AUSTIN, Texas _ With the game on the line, D.J. Johnson did something no Kansas State basketball player has done in quite some time.
He made a winning play.
Johnson, a senior forward, tipped in a missed floater by Kamau Stokes and then made a free throw with 1.6 seconds remaining to give K-State a 64-61 victory over Texas on Saturday at the Erwin Center.
It was a play and a result the Wildcats (17-10, 6-8 Big 12) badly needed. They entered the day looking like a team on its way out of NCAA Tournament consideration.
"There's no doubt it was a necessary win for our guys," K-State coach Bruce Weber said. "I feel great for them."
This gave them hope.
"We really needed it," Johnson said after scoring nine points and grabbing two rebounds. "Texas is at the bottom of the league, so it was important to go ahead and get this win and get this five-game winning streak started. Start it today. We've got to keep on pushing."
K-State hadn't successfully pushed past any Big 12 team in recent weeks, losing narrow games to Kansas, TCU and Iowa State and losing big to West Virginia. Their lone victory of the month came at Baylor, and they had to hold on for dear life against a furious Bears rally in that one.
For much of the season, K-State has found ways to lose close games. On this day, it found a way to win.
The winning play began with 8.6 seconds remaining and the score tied at 61. Weber called a timeout and set up a play that put the ball in the hands of senior wing Wesley Iwundu with the option to pass to Stokes with Dean Wade setting a screen. As the play unfolded, Stokes ended up with the ball and attacked the lane from the left side. His shot went a touch long, but he got close enough to the rim to draw defensive help from Texas shot-blocker Jarrett Allen.
That left the right side of the lane open for Johnson, who easily tipped in the rebound while getting fouled by a recovering Allen.
"I'm glad to have D.J. back," Iwundu said after scoring 16 points and grabbing seven rebounds. "Without D.J., that play doesn't happen. That is what we have been missing these last few games. Everyone can see D.J. is a very valuable piece of the team."
Johnson, as it turns out, also came up with a key block at the end of K-State's last victory at Baylor. He is quickly becoming the most clutch player on the roster.
He only played 20 minutes against Texas while he fought through an ankle injury that forced him to miss back-to-back starts, but he provided a major boost.
"At the timeout I said, 'Somebody make a play. It might be a tip in that makes a difference in the game,' " Weber said. "You have to give D.J. a lot of credit, one for playing _ he hasn't practiced much _ and for giving a heck of an effort. And, two, for making a huge play and a free throw that helped us win."
Johnson downplayed his performance and his game-winning play. It happened so fast he wasn't sure how it transpired.
"My memory is really bad. I don't exactly remember what coach drew up," Johnson said. "But we got the job done."
The entire second half felt like a blur.
It was nothing like the opening 20 minutes, which unfolded like few K-State games. The Wildcats lit it up from all over, making 16 of 21 shots and 7 of 8 from 3. Everyone from Iwundu and Barry Brown to Wade and Brian Patrick seemed hot.
That helped Brown finish with 15 points and Stokes to get to 14.
But it didn't do them much good. K-State led 39-36 despite its scintillating shooting, because it failed to defend Texas (10-17, 4-10) at the 3-point line and allowed the Longhorns to make 6 of 9 from 3-point range. The Wildcats also only got to the free-throw line one time and didn't grab an offensive rebound.
"It was a shootout," Iwundu said. "We didn't want to make it that type of game in the second half. We knew at some point the threes were going to stop falling, so we started going inside more. We did a good job of battling things out and making plays at the end to win."
K-State appeared to be in control when it took a 48-39 lead with 13:49 remaining, but a hard foul from Austin Budke on Allen altered momentum. Budke was ejected for hacking Allen as he attempted to go up for a dunk and the Longhorns turned the foul and ensuing possession into four points. Texas went on to battle from nine down to tie the score in the final moments.
It felt like deja vu, another controversial error destined to doom K-State. Then Johnson saved the day.
"We kept calm," Johnson said. "We have been there so many times this year and last year. That is the great part about having Kamau and Barry and Wesley and those guys. Now that they have a year under their belts they don't get nervous. They keep their cool and when someone goes and scores or a team goes on a run against us we keep calm and keep our poise. That is very important."
