Having been tabbed as the No. 3 team in the nation from the preseason polls until last week, one might think that a drop to No. 4 (after winning a game, no less) might have some effect on the team. If anything, it appears as though the drop may have motivated the Wildcats as they cruised to an easy 81-64 victory over the No. 18 Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Wildcats used a commanding defensive effort in the second half to pull away from the Bulldogs.

Kansas State was able to hold both Steven Gray and Elias Harris well under their season averages.

The Wildcats had three players in double figures. Senior guard Jacob Pullen paced the Wildcats with 18 points, four assists, and two rebounds. Freshman Will Spradling came off the bench to score 13 points while dishing three assists. Rodney McGruder also chipped in 10 points while snagging an impressive eight rebounds.

Curtis Kelly’s first action this year saw him come away with three points and four rebounds. His brightest moment of the night was when he came away with a huge chase-down block on the break that helped a key run for the Wildcats.

Ultimately, it was hot three-point shooting and crisp rebounding that put the Wildcats in the winner’s circle against a good Gonzaga team. The Wildcats out-rebounded the ‘Zags 36-23 and shot 12-26 from beyond the arc (9 of 15 in the first half).

With the impressive win over Gonzaga, the Wildcats will now face off against defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils in the championship game of the CBE Classic. The game offers the chance at a huge signature win that could really put a mark on the season for the Wildcats heading into the tournament come March.