To the sheer delight of most Kansas State fans, the Wildcats muzzled 11th-seeded counterpart Wake Forest 95-88 on Tuesday in the “First Four” to win the school’s first NCAA Tournament game since 2012.
In the process, the Wildcats were tough-minded, athletic, versatile and resolute, looking like the sort of team that could well beat sixth-seeded Cincinnati when they meet on Friday in Sacramento.
Kansas State pulls away from Wake Forest for 95-88 victory in First Four
K-State received the last at-large berth into the tournament but demonstrated again that it can play salty defense and execute on offense and, finally, that it can bristle in the closing moments.