No. 13 Kansas State 81, Texas 69: Rodney McGruder scored 20 points while Angel Rodriguez added 16 points and six assists as the visiting Wildcats kept pace with rival Kansas atop the Big 12 standings.

Shane Southwell contributed 11 points, six rebounds and six assists and Thomas Gipson scored 10 points off the bench for Kansas State (22-5, 11-3 Big 12), which has won three straight and seven of eight.

Myck Kabongo scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Longhorns (12-15, 4-10), who have lost six of the last eight meetings against Kansas State – including four of the last five at home. Sheldon McClellan was the only other player in double figures for Texas with 15 points in a reserve role.

The Wildcats took control with an 8-0 run early in the first half to open a 13-4 advantage and led the rest of the way, opening up a 40-32 halftime lead and keeping the Longhorns from making a run after the break.

Even when Kansas State went more than four minutes without scoring midway through the second half, the Longhorns couldn't close the gap any closer than 13 points until the final seconds. Texas was 4-for-16 from 3-point range and 19-for-33 from the foul line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kansas State is 29-26 in Big 12 road games over the past seven seasons after posting a 10-71 mark away from home in the league's first 10 years. … Texas dropped to 1-7 against ranked opponents this season. … Bruce Weber's 22 wins mark the most by a first-year coach at Kansas State prior to the conference tournament, passing Bob Huggins' total in 2006-07.