MANHATTAN, Kan. ? Senior David Jackson scored 12 points as Western Illinois kept close with No. 22 Kansas State, but the Wildcats pulled away down the stretch, winning 77-64.

The Wildcats (3-0) took control of the game early on, leading the Leathernecks (1-2) by as many as 11 in the opening frame. However, Western managed to fight their way back into the game. The Leathernecks pulled within one behind a pair of free throws from Nikola Bodic with 5:09 left in the first half. However, the Wildcats were able to answer right back and extend their lead to three behind a bucket from Bill Walker. Western cut the deficit back down to one on a David DuBois lay-up, but a three-pointer by Michael Beasley gave the Wildcats a four-point advantage at the break.

“For us to put that kind of effort out there, I'm very proud of the team,” said Western Illinois head coach Derek Thomas. “I told them, whoever is on the court you have to come out and play, and that's exactly what we did tonight.”

Western came out of the locker room and was able to keep pace with the Wildcats. A Jackson jumper with 14:57 to play brought Western as close as they would get in the second half at 39-37. Nikola Bodic pulled Western back within two after the teams traded buckets, but it was as close as Western would get the rest of the way.

The Leathernecks struggled down low on offense and did not have a defensive answer in the post as the Wildcats controlled the points in the paint 48-24.

Three players for Western Illinois ended up in double figures. Jackson led the attack with 12 points, while David Nurse and Bodic each added 11. Beasley led all scorers with 28 points.

“We're not going to see this type of pressure in league play,” added Thomas. “If we can shoot well, and keep playing the defensive game we had tonight, we should be in pretty good shape.”