Kansas State routs UCF 77-52 in the Knights' Big 12 Conference inaugural
Kansas State's Will McNair Jr., middle, tries to secure a rebound against Central Florida's Omar Payne, left, and Shemarri Allen during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. Credit: AP/Travis Heying
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Tylor Perry scored 25 points and Kansas State beat UCF 77-52 on Saturday night in the Knights' inaugural game as a Big 12 Conference member.
Perry was 7 of 13 from the floor and made six 3-pointers and all five of his free throws. Arthur Kaluma added 14 points for Kansas State (11-3, 1-0), which has won eight of its last nine games. Cam Carter chipped in 12 points and blocked three shots. Perry and Carter combined for 11 of the Wildcats' 18 assists. Will McNair Jr. scored 11 points.
Darius Johnson scored 10 points for UCF (9-4, 0-1), which shot 34% (22 of 65) from the floor and missed 16 of 21 3-point attempts.
Kansas State scored the first 10 points of the game and led 35-19 at the break. Kaluma scored 11 first-half points and Perry chipped in eight. Perry hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 13-0 run later in the second half that stretched the Wildcats' lead to 60-25 with 12 minutes left. It was their largest of the game.
Kansas State plays at West Virginia on Tuesday.
UCF hosts second-ranked Kansas on Wednesday.
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Central Florida's Shemarri Allen, left, is fouled by Kansas State's Arthur Kaluma during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. Credit: AP/Travis Heying
