Kansas State ends ‘the Streak’

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Kansas State fans had called it “the Streak,” 24 years of home-court futility against Kansas.

Michael Beasley, who wasn’t even alive when the Jayhawks began their 24-game winning streak in the Little Apple, scored 25 points Wednesday night and led the No. 22 Wildcats to an 84-75 victory over previously unbeaten Kansas, leaving No. 1 Memphis as the lone unbeaten team.

“I know it means a lot around the city, people at the school,” said Beasley, the nation’s leading rebounder and No. 4 scorer. “But it’s just a game to me.”

Freshman guard Jacob Pullen had 20 points and freshman forward Bill Walker had 22, making sure that Beasley, who had guaranteed a Kansas State victory, did not have to eat his words.

Always double- and sometimes triple-teamed when he touched the ball inside, Beasley was held to eight points in the first half but scored six in a row in the first few minutes of the second half and No. 2 Kansas (20-1, 5-1 Big 12) never caught up.

“It doesn’t sting because of the streak,” Kansas Coach Bill Self said. “It stings because it’s our rival. I could care less about the streak. But I do care about beating our rivals. So, yeah, this one stings more than what most would sting.”

Beasley was four for four from behind the three-point arc as the Wildcats (15-4, 5-0) took over first place in a Big 12 Conference they’ve never won.

Kansas, two victories short of matching the best start in its storied history, lost on its rival’s home court for the first time since 1983. The 24-game streak in an opponent’s gym came within one of tying the NCAA Division I record, which UCLA set against California from 1961 to ’85.

Mario Chalmers had 19 points for Kansas, which had beaten Kansas State 35 of the last 36 overall.