What’s the record for the most points scored in a March Madness game? Here’s a look at the best individual scoring performances in NCAA Tournament history.
Kansas State might have a Wildcat as its mascot, but Markquis Nowell was all dawg on Thursday.
The 23-year-old guard electrified the Madison Square Garden crowd as the No. 3 Wildcats topped the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans in overtime behind a 20-point, 19-assist, five-steal performance.
Dishing out 19 assists also put Nowell, a Harlem native, on the map for another reason: He broke the single-game record for most assists in an NCAA Tournament game.
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
So, how does Nowell compare to other players who pulled the strings on offense for the entirety of a game? Let's take a look:
Who has the most assists in a single NCAA Tournament game?
Nowell stands alone at the top spot for the most assists in a single NCAA Tournament game with 19.
Here's a look at the list of men's players who had at least 15 or more in one game:
- 2023: Markquis Nowell, No. 7 Kansas State -- 19 vs. No. 3 Michigan State in a 98-93 (OT) win
- 1987: Mark Wade, No. 1 UNLV -- 18 vs. No. 1 Indiana in a 97-93 loss
- 2000: Earl Watson, No. 6 UCLA -- 16 vs. No. 3 Maryland in a 105-70 win
- 2008: Mitch Johnson, No. 3 Stanford -- 16 vs. No. 6 Marquette in an 82-81 (OT) win
- 2019: Ja Morant, No. 12 Murray State -- 16 vs. No. 5 Marquette in an 83-64 win
- 1985: Kenny Patterson, No. 10 DePaul -- 15 vs. No. 7 Syracuse in a 70-65 loss
- 1987: Keith Smart, No. 1 Indiana -- 15 vs. No. 8 Auburn in a 107-90 win
- 2000: Pepe Sanchez, No. 2 Temple -- 15 vs. No. 15 Lafayette in a 73-47 win
- 2011: Aaron Craft, No. 1 Ohio State -- 15 vs. No. 8 George Mason in a 98-66 win
How old is Markquis Nowell?
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Nowell is 23 years old. He was born on Dec. 25, 1999.
What is Markquis Nowell's height?
Nowell's 19-assist performance is more notable considering he's not exactly that tall. The 23-year-old is listed at 5-foot-8.
Is Markquis Nowell going to the NBA?
Nowell, 23, is a fifth-year senior at Kansas State having played his first three years of college basketball with the Little Rock Trojans. The 5-foot-8, 160-pound guard has not yet officially declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, but this performance could elevate his standing as a possible mid-to-late second-round pick.
