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The stage was set for Marquis Nowell and the Kansas State Wildcats as the star guard made his triumphant return to his home state of New York. After staying away for over three years to focus on his game and remain around school, Nowell took center stage at Madison Square Garden against the Michigan State Spartans.
The Wildcats' 98-93 overtime win Thursday night, with Nowell totaling an NCAA Tournament record 19 assists, moved K-State to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2018.
Nowell is the engine of Kansas State and let this be known early on. He finished the first half with 10 assists and just one turnover in the first half, drawing Magic Johnson comparisons on Twitter for the impressive playmaking effort. To make matters worse, Johnson is a Michigan State graduate.
Comments referring to him as Magic Johnson or simply a magician ran rampant.
Nowell also battled what seemed to be a right ankle injury which caused him to be helped off the court early in the second half. The 5-foot-8 guard fought through the pain to return shortly after, and the team needed every bit of his effort.
Nowell's impressive passing continued as he set an NCAA record for the most assists in an NCAA Tournament Game. He finished with 20 points, 19 assists, five steals and three rebounds.
Nowell provided a calming influence on the floor and showed no hesitation to let a 3-pointer fly from well beyond the arc. He was crucial in calling plays, running the offense and delivering throughout the matchup. It was admirable the way he carved up the defense and found the perfect balance of when to create for himself and when to play make for others.
Markquis Nowell's effort leads Kansas State past Michigan State
Just as has been the case all season, the rest of the Kansas State roster followed Nowell's lead. It took overtime for the Wildcats (26-9), seeded third in the East, to ultimately secure a 98-93 victory and move on to the Elite Eight.
The game ended with Nowell's game-winning steal which led to a layup. After Michigan State called a play with the hopes of producing a game-tying 3-pointer, Nowell got his hand in the mix and laid the ball in as the clock expired.
Nowell was quick to deflect credit and acknowledged that his ankle is still bothering him. The team will be back in action on Saturday, facing either No. 4 seed Tennessee (25-10) or No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic (33-3).
He'll hope his plans to get in the ice bath following the game will cure the ankle issue as the Wildcats will need another strong performance from him to keep their Tournament hopes alive.
While his injury outlook will be a storyline to keep an eye on, Markquis Nowell should be celebrated for his impressive performance in this one. His fingerprints were all over the success of Kansas State.
