EXHIBITION GAME No. 2
EA Sports All-Stars (0-0) at Kansas State (0-0)
Thursday, November 10, 2005 ● 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Bramlage Coliseum (13,340) ● Manhattan, Kan.
On the Air
Radio none
Television none
Live Statistics www.k-statesports.com
Webcast www.k-statesports.com
The game will be webcast with no audio via the Powercat Passport subscription service.
Wildcats conclude exhibition action against Emporia State Thursday
Kansas State closes out the exhibition season on Thursday, Nov. 10 when the Wildcats welcome Division II foe Emporia (Kan.) State at Bramlage Coliseum beginning at 7 p.m. The team opened exhibition play on a positive note, downing the EA Sports All-Stars, 62-53, on Thursday, Nov. 3.
This will mark the second straight season that the Wildcats have played a Division II team in exhibition after posting an 88-69 win over Pittsburg (Kan.) State last season. K-State, which leads the series 10-8, has not met Emporia State since 1995 when the Wildcats earned a 63-57 victory.
The game will be the final preseason test for the Wildcats prior to the season opener against Georgia Southern (0-0) on Friday, Nov. 18.
Like the first exhibition, Thursday’s contest will not be broadcast on the K-State Sports Network due to a conflict with the Bill Snyder radio show, which runs from 7-8 p.m. each Thursday. However, fans may watch the contest as well as the six non-televised games via webcast on the Powercat Passport subscription service at www.k-statesports.com.
Kansas State improved to 9-6 all-time in exhibition play under head coach Jim Wooldridge last Thursday, as the Wildcats posted a 62-53 win over the EA Sports All-Stars. After a back-and-forth first half, K-State used a 16-6 run over the first six minutes of the second half to break open a tight 28-26 lead at the half. The lead ballooned to as many as 18 points, as the Wildcats won their fourth exhibition game in a row.
A Quick Look at the Wildcats
Kansas State blended a little old and new in gaining the win over the EA Sports All-Stars on Nov. 3. The Wildcats, who return three starters and eight lettermen from last year’s 17-12 (6-10, 10th Big 12) squad, were led by sophomore guard David Hoskins and junior guard Lance Harris. Hoskins paced all players with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go with six rebounds and a team-high five assists, while Harris posted 12 points on 5-of-9 field goals with five rebounds and four assists. The team’s leading returner in both points and rebounds, junior Cartier Martin, collected seven points and five rebounds in the win, while senior forward Dramane Diarra, playing for the first time since the 2003-04 season, added six points, five rebounds and a team-high three steals. Sophomore guard Curtis Allen came off the bench to post a game-high nine rebounds and six points.
Playing with its new up-tempo motion offense, Kansas State had nine different players score against EA Sports en route to connecting on 43.1 percent of its field goals, including 50 percent from beyond the arc. The Wildcats outscored the All-Stars, 17-2, in fast-break points. Despite all the attention on the new offense, it was the defense that looked the most impressive. K-State out-rebounded the All-Stars, 48-28, while holding the squad to 53 points on 35.7 percent shooting and forcing 16 turnovers.
Projected Starters
No. Name PPG* RPG* APG*
3 Lance Harris (G, 6-5, 190, Jr.) 10.4 2.1 2.3
5 Clent Stewart (G, 6-4, 195, So.) 5.0 2.2 4.0
15 David Hoskins (G, 6-5, 225, So.) -- -- --
20 Cartier Martin (G, 6-7, 220, Jr.) 10.5 4.8 1.8
21 Dramane Diarra (F, 6-8, 245, Sr.) 1.2 1.2 0.0
*Statistics from 2004-05 season
Different Player, Same Results?
Although it was just an exhibition game, sophomore transfer David Hoskins has continued the success enjoyed by Wildcat players wearing the jersey number 15. In his first game, Hoskins continued the strong play established by former number 15 Jeremiah Massey (2003-05) with a game-high 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting against the EA Sports All-Stars on Nov. 3. It marked the 21st consecutive game, in which, a player (Massey 20 times) wearing number 15 had scored in double figures. Hoskins also added six rebounds and a team-high five assists in a team-best 27 minutes against the All-Stars.
A transfer from Schoolcraft (Mich.) College, Hoskins is playing for the first time since the 2003-04 season when he averaged 8.0 points and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman at Central Michigan. He redshirted last season after Schoolcraft College was ruled ineligible for the postseason due to rules violations.
Wildcat coaches would be ecstatic if they got the same production from Hoskins as Massey. A second team All-Big 12 pick a year ago, Massey finished his career as one of the top two-year players in school history. His 931 points are the fifth-highest by a two-year player and the most since Mitch Richmond scored 1,327 points from 1987-88, while 16.3 career scoring average ranks sixth among two-year players. Massey paced the team in scoring and rebounding as both a junior and senior.
Long Time, No See
Senior Dramane Diarra saw his first playing time in more than almost 20 months against the EA Sports All-Stars on Nov. 3. A native of Paris, France, Diarra tallied six points on 3-of-8 shooting with five rebounds, three steals and two assists in 23 minutes of action. It was his first action since playing six minutes against Iowa State in the 2004 Big 12 Tournament on March 11, 2004 and his first start since the Missouri game on Jan. 31, 2004.
Had the game counted officially, Diarra would have posted career-highs in points (six), field goals (three), field goal attempts (eight), steals (three) and minutes (23).
New Offense, New Opportunities
After finding great success with a four-guard offense in the last few games of last season, the Kansas State coaching staff will utilize a more up-tempo offense in 2005-06 to take advantage of arguably the most athletic and versatile team of the Wooldridge era. The Wildcats have their entire starting backcourt returning led by one of the league’s top young point guards in Clent Stewart as well as shooting guard Lance Harris and the versatile guard/forward Cartier Martin. To go along with this group, the team brought in transfers David Hoskins, Mario Taybron and Akeem Wright.
The Wildcats used the offense exclusively in the latter part of the year, winning four of their last six games. The team picked up big regular-season wins over Baylor, Colorado and Nebraska before upsetting the seventh-seeded Texas A&M in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. The lone losses in the stretch came to Big 12 co-champion Kansas.
During the six-game stretch with the new offensive scheme, Kansas State averaged 72.8 points on 46.3 percent shooting with 34.5 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 10.7 turnovers and 6.0 steals per game. The Wildcats averaged more than four points higher during this stretch than they did for the season as well as had a higher shooting percentage and a lower turnover average.
Who’s Returning for the Wildcats
Junior guard/forward Cartier Martin is both the team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder from a year ago at 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He connected on 46.9 percent of his field goals last season, including a team-best 42.3 percent from the three-point arc. One of the most improved players in 2004-05, junior guard Lance Harris averaged 10.4 points and 2.3 assists in 29 games en route to being named to the Big 12 All-Reserve team by the league’s media. His 10.4 scoring average was the highest by a player with fewer than 10 starts in recent school history. A starter in eight games, including the last seven games of the season, Harris averaged over 15 points in the last 11 games. One of just two players to start all 29 games a year ago, sophomore point guard Clent Stewart became the first rookie in more than 18 years to lead the Wildcats in assists en route to breaking Steve Henson’s freshman mark for assists with 116. He averaged 5.0 points and 2.2 rebounds, but did rank eighth in the Big 12 with just over four assists per game.
K-State also returns a pair of post players, senior Dramane Diarra and junior Tyler Hughes, as well as reserve guards, senior Schyler Thomas and sophomore Curtis Allen. Diarra took a medical redshirt last season after playing in 16 games as a junior in 2003-04, while Hughes paced the team and ranked 13th in the Big 12 in blocked shot with just under one per game. Thomas brings valuable experience as he enters his fourth year in the program and Allen looks to take another step after playing in 16 games a year ago. The Wildcats also brought in a highly-regarded seven-man recruiting class to add depth and versatility.
Noting K-State’s Newcomers
Kansas State welcomes the addition of seven players in 2005-06. The recruiting class includes juniors Serge Afeli, Mario Taybron and Akeem Wright, sophomore David Hoskins and freshmen Darren Kent and Deilvez Yearby.
A consensus Top 100 player out of high school, Mario Taybron joins the program after a one-year stint at Eastern Oklahoma State. Taybron averaged 15.0 points and 5.2 assists en route to guiding the Mountaineers to the semifinals of the Region II Tournament. He was a first team all-conference and honorable mention all-region selection. Taybron originally enrolled at Temple, where he saw action in eight games with six starts as a true freshman.
An honorable mention junior college All-American, Akeem Wright transferred from Neosho County Community College where he was a two-year starter for the Panthers. He averaged 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and a team-leading 6.7 assists as a sophomore en route to leading Neosho to the championship game of Region VI playoffs. Wright was selected first team All-Region VI and first team All-Jayhawk Conference East. He ranked fifth nationally in assists.
One of the newest members of the team, Serge Afeli enrolled at Kansas State in late August. Considered one of the top players in the Ivory Coast, Afeli has spent much the past few years with his emphasis on his academic career.
Another player with Division I experience, David Hoskins transferred from Schoolcraft (Mich.) College where he redshirted in 2004-05. He saw action in all 30 games, including 13 starts, as a true freshman at Central Michigan in 2003-04. He averaged 8.0 points with 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in playing 22 minutes per game for the Chippewas. He led the team in steals with 36, while he was third in points, rebounds, assists and blocks. He averaged 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in conference play.
An athletic big man that drew late recruiting buzz, Darren Kent was a two-year starter at Eastview High School, where he led the Lightning to a school-best 27-5 record this past year. Kent earned honorable mention all-state honors for all classes and was an unanimous selection for all-conference as a senior. He was named to the Minnesota State all-tournament team in Eastview’s run to the state title game. For the season, Kent averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.
Another late signee, Deilvez Yearby erupted on to the national scene after a tremendous senior campaign. A three-year letterman and one-year starter at Central High School, he earned Class A third team all-state honors and was a first team all-city selection as a senior. He averaged a team-best 21.4 points on 59 percent shooting with a team-high 12.1 rebounds.
Other New Faces
Kansas State not only added several new players to the program, but also a pair of new coaches. Detroit (Mich.) high school coaching legend Ben Kelso joined the staff as its new assistant coach, while former San Jose State associate head coach Dennis Cutts was named the director of basketball operations. The 1990 National High School Basketball Coach of the Year, Kelso won nearly 80 percent of his games during his 20-year coaching tenure in Detroit with over 400 victories and an average of 20 wins per year. Cutts has been an assistant coach for 15 years, including a recent three-year stint at San Jose State.
Wildcats in Exhibition play
Kansas State is 9-6 in exhibition games in head coach Jim Wooldridge’s five seasons, including a 6-5 record in games played at Bramlage Coliseum. Last season, the Wildcats capped its exhibition season with a 5-1 record, which included a three-day, four-game exhibition trip to Vancouver, British Columbia in October. The team won both of its home exhibition games, including a 71-59 win over the EA Sports All-Stars on Nov. 3 and an 88-69 victory over Division II Pittsburg (Kan.) State on Nov. 11.
Kansas State averaged 80.5 points during its 2004-05 exhibition schedule on 51.6 percent shooting to go with 37.8 rebounds, 17.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.0 blocks. The Wildcats had a balanced scoring attack with seven players averaging six or more points, including five in double figures. Departed senior Jeremiah Massey led the team with 17.8 points per game.
The Book on Emporia State
Emporia State concludes its two-game exhibition slate on Thursday after the Hornets dropped a 92-70 decision to Wichita State on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Senior forward Shawn Herrman led all players with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting with five rebounds and four assists, while senior Tyrell Sledge added 13 points on 6-of-14 field goals. Newcomer Stephen Trotter had a team-high six boards.
Emporia State trailed by just nine points at the break (49-40) to Wichita State after hitting on an impressive 56.7 percent of its field goals in the first half. However, the Shockers were too much in the second frame, outscoring the Hornets, 43-30, en route to the 22-point win. WSU held a 46-26 advantage on the boards and outscored ESU, 22-8, from the charity stripe.
This will mark the second straight season that the Wildcats have played a Division II in the exhibition after posting an 88-69 win over Pittsburg (Kan.) State last season. However, Kansas State and ESU have never met in exhibition play and are meeting for the first time since the Wildcats earned a 63-57 win on Nov. 29, 1995. Overall, K-State leads the series, 10-8, including 8-4 in games played at home. The Wildcats are 70-43 against non-D-I schools from Kansas.
Emporia State posted their third straight winning season in 2004-05 with a 16-12 overall record, including an 8-10 mark in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play. Led by head coach David Moe (a former assistant at Colorado), the Hornets were ranked as high as tenth in the nation last season in starting the season 10-1. ESU returns six lettermen, including leading scorer Tyrell Sledge (15.2 ppg., 4.1 apg.), 2003 MIAA Freshman of the Year Shawn Herrman (10.4 ppg., 5.1 rpg.) and 2005 MIAA Freshman of the Year Wes Book (11.5 ppg., 1.6 apg.).
Last Time vs. Emporia State
It will be almost 10 years since K-State and Emporia State battled on the basketball court when the two meet on Thursday. The Wildcats ran out to a 32-23 advantage at halftime before holding on for a 63-57 win before 5,988 fans on Nov. 29, 1995. The team shot just 39.3 percent from the field, including just 31.3 percent from three-point range, but held the Hornets to just 37.9 percent shooting. K-State also out-rebounded ESU, 40-32, and forced three more turnovers.
Forward Tyrone Davis led all scorers with 22 points on perfect 9-of-9 shooting to go with a game-high 12 rebounds and three blocks. Guard Mark Young collected 12 points on 4-of-11 field goals, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, while guard Aaron Swartzendruber added 10 points (5-of-5 from the charity stripe) and three assists.
Chris Henry paced four Hornet players in double figures with a team-high 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting, while Rob Layton collected 12 points and a team-high six rebounds. Lamont Bunton and Luther Joiner added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
No Stranger to the Hornets
K-State coach Jim Wooldridge is no stranger to Emporia State after serving as head coach at Division II Central Missouri State from 1985-91. Wooldridge is 2-1 all-time against the Hornets, including a sweep of a home-and-home series in 1990.
Up Next: Georgia Southern (0-0)
Kansas State officially opens its 2005-06 season on Friday, Nov. 18 when the Wildcats play host to high-flying Georgia Southern at Bramlage Coliseum beginning at 7 p.m. The two squads have never met in their respective histories, however, the Wildcats are 5-0 against teams from the state of Georgia. K-State has battled four different teams from the Peach State, including Georgia (1-0, 1987 NCAAs), Georgia State (2-0; 1998, 1999), Mercer (1-0, 1997) and Savannah State (1-0, 2004).
Georgia Southern posted its fourth consecutive winning season in 2004-05 with its 18-13 record, which included a second place tie in the South Division of the Southern Conference with a 10-6 mark. The Eagles return eight lettermen and three starters from a team that ranked sixth nationally and tops in the Southern Conference in scoring offense at 80.8 points per game. The program has ranked among the top 40 in the nation in scoring each of the last four seasons. GSU returns senior guard Elton Nesbitt, who was named a CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-American last season, and forward Louis Graham, who was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team. Head coach Jeff Price boasts a 238-115 record in his 13th season as a head coach, including a 102-73 mark in his seventh year at Georgia Southern.
Georgia Southern opens its season on Thursday, Nov. 10 by traveling to Lubbock, Texas, to participate in the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, facing Portland in the opening round. The Eagles will also play Texas Tech and San Jose State.
Bench Change
One of the changes fans will notice in Bramlage Coliseum this year is the new bench location for the K-State men’s team. The Wildcats will be taking the bench at the north end of the arena, in front of sections 18 and 19, with the visiting team moving to the south end in front of sections 20 and 21. The change is result of a new Big 12 policy requiring the home bench to be located nearest the team’s pep band, which is seated at the north end of the court.
Ticket Sales Up
Excitement is building for the 2005-06 basketball season and it is particularly reflected in season ticket sales. In comparison to this same time a year ago, ticket sales are up nearly 500. Sales to students, in particular, have shown a marked increase over a year ago with nearly 3,500 season packages and Big 12 packs being sold to date.
In addition, some new seating areas have been designated for the public and students at men’s games. For non-conference games, public general admission seating will be available for $12 in Sections 12 and 13, rows 20 and above, on the north end of Bramlage Coliseum and sections 25, 26, 27, rows 20 and above, on the south end. During Big 12 games, all public seating will be reserved. For students, an area for student ICAT members has been reinstated. Students who have purchased ICAT tickets will have first opportunity to sit in sections 19 and 20 on a first-come, first-served basis up until 30 minutes prior to tipoff.
Public season ticket packages in good seating locations are still available beginning at $257 for bench seating and $288 for a cushioned bench seat. Some chairback locations remain available at $305. Or, check into the Flex Pack or Family Plan options. Single-game tickets are priced at $20 for chairback, $15 for reserved bench seating and $12 for general admission (non-league games only). And, don’t forget, a children’s ticket can be purchased on an individual-game basis for just $5 (except for the KU game) with the purchase of an adult ticket. For information, contact the K-State Athletic Ticket Office at 1.800.221.CATS.
K-State to webcast eight live basketball games
Kansas State will offer live webcasts of eight men’s basketball games this season on Powercat Passport, the premium video service for high speed internet users at www.k-statesports.com. Fans can subscribe to Powercat Passport for just $9.95 per month or buy an annual subscription for $79.95. In addition to the live basketball webcasts, subscribers can watch live press conferences, postgame highlights, player and coach interviews and have on-demand access to hundreds of archrived videos, including classic games. The men’s webcast schedule begins with Thursday’s opening exhibition game against the EA Sports All-Stars. Coupled with the previously announced television schedule of 20 live telecasts this season, the addition of these webcasts will give fans the opportunity to see 28 of the 29 regular season and exhibition games this year.
FSN Midwest, K-State announces television slate
FSN Midwest will broadcast 12 Kansas State men’s basketball games, giving the Wildcats’ 20 television contests for the 2005-06 season. The television schedule opens with a non-conference game against New Mexico, the reigning Mountain West Conference Tournament champion, on Nov. 23. In addition to the Lobos, the Wildcats will play Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 30, Washington State on Dec. 3, Colorado State on Dec. 7 and Northern Illinois on Dec. 20 in non-league action on FSN Midwest.
The conference portion of play begins Jan. 11 with a home game against Nebraska. The Wildcats also battle Texas A&M (Jan. 18), Colorado (Jan. 28), Iowa State (Feb. 8), Missouri (Feb. 12), Texas Tech (Feb. 15) and Nebraska (March 1). The addition of the 12 games on FSN Midwest completes one of the most comprehensive television schedules in school history with a total of 20 regular-season telecasts, including 15 of 16 conference games.
Per Big 12 Conference guidelines, the K-State men’s regional basketball telecasts on FSN Midwest are available on cable and satellite in the state of Kansas and throughout the Kansas City area, reaching more than 1 million homes. There are no league restrictions on the four K-State women’s regional telecasts, which can air throughout the entire FSN Midwest territory. This is the third year of K-State’s partnership with FSN Midwest, which is also the exclusive home of the home of Bill Snyder, Jim Wooldridge and Deb Patterson TV shows. Those weekly shows are also available nationwide on satellite and to digital cable subscribers who have access to Fox College Sports.
Ben Boyle (play-by-play) and Stan Weber (analyst) will call K-State men’s basketball action on FSN Midwest.
Cats to play Texas on ESPN2
Kansas State will have at least one game broadcast on national television for the fifth straight season, as the Wildcats’ battle with preseason No. 3 Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Bramlage Coliseum will be broadcast on ESPN 2 beginning at 7 p.m.
The appearance will mark the fifth straight season that Kansas State has appeared on either ESPN or ESPN2, including the fourth time in the last five seasons on ESPN2. The Wildcats, who will be making their sixth overall appearance on ESPN2, last appeared on the network in 2005 in their regular season finale against Kansas. This will also mark the second time in the last three seasons that the K-State-Texas contest has been broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. The Wildcats upset the 10th-ranked Longhorns, 58-48, in front of a national ESPN audience on March 6, 2004.
With the addition of the Texas game, Kansas State will now have a total of 20 games broadcast on television, including 12 on Fox Sports Midwest and seven regionally on ESPN Plus.
K-State to again play a strong schedule in 2005-06
Kansas State will play 19 home games in 2005-06, including 11 of its first 13 contests in the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum. Overall, the Wildcats will face 11 teams from eight different conferences and independent ranks, including members of the Big West, Mountain West and Pacific-10 Conferences. K-State opens its 103rd season of basketball, including its sixth under Wooldridge, when the Wildcats host Georgia Southern on Friday, Nov. 18 to start a four-game homestand. After the Eagles, the team concludes November with contests against New Mexico, Stephen F. Austin and Cal State Fullerton. The Wildcats hit the road for the first of two non-league road games to start off December, as they travel to Washington State for the first time since 1941 on Saturday, Dec. 3. After the trip to WSU, the Wildcats will play three home games in a row against Longwood, Colorado State and Bethune-Cookman. K-State makes its first ever trip to Northern Illinois on Tuesday, Dec. 30 before concluding the non-conference slate with games against Belmont and North Dakota State. The Wildcats start Big 12 play on the road for the third consecutive season on Saturday, Jan. 7 with a trip to Iowa State. Overall, the team will play 11 games in Big 12 play against squads that advanced to the postseason in 2004-05, including eight against NCAA Tournament squads.
