PREVIEW: K-State Hosts Gardner-Webb in Final Home Non-Conference Game Wednesday

GAME PREVIEW

DEC 21, 7:10 PM

Bramlage Coliseum
Manhattan, KS

NR/NR
GARDNER-WEBB
RUNNIN' BULLDOGS
7-5 (0-0 Big South)

RV/NR
K-STATE
WILDCATS
10-1 (0-0 Big 12)

FSN Kansas City
K-StateHD.TV
ESPN3

TELEVISION
FSN Kansas City (state of Kansas/Kansas City metro area)
K-StateHD.TV (subscription)
ESPN3 (outside the region)
• Ben Boyle (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)
Channel Guide: DirecTV 671-5 | AT&T U-Verse 750/1750 | Dish 454/412-42

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Matt Walters (analyst)
Satellite Radio: None

ONLINE/MOBILE
K-State Game Center at kstatesports.com
• Free audio stream available
WatchESPN.com
• Free video stream available

TICKETS
kstatesports.com
(800) 221.CATS
$5 (GA) with toy donation to Fort Riley’s Operation Santa Claus
$10 (bench), $20 (chairbacks)
$30 Holiday Mini-Plan (includes Texas game on Dec. 30, WBB game vs. WVU on Jan. 1)
Bramlage Bundle: $20 | $5 (12+group)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 402-210/19th season
At K-State: 89-55/5th season
vs. Gardner-Webb: First meeting

Gardner-Webb: Tim Craft (Florida ‘00)
Overall: 62-51/5th season
At Gardner-Webb: 62-51/5th season
vs. Kansas State: First meeting

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (10-1)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (9.6 ppg., 4.3 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (13.3 ppg., 2.5 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.0 ppg., 5.6 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.1 ppg., 5.9 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (11.6 ppg., 7.1 rpg.)

Gardner-Webb (7-5)
G: #0 Jamaal Robateau (7.8 ppg., 2.5 rpg.)
G: #3 LaQuincy Rideau (12.8 ppg., 4.9 apg.)
G: #5 Liam O’Reilly (7.9 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)
F: #20 Tyrell Nelson (13.6 ppg., 6.3 rpg.)
C: #31 L’Hassane Niangane (2.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)

INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: K-State leads 3-0 (series dates to 2001)
vs. Big South: K-State leads 8-1 (8-1 at home)
In Manhattan: K-State leads 3-0
Current Streak: K-State, 3
Last Meeting: K-State won 107-48 in Manhattan, Kan. (12/14/2008)
Weber vs. Gardner-Webb: First meeting
Weber vs. Craft: First meeting

GAME 12 - QUICK HITTERS
• Kansas State (10-1)?concludes the home portion of its non-conference schedule on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats play host to Big South foe Gardner-Webb (7-5) at 7 p.m. CT at Bramlage Coliseum. The squad will have 9 days before opening Big 12 at home against Texas (5-5) on Dec. 30.
• K-State is riding a 5-game win streak for the second time this season and a win on Wednesday would give the team its longest winning streak since winning 10 in a row from Nov. 24, 2013 to Jan. 7, 2014.
• During its current win streak, K-State is averaging 79.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting, including 42.6 percent from 3-point range, with 5 players averaging in double figures led by senior D.J. Johnson’s 12.4 points per game. Opponents are averaging 59 points on 36.9 percent shooting.
• The Wildcats have won 16 consecutive non-conference games at home venues (which includes victories over Colorado?State in Wichita in 2015 and Washington State in Kansas City in 2016), including 14 in a row at Bramlage Coliseum with an average margin of victory of 18.1 points. The last non-conference loss came to Georgia on Dec. 31, 2014.
• K-State has an 86-5 (.945) record at home in non-conference play dating back to 2006-07, including a 31-3 (.912) mark under Bruce Weber. The squad has won 75 of its last 78 non-conference home games.
• The Wildcats have won their 7 home games by an average of 19.3 points per game, while averaging 76.7 points on 50.3 percent shooting, including 45.0 percent from 3-point range. Sophomore Barry Brown is averaging 15 points on 52.6 percent shooting, including 50 percent from long range.
• This will be the fourth meeting between K-State and Gardner-Webb and the first since a 107-48 win by the Wildcats at home on Dec. 14, 2008. The team is 3-0 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 75-57 win at home on Dec. 1, 2001 and a 68-65 win at home on Nov. 29, 2003.
• K-State is coming off an 89-70 win over Colorado State in the Duel in Denver on Saturday at the Pepsi Center, in which, 6 players scored in double figures, including all 5 starters, for the second time under Bruce Weber and the first time since a win over Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014.
• Johnson led the way with his third career double-double, including his second this season, with game-highs in both scoring (19) and rebounding (10). He has tallied at least 10 rebounds in 3 of the last 4 games.
• K-State has four players averaging in double figures led by Brown’s 13.3 points per game, who has double-digits in 10 of the first 11 games.

THE OPPONENT: GARDNER-WEBB (7-5)
• Gardner-Webb enters Wednesday’s game with a 7-5 record, including consecutive wins against Warren?Wilson (95-45) and at Nebraska (70-62)... The Runnin’ Bulldogs have won 7 of their last 9 games since opening the year with losses at SMU (44-72), at Pittsburgh (80-99) and on a neutral court against Eastern?Michigan (68-76)... The team is 2-3 on the road this season.
• In addition to Nebraska, Gardner-Webb has notable recent road wins at Clemson and Purdue in 2014 under coach Tim Craft.
• The Bulldogs are averaging 77.9 points on 48.4 percent shooting, including 37.1 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 39.1 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game... They are allowing opponent 67.9 points per game on 39.9 percent shooting, including 33.6 percent from beyond the arc... The team is shooting 57.2 percent from the free throw line.
• Gardner-Webb has 7 players averaging 6 or more points this season, including 3 averaging in double figures led by senior forward Tyrell Nelson, who leads the way in both scoring (13.6 ppg.) and rebounding (6.3 rpg.)... Nelson is also connecting on a team-best 58 percent from the field, including 60 percent from 3-point range... Sophomore guard David Efianayi also averages double figures at 13.5 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting, while sophomore guard LaQuincy Rideau averages 12.8 points on 46.9 percent shooting to go with 5.4 rebounds and team-bests in assists (4.9 apg.) and steals (2.8 spg.).
• Gardner-Webb is led by 5th-year head coach Tim?Craft, who has a 62-51 record during his tenure.

BREAKING?DOWN?THE?SERIES
• Wednesday’s game will mark the fourth meeting between K-State and Gardner-Webb... The Wildcats have won all 3 previous meetings at home, including 75-57 on Dec. 1, 2001, 68-65 on Nov. 29, 2003 and 107-48 in the latest meeting on Dec. 14, 2008.
• K-State is 8-1 all-time against the Big South with all 9 previous matchups coming in Manhattan... The Wildcats have won 8 straight meetings against Big South competitive with the last loss coming to Campbell in 1905... This will be the 1st meeting with a Big South foe since defeating Charleston Southern, 72-67, on Nov. 11, 2012.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
• K-State has an 86-5 record at home in non-conference play dating back to 2006-07, including a 31-3 mark under head coach Bruce Weber... The Wildcats has won 75 of their last 78 non-conference home games at Bramlage Coliseum.
• K-State has won 16 consecutive games played at home venues against non-conference opponents (61-56 win over Colorado State at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita), including 14 straight at Bramlage Coliseum... The Wildcats’ last loss to a non-conference team at home came against Georgia, 50-46, on Dec. 31, 2014... The team is 15-2 at home in December under Bruce Weber.
• K-State is looking to go unbeaten at home in non-conference games for the second straight year after going 9-0 in 2015-16.

TEAM OFFENSIVE NOTES
• K-State is averaging 77.3 points on 49.4 percent shooting (307-of-621), including 40.6 percent (91-of-224) from 3-point range, through the first 11 games with assists on 61.2 percent of its made field goals (188/307).
• K-State ranks 20th nationally in scoring margin (+18.4), 22nd in 3-point FG percentage, 25th in FG percentage, 35th in assists per game and 39th in total assists (188)... The Wildcats place among the Top 5 in the Big 12 in 3-point FG percentage (3rd), FG percentage (4th), assists (5th) and 3-point FG made (8.3/5th)... The 91 treys only trail Oklahoma State (103) and Kansas (97).
• The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 9 of the first 11 games, including 80 or more points 6 times... The 9 games of 70 or more points are the most in a non-conference play under head coach Bruce Weber and the most since since posting 10 in 2011-12, while the 6 games of 80 or more points are the most under Weber and the most since totaling 7 in 2010-11.
• K-State is now 55-16 under head coach Bruce Weber when scoring 70 or more points, including 25-2 when scoring 80 or more points.
• K-State has shot better than 43 percent in each game, including 50 percent or higher 5 times (vs. Omaha (11/15), Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30), Saint Louis (12/3) and Prairie View A&M (12/6)... The Wildcats shot a season-best 58.3 percent (28-of-48) against Hampton, including 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from 3-point range... The lowest field goal percentage (43.5) came against Washington State (12/10)... K-State is 32-5 under Bruce Weber when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
• K-State has connected on at least 50 percent of its field goals in at least one half of every game this season, including hitting the mark in both halves against Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30) and Prairie View A&M (12/6).
• K-State statistically gets better as the game goes on, as the Wildcats average 40.5 points in the second half compared to 36.7 points in the first half... The team is connecting on 53.7 percent (159-of-296) in the second half, including 44.7 percent (51-of-144) from 3-point range, compared to 45.5 percent (148-of-325) in the first half, including 36.4 percent (40-of-110) from 3.
• K-State is averaging 32.4 points in the paint, 21.6 bench points, 18.7 points off of turnovers, 12.3 fast break points and 13.0 second-chance points through 11 games... The team is forcing 16.1 turnovers per game, which ranks 42nd nationally.
• The Wildcats set season-highs for points in paint (48), second-chance points (16), fast-break points (19) and bench points (32) at Saint Louis (12/3)... The 48 points in the paint tied for most of the Bruce Weber era (48 at West Virginia on Feb. 1, 2014).
• K-State has already totaled 135 fast-break points (12.3 ppg.), an improvement of 5.2 ppg. from 2015-16 (7.1 ppg.).
• K-State connected on 90.0 percent (18-of-20) from the free throw line vs. Colorado State, which was tied for the 7th-best with a minimum 20 attempts from the line in school history and the 2nd-highest from the line in a road game.

INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Four players are averaging in double figures, including 3 starters, led by Barry Brown’s 13.3 points per game average, while 2 other players (Kamau Stokes and Dean?Wade) are averaging better than 9 points per game... 5 different players have led the team in scoring this season, including 3 times each by Brown and D.J. Johnson.
• At least 4 Wildcats have scored in double figures in 7 of 11 games, including at least 3 in each game... In all, 7 have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 6 having at least 6 double-digit scoring games led by Brown’s 10 games of 10 or more points.
• Six Wildcats scored in double figures in the win over Colorado State, including all 5 starters... It marked the 2nd time under Bruce Weber that 6 players registered double figures and the first time since Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014... It marked the 3rd time all 5 players scored in double digits under Weber and the first since a win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 23, 2016.
• Eight Wildcats are shooting 50 percent or better from the field, including 2 of 5 starters... The starters are shooting a combined 49.1 percent from the field (222-of-452), including 39.7 percent (56-of-141) from 3-point range.
• Johnson leads the Big 12 in FG percentage (63.0; 51/81), while Wesley Iwundu ranks 15th (48.0; 47/98).
• Five Wildcats have led the team in assists, including 7 times by Stokes and 5 by Iwundu... Both rank in the Big 12’s Top 15 in both assists (Stokes - 8th, Iwundu - 15th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (Stokes - 11th, Iwundu - 15th)... In last 7 games, Stokes is averaging 5.4 assists per game, including a career-best 8 assists vs. Colorado State, to go with a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.

IMPROVEMENT FROM LONG RANGE
• One of the focal points for K-State in the offseason was to make improvement from 3-point range, where the Wildcats finished 10th in the Big 12 in both 3-point field goal percentage (30.0) and 3-point field goals made per game (5.30).
• K-State is shooting 40.6 percent (91-of-224) from 3-point range and is averaging 8.3 3-point field goals per game.
• K-State ranks 22nd nationally in 3-point field goal percentage... The team is 3rd in percentage and 5th in makes in the Big 12.
• K-State has at least 7 3-pointers in 9 games, including double digits vs. Western?Illinois (11/11), Hampton (11/15) and Prairie View A&M (12/6)... The Wildcats are 55-17 under Bruce Weber when connecting on at least 6 treys, including 9-0 this season.
• The Wildcats knocked down 10-of-14 3-point field goals in the opener with Western Illinois (11/11), including all 7 treys in the second half... The 71.4 3-point percentage was the highest of Bruce Weber era and the 3rd-most makes.
• K-State posted 12 triples vs. Hampton (11/20), which were the most since also hitting 12 vs. Tulane on?Dec. 28, 2013.
• 11 Wildcats have at least one 3-pointer this season, including a team-best 20-of-49 start by Kamau Stokes... Stokes has at least 1 3-pointer in 9 of 11 games, including at least 2 in 7 games... Xavier Sneed is a close 2nd with 19-of-46 efficiency.
• Seven?Wildcats had at least one 3-pointer at Colorado State (12/17) for the 2nd time this season and the 1st time since Green?Bay (11/30)... Before this season, the last time 7 Wildcats had a 3-pointer in a game was against Iowa State on Feb. 12, 2011.
• K-State has made at least one 3-pointer in 283 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2008-09 season.

GETTING?DEFENSIVE
• K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under Bruce Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in the past 5 seasons (60.4 ppg. in 2012-13; 65.4 ppg. in 2013-14).
• Since Weber’s arrival at K-State in 2012-13 (spanning 144 games), the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 63.9 points per game (9,208)... The next closest team in that span is Baylor (64.9 ppg.) followed by Oklahoma State (65.3 ppg.).
• K-State ranks 9th nationally in scoring defense (58.9), 16th in FG percentage defense (37.0), 37th in steals (8.4) and 42nd in turnovers forced (16.1)... The Wildcats are 2nd in the Big 12 in FG percentage defense and 3rd in scoring defense.
• K-State has held its first 11 opponents to an average of 58.9 points on 37 percent shooting, including 33.3 percent from 3-point range, with just 125 assists on 226 made field goals... The Wildcats also hold a +4.8 rebounding margin (37.4-32.5).
• Five opponents have been held to 55 points or less, while 8 of 11 foes have been held to 40 percent shooting or less.
• 54 opponents have been held to 60 points or less in?Weber’s tenure with the Wildcats boasting a 48-6 mark in those contests (losses to Kansas in 2012, Northern Colorado & Kentucky in 2013, Texas Southern & Georgia in 2014 and Texas & OSU in 2016).
• K-State held Robert Morris to just 40 points on 22.8 percent shooting (13-of-57)... It was the fewest points allowed and the lowest field goal percentage since Long Beach?State scored 38 points on just 19.6 percent (11-of-56) on Nov. 24, 2013.
• K-State is 78-23 under Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 69 points or less and 11-32 when allowing 70 or more.
• K-State has at least 15 points off turnovers in each of the first 11 games, including a season-high 26 vs. Omaha (11/15)... The squad has scored more than 2,000 points (2,126) off of turnovers under Bruce Weber, an average of 14.8 points per game.
• The Wildcats has also forced 20 or more turnovers in 3 games, including a season-high 25 vs. Robert Morris (11/22).
• The current 8.4 steals per game average is on pace to be the 3rd-best average in school history and the highest since 1990-91.
• K-State already has 52 blocks this season, which more than 50 percent of the entire total (91) from 2015-16.

PLAYING HARD IS A SKILL
• One of the things that K-State has prided itself in under head coach Bruce Weber has been its ability to play harder than its opponents... Nothing is more valuable to Weber in this regard as the Wayne McClain Play Hart Chart, which is named in honor of the longtime Illinois high school coach and Wildcats’ former director of development who passed away on Oct. 15, 2014.
• The chart, which is kept for both teams by graduate assistants and team managers, is a point system based on the elements of playing hard, including deflections/blocks, steals, dives, loose balls, offensive rebounds and charges (+2).
• K-State has won the Play Hard Chart in 9 of 11 games by a combined score of 462-333.
• Senior D.J. Johnson has a team-best 85 points on the Play Hard Chart and has won the chart 5 times this season... He has 525 points in his career... Johnson, who has a team-best 14 Play Hard points vs. Western Illinois (11/11), owns the single-game, individual best for the chart since it was start in 2012-13 with 20 at Iowa State on Feb. 27, 2016.
• Sophomore Dean Wade has won the chart in 4 games, including 12 points vs. Hampton (11/20) and Robert Morris (11/22).

BROWN OFF TO A FAST START
• Sophomore Barry Brown is off to a solid start to the season, as he is averaging a team-best 13.3 points on 45.8 percent (54-of-118) shooting, including 49.4 percent (38-of-77) from inside the 3-point line.
• Brown has led the Wildcats in scoring 3 times, scoring a season-high 18 points with Western Illinois (11/11) to go with a game-high 15-point effort vs. Omaha (11/15)... He matched his season-high with 18 vs. Green Bay (11/30).
• Brown leads all Wildcats with 10 double-figure scoring games, including each of the first 7 games.
• Brown ranks in the Big 12’s Top 15 in 3 categories, including 3rd in steals, 8th in minutes and 12th in scoring.
• Brown has been among the steals leaders, ranking 20th nationally in total steals (24) and 28th in steals per game (2.2)... He has at least 2 steals in 7 of 11 games, including a career-best 5 vs. Hampton (11/20)... He ranks 3rd in the Big 12 in steals.

IWUNDU MOVING UP THE CHARTS
• Senior Wesley Iwundu could be the first Wildcat in school history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 steals in a career... Currently, he is shy of the milestone by 75 points, 41 rebounds, 18 assists and 4 steals.
• Only Rolando Blackman recorded more than 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists in a career, as steals were not kept.
• Iwundu currently ranks 2nd on the team in scoring (12.0 ppg.), rebounding (5.6 rpg.) and assists (3.4 apg.).
• Iwundu collected his 6th career double-double vs. Maryland (11/26), while he has scored in double figures 7 times.
• Iwundu ranks among the Big 12 leaders in 7 categories, including scoring (19th), rebounding (15th), assists (15th), field goal percentage (15th/48.0), assist-to-turnover ratio (15th), free throw percentage (5th/78.4) and defensive rebounds (7th/4.6).
• Iwundu is one of 2 Big 12 players (Jordan Woodard) to rank in the Top 20 in scoring and rebounding and Top 15 in assists.
• Iwundu is the leader in points (925), rebounds (459), assists (282), steals (96), minutes (2,939), games (108) and starts (100).
• Iwundu now ranks 8th in career assists (282), while he is 34th on the all-time scoring list (925).
• Iwundu has played in 75 consecutive games, including a streak of 63 starts in a row... He became the 7th Wildcat to total 100 career starts against Colorado State and now ranks 7th on the all-time starts list.

JOHNSON A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
• Senior D.J. Johnson is a consistent force in the middle, averaging 11.6 points on a team-high 63 percent shooting with team-bests in rebounding (7.1 rpg.) and blocks (2.0 bpg.)... He has double figures in 6 games, including 2 20-point games.
• Johnson ranks among the Big 12 leaders in 5 categories (ranking in the Top 10 in 4 categories), including FG percentage (1st), blocks (4th), rebounding (6th), offensive rebounds (4th/2.7) and defensive rebounds (12th/4.4)
• Johnson scored a career-best 26 points vs. No. 23 Maryland (11/26) on 10-of-18 field goals with 8 rebounds in 29 minutes.
• Johnson tallied his 3rd career double-double, including his 2nd this season, at Colorado State (12/17) with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting with 10 rebounds... All 3 career double-doubles have come on road (at Texas Tech (3/5/16 and at Saint Louis (12/6/16).
• Five of his 6 career double-digit rebounding efforts have come this year, including a career-best 12 vs. Western Illinois (11/11).
• His career 58.5 field goal percentage ranks 2nd in school history after shooting a school-record 60.8 percent as a junior.
• His 22 blocked shots nearly surpass his entire total from 2015-16 (29), while twice he has posted a career-best 4 blocks.

WEBER TOPS 400 CAREER WINS
• Head coach Bruce Weber recently reached a coaching milestone, as he earned his 400th career win in the Wildcats’ victory over Prairie View A&M, 74-55, on Dec. 6... He became the 131st Division I head coach to accomplish the feat, including the 51st active coach... He is the fourth current Big 12 coach to win 400 games, joining Bob Huggins, Bill?Self and Lon Kruger.
• Weber is currently tied with Charles Corsaut (89, 1923-33) for 5th on the school’s all-time wins list after passing Lon Kruger (81, 1986-90), Jim Wooldridge (83, 2000-06) and Tom Asbury (85, 1994-2000) earlier this season... His 89 wins now trail Jack Hartman (295), Tex Winter (261), Jack Gardner (146) and Frank Martin (117) on the list.
• Interesting note, Weber is one of several K-State head coaches to earn milestones this season...Football coach Bill Snyder won his 200th game (all at K-State) vs. Kansas on Nov. 26, while volleyball coach Suzie Fritz won her 300th match (all at K-State) vs. Mississippi State on Sept. 9 and women’s basketball coach Jeff Mittie won his 500th game at Omaha on Dec. 4.

BEASLEY, McGRUDER MAKE NBA OPENING DAY ROSTERS
• K-State had two former players on opening day NBA rosters, as Michael Beasley (Milwaukee Bucks) and Rodney McGruder (Miami HEAT) debut for their respective teams on Oct. 26... McGruder earned his first career start vs. Atlanta on Nov. 15.
• K-State is one of six Big 12 teams with multiple NBA players, joining Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas... It marked the first time multiple Wildcats have been on NBA teams since Beasley (Miami), Bill Walker (Miami) and Cartier Martin (Detroit) all played in the league during the 2014-15 season.
• Beasley, who is entering his ninth NBA season, played the final 20 games of the 2015-16 season with the Houston Rockets after a stint with the Shandong Golden Stars of the Chinese Basketball Association... He was traded to the Bucks in September.
• McGruder, who is entering his first season in the NBA, signed a free-agent contract with the HEAT in July and was able to snag with the final spots on the team’s 15-man roster... He helped the HEAT’s D-League team (Sioux Falls Skyforce) to D-League title.

BOOZER NAMED TO COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
• Two-time All-American Bob Boozer was among 8 individuals announced on March 22 to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame... He was posthumously inducted on Friday, Nov. 18 as part of the CBE?Hall of Fame Classic at the Sprint Center.
• Considered one of the most decorated players in K-State history, Boozer was a first team All-American in both 1958 and 1959 and he averaged a double-double for his 77-game career with 21.9 points on 44 percent shooting with 10.7 rebounds per game. He is one of only two players (Willie Murrell) in school history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds in a career.

PAIR OF FRESHMEN TO MISS 2016-17 SEASON
• Freshmen Cartier Diarra and James Love III?are expected to miss the 2016-17 season after going down with injuries.
• Diarra went down with a knee injury in a practice in early July and underwent surgery on July 13.
• Love broke his foot in a practice in late October and underwent surgery on Nov. 5.
• Diarra averaged a double-double of 18.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game his senior season at West Florence High School en route to earning Class 4A All-State honors from the South Carolina Basketball?Coaches Association (SCBCA)... Love averaged 10 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks per game as a senior at American?Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla.

‘CATS ANNOUNCE THE SIGNINGS OF McGUIRL, SHADD &?STOCKARD
• Head coach Bruce Weber announced the signing of high school standouts Mike McGuirl (Ellington, Conn./East Catholic), Nigel Shadd (Chandler, Ariz./Tri-City Christian Academy) and Levi Stockard III (St. Louis, Mo./Vashon) on Nov. 11.
• The trio went a combined 72-8 during their respective junior seasons in 2015-16 with two state titles… They have a combined four state championships in their careers.
• A 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard McGuirl averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks in 2015-16… He was First Team Class L All-State and selected to FAB 15 All-Courant Team.
• A 6-foot-9, 238-pound forward Shadd averaged 18.5 points on 69.3 percent shooting with 14 rebounds and 3.9 blocks… Twice named to Canyon Athletic Association All-State Teams.
• A 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward Stockard averaged 10 points on 94.7 percent shooting with 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks… Named to Class 4 All-State Team as a junior.

‘CATS JUMP START SEASON WITH EUROPEAN TRIP
• K-State was able to get a jump start on its preparations for the 2016-17 with a 10-day trip to Italy and Switzerland from August 8-19... Aside from the cultural experience of visiting historic landmarks in both countries, the Wildcats were able to play five games against various club, select and national teams and posted a 3-2 record.
• K-State defeated BC Silute (97-80) on August 11, the Italian Select (90-55) on August 13 and BBC Lausanne (68-47) on August 18 with losses to LCC?University (75-82) on August 10 and the Kosovo National Team (74-85) on August 16.
• The Wildcats averaged 80.8 points on 43.6 percent shooting (152-of-349) with 45.4 rebounds, 11.8 steals and 11.6 assists per game... Sophomore Kamau Stokes led the way in scoring at 10.8 points per game to go with a team-best 3.0 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per outing... Stokes had a tour-high 20 points in the loss to the Kosovo National Team.
• Freshman Xavier Sneed, who scored in double figures in the first four contests, also averaged double figures at 10.4 points per game to go with 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game... Sophomore Dean Wade averaged 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while senior D.J. Johnson led the way in rebounding at 6.8 per outing to go with an 8.0 points per game average on 69.6 percent shooting... Five other players averaged better than 5 points per game (Barry Brown (7.6 ppg.), Carlbe Ervin II (6.8 ppg.), Isaiah Maurice (6.2 ppg.), Brian Patrick (6.2 ppg.) and Wesley Iwundu (5.4 ppg.).

UP NEXT: TEXAS (5-5)
• The Wildcats will take 9 days off before opening Big 12 play at 7 p.m., on Friday, December 30 against Texas (5-5) at Bramlage Coliseum on ESPNews. Tickets are available through the 3-game Holiday Mini-Plan for just $30, which includes the women’s basketball Big 12 home opener against West Virginia on Sunday, January 1.

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