Kansas State forward Keyontae Johnson wears steri strips over his eye to close a cut suffered during the Wildcats’ game against TCU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. TCU went on to win, 80-67.
Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell hugs head coach Jerome Tang at the end of a game against TCU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Wildcats lost to the Horned Frogs, 80-67.
Kansas State forward Keyontae Johnson wears steri strips over his eye to close a cut suffered during the Wildcats’ game against TCU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. TCU went on to win, 80-67.
Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell hugs head coach Jerome Tang at the end of a game against TCU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Wildcats lost to the Horned Frogs, 80-67.
Kansas State men’s basketball seniors Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell were both selected as third team All-Americans by the Associated Press Tuesday. They are the first duo in school history to earn the honor.
They are the first K-State players to be recognized by the Associated Press since Jacob Pullen was named to the third team in 2011. They are the eighth and ninth players to earn the honor including Bob Boozer (1958, 1959), Dick Knostman (1952, 1953), Mike Evans (1978), Rolando Blackman (1980), Mitch Richmond (1988), Michael Beasley (2008) and Pullen.
The tandem ranks as one of the top scoring duos in the country at 34.5 points per game. They’ve each been selected as finalists for their respective position awards. Johnson was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and both were chosen to the All-Big 12 first team by both the league coaches and the Associated Press.
Johnson is currently averaging a team-best 17.7 points on 51.9% shooting, including 41.9% from 3-point range and 72.5% from the free throw line. He leads the Wildcats in rebounding with seven per game while adding 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 34 minutes per game.
Nowell is averaging 16.8 point per game on 37.7% shooting, including 34.6% from three and a Big 12-best 88.5% from the free throw line.
He leads the conference in assists with 7.6 while also chipping in 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals in a 36.5 minutes per game. He ranks in the Big 12’s top-3 in 13 categories, and leads the conference in assists (243), free throws made (162) and steals (76).
Johnson and Nowell were also named first team All-District by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
Head coach Jerome Tang was also named District Coach of the Year by both the NABC and the USBWA.
K-State earned a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will take on No. 14 seed Montana State at 8:40 p.m. Friday in the first round of the East Regional at in Greensboro, North Carolina.
