Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats Ring In The New Year Against Saint Louis Thursday
Dec 31, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2002
Game 12
Saint Louis (5-4)
at Kansas State (7-4)
Thursday, January 2, 2003
7 p.m. CST
Bramlage Coliseum (13,340)
Manhattan, Kan.
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Tip Time: 7:06 p.m. CST.
Television: Metro Sports. Ch. 30 on Time Warner and ch. 68 on Comcast Cable in Kansas; ch. 44 on Comcast Cable in Missouri. Ben Boyle (play-by-play) and Stan Weber (color) will serve as the on-air talent.
Satellite Coordinates: SBS 6, Transponder 17 (KU-Band Digital, Slot A); Downlink frequency is 12100 horizontal
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 Chris Allison (color) will call the action.
The Records: Kansas State, 7-4, is riding a five game win streak after defeating Monmouth, 73-65, Sunday. Saint Louis, 5-4, winners of four of its last five games, defeated Southern Illinois, 71-60, on Saturday.
K-State Coach Jim Wooldridge: Wooldridge (Louisiana Tech '77) is in his third season at Kansas State and owns a record of 31-38 (.449). The 2002-03 campaign marks Wooldridge's 16th as a collegiate head coach. He has amassed a 260-185 (.584) 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.
Saint Louis Coach Brad Soderberg: Soderberg (Wis.-Stevens Point '85) is in his first season as head coach at Saint Louis. He joined the Billikens' program as an assistant coach prior to the 2001-02 campaign after serving as interim head coach at Wisconsin.
The Series: Saint Louis leads the all-time series, 8-7, however, K-State has won the last three meeting between the two teams.
K-State rings in new year with Saint Louis Thursday, looks to extend win streak to six games
Kansas State (7-4), winners of five in a row and six of its last seven games, opens 2003 Thursday night against Saint Louis in Bramlage Coliseum. The game, which tips at 7:06 p.m., will be televised live by Metro Sports and can be seen on Ch. 30 on Time Warner and ch. 68 on Comcast Cable in Kansas and Ch. 44 on Comcast Cable in Missouri. Ben Boyle will handle the play-by-play with San Weber providing the analysis. Charter Communications will also be on hand and will televise the contest back to the St. Louis market.
Thursday's match up with the Billikens is the fourth of a season-long six-game homestand for the Wildcats, who are coming off a 73-64 victory over Monmouth on Sunday. Tim Ellis poured in a career-high 21 points and Pervis Pasco added 19 points on 9-for-9 shooting from the field in the victory.
Saint Louis (5-4) has won four of its last five games and most recently knocked off 2002 NCAA Sweet 16 participant Southern Illinois, 71-60, on Saturday. Marque Perry, the Billikens' leading scorer, tossed in a game-high 22 points for the winners.
At stake for K-State
* Kansas State will be looking to extend its current win streak to six games. It would be the most consecutive wins of the Jim Wooldridge era and the Wildcats' most wins in a row since winning seven straight during Nov. and Dec. of the 1998-99 season.
* K-State will be gunning for its six straight home win. The Wildcats have won 11 of their last 13 in Bramlage Coliseum.
* A win over Saint Louis Thursday would put the Cats five games over .500 after 12 games for the first time since 1999-2000.
* The Wildcats have won three straight in the series with Saint Louis and will be out to make it four in a row over the Billikens. K-State will also be looking to even the all-time series at 8-8.
* The Cats have not allowed a team to shoot 50 percent or better this season and will looking extend that streak to 12 games.
A quick look at the Wildcats
Kansas State enters Thursday game with a 7-4 record. Since getting off to a 0-2 start at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, the Wildcats have roared back to win seven of their last nine games, with the two losses coming by a combined eight points. And the Wildcats have been winning in an impressive fashion, posting double-digit victories in six of seven games, and winning by an average of 21 points. K-State won for the first time by less than 10 points on Sunday, as the Wildcats held off a pesky Monmouth squad, 73-64.
One of the hottest shooting teams in the Big 12, K-State has connected on better than 50 percent of its attempts from the field in four of its last five games and now ranks second in the league in field goal percentage at 50.3 percent and first in 3-point field goal percentage at 43.3 percent.
Incredibly, Kansas State has been even better during its five-game win streak, shooting 55 percent from the floor (163 of 297) and a staggering 58 percent from 3-point distance (36 of 62).
On defense, K-State has held its last six opponents to a combined 36.7 percent (154 of 472) from the floor. Overall, foes are connecting on just 38.4 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, and six of the last seven have failed to even reach the 40-percent mark against K-State, which rank fourth in the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense this week.
Individually, K-State has put fourth a balanced attack on the offensive end. Four different Wildcats are averaging double double figures in scoring, with junior guard Frank Richards leading the way with a 12.0 scoring average. He is also the Cats' assist leader, dishing out 5.2 per contest, which ranks sixth in the Big 12.
Senior forward Gilson DeJesus, the Big 12's top 3-point shooter and the national leader among player with at least 45 attempts on the year is a fraction off the pace at 11.9 points per game.
Senior forward Pervis Pasco has scored in double digits in five straight games and is averaging 10.7 points, while junior guard Tim Ellis, the Big 12's No. 6 shooter and No. 2 3-point bomber, is scoring 10.6 points per game. Three other Wildcats are averaging between 7.0 and 9.1 points.
The Wildcats, who have had a different leading scorer in each of the last five games, have also had seven different players turn in high-scoring honors, with Richards, DeJesus and Pasco being the only repeat performers.On the glass Pasco has been a monster over the last seven games, averaging 8.5 rebounds to take over as K-State's leading rebounder with a 6.6 average per game. He also has two double-doubles on the season and ranks 13th in the Big 12 in rebounding.
DeJesus had a career-high 12 rebounds vs. Monmouth and has moved into second on the team in rebounding with 5.6 per game. He has picked up double figures in rebounds in two straight games and posted is first career double-double against Oregon State with 21 points and 10 boards.
The book on Saint Louis
Like Kansas State, Saint Louis got the 2002-03 season off to a rough start, opening with just one win in its first four games. Since then, the Billikens have rebounded nicely, winning four of their last five games, including a 71-60 victory over 2002 NCAA Sweet Sixteen participant Southern Illinois last Saturday at the Savvis Center.
Senior guard Marque Perry is averaging 17.0 points and leads a Saint Louis offensive attack that is scores 61.8 points per game. The only Billiken averaging double figures, Perry has paced SLU on the scoreboard in five of nine games.
Saint Louis is shooting 44.9 percent from the floor on the year, while opponents have connected at a 41-percent clip and score 62.1 ppg on average.
The Billikens are led by Brad Soderberg. The former interim head coach at Wisconsin, he is in his first year at Saint Louis and owns an eight-year career coaching record of 135-77 (.635).
K-State vs. Saint Louis Series
* Thursday's game will be the 16th all-time between Saint Louis and Kansas State and the first since 1999 in a series that dates to 1929.
* The two teams are meeting for the the seventh time in Manhattan. Each team has won three of the previous six encounters played at K-State.
* The Billikens lead the overall series, 8-7. However, K-State has won the last three games.
* Kansas State is 31-35 all-time vs. C-USA.
Welcome back, Mr. Beane
Thursday night's game against Saint Louis features the return of former Kansas State great Anthony Beane. A co-captain on the 1993-94 Wildcats and a Big Eight all-tournament team selection that season, Beane played just two seasons at Kansas State, but etched his team into the Wildcats' record book in several categories.
Though he averaged just 10.1 points as a junior in 1992-93 and 11.4 points as a senior in 1993-94, Beane was one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in school history and ranks in K-State's top 10 in both 3-pointers made (103, 7th) and percentage made (34.5 percent/10th). His 61 3-point baskets during the 1993-94 campaign still ranks ninth on the Cats' single-season chart.
Beane also ranks 51st all-time in career scoring (693 points), fourth in career assists (290) and eighth in career steals (87) at Kansas State.
Beane is in his first season at Saint Louis. Prior to joining the Billikens' staff, he served two seasons as an assistant at Illinois State and three year's as an assistant at Southeast Missouri State.
A December to remember
After getting out to a 1-3 start in the month of November, the Wildcats put together one of the strongest Decembers in school history. K-State won five straight games to close out the month with a 6-1 record.
It is the Cats' best December performance since going 6-0 in 1998 en route to a 20-13 campaign. K-State also went 6-1 during December of 1997.
Winning at least six games during December has been a positive omen for the Cats in recent years.Since 1990, Kansas State has won at least six games in December six times, resulting in five winning seasons and five postseason berths, including NCAA Tournament bids in 1993 and 1996.
Ellis Big 12 Rookie of the Week
Tim Ellis' performance against Monmouth earned the junior Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors Monday. It is the first time this season a Kansas State player has earned either the Big 12's Rookie or Player of the Week award, which are selected by a media panel.
Ellis, the team's fourth-leading scorer at 10.6 points per game despite coming off the bench in all 11 contests, led K-State to its fifth straight victory as the Wildcats defeated Monmouth, 73-64, Sunday. The junior guard led all scorers with a career-high 21 points, including 17 in the second half, and shot a sizzling 7-for-10 from the field.
In addition to his scoring total, which equaled the most points scored by a Wildcat this season, Ellis' seven field goals, three 3-pointers and four free throws were all career bests. He also tied two career highs with four boards and a pair of steals.
For the season, Ellis has connected on 57 percent of his field goal attempts and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in shooting percentage. He is also second in the league in 3-point shooting percentage, hitting at a 53-percent clip from beyond the arc.
Pick your poison
Kansas State continues to be a tough team to figure out for opponents, who must be asking themselves just where to concentrate their efforts. The Wildcats are averaging 74.8 points per game, including 86.4 points over the last five contests, and have four players scoring in double digits.
* K-State has had five different leading scorers in each of the last five games. In fact, seven different players have paced the Cats in scoring this season with only Gilson DeJesus, Frank Richards and Pervis Pasco doing so more than once.
* Three different Wildcats have scored a team-best 21 points in a game. DeJesus is the only player to do it twice, hitting the mark against both Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Oregon State.
* Overall, seven different K-Staters have scored in double figures at least three times this season.
* On the outside, DeJesus leads the Big 12 in 3-point shooting (58.3 percent), while Ellis ranks second (53.1 percent). However, down low, Matt Siebrandt (50 percent) and Pasco (53.4 percent) are both shooting at least 50 percent from the floor.
* K-State' No. 4 and 7 scorers, Ellis and Marques Hayden, have yet to start a game.
Cats breaking out on offense
As Kansas State's new players continue to grow in head coach Jim Wooldridge's system, the Wildcats are beginning to put up some impressive numbers on the offensive end of the floor.
* K-State has averaged over 81 points per game in its last seven outings, improving its season scoring average to 74.8 points per contest. By comparison, K-State averaged just 62.8 points in its first four games of the year and 68.4 points per game last season.
* The Wildcats have shot over 55 percent from the field in their last five games, including 60.7 percent against Texas-Pan American, their highest shooting percentage since hitting 66 percent against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 6, 1997.
* Overall, K-State is now shooting 50.1 percent from the field this season, which ranks second in the Big 12 Conference.
Winning big
Following Kansas State's win over Monmouth, its fifth in a row and sixth in the last seven games, the Wildcats' average margin of victory in its seven wins this season now stands at 21 points.
Six of K-State's victories this season have been by double digits. The Wildcats won by less than 10 points for the first time Sunday, defeating Monmouth, 73-64, as the Hawks hit an uncontested layup as time expired for the final margin.Last season, Kansas State racked up just six double-digit victories, four of which occurred during non-conference play.
Cats taking aim a 3-point records
The 2002-03 Wildcats are making a strong run at Kansas State 3-point record book. Through 11 games, K-State is averaging just under seven triples per game and connecting on a Big 12-leading 43.4 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc.
At their current pace, the Cats would end the regular season with 194 3-pointers, the second most ever. The school record for treys was set by the 1993-94 squad, which hit 246 3-balls during their 34-game schedule -- an average of 7.2 per contest.
The 1988 team owns the school record for 3-point shooting percentage, hitting 48.4 percent on 179-for-370 shooting.The Cats have already established themselves as one of the best 3-point shooting teams in school history. With its nine trifectas against Oregon State, Kansas State connected on at least seven 3-point baskets in seven straight games. It is K-State's most productive stretch from beyond the arc ever.
More from beyond the arc
* K-State has shot a torrid 58.1 percent (36-for-62) from 3-point range in its last four games, including a season-high 75 percent (9-12) against Oregon State.
* The Wildcats now lead the Big 12 in 3-point shooting at 43.3 percent for the season. By comparison, Kansas State shot just 34.8 percent last season and only 30.4 percent during its 2001-02 pre-conference schedule.
* K-State's 43.3 percent 3-point field goal percentage ranks 10th in the nation.
Defense coming together, too
Kansas State's 7-4 record has not been solely a product of its offensive improvement. The Wildcats are also playing some pretty stingy defense this season.
* Kansas State has held 8 of 11 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 45 percent from the floor.
* K-State has held six of its last seven opponents below 40-percent shooting, including Arkansas-Pine Bluff (27.3) and Texas-Pan American (34.8), which were held under 35 percent.
Cats keeping the glass clean
Since being outrebounded in its first two games of the season, Kansas State has maintained the advantage on the glass in eight of it subsequent nine games. K-State had its string of seven straight games with more rebounds snapped by Oregon State, which outboarded the Cats, 34-31, but bounced back with a 47-30 edge on the glass versus Monmouth.
Kansas State's run of seven consecutive games with more boards was the best rebounding string for K-State since the Wildcats opened the 2000-01 season by outboarding its first nine foes. More recently, the Wildcats finished with a 13-rebound edge against Wichita State and a 14-board edge against Lipscomb. Kansas State's 17-rebound advantage against Monmouth Sunday was its second largest of the season.
Better to give
Kansas State didn't waste any time getting into the holiday spirit during December as the Cats have posted a number of phenomenal assist totals.
The Wildcats opened the stretch against Texas-Pan American by combining for 22 assists. It was K-State's most assists since the Cats dished up 24 against Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 29, 2001.
K-State came back another solid assist performance at Wichita State, totalling 17 on the night.Versus Lipscomb, Kansas State dished out a 24 assists before doing itself one better with a season-high 25 against Oregon State on Sunday. The Cats' assist total versus the Beavers was its most since having 26 against Arizona State on Nov. 24, 1998.
Kansas State added another 18 assists versus Monmouth capping a run of five games with at least 17 assists.The Wildcats' 105 assists in the last five games are nearly 30 more that K-State had in its first six games (77).
At your service
In just 11 games, Kansas State has already topped 20 assists three times. By comparison, the Wildcats eclipsed the 20 assist mark just twice all season and just once during its pre-conference schedule. On the year, K-State has totaled 183 assists, 40 more than its opponents, with over 60 percent of its field goals resulting from assists. Last year, 57 percent of Kansas State's field goals came via assists.
Cats taking care of the rock
Kansas State did its best job of taking care of the ball in over a decade against Oregon State last Sunday as the Wildcats committed just six turnovers. It is K-State's fewest since having the same number versus Nebraska on Feb. 8, 1992. Overall, the Wildcats have committed four fewer turnovers than their opponents on the season and have had 10 or fewer miscues in 4 of 11 games. Last year, K-State had 10 or fewer miscues in just five games all year.
First half fortunes
Kansas State continues to put up strong first halves this season, taking leads into the locker room in 9 of 11 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's other double-digit halftime leads came against Michigan by 18 (41-23), Arkansas-Pine Bluff by 15 (38-23), Lipscomb by 14 (37-23), Oregon State by 14 (48-34) and Wichita State by 13 (44-31).
The Wildcats' 29-28 halftime lead against Northwestern was its smallest of the season. K-State also led BYU, 36-31, at intermission.
Overall, Kansas State is 7-2 when leading at the break and a perfect 6-0 when holding a double-digit edge at halftime.
DeJesus nation's most dangerous 3-point weapon
Kansas State senior wingman Gilson DeJesus continues to be the nation's hottest 3-point shooter. He has connected on 36 of 60 (58.3 percent) attempts from beyond the arc.
* DeJesus, whose 36 treys leads the nation, is 11th overall in shooting percentage, but first among players with at least 45 attempts.
* DeJesus leads the Big 12 in both 3-point field goals made, attempted and percentage made.
* The senior was a perfect 6-for-6 from beyond the arc against Oregon State.
* DeJesus, who drilled 7 of 12 from beyond the arc against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, connected on 5 of 6 from outside 19-9 at Wichita State.
* His career-best seven treys against UAPB are tied for the fourth-most in a game at K-State.
* Thirty five of his 46 field goals this season have come from 3-point distance.
DeJesus on a tear over last six
Gilson DeJesus has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games and is now second on the team in scoring. The senior, who is averaging 111.9 points on the season, has been on fire in the last seven games, shooting 57.6 percent from the floor and averaging 13.7 points.
DeJesus has also picked up his rebounding, grabbing 10 boards versus Oregon State and a career-high 12 against Monmouth. He is now second on the team in rebounding with 5.6 per game.
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, one each at Wichita State and versus Lipscomb, and three versus Monmouth. He is now averaging 1.45 per game to rank ninth in the Big 12. The junior is also moving up K-State's career blocks chart and ranks eighth all-time with 65. With nine more he will move into a tie with Kevin Howell in the No. 7 position.
Steals from the post
Post players aren't usually associated with coming up with a plethora of steals, however K-State's Pervis Pasco is challenging that notion. Pasco leads the Wildcats in thefts with 15. Last year, he had just 23 for the entire season.
Double trouble
Pervis Pasco collected his first double-double of the season and the 11th of his K-State career at Wichita State with 12 points and a 10 rebounds.He came back with 18 points and a season-best 12 rebounds against Lipscomb.Over the last six games, Pasco has averaged 8.5 rebounds and has climbed to 13th in the Big 12 in that category. Last season, the forward averaged 8.4 rebounds per game.
Big shoes fit just fine
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 11 games all Richards has done is:* Lead Kansas State in scoring with a 12.0 points per game.
* Score in double digits in a team-high seven games and lead the Wildcats in scoring three times.
* Shoot over 51 percent from the field and a team-best 82.4 percent from the free throw line. His free throw percentage is 10th in the Big 12 Conference.
* Lead K-State and rank sixth in the Big 12 in assists with 5.2 per contest, including four games with at least seven assists and a career-best 10 assists versus Oregon State.
* Lead Kansas State in assists in 9 of 11 games.
* Haul down 3.1 rebounds per game.
* Pick off 10 steals, the second-best total among Wildcat players.
Send it in, Big Fella
Since getting off to a slow start at the Paradise Jam, senior Matt Siebrandt has really stepped up his game.
* Siebrandt has scored in double figures in five of the last nine games, including a 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting at Wichita State and a season-high 21 points on 8 of 10 attempts versus Oregon State.
* Over the last five games, Siebrandt has averaged 13.0 points and has connected on 54 percent (27 of 50) of his attempts.
* Siebrandt has also been solid on the glass over the span, averaging 6.2 rebounds and tying a career high with nine boards vs. the Wichita State.
* In the last seven games, Siebrandt has four games with at least eight boards and is now third on the team in rebounding.
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 solid numbers, despite coming off the bench.
* Ellis, who has yet to start, is fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game, sixth in the Big 12 in shooting percentage (57 percent) and second in the league in 3-point shooting (53 percent).
* The junior owns five double-figure scoring games, including a career-high 21 points vs. Monmouth and a 15-point outburst at Wichita State. He also had 14 points off the bench versus Oregon State, 14 points against BYU and 11 points versus Michigan.
* Over the last four games, Ellis had averaged 14.8 points and 3.5 rebounds while dishing out 10 assists and committing just one turnover. He is also shooting a staggering 61.8 percent from the field, including 61.5 percent from 3-point distance over that four-game span.