Michael Beasley recorded a career-high 40 points and led the Kansas State University Wildcats past the Winston-Salem State University Rams 90-48 in men’s non-conference basketball action from Bramlage Coliseum.

After four minutes of shooting difficulties, the two teams were able to get on track as the Rams and ?Cats combined to put 27 points on the scoreboard over the contest’s next three-and-a half minutes.

WSSU head coach Bobby Collins’ Rams packed themselves into an aggressive 2-3 zone as upstart WSSU kept the Big 12 Conference’s K-State Wildcats at bay, allowing a lead as great as only seven points during the first half of the first period of play.

Freshman phenom Michael Beasley would prove to be the main catalyst in the KSU run that pushed the Wildcat lead to as many as 13 points over the next four minutes of play as a 12-foot jumper and four converted free throws gave K-State a bit of breathing room.

Following Beasley’s second personal foul of the half the Rams mounted a 7-0 run that trimmed the Wildcat lead from a half-high 13 points to a more manageable six points with little more than 90 seconds remaining in the first half of play.

A pair of free throws upped the K-State lead to eight points, the same eight-point margin that the Wildcats would take to the locker room at the half leading 39-31.

Second half action belonged to the Wildcats as the 6’10”, 235-pound Michael Beasley put K-State on his shoulders and nearly single-handedly willed them to victory.

Beasley and the Wildcats opened the half with 29-10 run over the first nine minutes of play as K-State increased their eight-point halftime lead to a 27-point cushion.

The run would be sparked nearly entirely by Beasley as the freshman forward was responsible for scoring 24 of K-State’s 29 points during the run en route to his career-high 40 point showing.

Still reeling from the K-State offensive explosion, the Rams righted the ship and were able to successfully execute their offense, yet the damage had been done and WSSU was unable to mount a serious challenge for the remainder of the contest ultimately falling in defeat by the game’s final 42-point margin.

WSSU was led by Brian Fisher’s 13 points in the loss. Jamal Durham and Isiah Tucker were also impressive for the Rams with nine and eight points respectively.

Beasley led the ?Cats with 40 points on 14-of-22 shooting from the field including a three for four evening from behind the three-point arc. He added 15 rebounds and an assist to his total in 23 minutes of play.

The loss drops the Rams to 4-6 overall with the Wildcats improve to 8-3 overall with the victory.

WSSU returns to action on December 29, 2007 at 7:00 pm when they take on the University of South Florida Bulls at the Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla.