Game Preview // K-State Continues Road Swing at Texas Wednesday

GAME #24
KANSAS STATE (16-7, 5-5 Big 12) at rv/rv TEXAS (15-8, 5-5 Big 12)
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 >> 7 p.m. CT >> Frank Erwin Center (16,540) >> Austin, Texas

TELEVISION
Longhorn Network // WatchESPN* // ESPN3* (*Requires LHN Authentication)

Lowell Galindo (play-by-play)
Lance Blanks (analyst)
Tyler Denning (sideline reporter)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
Stan Weber (analyst)

Listen Online: TuneIn.com [free] // www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
Satellite Radio: Sirius 132 // XM 199 // Internet 952

LIVE STATS
texassports.com
texas.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
texassports.com/tickets
(512) 471.3333
Single Game: $7 (GA)/$8-$45 (reserved)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 429-230/20^th season
At K-State: 116-75/6^th season
vs. Texas: 6-5 (2-2 on the road)

Texas: Shaka Smart (Kenyon College '99)
Career Record: 209-99/9^th Year
Record at Texas: 46-43/3^rd Year
vs. Kansas State: 2-2 (1-1 at home)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (16-7, 5-5 Big 12)
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien

Texas (15-8, 5-5 Big 12)
G: #2 Matt Coleman
G: #12 Kerwin Roach II
G: #13 Jase Febres
F: #21 Dylan Osetkowski
F: #4 Mo Bamba

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 19-15
In Austin: Texas leads 9-7
In Manhattan: K-State leads 10-5
Big 12 era: Texas leads 15-14
Active Streak: K-State, 2
Weber vs. Texas: 6-5 (2-2 on the road)
Smart vs. K-State: 2-2 (1-1 at home)
Weber vs. Smart: 2-2 (1-1 on the road)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (16-7, 5-5 Big 12) concludes a two-game Big 12 road swing on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Austin, Texas, to take on Texas (15-8, 5-5 Big 12) at 7 p.m., CT at the Frank Erwin Center. Both teams sit in a tie for fifth place in the Big 12 standings with 5-5 marks, just two games behind co-leaders Texas Tech and Kansas and one game back of Oklahoma and West Virginia. The Wildcats have lost back-to-back games after a four-game win streak, while the Longhorns have won three of their last four outings, including a 79-74 win over No. 12/11 Oklahoma. Wednesday's game will air on the Longhorn Network and the WatchESPN app (LHN access required) with Lowell Galindo (play-by-play) and Lance Blanks (analyst) on the call.
This will be the first meeting between K-State and Texas this season, as the teams will meet twice in the last eight games of the regular season. This will be the 35th meeting between the schools, including the 30th in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats holding a slight 19-15 advantage in a series that dates to 1971. K-State swept the season series a year ago, winning 65-62 at home on Dec. 30, 2016 before earning a 64-61 win in the last seconds in its last visit to the Erwin Center on Feb. 18, 2017. Before those two games, the Longhorns had won five of the last six in the series.
Wednesday's tilt continues a stretch of three road games in a four-game stretch, as K-State plays at Texas and Oklahoma State (14-9, 4-6 Big 12) in between a home game with No. 7/7 Texas Tech (19-4, 7-3 Big 12) on Saturday. The Wildcats are 5-5 away from Bramlage Coliseum this season, which includes a 4-3 record in true road games and a 2-3 mark on the road in Big 12 play. The four road wins are the second-most of any Big 12 team this season and only eclipsed by Kansas' five. The Longhorns are 11-2 at home this season, including 4-1 in Big 12 play.
K-State's offensive struggles continued in its 89-51 loss at No. 15/11 West Virginia on Saturday, as the Wildcats tied or posted season-lows in nine categories, including points (51), field goals made (14) and field goal percentage (29.8). The team has now failed to eclipse 60-point barrier in the three consecutive games since February 2015. The 38-point loss tied for the sixth-largest margin of defeat in school history and the biggest since a 93-52 loss at UMKC on Dec. 30, 2003. It was the largest defeat in Big 12 play since a 104-63 setback to No. 22 Texas on Jan. 12, 1997.
Juniors Dean Wade and Barry Brown, Jr. are averaging 19.9 and 19.2 points per game in Big 12 play, which rank second and fourth, respectively, among all Big 12 players. They are two among five league players (along with Oklahoma's Trae Young (32.2 ppg.), Texas Tech's Keenan Evans (19.8 ppg.) and Kansas' Devonte' Graham (19.2 ppg.) to average 19 points or more points per game. Brown and Wade have combined to score 391 points in the first 10 Big 12 games, which is the sixth-best total by a duo at this point of league play and the most since Michael Beasley and Bill Walker totaled 455 points in 2008.
Junior guard Kamau Stokes, who had missed the last seven games due to a foot injury, made his return to the lineup at West Virginia on Saturday, scoring 2 points and dishing out a team-best 4 assists in 10 minutes. He is expected to play in the range of 10-15 minutes against Texas.

NOTES ON TEXAS

Texas enters Wednesday's contest with a 15-8 overall record and a 5-5 mark in Big 12 play after a come-from-behind 79-74 victory over No. 12/15 Oklahoma on Saturday night at home. The Longhorns trailed 66-57 with just under eight minutes to play before using a 13-0 run to take a four-point lead with 3:41 to play. The squad then iced the game at the line, hitting on 8-of-10 free throw, to win their third game in four outings. Freshman guard Matt Coleman led the way with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-13 field goals, while junior guard Kerwin Roach II and junior forward Dylan Osetkowski added 19 and 15 points, respectively. Freshman sensation Mo Bamba had a near double-double with 13 points and a game-high 9 boards.
The Longhorns are averaging 72.8 points on 44.1 percent shooting, including 31.2 percent from 3-point range, while they are allowing 66.9 points on 40.5 percent from the field, including 32.0 percent from long range. The team is averaging 7.0 3-point field goals per game with eight players totaling at least 11 or more treys. They are also averaging 36.5 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 12.4 turnovers, 6.1 steals and 5.7 blocks per game. Texas is one of the best defensive teams in the country, ranking 12th in blocked shots/game, 26th in field goal percentage defense and 49th in 3-point field goal percentage. The team is shooting 66.5 percent from the free throw line.
Junior Dylan Osetkowski paces four players in double figures with a team-best 14.2 points per game average on 40.9 percent shooting and 73.0 percent from the free throw line. The Tulane transfer is also averaging 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Freshman Mo Bamba is averaging a double-double with 13 points on 55.4 percent shooting, with 10.8 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game. Bamba ranks second nationally in blocks, while he is 13th in rebounding. Junior Kerwin Roach II is also averaging double figures at 12.3 points on 50.5 percent shooting to go with 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Freshman Matt Coleman and junior Eric Davis, Jr., are averaging 8.6 points per game with Davis leading the way with 31 3-point field goals. The team is without sophomore Andrew Jones, who was averaging 13.5 points, before being diagnosed with leukemia.
Texas is led by third-year head coach Shaka Smart, who has a 209-99 (.679) overall record in nine seasons as head coach, which includes an ultra-successful six-year tenure at VCU (2009-15) with five NCAA?Tournament appearance and trip to the 2010 Final Four. Smart is 46-43 (.517) in his third season at Texas, which includes a trip to the NCAA?Tournament in his first season in 2015-16.

SERIES HISTORY

This will be 35th meeting between Kansas State and Texas on the hardwood, including the 30th in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats holding a 19-15 advantage in a series that dates to 1971. K-State won the first five meetings with Texas between 1971-84, including a 66-55 victory in the 1972 NCAA Tournament held at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
The series has been one of the most competitive since the start of Big 12 play with Texas holding a slight 15-14 edge since the inception of the league in 1997. The Longhorns won nine of the first 14 meetings (1997-2009) in Big 12 play before the Wildcats rebounded to win seven of the next nine meetings (2010-14). Since 2015, Texas has won four of the last six meetings, however, K-State snapped a four-game skid by sweeping the season series in 2017 with a 65-62 victory at home on Dec. 30, 2016 before a last-second 64-61 win in the last trip to Austin on Feb. 18, 2017.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 6-5 all-time against Texas, including a 2-3 mark at the Erwin Center.

LAST MEETING: K-STATE 64, TEXAS 61

Senior D.J. Johnson's 3-point play with 1.3 seconds helped lift K-State past Texas, 64-61, in the teams' last meeting at the Frank Erwin Center on Feb. 18, 2017. The win helped the Wildcats snap a 3-game losing streak and earn their first win at the Erwin Center since an 81-69 victory over the Longhorns on Feb. 23, 2013 to halt a 3-game skid in Austin. With the score knotted at 61-all after K-State called its final timeout with 8.6 seconds, Johnson was able to collect sophomore Kamau Stokes' miss and hoist up the decisive shot before being fouled by Kendal Yancy with 1.3 seconds remaining. After Johnson hit the free throw, the Longhorns were not able to get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded.
The last-second win highlighted a very strange offensive day for the Wildcats, which connected on 53.5 percent (23-of-43) from the field, including 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from 3-point range. K-State shot a season-best 76.2 percent (16-of-21) in the first half, which tied for the seventh-highest field goal percentage for a half in school history, before connecting on a season-low 31.8 percent (7-of-22) in the second half.
Senior Wesley Iwundu paced three Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 16 points on 5-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, to go with team-bests in rebounds (7) and assists (4) in 35 minutes. Sophomore Barry Brown, Jr., scored in double figures for the third straight games with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Stokes registered double-digit points for the 17th consecutive game with 14 points.

LAST TIME OUT: 15/11 WEST VIRGINIA 89, K-STATE 51

No. 15/11 West Virginia jumped out to a quick lead that it never relented, as the Mountaineers snapped a three-game losing streak with an 89-51 win over K-State on Saturday afternoon at a near sold-out WVU Coliseum. West Virginia led for nearly the entire 40 minutes, as the Mountaineers held the Wildcats to a season-low 29.8 percent shooting (14-of-47), including 22.2 percent (6-of-27) in the second half, while forcing them into 15 turnovers.
K-State tied or set season-lows in nine categories, including points (51), field goals made (14), field goal percentage (29.8), fewest blocks (1), fewest steals (3), fewest points in the paint (8), fewest fast-break points (0), fewest points in a second half (21) and lowest field goal percentage (22.2). The 51 points were the fewest by K-State this season and the lowest point total since scoring 50 against West Virginia in the semifinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on March 10, 2017, while it was lowest field goal percentage since shooting 25 percent (14-of-56) at Oklahoma on Feb. 25, 2017.
The 38-point loss tied for the sixth-worst in school history, while it was the largest margin of defeat since losing 93-52 at UMKC on Dec. 30, 2003. It was also the largest defeat in Big 12 play since a 104-63 loss at No. 22 Texas on Jan. 12, 1997. In addition, the setback was the largest of head coach Bruce Weber's career, surpassing a 91-56 defeat at Indiana State on Jan. 19, 2000 while in his second season at Southern Illinois.
The Wildcats scored just 8 points in the paint, which was the fewest scored by a Bruce Weber team (since 2012-13) and fewest since posting 10 points in the paint against Texas on Feb. 7, 2015.
Junior Dean Wade led the Wildcats with 17 points on 6-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, while sophomore Xavier Sneed added 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting with all five field goals coming from 3-point range. It marked the 18th time that Wade has led the team in scoring, including a team-tying eight times this season, while he has now registered double figures in a team-best 53 career games, including a team-high 19 games this season. Sneed has now averaged 18 points in two meetings with West Virginia this season after scoring 20 points in the first matchup.
Junior Kamau Stokes checked into the game at 14:37 mark of the first half after missing seven straight games with a foot injury. He played 10 minutes, posting 2 points and dishing out a team-best 4 assists. He has now led the Wildcats in assists in 37 career games.

OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES OF LATE

K-State has struggled offensively the last three games, averaging just 54.3 points on 33.3 percent shooting (53-of-159), including 26.9 percent (18-of-67) from 3-point range, in posting a1-2 record against Georgia (1/27), No. 7/7 Kansas (1/29) and No. 15/11 West Virginia (2/3). The 163 points are the fewest since scoring 156 points against Oklahoma (59), TCU (55) and Baylor (42) during a three-game stretch from Feb. 14-21, 2015. The last time the Wildcats did not hit 60 points in a game in four consecutive games came from Jan. 27 to Feb. 7, 2015 (West Virginia, Kansas, Texas Tech and Texas).
The recent offensive struggles came on the heels of a 90-point effort in a win against Baylor (1/22), in which, the squad connected on 57.1 percent (28-of-49), including 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from 3-point range, and went 26-of-33 from the free throw line. The Wildcats have scored 80 or more points 10 times, including three 90-point efforts against Arizona State (11/23), Iowa State (12/29) and Baylor (1/22). It is the most 90-point and 80-point games in the first 23 games since the 2009-10 season, which saw the team post 13 80-point and four 90-point games.

OVERALL THE OFFENSE HAS BEEN SOLID

K-State is averaging 74.3 points on 47.2 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with a solid 74.9 percent clip from the free throw line through 23 games. The Wildcats' offensive numbers are slightly less since the start of Big 12 play with the team averaging 73.3 points on 46.6 percent shooting, including 38.9 percent from 3-point range, and 74.9 percent from the free throw line in Big 12 play. Although the team ranks eighth in scoring offense in the league, they are fourth in free throw percentage and fifth in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. The Wildcats are second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (46.6) and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (38.9) since the start of league play.
K-State scored a season-best 91 points at Iowa State (12/29) on 55.2 percent shooting (32-of-58), including 50 percent (13-of-26) from 3-point range. It was the most points in a Big 12 opener since scoring 97 at home against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000, while it was the most in a Big 12 opener on the road since scoring 92 at Colorado on Jan. 21, 1987. The 91 points were the most in a Big 12 road game overall since scoring 96 at Oklahoma State on Jan. 18, 2017. The 13 3-point field goals tied for the ninth-most makes and the most in a Big 12 game since hitting 14 at Iowa State on Feb. 5, 2011.
K-State has connected on better than 50 percent from the field in 11 games, including a season-best 62.5 percent (35-of-56) in the win over SE?Missouri State (12/16). The team has hit on 50 percent or better in both halves in eight games (American, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, USC?Upstate, SE Missouri State, Iowa State, TCU and Baylor). The Wildcats tied a season-high for both field goals made (35) and attempted (62) against Oklahoma (1/16), while they registered season-highs for assists (25), points in the paint (44) and dunks (7) vs. SE?Missouri State (12/16). It was the most assists in a game since dishing out 25 at Baylor on Feb. 15, 2014, while it was the most points in the paint since posting 46 in a win over Iowa State on Feb. 28, 2015.

STOKES RETURNS BUT SLOWLY

Junior guard Kamau Stokes returned the lineup on Saturday at No. 15/11 West Virginia, posting 2 points on 0-of-3 shooting, including 0-of-3 from 3-point range, and a 2-of-2 effort from the free throw line to go with a team-best 4 assists and 1 turnover in 10 minutes of action. It marked his first action since going down with a foot injury at No. 18/18 Texas Tech (1/6), which required him to miss seven games. He will be brought back slowly (10-12 minutes) over the next few weeks until he returns to full health. In 16 games this season with 15 starts, he is averaging 12.7 points on 41.5 percent shooting, including 39.8 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29.3 minutes per game.
Stokes, who has seen action in 72 career games with 70 starts, played in all 35 games a season ago, averaging 11.7 points on 35.6 percent shooting, including 36.4 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 33.3 minutes per game. He led the Wildcats a season ago in five categories (3-point field goals made and attempts, assists, starts and minutes) and was second in seven others (scoring, double-digit scoring games, field goals attempts, free throws made and attempts, free throw percentage and steals).

TRIPLE SCORING THREAT

Even with Kamau Stokes slowed by injury, K-State still has a trio of scoring threats in juniors Dean Wade (16.4 ppg.) and Barry Brown, Jr. (16.3 ppg.) and sophomore Xavier Sneed (11.2 ppg.). They rank seventh, eighth and 29th in scoring in the Big 12, as the three are averaging 43.8 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from long range, and 78.0 percent from the free throw line. Without Stokes, the trio averaged 48.6 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting, including 35.4 percent from long range, and 81.8 percent from the free throw line.
The trio of Brown, Wade and Sneed have all scored in double figures in 12 career games, including eight this season. The three have combined for 50 or more points three times, including 51 against No. 6/5 West Virginia (1/1) on 50 percent shooting, 59 against Oklahoma State (1/10) on 55.2 percent shooting and 58 against No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16) on 57.5 percent shooting (23-of-40). They combined for 48 points against No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13) on 46.2 percent shooting. They have combined for 50 double-digit scoring games, including Wade's team-high 19. Brown and Wade are tied for the team lead in career 20-point games (12) and season 20-point games (eight).
Wade is averaging 19.9 points on 56.9 percent shooting (74-of-130), including 52.6 percent (20-of-38) from 3-point range, and 77.5 percent (31-of-40) from the free throw line, through the first 10 games of Big 12 play. His scoring average ranks second in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma's Trae Young (32.2 ppg.), while he is also second in 3-point field goal percentage, fifth in field goal percentage and ninth in rebounding. His 199 points are the second-most through the first 10 Big 12 games since 2007-08, trailing the 277 scored by Michael Beasley in 2008. He has scored 20 or more points in five of the last six games, including 22 points vs. No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13), 21 vs. No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16), 20 vs. No. 24/25 TCU (1/20), 24 vs. Baylor (1/22), 20 vs. Georgia (1/27) and 20 vs. 7/7 Kansas (1/29). He was the first Wildcat with six straight 20-point games since Michael Beasley in 2007-08.
Brown is not far behind Wade, averaging 19.2 points on 47.4 percent shooting (63-of-133), including 35.7 percent (15-of-42) from 3-point range, through the first 10 league games. After his 34-point effort at Baylor (1/22), he is the first Wildcat with multiple 30-point games since Rodney McGruder (three) in 2011-12. His career-best 38 points vs. Oklahoma State (1/10) were the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 against Wisconsin on March 19, 2011 and the most in a home game since Pullen's 38 against Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011.
Wade (19.9 ppg.) and Brown (19.2 ppg.) have combined to score 391 points on 52.1 percent shooting in the first 10 Big 12 games, which is the most since Michael Beasley (27.7 ppg.) and Bill Walker (17.8 ppg.) combined for 455 points in the first 10 league games in 2008. Historically, it is the sixth-most points by a duo in the first 10 league games.
Sneed is starting to heat back up with seven double-figure scoring games in the last 10 outings and has registered double-digit points 14 times this season, including three 20-point games (Vanderbilt, SE Missouri State and West Virginia). He is the 3-point leader with 42, which includes a career-best 6-of-9 effort vs. West Virginia (1/1). He collected his first career double-double vs. Oklahoma State (1/10) with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

DIARRA FILLING IN NICELY

Redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra has played well since having to take over for Kamau Stokes, who was injured against Texas Tech (1/6) and missed seven games before returning to play 10 minutes at West Virginia (2/3). With Diarra running point, K-State averaged 71.4 points on 45.8 percent shooting (196-of-428), including 36.3 percent (57-of-157) from 3-point range, in this stretch with an average of 13.4 assists and 10.8 turnovers per game.
Diarra, who was averaging 3.9 points on 44.2 percent shooting in the 14 games prior to the Texas Tech game, has averaged 11.2 points on 54.8 percent shooting (34-of-62), including 50.0 percent (14-of-28) from 3-point range, and 90.5 percent (19-of-21) from the free throw line in 31.9 minutes per game in the last nine games. Since earning his first start against Oklahoma State (1/10), he is averaging 11.3 points on 54.4 percent shooting (31-of-57), including 48 percent (12-of-25) from long range, and 94.1 (16-of-17) percent from the free throw line.
Diarra has tallied double-digit points in six of the last nine games (had two before joining lineup), which includes 17 points vs. Oklahoma State (1/10), a season-best 18 points at No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13) and 16 vs. No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16). The Big 12 leader in 3-point field goal percentage in league-only (57.7) games has knocked down at least two 3-pointers in five of the last nine games, including three vs. the Jayhawks (1/13).

IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT, PART 1

In the Big 12 opener at Iowa State, Dean Wade (34), Kamau Stokes (23) and Barry Brown, Jr. (21) combined for 78 of the team's 91 points on 62.8 percent shooting (27-of-43), including 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from 3-point range. It marked just the second time that the Wildcats had a 30-point scorer and two 20-point scorers in the same game since Chuckie Williams (34), Daryl Winston (23) and Mike Evans (20) accomplished the feat in a 108-93 victory at Iowa State on Jan. 29, 1975. It was also the most combined points for three players in a game since Michael Beasley (44), Bill Walker (31) and Clent Stewart (5) combined for 80 points in a loss a Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008. In addition, it was the first time K-State had three 20-point scorers (Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente and Curtis Kelly) since the 2010 NCAA West Regional Semifinal against Xavier on March 25, 2010.
Wade became the first 30-point scorer since Marcus Foster also scored 34 vs. Texas on Feb. 8, 2014, while it was the most points by in a Big 12 road game since Clemente scored 44 at Texas on Jan. 31, 2009 and most in a Big 12 opener since Beasley had 32 at Oklahoma on Jan. 12, 2008.

IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT, PART 2

Barry Brown, Jr., enjoyed a special night with a career-high 38 points in the Wildcats' 86-82 win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 10. The 38-point scoring output by Brown was the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 points against Wisconsin in the NCAA?Tournament on March 19, 2011, while it was most in a Big 12 home game since Pullen's 38 against top-ranked Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011. Brown, who scored 20 or more points in the fourth time in a five-game stretch, connected on 12-of-17 from the field to go with an 11-of-16 effort from the free throw line. He scored 26 of his 38 points after halftime on 8-of-10 field goals and 9-of-13 free throw line. He also added 6 steals, which were the most by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

K-State has been solid taking care of the basketball this season, averaging a Big 12-low 11.0 turnovers per game. The average ranks 23rd nationally, while the 254 total turnovers rank 18th in the nation. In contrast, the Wildcats have also forced their opponents into 14.8 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the league. The team ranks 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+3.8).
K-State has posted 12 turnovers or less in 17 of 23 games, including single-digit turnovers on seven occasions (UC Irvine, George Washington, Oral Roberts, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Georgia and Kansas). Since turning over the ball a season-high 17 vs. American (11/10), the Wildcats have averaged just 10.8 turnovers in the last 22 games, including 11 games of 10 turnovers or less. The team is averaging just 12.3 turnovers per game in Big 12 play.
K-State is averaging 14.8 assists per game on 26.0 made field goals per game, which ranks seventh in the Big 12. However, when comparing it to the low turnover average, the team ranks 37th nationally and third in the league in assist turnover ratio at 1.34. They have dished out 20 or more assists four times, including a season-best 25 against SE?Missouri State (12/16) and 22 against American (11/10) and Northern Arizona (11/20).

SUCCESS BEYOND THE ARC

K-State has been successful from 3-point range, averaging 7.8 treys per game on 36.1 percent shooting (180-of-498). Sophomore Xavier Sneed is one of six players with double-digit 3-point field goals, as he leads all players with 42 treys on 35.0 percent shooting (42-of-120) this season. Junior Kamau Stokes is second on the team with 33 treys on 39.8 percent shooting (33-of-83), while Barry Brown, Jr. (29), Dean Wade (29), Cartier Diarra (23), Brian Patrick (10) and Amaad Wainright (9) all have more than nine 3-point makes. Wade (Iowa State) and Sneed (West Virginia) both hit a career-high 6 treys recently, while Brown had a career-best 4 against Arizona State (11/23) and Diarra had 4 vs. American (11/10).
K-State has hit on six or more 3-pointers in 17 of 23 games this season, including double-digits against American (12), Arizona State (15), USC Upstate (12), SE?Missouri?State (11), Iowa State (13) and West Virginia (10). The 15 makes against the Sun Devils tied for the second-most in school history and were the most since also converting on 15 3-pointers against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000. Overall, the Wildcats hit on 46.9 percent from beyond the arc against ASU with the 32 attempts the third-most ever in a game and the most since attempting a school-record 37 at Texas on Feb. 12, 2005.

DEFENSIVE PROWESS

K-State has been solid on the defensive end to start the season, allowing 67.7 points while holding its opposition to 42.6 percent shooting, including 32.7 percent from 3-point range. The team ranks among the Top 75 in turnover margin (18th), steals per game (26th) and scoring defense (70th), while they are second in the Big 12 in turnover margin and fourth in scoring defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense and steals.
The Wildcats have held seven of the 23 opponents to 45, 51, 49, 58, 59, 49 and 51 points, respectively, as they have now held 65 opponents to 60 points or less under head coach Bruce Weber's direction with the squad boasting a 58-7 (.891) record in those contests.
K-State has held all but four opponents (Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Baylor and West Virginia) to below its scoring average and has held its opponents to an average of 11 points below its season scoring average. The nation's top-ranked scoring team -- Oklahoma (93.6 ppg.) -- was held to a season-low 69 points on 41.9 percent shooting, including 28 percent from 3-point range, and were forced into a season-worst 20 turnovers. TCU, who ranked fifth in scoring offense at 88.6 points per game on 50.8 percent shooting, were held to 68 points on 42.9 percent shooting.
K-State has scored 20 or more points off of turnovers in nine games, which includes 38 vs. Northern Arizona (11/20) and 36 vs. USC?Upstate (12/16). The Wildcats opened the year with four consecutive games of 20 or more points off of turnovers, which included the 38-point effort vs. NAU on a school-record-tying 19 steals. The team has done it three times in Big 12 play, including 25 vs. West Virginia (1/1).

K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in his tenure (60.4 ppg., in 2012-13 and 65.4 ppg., in 2013-14). Since his arrival in 2012-13, the Wildcats are allowing opponents just 64.7 points per game (12,358 points). K-State has a 96-26 (.787) record when holding a foe to 69 points or less since 2012-13 and a 20-49 (.290) mark when allowing an opponent to score 70 or more.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

K-State enjoyed quite the memorable night on defensive end against Northern?Arizona (11/20), as the Wildcats tied the school record with 19 steals while forcing 31 total turnovers and enjoying a 38-15 edge in points off turnovers in the convincing 80-58 win. The 19 steals tied the school mark set against Tulane on Jan. 10, 1976 at Ahearn Field House. The 31 turnovers tied for the fifth most and were the most since also forcing 31 against Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2008. The 38 points off of turnovers were the fourth-most and the most since totaling 39 against Washington State on Dec. 5, 2009.
In all, five different Wildcats had at least two steals, including a career-best 6 by Barry?Brown, Jr., and 5 by Dean?Wade. The 6 steals by Brown tied nine other players for the eighth-most steals in a game. He now has 150 in his career, which ranks third on the all-time list. Kamau Stokes also had 3 steals, while sophomore Xavier Sneed and redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra had 2 each.

ONE OF THE YOUNGEST TEAMS

K-State is one of 15 schools nationally (Auburn, American, Bowling Green, UC Irvine, The Citadel, Holy Cross, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Marquette, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Toledo and Wofford) to have one or fewer seniors on its roster in 2017-18, while the Wildcats' nine freshmen (true and redshirt) and sophomores ranks nine nationally and are only surpassed by the 12 at Auburn and Kentucky, 11 by UC Irvine, 10 each by American, The Citadel, Tennessee, Toledo and Wofford.

K-STATE WELCOMES SHAUN WILLIAMS

Head coach Bruce Weber announced the signing of Shaun Williams (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) on the first day of the National Signing Period on Nov. 8.
A 6-foot-3, 170-pound guard, Williams led Hazelwood Central in 12 categories en route to helping the Hawks to a 17-11 record and a trip to the Class 5, District 3 Championship Game. He averaged a team-best 18.6 points on 47.4 percent shooting (155-of-237), including 35.2 percent (38-of-108) from 3-point range, to go with 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He connected on a team-best 83.8 percent (98-of-117) from the free throw line. He was a First Team Class 5 All-State selection by the Missouri Basketball?Coaches Association as a junior.

UP NEXT: 7/7 TEXAS TECH (19-4, 7-3 Big 12)

K-State continues Big 12 play on Saturday, as the Wildcats play host to No. 7/7 Texas Tech (19-4, 7-3 Big 12) at Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m., CT on ESPNU.

Game Preview // K-State Continues Road Swing at Texas Wednesday

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Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

D.J. Johnson

Makol Mawien

Brian Patrick

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Amaad Wainright

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State Continues Road Swing at Texas Wednesday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

D.J. Johnson

Makol Mawien

Brian Patrick

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Amaad Wainright

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