MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- Jacob Pullen scored 24 points, including a rare career milestone, and Kansas State pulled away in the final minutes to beat No. 20 Missouri 80-70 on Saturday.
Curtis Kelly added 15 points and six rebounds for the resurgent Wildcats (20-9, 8-6), who have won six of seven and are battling Missouri (22-7, 8-6) for the fourth and final bye in the Big 12 tournament.
Pullen scored 11 quick points at the game's outset, becoming one of two Kansas State players to go over the 2,000-point mark. He picked up his fourth foul with 7:16 left and was on the bench when Missouri's Michael Dixon hit a 3-pointer for a 60-60 tie with 6:10 to go.
Will Spradling hit a 3-pointer, Rodney McGruder made a floater in the lane and Nick Russell had four free throws in a 9-0 run that gave the Wildcats an insurmountable lead over the foul-plagues Tigers.
Marcus Denmon had 22 points for Missouri, which fell to 1-6 in Big 12 road games.
Laurence Bowers had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers, who came in with a four-game winning streak but have only a conference road win against last-place Iowa State.
While struggling to stop the Kansas State surge in the final minutes, the Tigers had four players with four fouls and three others with three.
Pullen, one of the hottest shooters in the nation the past two weeks, hit his first three 3-pointers and had 11 points as the Wildcats bolted to a 15-7 lead. He and Mike Evans are the only Kansas State players to score 2,000 points.
The Wildcats led by as many as 10 points in the first half and took a 32-23 lead on Martavious Irving's second straight basket. But then, with Pullen on the bench with two fouls, the Tigers unfurled a 10-1 run, tying it at 33-all when Phil Pressey hit his second 3-pointer.
Bowers got the run started with a basket and Denmon sliced the lead to 28-23 with a three-point play. Dixon's 3-pointer was followed by Bowers' four made free throws.
Pullen came back into the game and immediately scored on a reverse layup.
Dixon's bucket tied it 35-all and the Tigers took the ball down court twice with a chance to take their first lead. But they could not get in front until Denmon drove in for a layup and converted a three-point play for a 47-45 lead early in the second half.
Kelly scored to put the Wildcats back in front 49-47 and Missouri, which beat Kansas State 75-59 on Jan. 17, never led again.
McGruder had 10 points for Kansas State. Dixon had 10 for the Tigers.
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