Jacob Pullen has been as advertised on Thursday as the Kansas State Wildcats jumped out to an 11-point lead over the Utah State Aggies at the half, 33-22. Pullen scored 10 points in the first, slashing through the Utah State defense to give the Wildcats a comfortable cushion in what’s been a low-scoring affair.
Though both teams are shooting at roughly the same clip from the field — Utah State holds a 40.9 to 35.7 percent edge — it’s the free throw line that’s been the difference for Kansas State. The Wildcats have made 11 trips to the line, connecting on all 11 shots. Utah State, on the other hand, has been to the charity stripe five times, hitting just one.
Pullen’s 10 points were a game-high in the first half, but Shane Southwell was close behind with eight. Rodney McGruder finished the half with five points, Curtis Kelly added four and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts chipped in four points off the bench.
Pooh Williams had eight points for the Aggies in the first half, but didn’t get much help from the rest of his team. Nate Bendall added four and Brady Jardine scored four more from the bench, but that was about it for Utah State.
For further reading, Bring On The Cats, SB Nation Kansas City, and Big 12 Hoops will meet your K-State needs, while Mid Major Madness merrily covers WAC hoops.
March Madness resources: Printable 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket … Full 2011 NCAA Tournament schedule.