KANSAS STATE (15-4, 5-3) vs. MISSOURI (15-4, 5-2)
Game #20
February 1, 2006 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Bramlage Coliseum (13,340)
at Manhattan, Kan.
Television: None
Radio: K-State Sports Network
Series History: K-State leads 36-32
Internet: Live webcast and statistics
at www.k-statesports.com
GAME PREVIEW
A much-anticipated rematch is ahead as Kansas State (15-4, 5-3) hosts Missouri (15-4, 5-2) on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. After being picked to finish in the lower half of the preseason Big 12 Conference Poll, both the Wildcats (eighth) and Tigers (10th) have surpassed many of those early predictions and currently hold two of the top three spots in the latest league standings. K-State will look to split the two-game series with Mizzou, this time in the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum, where the Cats are an undefeated 3-0 in league play. The Tigers have not won a game in their last four visits to the Little Apple.
A QUICK LOOK AT MIZZOU
Missouri may own an 11-game home court win streak, but have struggled on the road, going 2-4 through all games played, which could play in the Wildcats’ favor. In fact, all four of Tigers’ losses this season have occurred away from Columbia, including recent road woes at Texas (63-54) on Jan. 14 and Texas A&M (72-52) on Jan. 21. Three players are averaging double figures in scoring, including senior guard LaToya Bond who ranks eighth in the league (17.3 ppg) and recently scored 16 points in a 65-51 home victory over Texas Tech on Jan. 28. Teammate Carlynn Savant leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage with an 87.6 percent clip. Mizzou will look to minimize K-State’s current hot-shooting from long-range as the Tigers rank second-best in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense (27.3) and third-best in field goal percentage defense (37.2). In both national polls, MU is just one-spot out of the top 25 receiving 49 votes in the AP Poll and 39 votes in the Coaches Poll. The Tigers currently hold sole-possession of second place in the league.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
No. Name 2005-06 Stats
10 LaToya Bond, G, 5-7, Sr. 17.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg
34 Tiffany Brooks, G, 5-11, Jr. 7.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg
43 Carlynn Savant, F, 6-1, Jr. 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg
54 EeTisha Riddle, F, 6-3, Jr. 9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg
14 Christelle N’Garsanet, C, 6-3, Sr. 12.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg
SERIES NOTES
Mizzou snapped a nine-game losing skid in the series, after defeating K-State, 68-42, in Columbia on Jan. 7. However, the Wildcats still lead 36-32 all-time and have won 13-of-19 meetings between both schools in Big 12 regular season competition. The Wildcats and Tigers have only split the series once in league play (1997-98), while MU has swept the series twice in both the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons. Mizzou has only won nine games lifetime in Manhattan, including two in league play. The Big 12 North counterparts share one commonality, having lost to the same South opponents on the road (Texas A&M and Texas) and beating Texas Tech at home this season.
COUNT ME IN
The Kansas State athletics department celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Feb. 1, as the Wildcats take on Missouri at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State fans can receive a free youth ticket with the purchase of a regular price adult ticket (limited to 1,000 general admission tickets). The 20th annual event was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to honor female athletic achievement and recognize the importance of sports and fitness participation for all girls and women. Back in 1971, when Title IX was enacted, one-in-27 girls in high school participated in athletics. Currently in the U.S., one-in-three girls now participate in high school athletics.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
2005-06 Category KSU MU
Overall Record 15-4 15-4
Big 12 Record 5-3 5-2
Points Per Game 71.1 71.7
Scoring Margin +11.5 +13.6
Rebounds Per Game 38.6 40.7
Rebounding Margin +3.2 +1.7
Field Goal Percentage 44.5 43.2
Field Goal% Defense 37.4 37.2
Three-Point FG% 33.1 36.9
Free Throw Percentage 71.1 61.0
Assists Per Game 16.8 15.2
Turnovers Per Game 15.9 15.9
Blocks Per Game 5.7 5.2
Steals Per Game 8.5 9.4
SHOW-ME THE MONEY BALL
Show-Me State native Claire Coggins (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) led Kansas State to its first 2-0 week in league play with victories over in-state rival Kansas (69-63) and Iowa State (73-64). In three of the last four games for the Wildcats, Coggins has scored 20-or-more points connecting on five three-pointers for a team-high 21 at Iowa State on Jan. 29. She is currently on a five-game double-digit scoring streak and has drained four-or-more threes in six games this season including three of the last four contests against Big 12 foes. For the week, Coggins averaged 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 blocks and 1.0 steals against the Jayhawks and Cyclones combined. Her current season total for threes (40) surpassed a career-best season total (38 as a sophomore) in the category. She is shooting a career-best 37.4 percent which ranks ninth-best in the Big 12 Conference in three-point field goal percentage and is fifth in three-point field goals made (2.22 avg.) through all games played. Coggins has registered 20-or-more points on six occasions and double figures in 13-of-18 games played this year.
SWEET CHARITY
K-State currently leads the league in free throw percentage in conference games only, making 74.2 percent of its shots count from the charity stripe. The Wildcats have taken advantage of being sent to the free throw line by Big 12 opponents, making 89-of-120 attempts. In their two victories last week, K-State was sent to the line 33 times and only missed 10 attempts for a 69.7 percent accuracy. They have shot over 70 percent from the charity stripe on 10 occasions this year including 7-of-10 at Iowa State. Sophomore Kimberly Dietz continues to lead the Wildcats in the category with a team-best 87.9 free-throw percentage.
HOLDING ON TO THE BALL
In their last two games, the Wildcats have managed to keep their turnovers to a minimum and under their current average (15.9). K-State turned over the ball only 11 times at Iowa State on Jan. 29 and 12 times against rival KU on Jan. 25. Both were the second and third fewest turnover numbers of the year, behind a season-low nine against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Conference opener on Jan. 4.
GOOD EXPOSURE FOR WILDCATS
It’s not bad when you are gaining exposure in back-to-back weekends on national television - and playing the best basketball of the season too. And, not to mention playing on two of the nation’s toughest courts at Texas’ Frank Erwin Center and Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum, where the Wildcats have only won four times combined in the 10-year history of the league. In each of those outings, K-State’s leading scorer Claire Coggins shot the lights out against the Longhorns (26 points) and Cyclones (21 points) while putting away 11 three-pointers combined. The Cats also turned in their second-best shooting performance in league play, knocking down 45.2 percent (28-of-62) of their shots at Iowa State.
ON THE RADIO
Fans can listen to a live radio broadcast of Wednesday’s game on the K-State Sports Network with Brian Smoller and Missy Heidrick calling the action. Network affiliates in Hutchinson, Manhattan and North Fort Riley will carry the Missouri game. An updated list of games aired by each network affiliate is located on the K-State website at: www.k-statesports.com.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Wildcats return to Bramlage Coliseum for their first two-game homestand in nearly two months with Missouri on Wednesday and Nebraska on Saturday. They played five of their eight games in the month of January on the road. As the Cats begin the second half of league play, only three of their last eight contests of the season will be played away from the Little Apple, prior to the Big 12 Championship on March 7-9 & 11 in Dallas. K-State last played back-to-back home games against Louisiana Tech on Dec. 6 and UMKC on Dec. 11. They are one of five conference teams left with unblemished records at home in Big 12 play (3-0).
HITTING THE BOOKS
Nine Wildcats were recently honored on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the fall 2005 semester including Kimberly Dietz, Marlies Gipson, JoAnn Hamlin, Shalee Lehning, Carolyn McCullough, Jessica McFarland, Twiggy McIntyre, Shana Wheeler and Danielle Zanotti. In the Deb Patterson era, Wildcat teams have always balanced athletics and academics well. Three K-State players have been named Academic All-America the last two seasons and 53 Wildcats have been honored on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, including 41 first-team honorees.
NO RESERVATIONS NEEDED
Kansas State checked out of Hilton Coliseum with a 73-64 win at Iowa State Sunday, which marked the program’s third-ever league victory in Ames in 10 tries. It was also the largest margin of victory (nine points) for the Wildcats in Ames since the league’s inception in 1996-97. Claire Coggins was one-of-four Wildcats to score in double figures with a game-high 21 points, followed by 12 from Marlies Gipson and 11 from JoAnn Hamlin and Shalee Lehning each. K-State showed its long-range ability draining 10 three-pointers against the Cyclones, only the second time to do so this season. The Cats previously knocked down 15 treys in a 100-71 blowout at Santa Clara on Nov. 26.
A LOOK AROUND THE LEAGUE
The Big 12 Conference race is heating up, especially in the middle of the pack with four schools, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas and Baylor, tied for third at 5-3. League leader Oklahoma remains undefeated at 7-0, while Missouri stands alone in second-place at 5-2. The Wildcats have yet to face OU, Baylor and Nebraska this season, but will get all three schools at home in the coming weeks.
Big 12 School Conf. % Overall %
1. Oklahoma 7-0 1.000 17-4 .810
2. Missouri 5-2 .714 15-4 .789
3T. Baylor 5-3 .625 15-4 .789
3T. Kansas State 5-3 .625 15-4 .789
3T. Texas A&M 5-3 .625 16-5 .762
3T. Texas 5-3 .625 11-7 .611
7. Texas Tech 4-3 .571 9-9 .500
8T. Iowa State 3-4 .429 12-6 .667
8T. Nebraska 3-4 .429 11-7 .611
10. Kansas 2-5 .286 13-5 .722
11. Colorado 1-7 .125 6-14 .300
12. Oklahoma State 0-8 .000 6-13 .316
WILDCATS IN THE RPI
Each season, Kansas State holds a strong presence in the RPI ratings index. According to CollegeRPI.com, the Wildcats are currently 36th and still the fourth-highest rated Big 12 Conference team behind Oklahoma (6), Baylor (10) and Texas (11) as of Jan. 31. Missouri is rated No. 56 in this week’s index. CollegeRPI.com has also predicted the Wildcats to win seven of its last eight games. Beginning on Feb. 2, the NCAA will release its first official men’s and women’s RPI rankings, which will continue each and every Thursday leading up to the tournament.
