did this with a sprained right ankle for most of the game, which he tweaked while driving to the basket

On Michigan State’s side of the box score, guard A.J. Hoggard dropped a game-high 25 points while collecting six assists. Forward Joey Hauser dropped 18 in the contest, also connecting on four 3-point shots, as the Spartans shot 52% from the

The Wildcats had a balanced scoring attack. With forward Keyontae Johnson and Nowell leading the scoring with 22 and 20 respectively, other key contributors like guard Cam Carter, forward David N’Guessan and forward Is-

key contributors like guard Cam Carter, forward David

Overtime thriller sends K-State to

ELITE 8

three-point line. first game since 1951. assists.

The Wildcat victory sends the team to the Elite Eight in head coach Jerome Tang’s first year. K-State has not won an Elite Eight game since 1964 and has not made the National Championship

Guard Desi Sills hangs on the rim after a dunk in the 85-69 win over Oklahoma on March 1. Sills recorded a near triple-double on the night with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Aggieville construction paused because of investor withdrawal

MEREDITH MCCALMON staff writer

After 11 weeks of construction, development halted in Aggieville after an investor pulled out of the mixed-use building project.

“We had an institutional investor that opted out due to macroeconomic factors such as the crisis of the banking industry that we’re seeing unfold a little bit across the country,” TJ Vilkanskas, President of Back 9 Development, said.

Vilkanskas said the investor pulling out of the Aggieville project is the biggest capital setback of Back 9 Development.

“With every project, we have to bring a certain amount of equity or cash to put in the project, not counting any sort of bank

financing or anything along those lines,” Vilkanskas said. “We’re basically having to build up our equity or cash that’s deposited from various investors, both institutions and individuals.”

Manhattan residents, like Bella Zarate, are discouraged that the construction is on hold.

“The construction is going to take much longer now,” Zarate, freshman in communications, said. “It just needs to get finished. It’s right in the middle of Aggieville, right where everything is, and it’s annoying how no one can drive through anywhere.”

After the construction paused, North 12th Street was opened back up for traffic.

Dennis Cook, director of the Aggieville Business Association, said the impact

that construction has on Aggieville depends on how long it takes for construction to start again.

“If this is a very minor delay of a week or two weeks, we should be good to go,” Cook said. “Every day that this goes on it will become more concerning. If it goes on for months, then it would become a problem for Aggieville.”

Cook said there’s not much the ABA can do regarding the construction hold at this time.

“This news came out last week,” Cook said. “We have a board of directors meeting on Thursday of this week, so that will be our first chance to directly discuss the situation.”

Cook said he encourages Manhattan residents to continue to “support the

businesses in Aggieville” during this time.

Vilkanskas said the pur-

Vilkanskas said despite the setback, he remains optimistic about the project.

more than I do, but right now, pausing and taking a step back is the most appropriate

Religion Directory

Rebecca Robinson announced as next CEO of K-State Innovation Partners

three main functions for the university,” Robinson said.

Fourteen years ago, Rebecca Robinson was an undergraduate student at Kansas State University who started a job as an intern for K-State Innovation Partners.

“Today, our role is really

“The first is technology commercialization, so we protect and commercialize any new innovation or intellectual property that’s generated by the university. … The second main function is economically based corporate en-

gagement, so in that role we are working to connect the universities capabilities and capacity to the private sector and building partnerships. … The third function is economic development.”

For Robinson, the organization is where she started her career.

“I was self-funding my college education, so I interned for Innovation Partners my senior year as a marketing intern and communications intern,” Robinson said.

Robinson said she planned to leave Manhattan and move to Kansas City after graduation, but her managers and CEO Kent Glasscock convinced her to stay.

“I thought that I’d stay a couple of years and then go on and do some graduate work, go to grad school and eventually come back to academia,” Robinson said. “But, my plan was not to stay for certain and then I blinked and 14 years went by.”

Now she is the chief corporate engagement and economic development officer for K-State Innovations Partners. Robinson is prepared to take on the role of CEO after Glasscock retires, she said.

“I think the greatest strength that I’m bringing to this role is really relationship building and being a team player,” Robinson said. “Having been at K-State for the last 14 years, I’ve had the opportunity to build really strong relationships across campus and I believe we have become a trusted partner both on campus and off.”

Jason Smith, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said Robinson has worked on many community projects since he was ap-

pointed four years ago.

“Our organization is the lead economic development entity for Manhattan, so the relationship with the university is one of the most important that we have, and Kent and Rebecca were the leads on that so early on,” Smith said. “When I met Rebecca I found her to be incredibly impressive and effective, and I was really excited to get the opportunity to work with her and the entire staff over there.”

Robinson has always been very involved with the community, Smith said.

“She was one of the inaugural class of our 15 Under 40 which recognized 15 individuals under the age of 40 who are making an impact in the region,” Smith said.

Smith’s most recent project alongside Glasscock and Robinson is facilitating a plan for economic prosperity within the Manhattan area.

“We’re all working together right now to try to create a better ecosystem in the Manhattan area for entrepreneurs, and so tonight [March 21] we’ll be together at the City Commission working on creating a new fund for entrepreneurs,” Smith said.

Robinson said she believes the university and Manhattan are building momentum.

“It still feels like there’s so much more to do and so that’s what has kept me really in this organization and optimistic about the future,” Robinson said.

As CEO, Robinson said she wants to continue to build a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at K-State, and to connect both the private sector and the economy to the university.

“I think it’s impossi-

ble to separate the future of K-State and Kansas,” Robinson said. “So, I feel like our organization has a strong role to play and how we achieve that vision for K-State.”

As a K-State alumna, Robinson said her work for the community at K-State Innovations Partners is personal.

“I think a lot of the folks here including myself don’t just view this as a job or a profession, but we see it as a personal responsibility to our alma mater and a responsibility to our state and our constituents,” Robinson said.

Robinson said the K-State Innovations Partners has built an internal community that is crucial in its success as they move forward.

“It’s important to note that we have a really strong team of professionals here, many of whom also started as interns in the same era that I did and have really come up together in this organization,” Robinson said. “Keeping that team has been really important to our success.”

Smith said he looks forward to seeing Robinson as CEO as they continue to collaborate on community projects.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Smith said. “I think it’s well deserved and she’s done a tremendous job for the organization and been incredibly loyal over the years. It’s great to see hard work get rewarded, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

SOPHIE LENKIEWICZ staff writer

High fire danger: What it means and how to stay safe

MARGARET LATENSER news editor

Riley County declared high fire danger from March 15-20. Any time this is announced, burning on farmland is forbidden to protect citizens from spreading fires, Vivienne Leyva, Riley County public information officer, said.

“This is a designation that we get information on from the National Weather Service,” Leyva said. “They send out notifications that fire danger is high or a red flag warning, depending on the severity. … It just means that if a fire started outside it would spread and become dangerous very quickly. We use that in particular to inform whether or not people are allowed to burn outside, like pasture burns that people have to get permits for.”

John Martens, Riley County deputy fire chief, said high fire danger days are decided when two or more weather conditions combine and line up to create an unsafe environment for burning.

“Certain conditions such as high wind, low humidity, dry fuels or dormant fuels, which is when grass gets brown, what that does is it allows fire to burn a lot quicker, ignites a lot eas-

ier and spreads aggressively,” Martens said. say fire danger is high,

it is normally all three of those conditions present, or at least two.”

During a high fire danger day spreading is more likely and fires are harder to contain.

“Throughout the year when the grass is green it can barely burn because it is so full of moisture,” Martens said. “In the season lately, especially with the wind, it picks up and carries very quickly and aggressively, kind of like a cascading effect. The more energy the fire has it just keeps fueling almost like it creates its own weather.”

Martens said during high fire danger, no-burn days are announced and conditions fluctuate daily.

“We usually do it by the day because Kansas is always changing,” Martens said. “Today [March 22] is nothing like Monday. Today you might not even get anything to burn because it is so wet and humid, versus Monday it was the opposite. It was dry and windy. It is day by day in Kansas.”

With Kansas weather always changing, Martens said no-burn days can be announced midday.

“In the morning, it might be great but in the afternoon it might be terri- ble so sometimes

we change that diand the whole purpose is for

public safety,” Martens said. “We know that a lot of ag producers want and need to burn. … We want to give them these opportunities as often as we can, it just needs to be in a safe time to do it.”

Martens said no-burn days also prevent rekindling.

“Rekindle means a fire gets going again after the owner thinks it is out,” Martens said. “So they burned a little bit and it looks calm, and they think it will be out by tomorrow, but tomorrow is a bad day and oxygen feeds fire, so if there is unburned area nearby it won’t take much for a reignition. Depending on the day, this could be a huge catastrophe in minutes.”

Leyva said signing up to receive alerts from Riley County is the best way to stay aware and safe.

“As a general practice we recommend that people have at least three ways to be notified of severe weather because it can happen so suddenly, and it is a big threat, especially in Kansas,” Levya said. “So if you have a weather app, maybe a weather radio and you sign up for these notifications, then, just in case one isn’t working, you will have another way to be notified.”

Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers.

Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.

Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8 inch metal mesh screening.

Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8 inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers.

Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows.

Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.

Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors - mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles - anything that can burn. Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches.

Future and past collide: ‘65’

COLE BERTELSEN asst. copy chief

Released in theaters on March 10, “65” boasts a unique premise. Despite dinosaurs’ popularity, it’s rare to see a dinosaur movie that isn’t part of the “Jurassic Park” franchise. Changing things up, “65” pits humans with futuristic technology against Earth’s prehistoric monsters.

The movie begins in an unspecified date in the future. Quickly establishing the motivation of the protagonist Mills, played by Adam Driver, viewers learn he is about to embark on a two-year journey transporting people across space. He reluctantly chose the job because the pay will hopefully make possible a life-saving operation for his daughter. His daughter regrets that he must

leave because of her, but Mills insists “it’s not because of you, it’s for you.”

With this simple but meaningful mission established, “65” wastes little time setting the story in motion. Mills’ ship is hit by an uncharted asteroid field, forcing him to crash-land on a nearby planet.

Mills finds the only other survivor, a girl just a bit younger than his own daughter, named Koa, played by Ariana Greenblatt. The pair must make a 15-kilometer trek to an escape pod that broke off during the crash, which is their only hope to return home.

It becomes clear that somehow, the characters are on Earth 65 million years ago. Despite being a sci-fi movie, “65” focuses only on the action and character beats of the story, spending no time trying to

explain how the characters got here. There is no time travel established, and in an interview, Driver mentioned something vague about parallel universes, but

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two protagonists creates an interesting dynamic where Mills sometimes struggles to break hard truths to Koa.

The movie builds suspense after the crash, making the audience wait to

runtime feel much longer. This is resolved toward the climax, as an extinction-causing asteroid heading for the planet creates a ticking clock for the characters.

The fact Mills is equipped with futuristic technology means that fights sometimes feel easy, but scenes where he loses his weapons or can’t find Koa are still quite tense.

The movie is also certainly not complex. Do not go into this film expecting lots of twists and turns. This is an uncomplicated story about a father

no explanation is given in the film.

Made by the writers of “A Quiet Place,” “65” is a straightforward and engaging thriller with meaningful character interactions. The language barrier between the

see the first dinosaur for some time. This makes each reveal more impactful.

“65” does struggle in a few ways. The slow and tense scenes in the first half of the movie make the 93-minute

trying to keep a little girl alive and get her home safe. Those in search of an action-packed and relatively meaningful movie should watch “65” while it’s still in theaters.

DEBORAH ADENIJI staff writer

The Kansas State University Gardens are beautiful to visit in the springtime. Different plants and flowers are carefully cultivated by employees and volunteers for guests’ viewing pleasure. The gardens also host different events throughout the school year and summer.

Emily Hall, landscaping technician, said her role includes managing the gardens, helping guests and organizing volunteers.

“I talk with visitors who come and see the gardens and answer questions that they have,” Hall said. “I

work closely with volunteers, which includes students, and give them projects for them to work on.”

Readying the gardens for springtime is no small task, and it couldn’t be done without K-State students, Hall said.

“We start in the wintertime for the spring prep, which includes working closely with the horticultural department here at Kansas State and [asking] for the plants to be grown by the students,” Hall said.

Ten thousand tulip bulbs were planted in the gardens in the fall of 2022, and more vegetation will be planted on the property once

they bloom, Hall said.

spring.”

Gardening isn’t the only thing that needs to be done to ensure the gardens are in top shape.

are in top shape.

“Our prepping for spring includes cleaning up the beds, raking the leaves, cutting down the ornament or dead grass, removing the dead annuals that were left behind, dividing the big grasses and cutting them up into small pieces,” Hall said. “Another thing that we do for spring prep is dig out the plants that cannot survive in the winter and put them in a greenhouse for them to stay alive for

Terry Olson, retired volunteer and board member of Friends of the Gardens, said her role with Friends of the Gardens is important.

grasses and cutting them pieces,” in a greenhouse for

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“We helped raise money to enhance the gardens and help fund internships at the garden to enhance education,” Olson said.

ucation,” Olson said.

“The way in which we raise money is by sponsoring different types of events for the gardens which help fund the

tern-

sale, Run for the Roses

cording to

ships.” Some events this spring include K-State Open House, a daylily sale, Run for the Roses 2023, Tulip Egg-Stravaganza Photo Op and an iris sale, acthe Kansas State University Gardens website.

Ana Vasquez, junior in theatre, said she thoroughly enjoyed her first time at gardens.

“Overall, it was a fun experience,” Vasquez said. “I would love to go back sometime during the summer or close to fall to check out all the flowers and components of the gardens at their peak.”

GRACE NEEDHAM arts & culture editor

When strolling through campus, you may occasionally see a green bandana fastened around the backpack strap of a student as he or she hurries to class. This bandana, while subtle, might just be the exact thing someone needs to see.

The Green Bandana Project, a nationwide movement, has found its way to Kansas State. According to a presentation put on by the Thrive Navigators, the project was started at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to help students find resources if they are in mental distress.

Students sporting green bandanas have received short training sessions teaching them how to engage in empathet-

ic conversations and guide other students toward mental health resources. Green bandana-wearers invite you to approach them and ask them for help if you or someone you know needs support.

The Thrive Navigators, a student group under the umbrella of Lafene Health Center and the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being, leads Green Bandana Project training sessions for students and faculty interested in becoming a part of the movement. While these sessions are not all-encompassing, given that they last only an hour, they provide trainees with the necessary skills to serve as “waypoints” in the mental health journeys of others.

According to the Thrive Navigators’ Green Bandana Project presentation, an alarm- ing 29% of the K-State student body has had thoughts of at-

tempting suicide. Only about half of those students felt they

could share these thoughts with friends. Becca Heinz, senior in kinesiology and president of the Thrive Navigators, joined the organization because she said raising awareness for mental health is invaluable on a college campus.

Heinz believes students should attend Green Bandana Project training sessions to prepare for potential difficult situations with friends or family.

“I think it’s a really great way for students to just become more aware of how to approach conversations with other people,” Heinz said. “In the event that somebody they’re close with is having a mental health problem or even just a hard day or some challenge in life, it gives you tools to be able to know how to approach that and help them out in whatever

way that may be.”

Anthony Harris, junior in social work and event coordinator for the Thrive Navigators, said the sessions will make attendees feel more confident in their ability to bring up difficult topics with people they care about.

“I think it can help people be a little bit more empathetic and caring,” Harris said.

“Talking about mental health isn’t comfortable for everybody. That’s just how it is. I think it can make people a little bit less uncomfortable to have conversations like this.”

Pay

The Green Bandana Project aims to help students access mental health resources. At the conclusion of Green Bandana Project training sessions, students receive their green bandana and a card with conversation starters and resources.

Call Hall’s Ice Cream Madness

Vote for your favorite ice cream flavors!

Voting Dates:

Round 1 - March 16

Round 2 - March 20

Round 3 - March 23

Final Four - March 26

Each purchase from the dairy bar comes with an opportunity to vote!

Voting will be live on the College of Agriculture's Instagram stories, @kstateag OR in person at the Call Hall Dairy Bar.

The Ice Cream Madness championship will be held April 1 during the All-University Open House, where there will be in-person voting and tasting samples.

CMG Hall MG of Fame f A ards

Nominate a former Collegian Media Group staff member

AJ SHAW staff writer

With Kansas State’s 7569 victory over Kentucky on Sunday in the round of 32, K-State has advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018.

The last time K-State advanced this far in the tournament, the Wildcats played against the Kentucky Wildcats, advancing to the Elite Eight.

K-State entered the 2018 tournament as a No. 9 seed. Following an opening round victory over Creighton, many believed K-State

would take on top-seeded Virginia, one of the nation’s best teams that season.

Then, the unthinkable happened. The Cavaliers were upset by a relatively unknown UMBC team that crushed Virginia by 20 points in the opening round, shocking pundits and breaking brackets nationwide.

With the region’s top team eliminated, K-State looked to have a much easier path in the tournament, defeating the Cinderella Retrievers in the following game.

The Wildcats faced the Kentucky Wildcats in the

Sweet 16, a powerhouse led by head coach John Calipari and several future NBA players such as All-Star guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and forward Kevin Knox II.

Kentucky entered the matchup as the No. 4 seed in the region, and was seen as the favorite over the underdog Wildcats of Manhattan.

K-State opened the contest with a hot start, going on a 13-1 run to begin the game. Forward Xavier Sneed hit two 3-pointers and guard Barry Brown also added a triple.

The Kentucky Wildcats fought back, cutting

K-State’s lead to one point. K-State went into halftime break with a four-point lead of 33-29 thanks to six firsthalf 3-pointers, three of which came from Sneed.

Sneed continued to thrive at the 3-point line, drilling two more in the early stages of the second half.

The game continued going back and forth in its final moments. With just 40 seconds remaining, head coach Bruce Weber called a timeout and drew up a play that had the ball in the hands of Brown.

With the clock winding down, Brown drove inside

and hit a tough layup to put the K-State Wildcats up 6058.

With the ball back, Kentucky tried to go for the win, but guard Quade Green missed a 3-pointer and K-State secured the rebound. Guard Amaad Wainright then split a pair of free throws, and following another 3-point miss by Gilgeous-Alexander, K-State pulled an upset, taking down Kentucky and moving on to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2010.

The Wildcats were then taken down by another Cinderella team in the Elite

Eight, the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers, the No. 11 seed in the region.

Things feel eerily similar to the 2018 squad with this dramatic run. While these Wildcats are ranked higher, the underdog mentality is still there, especially for a team that was picked to finish dead last in its ultra-competitive conference and had just two players return from the prior season’s roster.

J e f f P f a n n e s n s t i e l + D a v i d S p i k e r @ M a n h a t t a n B r e w i n g , 7 P M

N a t h a n P a g e ' s G u i t a r P u l l @ A u n t i e M a e ' s , 7 P M

R o b W a t s o n @ T h e B A S S m e n t , 7 P M

A t o m i c B l o n d e @ T h e D u s t y B o o k s h e l f , 1 0 A M

A a r o n W a t s o n @ T h e H a t , 7 P M

D i e s e l B r o s S t u d i o + O p e n M i c @ F i n n ' s P u b , 7 P M

L a r

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B e s t B a n d i n K C . E v e n P a u l R u d d g a v e u s a s h o u t o u t . W e ’ r e l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o s p e n d i n g m o r e t i m e i n t h e s t u d i o t o r e l e a s e a f u l l E P e a r l y t h i s y e a r . N o w b o o k i n g f o r 2 0 2 3 a n d h o p i n g t o t r a v e i n t h e y e a r a h e a d . w w w . m h k m u s i c s c e n e . c o m

staff writer

No. 17 Kansas State men’s golf fell short of back-to-back championships, placing fourth at the All-American Intercollegiate. The placement marks the Wildcats’ seventh top-5 finish this season, the fourth most in school history and most since a school-record 10 in 2008-09.

Entering Tuesday’s final round, K-State saw itself in a three-way tie with No. 14 Tennessee and No. 29 Ole Miss. No. 36 Louisville, however, looked to be dominating after Monday’s first two rounds with an eight-stroke lead at 10 under par.

“The course played tough,” head coach Grant Robbins said after Monday’s opening two rounds.

“We dropped a few strokes there towards the end, but that can happen pretty easily with as difficult as the finishing holes are.”

Senior Will Hopkins led the way for the Wildcats on Monday, placing 11th at 1-under-par 143. All four other members of the scoring lineup placed in the top 30.

“We are in a good spot going into tomorrow. … We just need to continue to be disciplined in our decision making stay with the process, and I think we will be right there,” Robbins said.

The Wildcats were in contention late into Tuesday’s final round, only one stroke behind the lead with an estimated 5-7 holes left to play. K-State stumbled over the remaining holes and finished in fourth place at 2-over par. Ole Miss obtained the team championship with a 7-under-par final round.

“Overall it was a good tournament for us,” Robbins said. “The course played pretty difficult today, and we did a good job of hanging in there and got in contention until the last few holes.”

The scoring lineup remained competitive from top to bottom with all five Wildcats finishing in the

top-35 for the sixth time this season.

Senior Tim Tillmanns enjoyed a successful final round at 3 under to jump 15 spots and into eighth place at a 2-under total. Hopkins, who finished at 3 over, was joined by sophomore teammates Cooper Schultz and Nicklaus Mason in 21st place. Junior Luke O’Neill tied for 33rd place at 5 over.

K-State will take on the first of its two remaining regular season events on April 3 and 4 at the Mossy Oak Invitational.

“These are great learning experiences for us,” Robbins said. We are going head to head with some of the top programs in the country,

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and the experience we get being in contention is only going to help us as we get into the postseason.”

TOBY HAMMES

and the experience

TOBY HAMMES staff writer

Kansas State women’s basketball will advance to the Super 16 of the Postseason WNIT after a 71-55 defensive victory over the Wyoming Cowgirls. K-State will take on the Washington Huskies in the Super 16.

After falling behind by five in the game’s opening minutes, K-State quickly settled in. A 13-0 run with the Wildcats dominating both sides gave K-State complete momentum and a 22-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“I thought our centers were really good, I thought our ball pressure was really good and I thought that was

a key to us jumping out to the early lead,” head coach Jeff Mittie said after the game.

After that point, however, the offense began to sputter. K-State had already built itself a lead and relied on its defensive attack to stay in firm control.

“Offensively tonight — this was a struggle all night,” Mittie said. “We were out of rhythm, spacing was bad. … But you’re going to have nights like that and you got to show up and do the other things.”

K-State’s leading scorers in guards Serena Sundell and Gabby Gregory were at the forefront when the offensive succeeded. The duo combined to shoot 8-11 on field goals in the first half

and scored or assisted 28 of the Wildcats’ first-half points.

“When we’re connected I think we play really well,” Gregory said. “Obviously tonight offensively we just kind of got stagnant at times. … But there were still several plays during the game where we’re playing really well together and it looks really good and it’s pretty hard to beat.”

Defensively, guard Jaeyln Glenn collected five steals in the first half — tying the program record for steals in a WNIT game. K-State led 36-20 at the break.

“She [Jaelyn Glenn] has great anticipatory skills,” Mittie said. “She’s got great length, she understands angles — all of those things are

OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

a big key. And she’s a heck of a competitor.”

The third quarter saw even play as the Wildcat offense struggled to see shots fall. K-State ended the quarter with a field goal drought of over four minutes. Wyoming took advantage and cut the deficit slightly to 14 points, but K-State still had control thanks to its early run.

“As spurty as we were offensive, that kind of run

is crucial,” Mittie said. “We weren’t able to play well enough offensively to have another run like that so we were stubborn defensively.”

The Cowgirls kept their slight momentum going into the fourth, closing the Wildcat lead to 11 on multiple occasions. Wyoming could never close the gap to single digits, however, and K-State remained in control late.

Sundell finished with 20 points and five assists

while Gregory finished with 19 points and four assists.

Forward Sarah Shematsi recorded a near double-double with 9 points and 9 rebounds. Glenn finished with six steals to break the program’s WNIT record.

The next matchup with Washington will be played at Washington at 9 p.m. on March 24.

Avery Johnson

Guard Serena Sundell prepares to shoot a 3-pointer. The Wildcats played against the Wyoming Cowgirls on March 21, 2023. The Wildcats defeated the Cowgirls in the WNIT 71-55 in Bramlage Coliseum.

LUKE

KIER BISHOP staff writer

Behind every elite team in college basketball there are always players who play a pivotal role in providing depth for a roster, but may not be considered stars.

Kansas State men’s basketball is spoiled, as it possesses multiple players who provide quality minutes when they step onto the court as rotational players.

From the beginning of the season to March, it is incredible to think that this roster has only one year of experience playing together under head coach Jerome Tang. Tang and the players have exceeded the expectations set by fans and the media.

To achieve success in such a short period of time is a testament to Tang’s scout team and his coaching ability. Addition-

ally, his players’ commitment to embracing a revamped program has played a significant role.

Guard Desi Sills played four years at the University of Arkansas and was a proven talent on the court. Starting the season with K-State, he began with solid minutes, adding a combination of defensive prowess and athletic ability.

Sills’ minutes started gaining attention from fans after his best performance of the season against Kansas. In the overtime win, Sills recorded his season-high 24 points, three steals and three rebounds. Since then, he has emerged as a true threat, joining stars Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson in the starting lineup.

Sills plays with confidence and has the athletic ability to back it up despite his 6-foot-2 stature. He possesses an incred-

ible 40-inch vertical and placed third in blocked shots on the team, including a four-block performance against TCU in the Big 12 tournament.

In addition to Sills, another supporting player who gained momentum as the season progressed is forward Ismael Massoud, a forward who can shoot from distance and stretches the floor, adding a fresh dimension to K-State’s offense.

At the start of the season, Massoud was mainly used as a catch-and-shoot piece to the offense, but has played a larger role entering the NCAA tournament.

The highlight of the season for Massoud came at the time when the team needed him most; he sank a deep 3-point shot against Kentucky, putting K-State ahead by two with less than two minutes remaining in the second half.

Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson huddle together with David N’Guessan , Cam Carter and Desi Sills during the 75-65 win vs. Baylor on Feb 21. The five players scored all but 13 of the Wildcats’ points on the night.

“It took a lot for us to get here,” Massoud said after the game against Kentucky. “We were picked last [in the Big 12 preseason poll] and all the workouts in the summer. For me to have that moment just meant a lot, because you never know when you’ll have another opportunity for this.”

While K-State has plenty of talent in its backcourt, the frontcourt rotational players

have the tough responsibility of protecting the rim.

Forward David N’Guessan is one of those players. Despite battling a foot injury for the first half of the season, he has made significant contributions since his return.

N’Guessan isn’t a premiere scorer but he provides an edge on defense to wreak havoc in the paint. N’Guessan is always in position to make a play at the right

time, many times taking advantage of Nowell’s elite passing and vision on the court.

One struggle that has plagued N’Guessan is his freethrow shooting. N’Guessan has a 42% free-throw percentage which can cause teams to intentionally foul him in a close game. Regardless, he tends to have more positives than negatives.

Other players who have helped support the two widely discussed stars are forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, with his athleticism and length, and guard Cam Carter — the youngest starter on the team — with his disruptive perimeter defensive presence. Though they may not be as flashy as Nowell or Johnson, these players play a crucial role in the success of K-State basketball and are a big reason for their current status as one of the most electric teams in basketball.

K-State’s roster boasts a diverse range of skills and traits among its players, all of which have contributed to the program’s return to relevance.

1. Broke program’s WNIT record with six steals in a game.

2. Construction halted in ____.

3. Company will no longer ____ in Back 9 Development.

4. e ____ Bandana Project is a national movement that helps students on college campuses gain access to mental health resources.

5. Scored a 3-pointer to take a two-point lead in the nal minutes against Kentucky in the Round of 32.

3. Rebecca Robinson announced as the next CEO of K-State ____ Partners.

6. High re danger means no ____ on any farmland in Riley County.

7. K-State defeated Kentucky in 2018 in the _______ 16.

8. K-State forward Sarah Shematsi recorded a near __________ against Wyoming in the WNIT.

9. rive Navigators give a ____ to students who attend mental health awareness training sesstions.

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