Men's hoops hosts Northwestern in home opener Saturday
Nov 29, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2002
Game No. 4
Northwestern (2-1)
at Kansas State (1-2)
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Saturday, November 30, 2002
7 p.m. CST
Bramlage Coliseum (13,340)
Manhattan, Kan.
Tip Time: 7:07 p.m. CST
Television: Wildcat TV Network: WIBW-TV (CBS) in Topeka, KSCC (UPN) in Wichita, KMCI (Ind.) in Kansas City and Metro Sports (Time Warner and Comcast Cable) in Kansas City. Ben Boyle (play-by-play) and Paul Splittorff (color) will serve as the on-air talent.
Satellite Coordinates: SBS 6, Transponder 17
Radio: Live across the 27-station Miid America Sports Network. A live audio stream will also be available on www.k-statesports.com. Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play) and Stan Weber (color) will call the action.
The Records: Kansas State improved to 1-2 on the season, defeating Michigan, 82-71, in its final game at the Paradise Jam. Northwestern, 2-1, suffered its first loss of the year Wednesday night at home, falling to IUPUI, 56-53.K-State Coach Jim Wooldridge: Wooldridge (Louisiana Tech '77) is in his third season at Kansas State and owns a record of 25-36 (.410). The 2002-03 campaign marks Wooldridge's 16th as a collegiate head coach. He has amassed a 254-183 (.581) all-time record. In his first two seasons at K-State, Wooldridge lifted the Wildcats from the cellar of the Big 12 to a seventh-place finish in just his second year in Manhattan. Kansas State posted a 13-16 record in 2001-02.
Northwestern Coach Bill Carmody: Carmody (Union '75) is in his third season at Northwestern and has guided the Wildcats to a 29-33 (.468) record, including a 16-13 mark in 2001-02. Prior to his arrival in Evanston, Ill., Carmody served four seasons as head coach at Princeton, amassing a 92-25 (.786) record with the Tigers.
The Series: Saturday's game will be the third all-time between Kansas State and Northwestern, but the first in Manhattan. Northwestern evened the all-time series at 1-1 last year, defeating K-State, 79-56, on Dec. 8, 2001, in Evanston.
Kansas State opens 2002-03 home slate Saturday night versus 2-1 Northwestern
Kansas State, an 82-71 victor over Michigan in its final game at the Paradise Jam Monday night, plays its second Big Ten opponent in as many outing Saturday, Nov. 30, when the Wildcats square off with Northwestern at 7:07 p.m. The game, which is the first of eight non-conference home games for the Cats, will air live on the Wildcat TV Network, including WIBW (CBS) in Topeka, which broadcasts on Ch. 13 on Cox Cable in Manhattan.
Saturday night's tilt between K-State and Northwestern is the second of a two-year, home-and-home series between the two teams. Last year, the Big Ten Wildcats defeated Kansas State, 79-56, in Evanston, Ill., to even the all-time series at 1-1.
Kansas State enters the game at 1-2 on the season. The Wildcats opened the year with back-to-back heart-breaking losses in St. Thomas, falling to BYU, 73-64, and Toledo, 58-50, before rebounding with a dominating performance against Michigan.
Northwestern will be playing its first road game of the season and brings a perfect 2-1 record to Manhattan. NU owns wins over Maryland-Eastern Shore and New Hampshire but fell to IUPUI.
A quick look at the Wildcats
* Kansas State enters the week averaging 65.3 ppg and shooting 48 percent from the field. Last year, K-State averaged 68.4 ppg but shot just 44 percent from the floor.
* The Wildcats have shot at a better clip than two of its three opponents this season and held both Toledo (36.4) and Michigan (39.1) below 40 percent from the field. K-State has yet to allow an opponent to shot 50 percent.
* Even though he has yet to start a game, junior Tim Ellis leads K-State's scoring at 10.7 ppg. Ellis has also yet to finish a game as the Wildcats' leading scorer. Frank Richards, Marques Hayden and Pervis Pasco, are each averaging at least 9.0 ppg.
* Three different Wildcats have turned in game-high rebounding totals, including freshman Marques Hayden's eight vs. BYU. Hayden, who is averaging 5.0 boards per game, is the Wildcats' leading rebounder.
Noting K-State's win over Michigan
Kansas State produced a number of notable items in its win over Michigan. Here's a look at just a few:* Kansas State's win over Michigan snapped a two game losing streak and staved of K-State's first 0-3 start since the 1965-66 season.
* Kansas State's win over Michigan was its first ever over the Wolverines. K-State had dropped its two previous encounters with Michigan, falling in the third-place game of the 1964 NCAA Tournament in Kansas City, 100-90, on March 21, 1964, and 80-58 at the Silver Sword Classic in Maui on Nov. 23, 1985.
* Kansas State's 58.7 percent shooting percentage was a season-high and a better percentage than the Wildcats shot in any game last season. During 2001-02, Kansas State shot better that 50 percent just five times, including a season-best 54.5 percent in its win over then No. 9 Oklahoma State on Feb. 2, 2002.
* Kansas State had five players score in double figures for the first time this season. Last year, K-State had five players reach double-digit points in the same game just 5 of 29 games.
* K-State's 81 points were a season high. Last year, the Wildcats topped 80 points in just 3 of 29 contests.* The Wildcats edged the Wolverines on the glass, 34-33, marking the first time this season that K-State has outrebounded an opponent.
* Kansas State tallied a season-high eight blocked shots against Michigan. K-State had eight or more blocks just twice last season, including nine at Kansas.
* Kansas State's 23 free throws and 32 free throw attempts, both season highs, were more than in any game last year. It is also the first time K-State has connected on 20 or more foul shots since the Wildcats defeated then No. 9 Oklahoma State on Feb. 2, 2002.
* Pervis Pasco, who scored in double figures in 21 of 29 games last season, tallied his first double-digit effort of 2002-03 with a team-high 14 points. Matt Siebrandt, who entered the contest with just one field goal on the season, shot 4 of 8 from the floor and notched his first double-figure scoring game of the season with 12 points.
* With 11 points, Tim Ellis has now scored in double figures in 2 of 3 games, despite not making a start. Ellis had 14 points off the bench against BYU. Frank Richards also scored in double figures for the second time this season, hitting 2 of 3 from the field and adding 9 of 10 from the free throw line to finish with 13 points. Richards had 14 against BYU.
Home sweet home openers
Kansas State has a history of being tough on opponents in home openers. Below is a quick look at how the Wildcats and head coach Jim Wooldridge have performed in their first home game.
* K-State is 77-21 (.786) over its 98-year history in home openers.
* K-State has won eight straight home openers, including two under head coach Jim Wooldridge.
* The Wildcats have not dropped a home opener since the 1993-94 campaign, when K-State fell to Southern Mississippi, 74-60.
* Kansas State owns a 12-2 record (.857) in its last 14 home-openers in Bramlage Coliseum.
* Head coach Jim Wooldridge is 14-2 (.875) all-time in home openers as a head coach, including a 6-0 mark at Central Missouri, a 2-1 record at Southwest Texas; a 3-1 ledger at La. Tech, and a 2-0 mark at K-State.
The book on Northwestern
* Northwestern, led by third-year head coach Bill Carmody, enters Saturday night's game at Kansas State with a 2-1 record on the year.
* NU defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore, 56-36, and New Hampshire, 81-55, prior to falling to IUPUI, 56-36, on Wednesday night.
* Saturday night's contest in Manhattan will be the Wildcats' first road game of the season.
* Northwestern returns three starters and nine lettermen from last year's 16-13 squad that finished seventh in the Big Ten with a 7-9 record.
* Junior guard Jitim Young has paced the Wildcats on the scoreboard through the first three games, averaging 18.3 points and twice finishing as Northwestern's leading scorer. Young has scored in double figures in all three games, including a 29-point outburst versus New Hampshire.
* Senior forward Winston Blake is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game and is NU's leading rebounder.* Head coach Bill Carmody is in his third season in Evanston, Ill., and has guided Northwestern to a 29-33 (.468) record. Prior to taking the helm at NU, he served four seasons as head coach at Princeton, where he led the Tigers a 92-25 (.786) record.
K-State vs. NU Series Shorts
* Saturday's game will be the third all-time between Kansas State and Northwestern, but the first in Manhattan. The all-time series stands tied, 1-1.
* Kansas State won the first meeting, 30-28, way back on Jan. 2, 1926. Northwestern evened the series last year with a 79-56 win over K-State.
* K-State is 40-51 all-time against the Big Ten, but just 2-8 in its last 10 games. The Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak against the league with its win over Michigan.
The last time we met: Dec. 8, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - Larry Reid scored 20 points and Pervis Pasco recorded his first double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. But, K-State had trouble solving Northwestern's match-up zone as NU captured the last year's meeting, 79-56.
Vedran Vukusic and Jitim Young each scored 17 for Northwestern, which led by 36 points in the second half and held K-State to just 30 percent shooting.
Northwestern opened the game with a 17-4 run, including two 3-pointers by Young, before taking a 44-22 lead at the half.
NU's advantage grew early in the second half, despite being consistently outrebounded by Kansas State, which turned the ball over 20 times. K-State was able to slice the deficit under thirty points, but was never able to mount a serious rally.
At stake for K-State
* A win over Northwestern Saturday would improve Kansas State to 2-1 all-time against NU.
* A victory over Northwestern would improve K-State to 42-50 all-time against the Big Ten. It would also mark the first time Kansas State has won two in a row over the Big Ten since defeating Purdue in the 1988 NCAA Tournament and 1988-89 season opener.
* K-State would improve to 3-2 in its last five games against the Big Ten with a win Saturday.
* With a win Saturday, Kansas State will have achieved a .500 record or better for the 38th straight year through its first four games of the season.
Back to back with the Big Ten
Kansas State will be playing its second straight game against a Big Ten opponent when it meets Northwestern Saturday night. K-State defeated Michigan, 82-71, Monday night in St. Thomas.
K-State has played two Big Ten opponents in the same season a number of times, but it's been 20 years since the Wildcats faced consecutive Big Ten foes. The last time K-State squared off with Big Ten opponents in back-to-back games occurred during the 1982-83 season. That year, the Wildcats lost at Wisconsin, 64-52, on Dec. 4, 1982 and fell to Illinois in Ahearn Fieldhouse, 48-46, on Dec. 8, 1982.
A history of fast starts
Kansas State enters the week with a 1-2 record and will be looking to go .500 or better through its first four games for the 37th straight season. K-State hasn't had three losses in its first four games since dropping the first four contests of the 1965-66 campaign.
Go ahead, we'll catch up
Kansas State has yet to get out of the blocks quickly in any of its first three game. However, the Wildcats have shown a propensity for fast first-half finishes and have led at intermission in 2 of 3 games.
* Kansas State trailed BYU by as a many as six points midway through its season opener only to close the half with a 10-2 run for a 36-31 halftime lead.
* Against Toledo, K-State found itself in a 12-0 hole and trailed by as many as 13 points early on before a late run pulled the Cats within eight at the break.
* K-State scored just five points in the first eight minutes against Michigan only to pour in 36 over the final 12 minutes of the period for a comfortable 41-23 halftime lead.
Balancing Act
To say Kansas State has had a balanced score sheet in its first three games would be an understatement.* K-State has had a different leading scorer in all three games.
* Kansas State has just one player averaging double-digits points -- Tim Ellis with 10.7 ppg -- and he has yet to lead the Wildcats in scoring. Overall, six different K-Staters are averaging at least eight points, with four averaging 9.0 ppg or better.
* Seven different Wildcats have scored in double figures so far, however just Frank Richards and Tim Ellis have done so more than once.
Wolverines invited to block party
Senior forward Pervis Pasco threw an impromptu block party for Michigan Monday in Kansas State's final game at the Paradise Jam. Pasco, who was named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament team, rejected a career-tying high five shots versus the Wolverines. That total matched the five blocks he had against North Texas on Dec. 15, 2001. Pasco also poured in 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting, cleared a team-high six rebounds and and dished out a par of assists in the win.
G for three
Kansas State's marketing and promotions department throws out 'T For 3' shirts at all home games every time a Wildcat cans a 3-point basket. If Gilson DeJesus' performances in K-State's first three games are any indication of the kind of season he's going to have from long distance, they may need to have some additional shirts printed. DeJesus shot 80 percent from beyond the arc in St. Thomas, making 8 of 10 attempts, including his only shot against BYU, 4 of 6 versus Toledo and 3 of 3 against Michigan. If DeJesus were to continue at his current pace, the junior would finish the regular season a sizzling 77-for-96, placing him in K-State's top five for 3-point field goals made.
Super sixth-man
Junior college transfer Tim Ellis may still be getting used to Kansas State's offensive sets. But, the Seattle, Wash., native continues to put up big numbers, despite coming off the bench. Ellis who averaged 13.0 points per game in K-State's two exhibition contests, came off the bench to pour in 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting against BYU. He also scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting against Michigan and is one of two Wildcats to tally double figures twice this season. And despite launching most of his shots from outside the paint, Ellis is shooting 54.2 percent from the field and leads the Wildcats in both field goals made as well as attempts.
Don't foul him
Kansas State point guard Frank Richards has proved to be a steady asset at the free throw line in the early going. Entering K-State's game against Northwestern Saturday, Richards is shooting a scalding 85.7 percent (12-for-14) from the stripe, including a stellar 9-for-10 outing against Michigan that saw the junior go a perfect 4-for-4 in the final 30 seconds. One of two Wildcats to hit double digits in points twice this season, Richards has scored 12 of his 28 points from the line thus far.
Primetime Performance
After posting a pair of solid exhibition outings, freshman forward Marques Hayden had about a good a collegiate debut as possible against Brigham Young. Hayden, who head coach Jim Wooldridge has called "a legitimate Big 12 talent," scored 20 points and had eight rebounds versus the Cougars. Both were game highs. Here's a look inside Hayden's performance:
* Hayden's 20 points came in just 22 minutes of work as the freshman scored nearly a point a minute.
* The freshman scored 12 straight Kansas State points during three-minute run that rallied the Cats from a seven-point deficit for a 54-53 lead with just under nine minutes to play.
* The Putnam City, Okla., product finished the game a sterling 6 of 7 (86 percent) from the floor and an impressive 8 of 10 (80 percent) from the foul line.
* Of Hayden's eight rebounds, nearly half (three) came on the offensive glass.
Wooldridge era enters year three
Head coach Jim Wooldridge is in his third campaign at Kansas State. In his brief two-plus years at the helm, the Wildcats have shown tremendous improvement, posting a 25-36 (.410) record and climbing from 12th to seventh in the Big 12. Prior to Wooldridge's arrival in Manhattan, Kansas State finished the 1999-2000 season last in the Big 12 with a 9-19 overall record. Since then, he has increased K-State's number of wins by two in each of his first two seasons at the helm, improving to 11-18 in 2000-01 and 13-16 in 2001-02. With its seventh-place tie in the league standings last season, K-State has jumped five spots on the Big 12 leaderboard under Wooldridge. It marks the second-biggest improvement in the conference over that time span. Wooldridge owns an overall career record of 254-183 (.581) and is in his 16th season as a head coach.
