For the final non-conference game of the season, the Wildcats did what they had done to most of the previous competition: they destroyed them. Jacob Pullen scored 23 points and climbed past Lon Kruger to 15th all-time on K-State’s scoring list (1,072 points for his career) and the Wildcats used smothering defense and unrelenting offense to crush South Dakota (6-7), 91-69. All but two Wildcats scored and five scored in double figures.

K-State dominated South Dakota in nearly every statistical category, but the standouts were rebounding (52-33) and turnovers forced (23-14). K-State translated South Dakota’s 23 turnovers into a school-record 40 points to fuel the rout in front of 10,441 fans. The 91 points scored by the Wildcats marks the 11th game this season where the Wildcats scored 80 or more points, also a school record. Unfortunately, the game was not televised due to a conflict with the Fox affiliate but will be shown in its entirety at 10pm on Monday, and again at 1pm on Tuesday, on FSKC.

The Wildcats are ranked 10th in the updated ESPN/Coaches poll and are ranked 11th in the AP poll. Their RPI has slipped in the past couple of weeks based on softer competition to round out the non-conference slate, but K-State is still maintaining a respectable ranking, now sitting at 10th in the RPI.

K-State’s 13-1 record marks the second best start in school history. The last time K-State was 13-1 was during the 1958-1959 season. The next game will pit the Wildcats against a feisty Missouri Tigers team and will take place in Columbia on Saturday, January 9th at 1pm on ESPN2. Now is where the Wildcats must translate early-season success into a solid conference run that produces an NCAA tournament berth and a possible conference title. Only time will tell if they are up to the challenge.