Markquis Nowell, Oscar Tshiebwe's Duel Left Fans Breathless as K-State Tops Kentucky

In one of the best games of the 2023 NCAA tournament so far, it was Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe and Kansas State's Markquis Nowell who stole the show.

Kansas State came out with a 75-69 win Sunday to advance to the Sweet 16, with several players coming through in key moments to earn the victory.

It was still Nowell who had fans the most excited with his highlight-reel plays throughout the day.

The 5'8" point guard had 27 points and nine assists in the game, causing some to compare him to Magic Johnson with his performance:

Others just fell in love watching him play:

Of course, Kentucky also had a superstar in Tshiebwe, last year's Player of the Year who stepped up with 25 points and 18 rebounds.

Most were impressed watching the big man take over for long stretches:

It wasn't enough to pull out the win, but few were blaming Tshiebwe.

Kansas State ended up with the victory, although the individual efforts created a memorable back-and-forth battle to highlight the second round of March Madness.