Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats Hit Road to Face No. 12 Iowa
Dec 20, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2001
Manhattan, Kan. -
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Game No. 10
Kansas State (5-4) at No. 12 Iowa (9-3)
Date:Saturday, Dec. 22
Tipoff:6:07 p.m. (Central)
Location:Iowa City, Iowa
Arena:Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500)
Radio:Wildcat Radio Network (Flagship station: WIBW 580 in Topeka): Voice of the Wildcats Greg Sharpe (play-by-play) and Bruce Steinbrock (color) have the call.
Television: Wildcat Television Network: Ben Boyle (play-by-play) and Paul Splittorff (color) call the action. Satellite coordinates for the telecast are GE 2, transponder 5.
ESPN Regional: Larry Morgan (play-by-play) and Mac McCausland (color) call the action for the Iowa regional telecast.
Quick Hitters...
*After a 4-1 start, the Wildcats have dropped three of their last four games heading into Saturday's matchup with No. 12 Iowa. K-State lost to Western Carolina, 66-64, on Wednesday. Junior Gilson DeJesus led the way with 18 points, including a 5-for-7 performance from beyond the three-point line, while senior Travis Reynolds notched his third double-double (13 points/14 rebounds) of the season.
*The 'Cats are facing their second Big 12 opponent of the season. Northwestern defeated K-State, 79-56, in Evanston on Dec. 8.
*Senior guard Larry Reid leads K-State in scoring (14.1 ppg), assists (5.7 pg), free throw shooting (90.2 percent), steals (1.3 pg) and minutes played (35.6 pg).
*K-State ranks fourth in the Big 12 in defensive field goal percentage and fifth in scoring defense. The 'Cats are holding teams to 65.8 points per game and 38.4 percent shooting from the field, and have held four of their last six opponents under 40 percent.
* Jim Wooldridge is in his second season as head coach of the Wildcats. Wooldridge owns a 245-169 (.592) career record in his 15th season as a head coach.
*Who's hot: Over the last five games, Pasco is averaging a team-best 14.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and shooting 65.8 percent from the field.
Kansas State's Projected Starters
Ht.Wt.Yr.-ExpPPGRPG
F5Travis Reynolds6-7210Sr.-3L9.97.3
F44Pervis Pasco6-9218Jr.-TR11.28.0
G24Nick Williams6-4185Fr.-HS7.92.2
G11Larry Reid6-0170Sr.-1L14.15.7#
G32Gilson DeJesus6-5215Jr.-TR7.33.0
Iowa's Projected Starters
Ht.Wt.Yr.-ExpPPGRPG
F23Duez Henderson6-7210Sr.4.62.5
F32Reggie Evans6-8245Sr.18.412.2
C5Jared Reiner6-11255So.5.33.5
G3Pierre Pierce6-4195Fr.8.34.3
G24Luke Recker6-6210Sr.19.33.9
# Indicates assists
Kansas State-Western Carolina Postgame Notes...
*Larry Reid, Gilson DeJesus and Nick Williams started at the guard positions, while Travis Reynolds and Pervis Pasco opened at the forward slots... It was the same starting lineup used against Mississippi (Nov. 24) and Tennessee State (Nov. 27)... Pasco and Reid have started all nine games this season... Reid started his team-best 38th straight game.
*Western Carolina shot 54.2 percent (13-of-24) in the second half, the highest field-goal percentage by a Kansas State opponent in the second half this season... It was also the second-highest shooting percentage in any half behind the 55.6 recorded by Mississippi in the first half (Nov. 24).
*The 42 points scored by Western Carolina in the second half was also the most in the second half by an opponent this season and the second-most given up in any half behind the 44 scored by Northwestern (Dec. 8) in the first half.
*Reynolds finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds, his third double-double of the season. It was the first time he has finished with double-digit points since Tennessee State (Nov. 27) when he posted 14 points.
*DeJesus finished with a team-high 18 points, hitting on 6 of 10 from the floor and 5 of 7 from the three-point line. It was DeJesus' second most three-pointers this season. He connected on six of 12 trifectas vs. Wichita State (Dec. 5).
*Western Carolina freshman Kevin Martin finished with 29 points, his second-best effort of the season, to lead the Catamounts'...Martin shot 9 of 15 from the floor, including 6 of 10 from behind the three-point arc... It was the most points scored by an opposing player since Darren Kelly of Texas posted 33 on March 4, 2000.
*Kansas State led at halftime for just the third time this season and for the second straight game... The 39 points scored in the first half was the second highest of the season behind the 44 scored against North Texas.
*The Wildcats shot 51.6 percent (16-of-31) from the field in the first half, the highest shooting percentage in the opening half this season.
*Western Carolina shot a season-low 34.8 percent in the first half...Their previous low was against UNC-Asheville when it shot 36.7 percent from the floor in the first half.
Iowa At-A-Glance...
*Iowa, which has played three of its last four games on the road, opens a three-game homestand tonight. The Hawkeyes have won their last three games by an average of 28.3 points and have yet to lose on their home court this season, going 6-0.
*Head coach Steve Alford is in his third season at Iowa and 11th as a collegiate head coach. Alford owns a 202-108 (.652) all-time coaching record and a 46-31 mark (.597) at Iowa. Alford led Iowa to last season's Big Ten Conference Tournament crown and into the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tourney. The former All-American guard from Indiana (1984-87) also led Southwest Missouri to the 1999 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
*Senior Luke Recker leads the Hawkeyes in scoring (19.3 points per game), while senior forward Reggie Evans leads Iowa in rebounding (12.2 pg). Evans is also second in scoring (18.4 ppg).
Kansas State-Iowa Series (KSU Leads 4-2)...
*Kansas State and Iowa are meeting for the second straight season.
*The Wildcats have captured the last four meetings with the Hawkeyes, but Iowa holds a 2-1 advantage in games played in Iowa City.
*K-State upset No. 19 Iowa, 86-78, in Manhattan on Dec. 23, 2000.
*Either Kansas State or Iowa has been ranked in each of the last five meetings. Polls began during the 1949-50 season.
Year-By-Year Series Results
12-07-46Iowa, 41-54 (Iowa City)
12-22-56Iowa, 83-85 (Iowa City)
12-14-57K-State, 86-69 (Manhattan)
12-13-72K-State, 68-62 (Iowa City)
12-11-73K-State, 105-67 (Manhattan)
12-23-00K-State, 86-78(Manhattan)
K-State vs. The Big Ten...
*K-State is 39-50 (.438) all-time vs. the 11 members of the Big Ten Conference. The 'Cats have played each one of the teams in the league at least once.
*The KSU Wildcats are facing two Big Ten teams for the second straight season. K-State lost at Northwestern, 79-56, on Dec. 8 and played the Hawkeyes and Illinois last season. K-State lost to No. 9 Illinois, 76-56, before upsetting No. 19 Iowa, 86-78.
*This is the fourth straight season the Wildcats have faced at least one Big Ten opponent. K-State lost to No. 22 Illinois on Dec. 11, 1999 and fell to No. 17 Indiana, 71-70, on Nov. 23, 1998.
*The 'Cats haven't played two Big Ten teams on the road in the same season since 1981-82. K-State visited Illinois and Indiana that season.
Back on Track...
Forward Travis Reynolds may have gotten back on track with his performance vs. Western Carolina Wednesday. The 6-foot-7 senior, who scored just 15 points over the previous four games, posted his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds, the second-highest board total of his career (also 14 vs. Tennessee State, 11/28/00, 16 vs. Eastern Washington, 12/16/00). Reynolds also connected on six of his 10 shots from the field vs. the Catamounts.
Threes are Wild...
Gilson DeJesus, who has started seven of the Wildcats' first nine games, has begun heating up from the outside. The junior has averaged 11.0 points over the last four games and connected on 46.2 percent (12 of 26) from behind the three-point arc in those contests. DeJesus has also seen his minutes increase with the season-ending injury to Janerio Spurlock. He played a season-high-tying 29 minutes vs. Western Carolina Wednesday.
Forward Thinking...
It's been a while, nearly 15 years in fact, since a Wildcat big man posted as many points as Pervis Pasco did last Saturday. Pasco's 30 points vs. North Texas (Dec. 15) were not only a career high, but also the most points scored by a Wildcat forward/center since Norris Coleman checked in with 34 in K-State's 87-75 win at Iowa State on Feb. 7, 1987. There were, however, a number of Wildcat guards, including Steve Henson, Eliot Hatcher, Askia Jones and Larry Reid, who scored 30 or more points over the previous 15 seasons.
30-10 Night...
Pervis Pasco and Norris Coleman, a former Wildcat All-Big Eight player, also have something else in common. With his 30 points and 11 rebounds vs. North Texas, Pasco became the first K-State player since Coleman to post at least 30 points and 10 boards in the same game. Coleman performed that feat with 30 points and 10 rebounds vs. Oklahoma State on Feb. 19, 1986. In fact, Coleman posted 30 and 10 seven times during the 1985-86 season.
Three's Company...
The Wildcat trio of Pervis Pasco, Larry Reid and Nick Williams has been carrying the scoring load over the last three games. After scoring 50 of the Wildcats' 56 points at Northwestern, Pasco (30), Reid (13) and Williams (19) followed that up by scoring 62 of the 'Cats 84 points vs. North Texas Saturday. Overall, in the last three contests the threesome has accounted for 65.9 percent (134 of 204 points) of the K-State scoring load.
On the League Charts...
Pervis Pasco's recent success has vaulted him among the Big 12's elite in a number of offensive and defensive categories. Pasco ranks fourth in field goal percentage (58.6), tied for seventh in rebounding (8.0 pg) and fourth in blocked shots (1.9 pg). In fact, the junior forward is one of only two players in the league to rank among the top 10 in field goal percentage, rebounding and blocked shots. Nick Collison of Kansas is first in field goal percentage (66.3), fourth in rebounding (8.2 pg) and tied third in blocked shots (2.0 pg).
'Cats vs. ranked Foes...
*The Wildcats are 71-157 all-time vs. ranked opponents and were 2-8 versus ranked foes last season. K-State upset No. 19 Iowa, 86-78, on Dec. 23, 2000 and was victorious over No. 20 Missouri, 80-59, on Jan. 16, 2001.
*The 'Cats were 2-6 against Top 20 squads last season. That came after dropping 35 straight to Top 20 opponents over the previous six-plus seasons. Prior to the Wildcats' win over No. 19 Iowa, K-State had not defeated a Top 20 foe since downing No. 1 Kansas, 68-64, on Jan. 17, 1994.
*In the Wildcats' two wins over ranked foes last year, Larry Reid averaged 21.5 points per game and 5.0 assists per contest.
Tough on Iowa Teams...
Senior Larry Reid has played some of his best games vs. teams from the state of Iowa. Last season, Reid averaged 22.7 points in his three games against Iowa and Iowa State, including the two best scoring outputs of his career. The 6-foot point guard posted a career-high 31 points (10 of 15 FGs) and distributed eight assists in the Wildcats' 86-78 win over Iowa on Dec. 23, 2000. Reid went to post 30 points, including a 7-for-9 performance from beyond the three-point arc, in the 'Cats near upset of No. 15 Iowa State on Feb. 3, 2001.
Controlling the Paint...
A key to the five Wildcat victories this season has been their scoring dominance inside. On the season, the Wildcats have outscored their opponents 272 to 192 in the paint. The disparity in interior scoring was especially evident in the last three Wildcat wins. K-State held the inside scoring edge vs. Tennessee State (42 to 18), Gardner-Webb (34 to 14) and North Texas (42 to 24). The Wildcats have held a low-post scoring edge in seven of their nine games this season.
Here's a look at what the Wildcats have done in the paint vs. each opponent this season...
K-State pts.Opp. pts.
Gm. 1: Troy State2822
Gm. 2: UW-Green Bay2822
Gm. 3: Ole Miss3028
Gm. 4: Tennessee State4218
Gm. 5: Gardner-Webb3414
Gm. 6: Wichita State1824
Gm. 7: Northwestern1820
Gm. 8: North Texas4224
Gm. 9: Western Carolina3220
Rally Caps...
The Wildcats have proven to be a resilient squad this year, rallying from a deficit in three of their five wins. K-State has found itself behind at the half in five of their eight contests and rallied for wins in three of its first four games, including a nine-point comeback vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay (11/20) and a 10-point come-from-behind victory vs. Tennessee State (11/27). The win over UW-Green Bay marked the biggest halftime comeback (33-24 deficit) since Dec. 1, 1999 when the Wildcats trailed St. Louis 42-30 at the end of the first half and scored 39 points in the second half to clinch the win, 69-68. On the season, K-State has been a strong second-half team, outscoring its eight opponents by a 334-290 margin.
Holding On to the Ball...
A key to the Wildcats' offense is Larry Reid and his ability to direct the attack. Reid, who posted 109 assists last season (t-14th on the Wildcat single-season list), has been especially careful with the basketball lately. The senior point guard has dished out 27 assists and turned it over just 14 times the past four games. On the season, Reid ranks fourth in the Big 12 in assists per game (5.7) and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.7-to-1.
LIneup Changes...
The Wildcats used their sixth different lineup of the season vs. North Texas. The 'Cats started Larry Reid, Nick Williams, Gilson DeJesus, Pervis Pasco and Matt Siebrandt for the first time this season vs. the Mean Green. Siebrandt earned his first start of the season vs. Wichita State (12/5) before K-State started the fivesome of Reynolds, Pasco, Janerio Spurlock, DeJesus and Reid vs. Northwestern (12/8). Reynolds, Quentin Buchanan, Pasco, Reid and DeJesus started the first two games, before Williams started in place of Buchanan for game's three and four. Spurlock then replaced DeJesus, who had his best two outings of the season off the bench (eight points vs. Gardner-Webb/21 points vs. Wichita State), vs. Gardner-Webb. Siebrandt then started in place of Travis Reynolds vs. WSU. The 'Cats started the same lineup - Reynolds, pasco, DeJesus, Reid and Williams - they used in game's three and four vs. Western Carolina.
Jim Wooldridge at-A-Glance...
*Jim Wooldridge is in his 15th season as a collegiate head coach with an overall record of 245-169 (.592). Wooldridge has a 1-0 career record vs. Iowa.
*This is his second season as the Wildcat head coach and his fourth career head coaching position (Central Missouri, 1985-91, Southwest Texas 1991-94, Louisiana Tech, 1994-98). Wooldridge is the 20th head coach in the history of the K-State program.
*Before coming to Manhattan last season, Wooldridge served two seasons (1998-99, 1999-2000) as an assistant coach under Tim Floyd with the Chicago Bulls.
*Wooldridge turned around two struggling programs - Southwest Texas and Louisiana Tech - in his career. Wooldridge took over a SWT program in 1991-92 that had posted seven-straight losing seasons. He had them above .500 in year two and in the NCAA Tournament by year three (1993-94). Wooldridge went on to his alma mater, La. Tech, where he took an NCAA probation ridden 2-25 team to 14-13 in his first season on the job (1994-95).
* All three of his assistant coaches (Mike Miller, Robbie Laing, Charles Baker) have served as a head coach at least once during their careers.
Picking up Where he Left off...
Senior Larry Reid continues to be the Wildcats' go-to player. Reid, an honorable mention All-Big 12 performer last season, leads the team in most offensive categories - points (14.1 pg), assists (5.7 pg) and free-throw percentage (90.2/37 of 41). The 6-foot point guard started off the season by scoring 15 points and collecting eight rebounds and seven assists in the 'Cats 64-60 win over Troy State and has since continued to spark K-State. Even when he has not shot the ball well, he has continued to be an integral part of the offense. Despite a 1-for-9 shooting performance in the win over Wisconsin-Green Bay (11/20), Reid made major contributions in his 37 minutes on the floor. He was 7 of 8 from the free throw line, dished out four assists and scored all of his nine points in the decisive second half in which the Wildcats rallied from a nine-point deficit at the break. Reid has picked up his offense even more recently, scoring 22 points vs. Ole Miss, 18 in the win over Tennessee State and 20 at Northwestern. Reid even closed in on a triple-double vs. North Texas with 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Frosh Acts...
The Wildcats have gotten solid contributions from a pair of freshmen this season. Travis Canby and Nick Williams have proven to be important cogs in the K-State arsenal. Canby, who has played in six games and provided a low-post presence, is averaging 1.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.9 minutes a game. The 6-foot-9 forward had his best outing vs. Ole Miss (11/24/01) when he scored eight points (3 of 3 FGs/2 of 2 FTs) and grabbed four boards in 10 minutes. He went on to snag a career-high five boards vs. Gardner-Webb on Dec. 1. Williams, a first-year guard, seems to be getting more comfortable with each outing. He set a new career-high in scoring in two of the last three games (15 points at Northwestern/19 points vs. North Texas) and has seen his minutes increase steadily through the early portion of the season. Over the last five games, Williams is averaging 11.2 points in 27.6 minutes of action. Williams matched his career-high in minutes played (32) vs. North Texas and has been on the floor for 30 or more minutes of action in four games.
Doubling Up...
Travis Reynolds continues to be a force for the Wildcats not only on the boards, but also in the scoring column. Reynolds, who tied for sixth in the Big 12 last season with six double-doubles, notched his 11th career double-double game vs. Western Carolina (13 points/14 rebounds) Wednesday. It was his third double-double of the season. Reynolds also performed the feat vs. Tennessee State (14 points/10 rebounds) and in the season-opener vs. Troy State (15 points/11 rebounds). The 6-foot-7 senior is now within striking distance of reaching the Wildcat career top 10. Four players (Deryl Cunningham, 1992-94, Norris Coleman, 1986-87, Jerry Venable, 1969-70, Wally Frank, 1958-60) are all tied for 10th on the chart with 15 career double-double games.
Fairleigh Dickinson game Time Changed...
In an effort to accommodate Wildcat fans, Kansas State University has moved the tipoff of the Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 29 from 7 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. (CT). The adjustment was made in order to allow Wildcat fans to the opportunity to see the men's basketball game live in Bramlage Coliseum and then watch the Insight.com Bowl, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. (CT), on ESPN2 later that day. The K-State football team faces Big East foe Syracuse in its ninth straight bowl appearance.
Instant Offense...
The Wildcats' leading scorer from a season ago, Phineas Atchison has seen his role adjust this season. Atchison is averaging 3.6 points per game in 10.0 minutes of action, but has come up big in two of the Wildcats' wins. The 6-foot-1 senior, who connected on 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts last season (No. 9 in the Big 12), has provided some instant offense in victories over Wisconsin-Green Bay and North Texas. Atchison scored 14 points (6 of 9 FGs) in 16 minutes vs. the Phoenix (11/20) and then scored seven points in nine minutes vs. the Mean Green last Saturday.
Home Cookin'...
With eight new players on this year's roster, the Wildcats have looked to acclimate the newcomers in the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum. K-State will play nine of its 11 non-conference games at home, including a six-game homestand that started the season. The Wildcats have not played nine home games vs. non-league foes since facing the same number of out of conference teams during the 1991-92 season. The six-game string is also the longest homestand since 1994-95 when the Wildcats played seven-straight games at home (11/29/94 - 12/19/94).
On the Defensive...
K-State has been steady at the defensive end throughout the season and its healthy defensive field goal percentage is one indicator. The Wildcats are holding the opposition to just 38.4 percent from the field (fourth in the Big 12) and have allowed just four opponents to shoot above 40 percent (Wisc.-Green Bay/Ole Miss/North Texas/Western Carolina).
Streaks...
*Larry Reid had his consecutive free-throw streak come to an end at Northwestern. Reid had hit 21 straight entering that game, but missed his sixth attempt of the evening. He went 7 of 8 on the night and 2 of 2 vs. North Texas. He ranks fourth in the Big 12 in free throw shooting percentage (90.2).
*Reid, who scored seven points vs. Western Carolina, had his six-game double-figure scoring string snapped vs. the Catamounts. He has also dished out five or more assists in five straight games.
*Reid has started a team-best 38 straight games. Pervis Pasco, who has started every game this year (9), is second on the team in that category.
*Pasco has shot 60 percent or better from the field in each of the last five games.
Spurlock On the Shelf...
Junior forward Janerio Spurlock, who injured his right knee during the second half of the Wildcats' game at Northwestern, will miss the remainder of the season. Tests revealed Spurlock fractured his right patella. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Chipola (Fla.) Junior College had successful surgery Monday to repair the injury and will be sidelined approximately three months. Spurlock, one of the top junior-college players in the nation over the previous two seasons, played in all seven games this year, starting the last three at small forward. He averaged 6.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 19.1 minutes of action per game, and posted career-highs in points (12) and rebounds (9) in the Wildcats' 75-57 win over Gardner-Webb on Dec. 1. Tabbed as one of the Top 60 junior-college players in the nation by CNNSI.com in 2000-01, Spurlock averaged 20.2 points per contest as a sophomore at Chipola.
Kansas State's Recruiting Class Ranked Again...
The Wildcats' 2002-03 fall recruiting class is ranked t-25th nationally, and third among Big 12 Conference schools, by Hoop Scoop, a national recruiting publication. K-State inked three student-athletes in the November signing period. High school forwards Marques Hayden and Justin Johnson, along with junior college point guard Frank Richards signed national letters of intent for the 2002-03 season. The 'Cats 2001-02 recruiting class was ranked 19th on Hoop Scoop's list of the Top 130 recruiting classes in the nation. That was a jump from the fall of 2000 when K-State's signees were ranked 29th on Hoop Scoop's list of the Top 40 fall recruiting classes. In addition, PrepStars had the Wildcats at No. 48 on its Top 50 recruiting classes for the 2001-02 season., while recruiting analyst Bill Hodge had the 'Cats' incoming class of newcomers ranked in the Top 40 nationally. KSU inked three student-athletes in the November 2000 recruiting period, junior college players Gilson DeJesus and Janerio Spurlock, and prepster Nick Williams, along with four more last spring, junior college transfer Pervis Pasco, and freshmen Marcelo DaBarrosa, Travis Canby and Marcus Hayes. CNNSI.com rated the Wildcats' three junior-college transfers among the Top 60 JC sophomores in the country.