Kansas State University Athletics
Men's Basketball travels to Wichita State
Dec 13, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2002
Game No. 8
Kansas State (3-4)
at Wichita State (3-2)
Saturday, December 14, 2002
7 p.m. CST
Kansas Coliseum (12,000)
Wichita, Kan.
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Tip Time: 7 p.m. CST.
Television: None.
Satellite Coordinates: n/a
Radio: Live across the 27-station Mid America Sports Network. A live audio stream will also be available on www.k-statesports.com. Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play) and Ben Boyle (color) will call the action.
The Records: Kansas State, 3-4, has won two of its last three games and is coming off a 102-69 victory over Texas-Pan American on Wednesday night. Wichita State, 3-2, has not played since last Saturday, when it defeated Northwestern State, 74-55.
K-State Coach Jim Wooldridge: Wooldridge (Louisiana Tech '77) is in his third season at Kansas State and owns a record of 27-38 (.415). The 2002-03 campaign marks Wooldridge's 16th as a collegiate head coach. He has amassed a 256-185 (.580) 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.
Wichita State Coach Mark Turgeon: Turgeon, who played at Kansas, is in his third season with the Shockers. He owns a 27-36 (.429) at Wichita State. Prior to taking the helm at WSU, Turgeon served two seasons as head coach at Jacksonville State. He is 52-65 (.444) overall as a head coach.
The Series: Kansas State leads the all-time series, 18-11, however Wichita State has won the last two encounters. The two teams are meeting for the ninth time in the last 10 years and the 30th time overall.
K-State travels to Wichita State, looks to end two-game slide against Shockers
Kansas State (3-4), a 102-68 victor over Texas-Pan American Wednesday in Bramlage Coliseum and winners of three of its last five games, plays its final non-conference road contest of the 2002-03 season Saturday, when the Wildcats travel to the Kansas Coliseum to face Wichita State.
The contest, which tips at 7 p.m., is the the fifth game away from home already this season for the Wildcats, who are 1-3 when playing off campus on the year. The meeting will also be the first ever between K-State and Wichita State at the Kansas Coliseum.
K-State is coming off a break-out game against UTPA. The Cats rebounded from a heart-breaking, 68-64, loss at UW-Green Bay last Saturday with their finest offensive performance in five seasons. Kansas State shot over 60 percent from the field and topped the century mark for the first time since the 1998 season in its 102-68 manhandling of the Broncs.
Saturday the Wildcats will look for a bounce-back performance against their gritty, in-state rivals from the south. Not only will K-State be gunning for its first win on enemy turf in its last 11 tries and its first non-conference road win since 1998, the Cats will also be out to end a two-game slide versus Wichita State.
The two teams are meeting for the ninth time in the last 10 years. Kansas State leads the all-time series, 18-11, and has never dropped three in a row to the Shockers. However, the Wildcats are just 5-9 all time in Wichita, with the last win being a 90-83 overtime affair in 1997.
Wichita State (3-2), will have had a full week to prepare for Kansas State. Last Saturday, WSU snapped a two-game losing streak with a 74-55 win over Northwestern State. The team's leading scorer, Jamar Howard, dumped in 16 points and Jamie Sowers grabbed seven rebounds in the 19-point Shocker win.
Wichita State is in the midst of a school-record eight-game homestand. The Shockers are a perfect 3-0 in their temporary home at the Kansas Coliseum this season. Prior to the 2002-03 season, Wichita State had played just one exhibition game in the Kansas Coliseum. The Shockers will return to campus in 2003-04 when renovations are completed on Levitt Arena, which will be renamed Charles Koch Arena.
On the line
* Kansas State will be out to post back-to-back victories for the first time this season. K-State missed in its last two opportunities, falling to Northwestern, 59-55, after defeating Michigan, 82-71, and losing to UW-Green Bay, 68-64, after knocking off Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 76-39.
* A win over Wichita State would lift Kansas State's 2002-03 record to .500 for the first time this season season. K-State has had three opportunities to level its record this year, but has yet to cash in.
* K-State will be gunning for its first road win since defeating Colorado, 72-67, in Boulder on March 3, 2001. The Wildcats have since dropped 11 in a row on enemy turf.
* Kansas State has also lost 12 consecutive non-conference road games. The Cats' last non-conference road win came at Saint Louis on Dec. 28, 1998.
* The Wildcats have not allowed a team to shoot 50 percent or better this season and looks to extend the streak to eight games. In fact, K-State has held five of its last six opponents below 40-percent shooting. Only BYU (47.7 percent) and Northwestern (46.5 percent) have managed to shoot better than 40 percent versus the Cats.
* Kansas State has outrebounded its last five opponents and will be out to make it six in a row. The Wildcats have not outrebounded six straight opponents since it opened the 2000-01 season with the advantage on the glass against in the first nine games.
A quick look at the Wildcats
Kansas State enters Saturday's game with a 3-4 record. All three of K-State's wins have come by double-digit margins, including a pair of 30-point victories. On the flip side, the Wildcats have struggled in close games, dropping all four of its losses by less than 10 points, including a pair of four-point defeats.
The Wildcats are shooting at nearly a 50 percent clip on the season (179-373, .480), including a scalding 60.7 percent Wednesday night versus Texas-Pan American.
Defensively, K-State has held its last three opponents to a combined 33.5 percent (58-173) from the floor. Overall, foes are connecting on just 38 percent of their shots, with just two clubs eclipsing the 45 percent plateau. No team has managed to shoot 50 percent or better this season versus the Cats.
Individually, K-State has put fourth a balanced attack on the offensive end. Seven different Wildcats have scored in double figures at least twice, with junior guard Frank Richards leading the way with five double-digit scoring games.
The Wildcats have also had five different players turn in high-scoring honors, with Richards and senior Gilson DeJesus being the only repeat performers in that category.
They are also the only two Wildcats to average double-figure points through the first seven games of the year. Richards leads the way at 12.0 points, with DeJesus averaging 10.7. Five other players are averaging between 9.1 and 6.9 points per game.
On the glass, senior Pervis Pasco has averaged 8.0 rebounds over the last three games and has taken over as the Cats' leading rebounder with 5.6 per game. It is the first time this season that anyone other than freshman Marques Hayden has led K-State in rebounding average. Hayden, now second on the team, is collecting an average of 5.3 caroms per game, including a season-high eight in his collegiate debut against BYU. Hayden is also the team's No. 3 scorer.
The book on Wichita State
Wichita State will be looking for its second straight win on the season and its third in a row over Kansas State when the Shockers and Wildcats square off Saturday.
Under the guidance of third-year head coach Mark Turgeon, Wichita State has been led by forward and Shawnee Mission, Kan., product Jamar Howard. The sophomore is averaging 18.2 points and is one of three Shockers with double-figure scoring averages. He has paced WSU on the scoreboard in 4 of 5 contests this season, including a season-high 27-point outburst at Oral Roberts.
Backcourt mates, sophomore Randy Burns (12.8 ppg) and junior Aaron Hogg (10.8 ppg), also own double-figure scoring averages.
Sophomore forward Jamie Sowers is the Shockers' leading rebounder, collecting 6.0 boards per game and leading Wichita State on the glass in 4 of 5 contests.
K-State vs. Wichita State Series
* Saturday's game will be the 30th all-time between Kansas State and Wichita State. The series dates to 1932.
* K-State leads the all-time series, 18-11, however the Shockers hold a 9-5 edge in games played in Wichita.
* The Shockers have captured the last two meetings, including a 65-56 victory last year in Manhattan. Wichita State has never won three straight over K-State.
* K-State's last win in the series was a 64-47 triumph in Manhattan on Dec. 8, 1998. The Wildcats' last win in Wichita dates to a 90-83 overtime win on Dec. 10, 1997.
* Since 1987, K-State is 10-5 versus WSU, including a series-long six game win streak from 1987-92.
* Kansas State is 56-31 all time against Missouri Valley Conference teams.
K-State/Wichita St. the last time
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Troy Mack scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds and Rob Kampman added 15 points to lead Wichita State past Kansas State, 65-56.
Gilson DeJesus led Kansas State with a career-high 21 points, including a 6-for-12 effort from 3-point range. Larry Reid finished with 11 points and dished out eight assists.
The game was tied at 47-47 with 6:22 left, when Wichita State (4-3) went on an 8-0 run. C.C. McFall hit two free throws at the 4:58 mark, and Mack converted a three-point play on the Shockers' next possession. Following a Wildcat turnover, Kampman made one of his four three-pointers on the night to give the Shockers a 55-47 lead with 4:07 left.
K-State twice pulled within four points, but could come no closer down the stretch as Wichita State hit 9 of 11 free throws in the final 49 seconds.
Pervis Pasco finished with a game-high 11 rebounds and three blocked shots for K-State, which trailed 30-22 at halftime.
Nice Start
Kansas State produced one of its best starts in school history Wednesday versus Texas-Pan American. The Wildcats were a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor, including a 3-pointer by Gilson DeJesus, and 4 of 5 at the free throw line, outscoring the Broncs, 21-5, over the first 6:05 of the game.
UTPA actually opened the game by scoring five of the contest's first seven points before five different Cats scored during a 19-0 run -- K-State's longest of the year. It was the Wildcats' first double-digit run since K-State outscored the Michigan 14-4 over the final 5:05 of the first half at the Paradise Jam.
Kansas State went on to shot 67 percent during the half, making 20 of 30 attempts from the field, and finished the period with a first-half season-high 50 points.
Rare Air
Kansas State's overall offensive performance in its 102-68 victory over Texas-Pan American was its best in five years.
The Wildcats, who entered the game averaging 65.2 points, reached triple digits for the first time since defeating Missouri, 111-56, in Manhattan on Jan. 3, 1998.
K-State also shot a season-high 60.7 percent (37-for-61) from the field against the Broncs. It was the Wildcats' best shooting performance since connecting on 66 percent (33-50) of its attempts against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 6, 1997.
Combined with K-State's 58.7 percent shooting effort against Michigan, the Wildcats have now eclipsed the 50 percent mark twice this season. Last year, Kansas State shot better than 50 percent just seven times all year and only once in its first 10 games.
Better to give
Kansas State got into the holiday spirit a bit early against Texas-Pan American as the Wildcats combined for a season-high 22 assists. It was K-State's most assists since the Cats dished up 24 against Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 29, 2001.
Junior point guard Frank Richards led the charge with a career-tying high seven. It was the fourth straight game Richards has finished with at least five assists. Pervis Pasco and Jarrett Hart also had four assists each for the Wildcats.
On the season, K-State has totaled 99 assists, 17 more than its opponents, with over 55 percent of its field goals resulting from assists.
First half fortunes
Kansas State continues to put up strong first halves this season. And though the Wildcats haven't always started in the strongest of fashions, K-State has generally play solid over the opening 20 minutes, taking leads into the locker room in 5 of 7 contests.
Kansas State equalled its biggest halftime lead of the season against Texas-Pan American, racing to a 50-32 edge at the break. K-State also led Michigan by 18 at intermission (41-23), and held a 15 point advantage against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the break (38-23).
The Wildcats' 29-28 halftime lead against Northwestern was its smallest of the season. K-State also led BYU, 36-31, at intermission.
and blowouts
Despite its 3-4 record, Kansas State has held the statistical advantage in most of its games during the early portion of the 2002-03 season.
* The Wildcats three wins have come by an average of 27.4 points, while their three losses have been by an average of 6.3 points.
* Kansas State has shot a better percentage from the floor than 5 of its 7 opponents.
* The Wildcats have made more field goals than their opponents in six contests with one tie (BYU).
* K-State has out rebounded 5 of 7 foes.
* Opponents have committed more turnovers in 4 of 7 games, while K-State had finished with more assists in five contests.
Good hands people
Kansas State has had fewer miscues than its opponents in 4 of 7 games this season. And in the last four games the Wildcats have done a particularly good job of taking care of the ball.
After averaging over 17 turnovers in its first three games, K-State is averaging fewer than 11 in the last four games resulting in a pair of blowout wins and two four-point losses.
Kansas State, which had just 10 turnovers against Texas-Pan American, coughed up a season-low nine versus Northwestern.
Balancing Act
To say Kansas State has had a balanced score sheet in its first five games would be an understatement.
* K-State has had a different leading scorers in 5 of 7 games. Only Gilson DeJesus and Frank Richards have led the Wildcats in scoring more than once.
* Kansas State has just two player averaging double-digits points -- Richards at 12.0 ppg and DeJesus at 10.7 ppg. Overall, seven different K-Staters are averaging at least 6.9 points per game.
* Seven different Wildcats have scored in double figures this season.
* Kansas State has a season-high six players turn in double-digit scoring efforts against Texas-Pan American. However, eclipsed the 20-point mark.
Crashing the glass
Since being outrebounded in its first two games of the season, Kansas State has maintained the advantage on the glass in five consecutive games.
It is the best rebounding string for K-State since the Wildcats opened the 2000-01 season by outboarding its first nine foes.
The streak of five straight wins on the boards matches last year's season long streak of five, when K-State outrebounded UW-Green Bay, Mississippi, Tennessee State and Gardner-Webb in consecutive games.
Defensive down-low
Kansas State head coach Jim Wooldridge has been pleased with the Wildcats' effort on the defensive end to this point in the season as K-State continues to play his brand of hard-nosed defense.
* Kansas State has held 5 of 7 opponents under 70 points this year, including three below 60 points. BYU's 73 points in the season opener remains the opponent season-high point total.
* The Wildcats have yet to allow an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better. In fact, only two opponents -- BYU and Northwestern -- have managed to crack 40 percent from the floor.
* K-State has held each of its last three opponents below 40-percent shooting, including Arkansas-Pine Bluff (27.3) and Texas-Pan American (34.8), which were held under 35 percent.
* For the year, foes are connecting on just 38.0 percent of their attempts from the field. That figure ranks third in the Big 12.
Getting dangerous
Kansas State connected on a combined eight 3-pointers in its first two games, but since has begun to find its range from behind the stripe. K-State has connected on at least eight 3-point field goals in each of its last four games. Senior Gilson DeJesus has done most of the damage, drilling 13 of K-State's 33 during the stretch, including seven versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Hart Attack
After struggling with ligament damage to his right thumb since the first half of the BYU game, junior Jarrett Hart finally had a break-out game against Texas-Pan American.
Hart, who averaged over 19 points a game and earned third team NJCAA All-American honors as a sophomore last season at Arkansas-Fort Smith, poured in a team a career-high 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting, including a 3-for-3 effort from beyond the arc, against the Broncs.
It was just his second double-figure scoring outing of the season (he had 11 points versus Michigan), and the first time he has paced the Cats on the scoreboard.
In fact, Hart's 19 points were nearly double his production in K-State's previous three games combined.
Richards filling big shoes
Concerns about Kansas State's production at the point following the graduation of Larry Reid appear to be evaporating as the Wildcats continue to obtain solid production from newcomer Frank Richards. In seven games all Richards has done is:
* Lead Kansas State in scoring with a 12.0 points per game average.
* Score in double digits in a team-high five games and lead the Wildcats in scoring twice.
* Shoot over 50 percent from the field and a team-best 89.5 percent from the free throw line. His 50.8 shooting percentage ranks 15th in the Big 12, while his free throw percentage is seventh.
* Lead K-State in assists with 4.6 per contest, including a career-high seven versus Northwestern and Texas-Pan American. He ranks eighth in the Big 12 in assists and had paced the Wildcats in that category in 6 of 7 games.
* Haul down 3.1 rebounds per game.
* Pick off seven steals, the second-best total among Wildcat players.
Don't foul him
Kansas State point guard Frank Richards has also proved to be a steady asset at the free throw line in the early going. Entering K-State's game against Wichita State, Richards is shooting a scalding 89.5 percent (17-for-19) from the stripe, including a stellar 14-for-15 in the last five games. Overall, Richards ranks seventh in the Big 12 Conference in free throw percentage. However, the junior is fourth among league players with at least 19 attempts.
Almost automatic
Freshman Marques Hayden continues to show incredible maturity around the basket. Not only does he rank second on the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg) despite coming off the bench in all seven games, he is also leading the team in field goal percentage, making 57 percent of his shots.
Most recently he was 2-for-2 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the stripe against Texas Pan-American to finish with 11 points. It was his third double-digit scoring effort of the season to go along with 14 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 20 versus BYU.
Hayden would rank eighth in the Big 12 in shooting percentage, but does not have enough field goals to qualify.
G for 3
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 seven 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 leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage among players with at least 15 attempts, canning over 52 percent of his 3-point attempts.
* The senior's 21 3-point field goals made are tied for the most in the Big 12 through Dec. 12.
* His career-best seven treys against UAPB are tied for the fourth-most on K-State's single-game chart.
* Twenty one of his 26 field goals this season have come from 3-point distance.
Siebrandt finds "A" game
Senior forward Matt Siebrandt had about as good a preseason as possible, averaging 16.0 points to leading the Wildcats in scoring and connecting on 13 of 15 attempts from the floor.
Then came the first two games of the Paradise Jam when everything seemed to go sideways. Siebrandt, a career 50 percent shooter, couldn't find the basket, scoring just four points and hitting a combined 1 of 5 from the floor against BYU and Toledo.
However, in the last five games, he has begun to look like his old self, connecting on 15 of 31 attempts from the floor and averaging 8.8 points, including 12 points against Michigan and a season-high 13 points versus Texas-Pan American. He has also found his rhythm on the glass, scooping up 5.8 rebounds per game, including a season-best eight against both Northwestern and UTPA.
Early and often
A big part of Kansas State's stepped up rebounding effort in the last five games has been the re-emergence of Pervis Pasco. The forward averaged 8.4 rebounds per game last season and is slowly building back to those type of numbers after a slow start.
Pasco has averaged 8.0 rebounds over the last three games, including a season-high 11 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and has taken over as the Wildcats' leading rebounder (5.6 rpg).
Pasco has also jumped his scoring production of late and enters the Saturday's game averaging 8.3 ppg.
Get it outta here
Pervis Pasco continues to be a defensive force down low. After tying a career high with five blocks against Michigan, Pasco added three more versus UTPA and is averaging 1.57 per game to rank eighth in the Big 12. The junior is also moving up K-State's career blocks chart and ranks eighth all-time with 57. With 17 more he will move into a tie with Kevin Howell in the No. 7 position.
Wooldridge Returns
Wichita State may have played just one exhibition game in the Kansas Coliseum prior to the 2002-03 season, but K-State's Jim Wooldridge has coached an NCAA Tournament game in the venue. Wooldridge led his 1993-94 Southwest Texas State team to the NCAA Tournament, where the Bobcats squared off with nationally-ranked UMass in a first-round game held at the Kansas Coliseum.