Former Wildcat Cam Carter and his LSU Tigers got the best of Kansas State in his anticipated return to Bramlage Coliseum.
The senior guard, one of the members of K-State’s 2023 Elite Eight run, scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Tigers to a 76-65 victory in Manhattan.
“I love Cam Carter, and I’m so thankful for him, for what he’s given to K-State,” head coach Jerome Tang said. “It actually was a little bit more emotional than I thought it was going to be to see him and stuff, but then it sucked watching him play. But I’m happy for him. He gets to play at home. His family gets to see him play. I felt like he gave us a lot while he was here. I’ll be a cheerleader for him the rest of the way.”
He transferred back to his home state during the offseason, joining LSU who moved to 3-0 with the win. He received a standing ovation from the K-State crowd during pregame announcements.
Senior David N’Guessan and junior Dug McDaniel led the Wildcats (2-1) with 16 points each. It was McDaniel’s first start of his K-State career after transferring from Michigan.
“Dug did a great job with a start,” Tang said. “We have a ways to go because the point guards are like pitchers, they’re judged by wins and losses but it’s not Dug’s fault. This is my fault.”
It was a tight race to 20 points to kick off the contest but LSU pulled away as the K-State offense collapsed down the stretch of the first half. A 21-10 run, including a K-State scoring drought of four minutes, led the Tigers into the break with a 43-31 lead.
Carter led the Tigers during the opening period, scoring 12 points with a 2-4 mark from beyond the arc. McDaniel notched double-digits in the first half to kick off the first start of his K-State career.
A defensive battle to kicked off the second half, including continued offensive struggles for K-State. However, a 6-0 run at the 10-minute mark with back-to-back steal and scores for McDaniel sparked a pulse across Bramlage. Ultimately, the moment was brief and the Tigers clawed back away toward the win.
“I did not do a very good job of having our guys prepared today,” Tang said. “[LSU] Coach [Matt] McMahon did an unbelievable job with his team, and this was an old good, old fashioned butt whooping, and so give them all the credit for tonight.”
K-State is back in action on Tuesday when the Wildcats play host to Mississippi Valley State (1-3) at Bramlage.