Florida vs. Kansas State final score: Gators pounded early, fall to Kansas State

For the second weekend in a row, the Florida Gators dropped a marquee non-conference game outside of Gainesville, falling to the Kansas State Wildcats, 67-61, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City.

Most of the first half was very close, until Kansas State ended the first half on a 16-4 run in the final 7:36 of the period, giving the Wildcats a 33-23 halftime lead. The Gators tied it up at the 13:13 mark behind back-to-back three-pointers by Erik Murphy and Kenny Boynton, but Kansas State scored the next four points, grabbing a lead that they would not relinquish. An 11-2 Wildcat run would stretch the lead back to ten, and Florida was not able to make up enough ground via the foul game to make a late comeback.

Florida had nine more shots from the field than Kansas State, but the Wildcats had 14 more trips to the free throw line to offset the advantage. Neither team shot well from the field, with Florida shooting 40% to Kansas State's 41%, but the Wildcats outrebounded the Gators by ten and had seven blocks.

Patric Young led the Gators with 19 points and ten rebounds, while Boynton and Scottie Wilbekin added 11 apiece. Will Spradling led Kansas State with 17, followed by Rodney McGruder's 13.

Florida will return to the court after the Christmas holiday, taking on Air Force on Dec. 29 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.