ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands — In a strong performance, Coleman Hawkins led Kansas State to an impressive 80-64 victory over Longwood during the third-place match of the Paradise Jam on Monday evening.

Hawkins, who joined the Wildcats after playing four seasons at Illinois, showcased his scoring ability by hitting 7 of 10 shots, including five from beyond the arc. His efforts helped him achieve his first double-double with Kansas State, contributing 19 points, along with 10 rebounds and five assists.

Brendan Hausen also had a solid outing, knocking down three three-pointers to finish with a total of 16 points for K-State. Dug McDaniel played well, adding 11 points and providing six assists with four steals. David N’Guessan continued to be a key player for the Wildcats, scoring 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting and maintaining his streak of reaching double digits in scoring for every game this season, now totaling seven games.

On the opposing side, Kyrell Luc was the standout for Longwood, hitting 5 of 8 field goals and making 5 of 6 free throws for a total of 15 points. Colby Garland added 13 points, shooting 5-for-15, while Johan Nziemi scored 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting. Off the bench, Angelo Brizzi contributed nine points and tied for a team-high with five rebounds.

At halftime, both Hausen and Hawkins were tied at 11 points, with McDaniel scoring nine, which powered the Wildcats to a 44-36 lead as they left the court.

Macaleab Rich made an impact in the second half, scoring all of his 8 points on efficient shooting of 4-for-5, helping Kansas State maintain the lead for the majority of the game, specifically 33 minutes and 13 seconds.

This marks Kansas State’s third participation in the Paradise Jam. The Wildcats previously won the event in 2018 after defeating Eastern Kentucky, Penn, and then Missouri in the championship game. They first competed in this tournament back in 2002.

This matchup was the first encounter between the Wildcats and Longwood, who were the champions of last season’s Big South Conference.

Next, Kansas State will return to their home arena to take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday, while Longwood is set to host Regent on the same day.