Ten days after Huggins criticized them for buying tickets and then not showing up, students packed their section at Bramlage Coliseum – and watched the Wildcats make history with their first four-game conference winning streak since the formation of the Big 12.

Kansas State defeated Nebraska, 61-45, on Saturday.

“Tonight is kind of how I thought it was going to be all along,” said Huggins, whose hiring in the spring jump-started fans’ interest in the basketball program. “They stood in line and bought all of their tickets. … They were great.”

Clent Stewart’s 14 points led the Wildcats, who won despite making only five second-half field goals.

“It’s good to know we can win the ugly ones,” Huggins said.

David Hoskins added 11 points, and Cartier Martin had 10 for Kansas State.

It was the fifth consecutive victory for the Wildcats, who were coming off Monday’s 73-36 nonconference rout of Chicago State.

The 1989-90 team won five straight Big Eight games. The Big 12 began play in the 1996-97 season.

Huggins didn’t talk about the streak in the days leading up to Saturday’s game, Hoskins said.

“He’s about winning ball games, not any records,” Hoskins said. “If we win games, all of that will take care of itself.”

Huggins, who has Kansas State fans savoring the prospect of the team’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 1996, agreed.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “We’ve got 10 games to go. The last 10 games of the year, as far as postseason appearances, are the most important.”