Huskers Fall to Wildcats, 62-45

Manhattan, Kan. -- Manny Dies scored 19 points and helped fuel a take-charge 11-0 run late in the second half Wednesday night, leading Kansas State to a 62-45 victory over Nebraska.

It was the third loss in a row for Nebraska (17-11, 9-6 Big 12), which had won nine of 10, and dealt a damaging blow to the Huskers' hopes of an NCAA bid and a first-round bye in next week's Big 12 tourney.

Kansas State (18-10, 7-8), which trailed by as many as seven in the early going, held a 44-41 lead when Ayome May connected on a baseline jumper to trigger the game-turning run. May followed with a pair of free throws, then Dies rebounded a Nebraska miss and hit a short jumper for a 50-41 Kansas State lead with 4:45 to play.

Nebraska's Venson Hamilton had 15 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, which ended in a 28-28 tie. But Hamilton, a 6-foot-10 senior and the second-leading scorer and rebounder in the Big 12, was hampered with foul trouble much of the second half and wound up with just three points and three rebounds after intermission.

Andy Markowski, the Huskers' junior starting forward who was averaging almost seven points and six rebounds a game, sustained an apparent ankle injury in the first half and did not return. He had only two rebounds and no points.

Nebraska, which beat the Wildcats 70-61 in January, appeared to be taking charge in the first half, then Dies, one of six seniors playing their final home game, hit six straight points to halt the momentum.

Nebraska shot just 32 percent while Kansas State hit 42 percent.

Cookie Belcher had nine points for Nebraska. May had 14 and Griffin 12 for Kansas State.

The Huskers return to action this Saturday, Feb. 27, for a 12:45 p.m. contest against Texas A&M, a 74-72 winner over Oklahoma, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.