KANSAS STATE 76, TEXAS A&M 70: Rodney McGruder had 19 of his game-high 26 points in the first half as the hot-shooting Wildcats climbed above .500 in Big 12 play with the road win.

Jamar Samuels finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Angel Rodriguez added 13 points for Kansas State (20-9, 9-8 Big 12), which converted 12-of-17 3-point attempts and shot 48 percent from the field.

The Wildcats, who have won at least 20 games in each of coach Frank Martin’s five seasons, can secure a No. 5 seed in next week’s Big 12 Tournament with a home victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Texas A&M (13-16, 4-13 Big 12), which came into the game as the conference’s best defensive team, gave up more than 70 points for just the second time in the last 10 games.

Kansas State took a 44-33 lead at the half after making eight 3-pointers, including four from McGruder, who finished 6-of-12 from the field and made all nine of his free-throw attempts.

The Aggies cut the deficit to 66-63 on a Dash Harris jumper with 2:55 left, but McGruder responded with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to stretch the lead back to six. The Wildcats sealed the win at the free-throw line, where they made 18-of-22 attempts.

Elston Turner had a team-high 22 points and David Loubeau added 13 for Texas A&M, which lost its fourth straight game and has dropped nine of 10 overall. Ray Turner had 12 and Harris chipped in 11.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Texas A&M fell to 12-7 at Reed Arena … The Aggies, ninth in the Big 12 standings, are poised for their worst conference finish since 2003-04, when they finished last after going 0-16 in league play … K-State won for the fifth time in the last seven meetings … With Texas A&M headed to the SEC next season, this is the last scheduled meeting between the two schools.