K-State pulls away from Virginia Tech, 73-57

By The Associated Press     Nov 17, 2010

? Curtis Kelly was in street clothes, and Jacob Pullen was on the bench — not exactly the ideal place for Kansas State’s only two seniors while facing an experienced and well traveled Virginia Tech.

Martavious Irving, Rodney McGruder and Nick Russell came off the bench to hold things together in the first half and then helped spark a 28-9 run when Pullen got back, carrying the third-ranked Wildcats to a 73-57 victory Tuesday over the Hokies.

“When they saw me go out with that second foul, a lot of them just put their chins up and stepped up to the challenge,” said Pullen, who got in quick foul trouble and played just two minutes in the second half. “Good teams don’t win games because of a person. They win games because of a team. Today the team just came together.”

Kelly, a 6-foot-8 senior who’s being heavily counted on this season by the Wildcats (2-2), missed his second straight game because of unspecified disciplinary action. But the cold-shooting Hokies (1-1) failed to take advantage, and Kansas State led 30-29 at halftime. Then, after Malcolm Delaney’s basket put Virginia Tech on top 40-38 early in the second half, McGruder got the Wildcats rolling on a decisive 28-9 run.

“Everybody had a big play, a big play that was a momentum-builder or to sustain the run,” said Pullen, the Wildcats’ preseason All-American. “That’s all you can ask for, is your team to be prepared.”

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36627K-State pulls away from Virginia Tech, 73-57