Prior to his Kansas State Wildcats’ Sweet 16 matchup at Madison Square Garden against the Michigan State Spartans, New York City’s own Markquis Nowell wasn’t scared at all of Tyson Walker, Tom Izzo, or the mystique of a No. 7 seed in MSG (both previous sevens to reach the Sweet 16 at the Garden advanced to the Final Four).
As Nowell told the media on Wednesday, with the right degree of big-city confidence:
"I determine how the game is going to go. I’m not really focused on what they did in the past versus other good point guards. I played in the toughest league in the country, which is the Big 12. You have all types of hall of fame coaches that scouted me and tried to stop me, so I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.I feel like this game is going to be Kansas State Wildcats versus Michigan State, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to win a basketball game."
Early on, he took that first phrase as literally as possible.
In Kansas State’s very first set of the game, Nowell tossed a lob from midcourt and teammate Keyontae Johnson cashed in on the finish. Statement made, huh?
Markquis Nowell with a casual half court lob in a half court set pic.twitter.com/btTgBU3Nf3
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) March 23, 2023
Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell showed off passing prowess with immediate halfcourt assist
Nice job “stopping” Nowell, Coach Izzo, but we have a few notes. Namely, don’t let him do that.
This game is shaping up to be a back-and-forth affair, and Nowell and Walker’s New York antics will likely be worth the price of admission.
Hopefully, both guards have a better time in the Garden than Stephon Marbury, the last NYC point guard expected to light things up and call this his homecourt.