K-State handles Penn, will play Mizzou for title

The Kansas State Wildcats came to the Virgin Islands looking for a trophy, and now they're just a game away.

The No. 12-ranked Wildcats closed the first half with a flurry to take the lead, then used another run late in the second to seal the deal Sunday night on the way to a 64-48 Paradise Jam semifinal victory over previously unbeaten Penn in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

K-State (4-0) now will play former Big 12 foe Missouri (3-1) at 6:30 p.m. Monday for the championship. It will be the third pre-conference tournament final in four years for the Wildcat seniors, who have yet to bring home a title.

Dean Wade had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the Wildcats, with Kamau Stokes adding a season-high 16 points and Xavier Sneed 11. Makol Mawien was a force defensively with eight rebounds and a career-best four blocks.

"Defensively, hold them to 30 percent (shooting), you've got to be proud of that," K-State coach Bruce Weber said of his team's defensive effort. "That will be key tomorrow night, because (Missouri is) going to guard the heck out of us.

"You've got to feel good about getting to the championship game. These seniors have been to three of them."

The Wildcats trailed by eight points in the first half, but went in front to stay by scoring the last 13 points of the period for a 28-21 lead at the break.

Penn (4-1) led 19-11 when Michael Wang hit a layup with 7:16 left in the half. But Brown's two free throws with 4:37 left, followed by his steal and layup, got K-State started on its closing stretch.

Wade scored five during the run, including a three-point play, and Sneed got a tip-in at the buzzer.

The Wildcats built their first double-digit lead, 42-31, with an 11-4 run midway through the second period, and after Penn closed within six, they put it out of reach with another spurt, capped by a Stokes basket that made it 56-42 at the 3:14 mark.

Stokes — who opened the game with a 3-pointer, then was shut out the rest of the half — went on a tear in the second period with 13 points.

"We just got the ball moving," Stokes said. "I saw the opportunity to attack and my teammates put me in position to do that. One thing I'm going for this year is to finish plays."

The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and 42.1 percent for the game. They also outrebounded Penn, 36-35.

For the Quakers, who will play Oregon State for third place, Devon Goodman had 18 points, Michael Wang 14 off the bench and Antonio Woods 10 rebounds.

No. 12 KANSAS ST. 64, PENN 48

PENN (4-1)

Rothschild 0-4 0-0 0, Brodeur 1-9 4-5 6, Woods 1-6 0-4 2, Silpe 3-5 1-1 8, Goodman 6-11 4-4 18, Mijakowski 0-0 0-0 0, Wang 4-9 5-6 14, Simmons 0-0 0-1 0, Washington 0-3 0-0 0, Hamilton 0-1 0-1 0, Scott 0-0 0-0 0, Jerome 0-0 0-0 0, Donahue 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-49 14-22 48.

KANSAS ST. (4-0)

Wade 7-15 3-5 17, Mawien 2-5 1-2 5, Sneed 3-10 5-6 11, Brown 3-11 3-4 9, Stokes 6-11 2-2 16, Love 1-1 0-0 2, Trice 2-2 0-0 4, Stockard 0-0 0-0 0, Diarra 0-2 0-0 0, Neal-Williams 0-0 0-0 0, McGuirl 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 14-19 64.

Halftime — Kansas St. 28-21. 3-Point Goals — Penn 4-20 (Goodman 2-6, Silpe 1-3, Wang 1-4, Washington 0-1, Hamilton 0-1, Rothschild 0-1, Donahue 0-1, Brodeur 0-1, Woods 0-2), Kansas St. 2-7 (Stokes 2-3, Diarra 0-1, Brown 0-1, Wade 0-1, Sneed 0-1). Fouled Out — Diarra. Rebounds — Penn 31 (Woods 10), Kansas St. 30 (Wade, Mawien 8). Assists — Penn 8 (Brodeur 3), Kansas St. 10 (Wade 4). Total Fouls — Penn 21, Kansas St. 24. Technicals — Wang, Penn coach Steve Donahue, Trice, Kansas St. coach Bruce Weber. A — 2,460 (3,000).