Markquis Nowell breaks NCAA assist record, KSU beats MSU 98-93 in OT

NEW YORK (AP) — Markquis Nowell broke the NCAATournament record for assists in a game with 19, his last two onspectacular passes in the final minute of overtime, and KansasState beat Michigan State 98-93 on Thursday night in a Sweet 16thriller at Madison Square Garden.

Playing in his hometown and fighting through a second-half ankleinjury, Nowell found Keyontae Johnson for a reverse alley-oop with58 seconds left in OT to give the Wildcats (26-9) the lead for goodin this back-and-forth East Region semifinal. He then threw aninbound pass to Ismael Massoud, who knocked down a jumper with 15seconds left for a 96-93 lead.

With Michigan State needing a 3 to tie, Nowell stole the ballfrom the Spartans’ Tyson Walker and drove for a clinching layup atthe buzzer. The 5-foot-8, Harlem-raised Nowell finished with 20points and five steals in a signature performance at basketball’smost famous arena that drew tweets of praise from Patrick Mahomesand Kevin Durant.

“That was a legendary display of controlling a basketball gameMarkquis,” Durant tweeted.

Johnson scored 22 points for the No. 3 seed Wildcats, who willface either fourth-seeded Tennessee or ninth-seeded FloridaAtlantic on Saturday as they seek the program’s first Final Fourberth since 1964.

A.J. Hoggard scored a career-high 25 points for seventh-seededMichigan State (21-13). Joey Hauser added 18 points and Walker had16, including a layup with 5 seconds left in regulation that forcedthe first overtime of this year’s NCAA Tournament.

UNLV’s Mark Wade had the previous NCAA tourney assists recordwith 18 during the Runnin’ Rebels 1987 Final Four win overIndiana.

Nowell turned his ankle early in the second half, was helped offthe court and had it taped. Michigan State took the lead with himsidelined, and when he returned, he pushed off the ankle to bank ina 3-pointer that beat the shot clock and tied the game at55-all.

Turns out he was just getting started.