Manhattan ? After last week’s poor defensive performance at Nebraska, Kansas State coach Jim Wooldridge was intent on making a statement to his team.

He gave the Wildcats a verbal ribbing after Saturday’s 99-82 loss and took away several privileges, including no pictures in the locker room and no chairs in the film room.

Apparently, it worked. Kansas State held Texas A&M to a Bramlage Coliseum low 13 points in the first half and rolled to a 69-38 win Tuesday night.

The Aggies’ 13 points in the first half and their 38 points in the game ties conference lows. Baylor held Texas to 13 points in the second half and 38 points in 2000.

“It was awfully good,” said Wooldridge of Kansas State’s first-half defense. “This was a much better defensive effort. And we shot the ball and distributed the ball well.”

Nick Williams had 13 points and six assists and Phineas Atchison added another 13 points as Kansas State (10-12, 4-7 Big 12) took a 37-13 halftime lead and never looked back. The loss was the Aggies’ (9-16, 3-8) fourth straight in conference play.

Texas Tech 90, Baylor 65

Lubbock, Texas  Andre Emmett scored 30 points and Kasib Powell had a double double as Texas Tech defeated Baylor to end a two-game losing streak.

Tech (17-6, 6-5 Big 12) took control of the game in the first half and passed the ball deftly throughout. The Red Raiders spotted open teammates and zipped and lofted the ball through Baylor’s zone defense. On 36 shots from the field, Tech had 30 assists.

No. 5 Cincinnati 67, Saint Louis 53

Cincinnati  Steve Logan scored 21 points and had a three-point play during a decisive second-half run as No. 5 Cincinnati defeated Saint Louis. Jason Maxiell scored six points in the 14-4 spurt that put Cincinnati (23-2, 10-1 Conference USA) ahead by double digits with six minutes to go. Saint Louis (11-14, 5-7) never got closer than nine the rest of the way.

No. 6 Florida 85, No. 21 Georgia 70

Athens, Ga. Â Udonis Haslem scored 26 points and Brett Nelson 17 as sixth-ranked Florida overcame a 10-point first-half deficit and routed No. 21 Georgia. Haslem had 18 in the final 10:50 and Nelson 14, including four three-pointers, in the last 12:12.

No. 15 Virginia 73, North Carolina 63

Charlottesville, Va. Â Chris Williams and Roger Mason Jr. each scored 18 points and No. 15 Virginia overcame a series of late runs by North Carolina and beat the Tar Heels. Virginia (16-6, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) won its second straight after a four-game skid that dropped the Cavaliers to their lowest ranking of the season.

No. 18 Illinois 63, Michigan State 61

East Lansing, Mich. Â Frank Williams scored 22 points, including five in the final 75 seconds, as No. 18 Illinois edged Michigan State. The Illini (18-7, 7-5 Big Ten) won their third straight..

l Box scores on page 5C