MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) Marcus Foster scored 23 points off the bench and Kansas State took advantage of some cold shooting by TCU for a 58-53 victory Wednesday night that snapped a three-game losing streak.
Kansas State led most of the way, but TCU was still within 48-44 with 1:14 left when Nino Williams was fouled near midcourt. The senior forward was hurt on the play and Foster was picked to shoot the free throws, calmly draining both to extend the Wildcats' lead.
Kyan Anderson missed a jumper at the other end, and the ball wound up in the hands of Foster, who had been benched the past two games. He made two more foul shots to put the game away.
Williams finished with eight points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (8-7, 1-1 Big 12), who appear to have put a horrendous nonconference season behind them. Their seven wins before the start of league play were their fewest since 2001-02.
Trey Zeigler had 19 points to lead the Horned Frogs, who started 13-0 but have dropped their first two Big 12 games. Anderson, their top scorer, had eight points on 2-for-7 shooting.
Both teams started out as cold as the sub-zero wind chills outside Bramlage Coliseum.
Kansas State scored the game's first seven points, TCU scored the next eight, and the teams traded meager blows the rest of the first half. Only on a couple of occasions did either team threaten to build much of a lead, and each time the run ended with a clanked shot.
Foster checked into the game for the first time at the 14:07 mark and promptly drove to the basket for a layup. He knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing less than a minute later, putting all the troubles he's had the past couple of weeks behind him.
TCU's Karviar Shepherd spent most of the half on the bench after picking up two fouls in the first 3 1/2 minutes, yet the Horned Frogs remained close thanks to some creative substitutions.
The Wildcats finally looked like they were gaining control early in the second half, turning a 22-19 advantage into a 36-26 lead with 14:40 to go. But once again, coach Bruce Weber's motion offense stopped moving, and the Horned Frogs closed within 36-33 with 10 minutes left.
Foster helped to end the comeback, getting teammate Thomas Gipson involved. The big forward scored all seven of his points during a key stretch midway through the second half, which Foster capped with a pair of foul shots with 1:54 left that gave Kansas state a 48-41 lead.
The Wildcats were able to hold onto it the rest of the way.
TIP-INS
Kansas State: The Wildcats improved to 8-2 against TCU. ... Kansas State avoided losing three straight at Bramlage for the first time since February 2005.
TCU: The Horned Frogs were playing just their second road game of the season. The Frogs beat Ole Miss in December. ... Trey Zeigler's father, Ernie, was an assistant at Kansas State from 1999-2000.
UP NEXT
TCU returns home to face No. 21 Baylor on Saturday.
Kansas State heads to No. 16 Oklahoma on Saturday.
