Kansas State University Athletics
K-State returns from layoff with a visit from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday
Dec 19, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Game 7
Bramlage Coliseum (13,340)
Tip Time:
Television: none
Radio: Live across the 28-station Mid America Sports Network. A live audio stream will also be available on www.k-statesports.com.
The Records:
Rankings: Neither team is ranked.
K-State Coach
The Series: This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Officials: Terry Davis (R), K.C. Ely and Eric Curry.
Projected Starting Lineup
G #3 Brian Evans (6-0, 180, Sr.) 15.7 ppg., 3.0 rpg.
G #5 Corey Stokes (6-3, 205, Jr.) 6.7 ppg., 1.5 rpg.
F #11 Travis Bailey (6-3, 190, Sr.) 15.1 ppg., 3.9 rpg.
F #24 Derrick Murphy (6-7, 215, Sr.) 7.1 ppg., 6.1 rpg.
F #33 Corey Lamkin (6-6, 230, Jr.) 10.1 ppg., 9.1 rpg.
G #11 Tim Ellis (6-4, 175, Sr.) 12.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg.
G #22 Frank Richards (6-2, 190, Sr.) 6.2 ppg., 3.2 apg., 2.3 rpg.
G #30 Jarrett Hart (6-5, 210, Sr.) 11.2 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 3.7 apg.
F #15 Jeremiah Massey (6-7, 215, Jr.) 14.8 ppg., 8.0 rpg.
F #23 Marques Hayden (6-7, 235, So.) 9.7 ppg., 7.8 rpg.
K-State returns from layoff with a visit
from
Fresh off a much needed 10-day layoff due to final exams,
The game will be broadcast on the 28-station Mid-America Sports Network with
K-State is coming off a hard-fought 54-50 defensive battle with in-state rival
The Islanders are coming off arguably their biggest win in school history - an 82-80 triumph over Big 12 member Texas A&M on Saturday in
K-State will be looking to remain unbeaten at home, as the Wildcats have won their first five games of the season in the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum.
Last time out: K-State 54,
Jeremiah Massey scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as
Down 53-50 in the final minute, the Shockers missed four potentially game-tying 3-pointers before Tim Ellis' free throw with 2.8 seconds left sealed the win for the Wildcats.
Less than two minutes into the second half,
Jarrett Hart and Ellis each scored eight points for
A quick look at the Wildcats
- Through six games,
- Depth has also been a big key for the team, as the Wildcats have used double-digit players in five of the six games... The team used all 14 players in wins over Birmingham-Southern and Lipscomb and have used between 11 and 12 in games against
- Not only does Kansas State have depth, but quality in its depth as eight players are averaging four or points, including three in double figures... The Wildcats have had a different leading scorer in four of their first six games, while nine different players have scored in double figures.
- Junior Jeremiah Massey has come up big in the Wildcats’ last two games, averaging 23.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in games against
The book on Texas A&M-CC
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is currently 4-3 on the season after one of the biggest wins in school history - a 82-80 win over Big 12 member Texas A&M on Saturday in
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is averaging 78.6 points per game on 50.1 percent shooting (201-of-401) from the field thus far, including 33.0 percent (35-of-106) from three-point range... Senior Brian Evans paces five players in double-digits with a 15.7-point per game average, while junior Corey Lamkin leads with 9.1 rebounds per game.
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is led by fifth-year head coach Ronnie Arrow, who has a 57-60 (.487) record at the helm of the Islanders and a 171-153 (.528) mark in 12 years as a head coach... Arrow previously served as coach at
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi returns four starters and eight overall lettermen from the 2002-03 season, in which, the team posted a 14-15 record... The Islander program has existed for just five seasons, beginning in the 1999-2000 season.
- This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs. However, K-State is 3-0 against independents... All three wins have come against UT Pan American in 1986, 2001 and 2002... The Islanders will be the first of two independent teams that the Wildcats will play this season (
Statistical Comparison
Category K-State TAMU-CC
Record 5-1 4-3
Points Per Game 74.3 78.6
Opponent PPG 62.7 70.0
Field Goal Pct. 43.8 50.1
Opp. Field Goal Pct. 35.2 44.7
3-Pt. FG per game 4.5 5.0
3-Pt. FG Pct. 33.8 33.0
Opp. 3-Pt. FG Pct. 23.4 38.0
FT Percentage 64.7 72.4
Rebound Margin +8.2 +8.6
Turnover Margin -2.0 -1.0
- K-State head coach
- There are 10
Defense Key
One of the biggest factors in
None of the Wildcats’ first six opponents have hit 40 percent from the field, while only one -
Bench Scoring
Another key to
This statistic has been particularily evident in the last two games, in which, the Wildcat bench has contributed more points than the starters. The bench scored 42 points in the 87-82 triple-overtime loss to
However, much of this bench scoring has come from junior Jeremiah Massey, who has 46 points in the last two games off the bench.
Big man, big impact
Junior forward Jeremiah Massey entered
After a slow start, in which Massey averaged just’ 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds during his first four contests, he is starting to live up to those expectations. He has come up big in the Wildcats’ last two games, averaging 23.0 points and 11.5 rebounds against
Massey is the first Wildcat to score 20 points in back-to-back games since Cortez Groves accomplished the feat in January 2000. In fact, Massey is the first player in K-State history to post 20 points in a double-double in back-to-back games since Norris Coleman did it four times in 1987. His scoring and rebounding totals in these two games represent nearly 50 percent of his total for the season.
Spiderman to the rescue
Senior Tim Ellis has picked up where he left off last season, as the
Nicknamed “Spiderman” by his teammates, Ellis has been one of the major cogs in the early success for
He has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games. With 16 offensive boards, he has already surpassed his total of 10 set in 2002-03.
After scoring in double-digits in the first three games, he moved his game to a new level against
Although he managed just seven points against
Hart of the matter
Senior guard Jarrett Hart continued his impressive personal comeback against
It marked the second straight game that Hart has a played a major role in the team’s victory, as he hit the game-winning 3-point basket with four-tenths of a second left to give the Wildcats’ a 68-65 win against Gardner-Webb. The 3-pointer came on the heels of a solid defensive play, in which, Hart took a charge with the Bulldogs in possession of the ball and the score tied. Hart ended the game with a team-high 14 point along with four rebounds and two assists.
Hart struggled from the field against
Although Hart saw significant action in the previous two games, he had to sit out the preseason schedule due to violation of team rules. Hart was forced to have his every move monitored by the coaching staff and has since been a model student-athlete.
"It was day to day ... I had to follow a strict regiment every day," said Hart. "There was school work, not missing appointments ... a lot of things. Coach made sure that it wouldn't happen again. He's been watching over me a lot the last few weeks and it's made me a better person."
Slim Fast
One of the biggest surprises this season has been the new looks sported by senior guard Jarrett Hart and sophomore forward Marques Hayden. The two combined to lose nearly 60 pounds in the offseason.
The weight loss has seemed to pay off so far, as Hayden leads the team with a 55.3 field goal percentage to go with a near double-double average of 9.7 points and 7.8 rebounds, while Hart has averaged 11.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and a team-best 3.7 assists most off the bench.
Hayden dropped about 35 pounds off his 6-foot-7 frame, falling from 265 to 230, while Hart moved nearly 20 pounds off his 6-foot-5 body to 210 pounds.
Both athletes changed their minds and their bodies with the help of strength coach
Martin sees first action
Highly-regarded freshman forward Cartier Martin saw his first action of the season against
Martin followed with eight points against
Martin had to serve a three-game suspension after receiving an improper benefit from a family friend during his high school career in
A consensus Top 100 player, he was named to Parade magazine’s All-American High School Boys’ Basketball team as a senior at
Martin lived up to his billing in the exhibition season, averaging 15.5 points on 40 percent shooting with 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 block and 1.0 steals in 30.5 minutes. He had a sensational start against EA Sports, as he scored 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting with nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in 30 minutes. The 21-point effort was the best by a K-State player in an exhibition game since Belvis Noland notched 22 in a loss to
Diarra still sidelined
Although freshman forward Cartier Martin is cleared to play, junior forward Dramane Diarra continues to wait as the NCAA hears K-State’s appeal.
A transfer from
“He didn’t receive anything except actual and necessary expenses, which according to the NCAA doesn’t constitute a professionalized player,” said
He will continue to practice with the Wildcats.
Impressive debut
True freshman point guard Dez Willingham has showed a glimpse of his immense promise in his first six games as a Wildcat, as he is averaging 5.7 points on 37.1 percent shooting from the field, including 40.0 percent from three-point range, with a near team-best 3.5 assists in 21.2 minutes of action. He ranks among the Big 12 leaders in assist average (15th) and assist-turnover ratio (15th).
In the opener against Birmingham-Southern on Nov. 21, he became the first true freshman to start an opener since Ayome May started against Bradley (
Willingham continues to show his true range as a point guard. He totaled 15 assists in the wins over Lipscomb and Gardner-Webb, while averaging 8.0 points on 42.9 percent shooting, including 44.4 percent from three-point range. He dished out the game-winning assist on Jarrett Hart’s three-pointer.
Willingham came to
When junior Mark Frederick joined the
Brother, Brad, played basketball at
Noting K-State’s newcomers
One of the nation’s top recruiting classes, which includes six scholarship players and two walk-ons, comprise
Clark Francis of Hoop Scoop related, “(K-State’s) top eight players are good enough to play for almost anybody in the country. As a result, we should be talking about one of the most improved teams in college basketball at this time as year from now.”
The ranking marked the third straight year that a
Diaper Dandies
All six new scholarship players for
- Freshman Dez Willingham, who was named the most valuable player of the Class 5A State Tournament en route to guiding DeSoto High School to the state title, was selected the Dallas Morning News’ Player of the Year and first team Class 5A all-state by the coaches. He was one of three signees ranked among Hoop Scoop’s top 170 players. Willingham ranked No. 66 nationally, while fellow freshmen Cartier Martin and Lance Harris were rated at No. 104 and No. 167, respectively.
- A two-time first team all-state selection, Cartier Martin was also named to Parade magazine’s All-American fourth team. Street and Smith’s magazine named Martin the top impact freshman in the Big 12.
- Junior Jeremiah Massey was one of three California Community College Players of the Year. He was a consensus Top 70 junior college prospect. Lindy’s magazine named him the nation’s best rebounder among junior college players.
- Willingham (72), Martin (89) and Harris (172), along with freshman Tyler Hughes (274) were all top 300 prospects by Prepstars, while Massey and junior Dramane Diarra were listed among the “Best of the Rest” from the junior college ranks by the service.
Going Global
- Willingham was a starter in all five games where he was the squad’s second-leading scorer and eighth overall in the tournament with an 11.0 points per game average. He also paced the team and ranked third overall in assists with a 4.5 per game average.
- Willingham scored in double figures in three of the five games, including a 17-point performance in a win over
K-State legend Mitch Richmond
has number retired by
During his 14-year NBA career,
K-State Receive Letters of Intent from Allen, Stewart
Kansas State head men’s basketball coach
“We are really excited about the addition of Curtis (Allen) and Clent (Stewart) to our program,” said Wooldridge. “They are not only tremendous basketball players and individuals, but they fit into the type of program we are building here at
A 6-foot-4, 190-pound shooting guard from
A 6-foot-4, 180-pound point guard from
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
- DeJesus, who led the team in scoring and three-point shooting, ranked among the Big 12 leaders in four categories. He ranked third in three-point field goal percentage (43.7), fourth in three-point field goals made (2.67), 19th in rebounding (5.7 rpg.) and 30th in scoring (11.2 ppg.).
- Siebrandt, who finished in a statistical dead heat for the Big 12 shooting lead in league games.
Statistical Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of what’s back in 2003-04.
- Games Played (172/303) ...................................................................... 56.8%
- Game Starts (60/150) ........................................................................... 40.0%
- Minutes (3,111/6,025) ........................................................................... 51.6%
- Points (1,031/2,089) ............................................................................. 49.4%
- Rebounds (422/1,122) .......................................................................... 37.9%
- Offensive (100/341)................................................................................ 29.3%
- Defensive (322/771)............................................................................... 41.8%
- Field Goals Made (373/766) .................................................................. 48.7%
- 3-Point Goals Made (83/169) ................................................................. 49.1%
- Free Throws Made (202/388) ................................................................. 52.1%
- Assists (314/462) ................................................................................. 67.9%
- Blocked Shots (43/109) ........................................................................ 39.4%
- Steals (82/148) .................................................................................... 55.4%
- Fouls (255/539)..................................................................................... 47.3%
Experience Needed
Improvement In The Air
Although
- In 2001-02, K-State finished Big 12 play with a 6-10 record. However, of the 10 losses, just two were by fewer than 10 points. In fact, the Wildcats’ average margin of loss in Big 12 games was 16.1 points, while its average margin of victory was 10.2 points. Though K-State finished 4-12 in 2002-03, eight of its losses were by single digits, resulting in an average loss margin in Big 12 games of 9.3 points, with three of the four wins coming by double figures.
- On the rebounding front, K-State outboarded eight of its 16 Big 12 foes last season. In 2001-02, the Wildcats finished with the advantage on the glass in just three of 16 games.
Shooting For The Stars
K-State’s most surprising statistic of the season may have been its shooting from the field, where the Wildcats hit 45.8 percent to rank third in the Big 12.
- The field goal percentage was the best by a Wildcat team since 1997-98 team connected on 45.9 percent. However, it was the third-highest in the last 14 years when the 1989-90 team posted a 46.4 percent field goal percentage.
- From three-point range, K-State shot 36.1 percent, the best mark since the 1999-00 team hit 36.8 percent.
Of
- The common denominator in all 13 of its close losses seemed to be slow starts and playing on the road.
- Overall,
- Four of the K-State’s five home losses in 2002-03 were by seven points or less, including a two-point overtime loss to No. 6 Oklahoma.
Home Court Advantage
On the Defensive
- Only six opponents BYU, Northwestern,
- K-State did not allow an opponent to shoot over 50 percent in its first 18 games. Overall, just
- For the season, K-State held 16 of its last 26 opponents and 18 of 30 overall below 40 percent shooting from the field.
Richards Finishes Strong
Guard Frank Richards finished his junior season on a strong note. Over the last nine games, Richards scored in double figures seven times, including matching his season high with 20 points at
Spiderman To The Rescue
Guard Tim Ellis lived up to his Spiderman nickname in 2002-03, saving
- Ellis came off the bench in K-State’s first 11 games before moving into the starting lineup for the next 15 games. He finished fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 9.4 points, while shooting 43.7 percent from the field.
- The junior owned 14 double-figure scoring games, including a career-high 21 points vs. Monmouth and a 15-point outbursts against Texas Tech and at
- Ellis was the Wildcats’ leading scorer in the Big 12 Tournament loss to
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