 limited the Bluejays to 59 points, tying their season low. Creighton (21-12) shot just 33.8 percent from the field, including 26 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.Leading scoring Marcus Foster was held scoreless in the first 28 1/2 minutes and finished with five points on 2-of-11 shooting against his former team.Foster was booted off the Kansas State team after the 2015 season for multiple violations of team rules, but said earlier this week this game was more about advancing than any type of revenge. He took responsibility for his mistakes, saying it was something that he needed to go through to grow up.But Foster was never found his rhythm. He didn't score until making a driving baseline layup with 10:30 left in the game.The Wildcats jumped out to 10-2 lead behind Kamau Stokes, who scored the game's first seven points. They never trailed.Creighton cut the lead to two after Mitch Ballock scored seven straight points for the Bluejays to open the second half. But Kansas State stayed ahead and McGuirl completed a four-point play after being fouled on a baseline jumper to give the Wildcats an 11-point lead with 7:13 remaining in the game.BIG PICTUREKansas State: The Wildcats showed great tenacity on defense. They also shot well from long distance, making 9 of 19 3-pointers.Creighton: It was another disappointing NCAA Tournament appearance for the Bluejays, who simply couldn't make any shots when the needed to. Along with Foster, Kyyri Thomas only managed nine points. Mitch Ballock had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead Creighton.UP NEXTCreighton: Will face the winner of No. 1 Virginia and No. 16 UMBC on Sunday.---More college basketball: https://collegebasketball.ap.org ; https://twitter.com/-Top25 and https://www.podcastone.com/ap-sports-special-events)
Mar 14, 2018Anyone who thinks the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee doesn't have a sense of humor -- or at least a sense of irony -- need only to look at Friday's first-round matchup in the South Regional between ninth-seeded Kansas State and eighth-seeded Creighton.The Wildcats and Bluejays will square off in Charlotte, N. C., likely for the right to face No. 1 Virginia in the second round.The Bluejays (21-11) are led by senior guard Marcus Foster, who scores 20.3 points per game. Foster is completing his second year at Creighton after playing his first two years at Kansas State. He was kicked off the team after the 2015 season for multiple violations of team rules.Everyone played nice when talking about Foster facing his former school and coach, Bruce Weber. But it's likely that both sides are relishing the chance to make a statement."I haven't really talked to him, but I know people who have talked to him and he doesn't have any ill feelings toward us or anything," Weber said Sunday night after the matchup was announced."I know he said that he wished he would have made some other decisions. But I've said it many times, if I helped him become a better man, a better player in the long run, that's my job. That's what I'm supposed to do as a coach. I'm a coach, I'm an educator. If I did that and helped him in life, then I feel good about it." Foster said he's less likely to use revenge as a key than he would have earlier in his time at Creighton."It's always exciting to play a team you once played for," he said Sunday. "I think if you asked me that question when I first got here, I'd have been more like 'I want to get payback or have revenge.' But with this year being my senior year, it really didn't matter who we would have played. I would have been excited just to get out there and play in this tournament."When I first committed here, I said I wanted to play (K-State) in the tournament. That would be like my time to get back. I've been preparing myself for it. I've got to stay even keel. I can't get too excited about it or not try to overlook it. Just try to go with it, just enjoy the experience for my last time." Foster is not the only player Kansas State must stop, as Creighton ranks 10th in scoring in Division I with 84.3 points per game. Khyri Thomas adds 15.3 points per game and Martin Krampelj averages 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.Kansas State (22-11) will be helped by the fact that its two leading scorers -- Dean Wade (16.7points per game) and Barry Brown (16.6) -- will be back. Wade missed the Wildcats' last game, a Big 12 Tournament semifinal loss to Kansas, with a stress fracture in a foot. Brown was poked in the eye in the first two minutes and missed the rest of the game."I'm still doing stuff," Wade said Sunday. "This (walking boot) is kind of precautionary, just making sure it gets better and doesn't get any worse. I'll be good by Friday, though."Honestly, when (Barry) got poked, at first I thought, man, his eye just fell out of his head or something. I felt awful for him. I think (having both players return) just brings a little more experience to the table. We've only been there once, but we've had a little success in there, beating Wake Forest (in the First Four in 2017). (We'll) help everyone keep calm under stress." Creighton coach Greg McDermott said his squad will be ready for a battle."They'll be disciplined, they'll be hard-nosed," he said. "They're a good basketball team from a good league. They won't beat themselves. It'll be a physical, kind of grind-it-out-type of game, but we're excited to be in it."I'm not sure the difference between a 5 seed and a 10 or 11 seed this year. It's paper thin. College basketball this year, the unexpected became the normal. Virginia's probably one of the few that avoided having a bad week or 10 days during the season. That's rare."Our options were really limited if we were on the 8, 9 line. K-State (is) a good matchup for us." With an ironic twist thrown in.
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