GAME NOTES: The third-place game of the Maui Invitational is on tap for Wednesday, as the Kansas State Wildcats take on the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Lahaina Civic Center.

Kansas State advanced to the semifinals with a 88-79 victory over Purdue in the first round, and it gave No. 2 Arizona a great fight on Tuesday before eventually suffering a 72-68 setback. The Wildcats are now 3-2 on the season, having previously lost to Long Beach State on the road on Nov. 21 (69-60).

Pittsburgh drew Chaminade in the first round and enjoyed an 81-68 victory over the Division II team, but things did not come so easily in the second round as it fell to nationally-ranked San Diego State, 74-57. The Panthers (3-2) have now lost two of their last three after dropping a 74-70 decision at Hawaii on Nov. 21.

This marks the first-ever meeting between the programs.

The Wildcats gave Arizona all they could handle in the semifinals, battling through five ties and 12 lead changes and got to within a single possession in the final minute but could not get over the hump as they suffered the heartbreaking loss. They shot a solid 44.9 percent from the field but allowed Arizona to make good on 53.3 percent of its tries overall. Marcus Foster nearly lifted his team to victory with a game-high 23 points on 6-of-9 from 3- point range. Nino Williams, Thomas Gipson and Wesley Iwundu netted nine points apiece in the losing effort.

On the season, Kansas State has impressed on the offensive end of the floor by shooting just shy of 49 percent from the field for 79.4 ppg, but its downfall has come on defense, where it gives up 72.2 ppg on 48 percent shooting. Foster is the catalyst on the nightly basis with 16.2 ppg and has started the season red-hot from 3-point range (17-of-32). Gipson scores 13.8 ppg on north of 74 percent field goal shooting, while Williams (10.3 ppg) and Wesley Johnson (9.4 ppg) are also integral.

The Panthers dug themselves a 14-point hole at the half of their semifinal- round clash and never got to within single digits of the lead in the second stanza. They shot a mere 37.7 percent from the field while allowing SDSU to shoot a red-hot 58.7 percent, and a game-high 17 turnovers only hurt matters more. James Robinson poured in a team-best 17 points while making all six of his free-throw tries, but he also committed five turnovers. Chris Jones (nine points) and Michael Young (eight points, seven rebounds) were also solid in the setback.

Pitt's poor shooting performance was uncharacteristic, as it came into the semifinals shooting a lofty 48 percent from the field, and it now sits with 69.8 ppg on the season while allowing 63.4 ppg on the other end of the floor. Young is a nightly double-double threat with 15.0 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Robinson brings 12.4 ppg to the table and has handed out 29 assists (5.8 pg). Chris Jones adds 8.8 ppg to the mix.

Kansas State looked much more impressive against a nationally-ranked opponent in the semifinals than did Pitt. The Wildcats appear well-equipped to handle to Panthers and should clinch third place with a balanced effort.