MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Garrett Sturtz scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Drake to an 80-70 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday in a season opener.
Sturtz made all three of his field-goal attempts and 9 of 10 free throws, including four in the final 1:19 when the Bulldogs made 10 straight from the line to pull away. Tremell Murphy scored 12 points with seven rebounds and Shanquan Hemphill added 10 points, including a dunk to put Drake ahead for good with 7:24 remaining.
Drake led 38-36 at halftime but the Wildcats started the second half on an 11-2 run, including six points from DaJuan Gordon, to lead 47-40 before Drake rallied.
Senior Mike McGuirl scored a career-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting and Gordon, a sophomore, tied his personal best with 15 points for the Wildcats, who have nine newcomers, including five freshmen on their roster.
Though the schools are relatively close at 318 miles apart, the programs haven’t faced each other since 1956. Kansas State came in having won 98 of its last 104 nonconference home games.