Kansas State University Athletics
PREVIEW: K-State Opens Big 12 Play vs. Texas Friday
Dec 29, 2016 | Men's Basketball
GAME PREVIEW
DEC 30, 7:05 PM
Bramlage Coliseum
Manhattan, KS
NR/NR
TEXAS
LONGHORNS
6-6 (0-0 Big 12)
NR/NR
K-STATE
WILDCATS
11-1 (0-0 Big 12)
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TELEVISION
ESPNews
• Mitch Holthus (play-by-play)
• Stephen Howard (analyst)
• Kevin Shank (producer)
RADIO
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• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)
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ONLINE/MOBILE
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TICKETS
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(800) 221.CATS
$25 (bench), $50 (chairbacks), $15 (12+group)
$75 Wildcat 4-Pack (includes 4 GA tickets)
$30 Holiday Mini-Plan (includes WBB game vs. WVU on Jan. 1)
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 403-210/19th season
At K-State: 90-55/5th season
vs. Texas: 4-6 (2-2 at home)
Texas: Shaka Smart (Kenyon College ‘00)
Overall: 189-75/8th season
At Texas: 26-19/2nd season
vs. Kansas State: 2-0 (1-0 on the road)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (11-1)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (10.3 ppg., 4.3 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (12.5 ppg., 2.7 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (11.6 ppg., 5.3 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.0 ppg., 6.1 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (12.0 ppg., 7.1 rpg.)
Texas (6-6)
G: #0 Tevin Mack (14.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)
G: #1 Andrew Jones (9.6 ppg., 3.9 rpg.)
G: #12 Kerwin Roach, Jr. (11.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg.)
F: #31 Jarrett Allen (10.7 ppg., 6.9 rpg.)
F: #32 Shaquille Cleare (6.7 ppg., 4.9 rpg.)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: K-State leads 17-15 (series began in 1971)
In Big 12 era: Texas leads 15-11 (5-7 on the road)
In Manhattan: K-State leads 9-5 (last meeting - 2/22/2016)
Current Streak: Texas, 4
Last Meeting: Texas, 71-70, in Manhattan, Kan., on 2/22/2016
Weber vs. Texas: 4-6 (2-2 at home)
Weber vs. Smart: 0-2 (0-1 at home)
GAME 13 - QUICK HITTERS
• Kansas State (11-1)?opens Big 12 play on Friday night, as the Wildcats play host to Texas (6-6) for the first time in a league opener at Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m. CT. The game will air nationally on ESPNews with Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Stephen Howard (analyst) on the call.
• Friday’s conference opener will be the earliest in school history in the modern era and just the second-ever in December. K-State played at Kansas in a Missouri Valley Conference game on Dec. 16, 1927. The earliest league opener prior to that came on Jan. 2 in 1945, 1946, 1999 and 2016.
• K-State is 50-53 all-time in conference openers dating back to Missouri Valley play in 1914, including 7-13 in the Big 12 era. The Wildcats are 35-19 when opening league at home, including 5-3 in the Big 12 era.
• K-State has lost its last 2 Big 12 openers, including in double-overtime a year ago to No. 19 West Virginia at home, 87-83. The last Wildcat win in a Big 12 home came at home over Oklahoma State, 74-71, on Jan. 4, 2014.
• K-State leads the series with Texas, 17-15, however, the Longhorns hold a 15-11 advantage in the Big 12 era. Texas has won 4 straight in the series, which is the longest streak since K-State won the first 5 meetings.
• K-State enters Friday’s game off to its best start (11-1) under head coach Bruce Weber and the best since also starting 11-1 during the 2011-12 season. The Wildcats have won 6 in a row, which is the longest winning streak since a 10-game streak from Nov. 24, 2013 to Jan. 7, 2014.
• During its current win streak, K-State is averaging 77.3 points on 49.7 percent shooting, including 38.8 percent from 3-point range, with 4 players averaging in double figures led by senior D.J. Johnson’s 13.0 points per game. Opponents are averaging 58.2 points on 37 percent shooting.
• K-State has won 9 straight at home venues (including 8 in a row at Bramlage Coliseum) dating back to last season with the last loss coming to Texas, 71-70, on Feb. 22, 2016. The Wildcats went unbeaten at home (8-0) in non-conference play for the second consecutive season.
• K-State has won its 8 home games by an average of 18.5 points per game, while averaging 75.5 points on 49.4 percent shooting and holding opponents to just 57 points on 36.4 percent shooting. Sophomore Barry Brown (13.6 ppg.) is one of 4 players averaging in double figures at home.
• K-State is among the national leaders in defense, ranking 8th in scoring defense (58.5), 9th in field goal percentage defense (37.0), 34th in steals (8.3) and 39th in turnovers forced (16.0).
• K-State has 5 players averaging in double figures led by Brown’s 12.5 points per game, who has double-digits in 10 of the first 12 games.
THE OPPONENT: TEXAS (6-6)
• Texas enters Friday’s game with a 6-6 record after dropping a 63-58 decision to Kent State at home... The Longhorns opened the year with 3 straight wins before winning just 3 times in the last 9 games... The team is 0-4 away from home this season.
• The Longhorns are averaging 70.2 points on 43.1 percent shooting, including 28.9 percent from 3-point range, with 36.5 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 6.1 steals and 5.2 blocks per game... They are allowing opponents 65.6 points per game on 39.6 percent shooting, including 29.5 percent from beyond the arc... The team is shooting 66.4 percent from the free throw line.
• Texas is one of the youngest teams in the country with 2 true freshman and 2 sophomore starters to go with senior Shaquille Cleare... Sophomore Tevin Mack (14.7 ppg.) is one of 3 Longhorns averaging in double figures, along with fellow sophomore Kerwin Roach, Jr. (11.0 ppg.) and freshman Jarrett Allen (10.7 ppg.)... Mack is shooting 45.5 percent, including 40.6 percent from long range, to go with a team-best 26 3-point field goals... Roach leads in assists (2.9 apg.) and steals (1.5 spg.), while Allen is tops in rebounding (6.9 rpg.) while connecting on a team-best 57 percent... Freshman Andrew Jones averages 9.6 points.
• Texas is led by 2nd-year head coach Shaka Smart, who has a 26-19 record... He has an 189-75 overall record in his 8th season as a head coach, which includes a stint at VCU where he led the Rams to 5 NCAA?Tournaments and the 2011 Final Four.
BREAKING?DOWN?THE?SERIES
• This will be the 33rd meeting between the two schools with K-State leading 17-15 in a series that dates to 1971.
• Texas owns a 15-11 edge in the Big 12 era vs. K-State with the Longhorns sweeping the series in 2015 and 2016... Texas has won 5 of the last 6 games, including 4 in a row... The 4-game winning streak is the longest since K-State won 5 from 1971-84.
• K-State is 9-5 at home vs. Texas in the series, including 7-5 in the Big 12 era... The Wildcats had won 4 in a row over the Longhorns at Bramlage Coliseum before losing the last 2 at home... The last win came on Feb. 8, 2014 by a score of 74-57.
• Head coach Bruce Weber is 4-6 all-time vs. Texas, including 4-5 in his tenure at K-State.
LAST SEASON VS. TEXAS
• K-State lost both meetings with Texas in 2016, losing 60-57 in Austin on Jan. 5 and 71-70 in Manhattan on Feb. 22.
• Isaiah Taylor and Javan?Felix keyed a late Texas run in the first meeting, as the Longhorns used a 14-4 spurt to earn a 60-57 win at home... The duo scored 13 of the team’s final 16 points... Barry Brown led the Wildcats with 15 points.
• A K-State comeback fell inches short as Dean Wade missed a game-winning 3-pointer, as Texas held on 71-70 in the second meeting... After a 3-pointer by Brown cut the lead to 71-70 with 20 seconds left, Javan Felix missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 with 14 seconds to set up the final sequence... Justin?Edwards scored a game-high 20 points, while D.J. Johnson added 16.
• Justin Edwards led 4 Wildcats in double figures in the 2 meetings with Texas with team-high averages of 16.5 points and 9 rebounds... D.J. Johnson (11.0 ppg.), Wesley Iwundu (10.0 ppg.) and Barry Brown (10.0 ppg.) also averaged double figures.
CONFERENCE OPENERS
• K-State is 50-53 in conference openers dating back to Missouri?Valley play in 1914, including 35-19 in openers at home... The Big 12 is the fifth league following the MVC (1914-28), Big Six (1929-47), Big Seven (1948-58) and Big Eight (1959-96).
• Friday’s game is the earliest league opener in school history in the modern era and just the second in the month of December... The last time the Wildcats played a conference game in December was on Dec. 16, 1927 when playing at Kansas in a Missouri Valley Conference game... The previous earliest league opener came on Jan. 2 in 1945, 1946, 1999 and 2016.
• K-State is 7-13 in Big 12 openers, including a 5-3 mark in those openers at home... The Wildcats have lost their last 2 league openers at Oklahoma State in 2015 and at home to No. 19 West Virginia in double-overtime in 2016... The last win at home against OSU, 74-71, on Jan. 4, 2014... The game marks just the 5th time K-State has opened Big 12 play at home since 2009.
• Friday’s game will be the 1st time that K-State and Texas have met in a conference opener.
HOME SWEET HOME
• K-State has a 147-28 (.840) record at Bramlage Coliseum over the past 10 seasons, including 62-23 (.729) mark in Big 12 play.
• K-State has a 348-108 record (.763) at Bramlage Coliseum, which are the 2nd-most wins behind the 378 at Ahearn Field House.
• The Wildcats need 3 more wins to post double-digit wins at Bramlage Coliseum for the 16th consecutive season, including the 24th time of its 29 seasons in the arena... The Wildcats are 7-0 this season with 8 consecutive wins dating back to last season.
• K-State has 4 wins over the No. 1 team in Bramlage Coliseum, including Missouri, 65-58, on Feb. 8, 1990, Texas, 71-62, on Jan. 18, 2010, Kansas, 84-68, on Feb. 14, 2011 and Oklahoma, 80-69, on Feb. 6, 2016.
• K-State is now 33-54 (.379) all-time against Top 25 foes at Bramlage Coliseum, including 18-14 (.563) since 2008.
• Head coach?Bruce Weber is 63-12 (.840) at Bramlage Coliseum, including 27-9 (.750) vs. Big 12 opponents.
OFF TO A GOOD START ON OFFENSE
• K-State is averaging 76.4 points on 49.0 percent shooting and 38.8 percent from 3-point range, through the first 12 games with assists on 61.5 percent of its made field goals (203/330).
• The 76.4 scoring average is the highest in non-conference play since the 2011-12 team averaged 77.2 points, while the 49 percent field goal average and 38.8 percent 3-point field goal average are the highest in more than a decade in non-conference play... The 95 3-pointers are the most in non-conference play since posting 107 in 2010-11, while the 203 assists are the most since 2012-13.
• The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 9 of the first 12 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 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.
• K-State has connected on at least 50 percent of its field goals in at least one half of 11 of 12 games 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 is averaging 32.3 points in the paint, 21.0 bench points, 18.9 points off of turnovers, 12.3 second-chance points and 12.2 fast-break points... The 146 fast-break points (12.2 ppg.) is an improvement of 5.2 ppg. from 2015-16 (7.1 ppg.).
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 38.8 percent (95-of-245) from 3-point range and is averaging 7.9 3-point field goals per game.
• K-State ranks 58th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage... The team is 4th in both percentage and 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 22-of-54 start by Kamau Stokes... Stokes has at least 1 3-pointer in 10 of 12 games, including at least 2 in 8 games... Five players have 10 or more 3-pointers.
• 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 284 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2008-09 season.
OFFENSIVE BALANCE HAS BEEN KEY
• Five players are averaging in double figures, including 4 starters, led by Barry Brown (12.5 ppg.) and D.J. Johnson (12.0 ppg.), while the other starter (Dean?Wade) is averaging 9 points per game... 5 of the top 8 scorers are shooting 50 percent or better from the field... 6 different players have led the team in scoring, including 3 times each by Brown and Johnson.
• At least 4 Wildcats have scored in double figures in 7 of 12 games, including at least 3 in 11 games... 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 (12/17), 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 starters 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 48.3 percent from the field (239-of-495), including 37.8 percent (59-of-156) from 3-point range.
• 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 - 9th, Iwundu - 15th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (Stokes - 11th, Iwundu - 15th).
THE WINNING STREAK BY THE NUMBERS
• K-State is averaging 77.3 points during its 6-game winning streak on 49.7 percent shooting (168-of-338), including 38.8 percent (50-of-129) from 3-point range, and 70.3 percent (78-of-111) from the free throw line.
• Six Wildcats are averaging 9.7 points or more, including 4 in double figures, led by senior D.J. Johnson (13.0 ppg)... Johnson is shooting 77.8 percent (35-of-45) from the field, while averaging a team-best 7.3 rebounds per outing.
• Two others - Dean?Wade and Xavier Sneed - are connecting on better than 50 percent from the field... Wade is averaging 11.5 points on 53.7 percent (22-of-41) shooting, including 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from 3-point range, and 6.7 rebounds, while Sneed is averaging 11 points on 51.1 percent (23-of-45) shooting, including 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from long range.
• Barry?Brown (10.8 ppg.) and Kamau?Stokes (9.7 ppg.) have combined for 20 of the team’s 50 3-pointers.
• On the defensive end, the Wildcats are holding opponents to just 58.2 points on 37 percent shooting, including 32.6 percent from 3-point range... The team has forced 93 turnovers during the streak, averaging 19.5 points off of turnovers.
GETTING?DEFENSIVE
• K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under head coach 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 145 games), the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 63.9 points per game (9,262)... The next closest team in that span is Baylor (64.9 ppg.) followed by Oklahoma State (65.3 ppg.).
• K-State ranks 8th nationally in scoring defense (58.5), 9th in FG percentage defense (37.0), 34th in steals (8.3) and 39th in turnovers forced (16.0)... The Wildcats are 2nd in the Big 12 in scoring defense and FG percentage defense.
• K-State has held its first 12 opponents to an average of 58.5 points on 37 percent shooting, including 33.8 percent from 3-point range, with just 138 assists on 246 made field goals... The Wildcats also hold a +4.1 rebounding margin (36.8-32.7).
• Five opponents have been held to 55 points or less, while 9 of 12 foes have been held to 40 percent shooting or less.
• 55 opponents have been held to 60 points or less in?Weber’s tenure with the Wildcats boasting a 49-6 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 79-23 under Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 69 points or less and 11-32 when allowing 70 or more
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TURNOVERS
• K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.3 apg./34th) and turnovers forced (16.0/39th).
• K-State has scored at least 15 points off turnovers in each of the first 12 games, including a season-high 26 vs. Omaha (11/15)... Five times the team has scored 20 or more points off turnovers, including on 4 occasions during the 6-game winning streak.
• The Wildcats have also forced 20 or more turnovers in 3 games, including a season-high 25 vs. Robert Morris (11/22).
• K-State has scored more than 2,000 points (2,147) off of turnovers under Bruce Weber, an average of 14.8 points per game.
• The current 8.3 steals per game average is on pace to be the 3rd-best average in school history and the highest since 1990-91.
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 10 of 12 games by a combined score of 505-364.
• Senior D.J. Johnson has a team-best 91 points on the Play Hard Chart and has won the chart 5 times this season... He has 531 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 also won the chart in 5 games, including a season-best 13 points vs. Gardner-Webb (12/21).
JOHNSON A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
• Senior D.J. Johnson has become a consistent force in the middle, averaging 12 points on a team-high 66.3 percent shooting with team-bests in rebounding (7.1 rpg.) and blocks (1.8 bpg.)... He has double figures in 7 games, including 2 20-point games.
• Johnson ranks among the Big 12’s Top 10 in 5 different categories, including field goal percentage (1st), blocked shots (5th), rebounding (7th), offensive rebounds (6th/2.6) and defensive rebounds (8th/4.5).
• Johnson joined unique company in the win over Gardner-Webb (12/21), becoming just the 10th Wildcat to go 8-of-8 or better from the field in school history and the 1st since Luis Colon went 9-of-9 vs. Southern Miss at the Sprint Center on Dec. 11, 2008.
• 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 22 blocked shots nearly surpass his entire total from 2015-16 (29), while twice he has posted a career-best 4 blocks.
• Dating back to the win over Oklahoma last season, Johnson is averaging 12.5 points on 62.1 percent shooting (108-of-174) in the last 23 games with 6.7 rebounds per game... He has double-digit scoring in 15 of those 23 games with 3 double-doubles.
• His career 59.3 field goal percentage ranks 2nd in school history after shooting a school-record 60.8 percent as a junior.
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 68 points, 40 rebounds, 17 assists and 3 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 assists (3.2 apg.) and 3rd in both scoring (11.6 ppg.) and rebounding (5.3 rpg.).
• Iwundu collected his 6th career double-double vs. Maryland (11/26), while he has scored in double figures 7 times.
• Iwundu ranks in 3 Big 12 categories, including rebounding (19th), assists (15th) and defensive rebounds (11th/4.3).
• Iwundu is the leader in points (932), rebounds (460), assists (283), steals (97), minutes (2,964), games (109) and starts (101).
• Iwundu now ranks 8th in career assists and 10th in career minutes, while he is 33rd on the all-time scoring list (932).
• Iwundu has played in 76 consecutive games, including a streak of 64 starts in a row... He became the 7th Wildcat to total 100 career starts against Colorado State (12/17) and now ranks 7th on the all-time starts (101) list.
STOKES ON POINT
• Sophomore Kamau?Stokes return from injury has been one of the biggest storylines to K-State’s 11-1 start to the season.
• After starting 20 of the first 21 games of his freshman season, Stokes went down with a season-ending knee injury against Ole Miss on Jan. 30, 2016, requiring him to miss the final 12 games of the season... At the time of his injury, he was averaging 9.4 points on 36.5 percent shooting with 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.9 minutes per game.
• Now fully healthy, Stokes has built on his success during the team’s European Tour this summer to start all 12 games and average 10.3 points per game to go with team-highs in assists (4.3 apg.), minutes (31.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.04).
• Stokes currently ranks 1st in 3-point field goals (22), 3-point attempts (54) and percentage (40.7)... He has knocked down at least 2 treys in 8 of the team’s 12 games, including a season-high 3 vs. Omaha, Hampton, Maryland and Prairie View A&M.
• Stokes has scored in double figures 7 times, including a season-high 18 vs. Gardner-Webb (12/21) on 6-of-10 shooting.
• Stokes, who ranks in the Top 11 in the Big 12 in both assists (9th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (11th), has dished out 5 or more assists 6 times this season (after doing it 3 times in 21 games as a freshman), including a career-high 8 at Colorado State (12/17).
• Stokes has been even better handing the ball in the last 8 games, averaging 5.3 assists with a 2.63 assist-to-turnover ratio (42/16)... During the current winning streak, he is averaging 5.5 assists with a 2.75 assist-to-turnover ratio (33/12)
• Stokes averaged team highs in both scoring (10.8 ppg.) and assists (3.0 apg.) during the team’s 5-game tour of Italy and Switzerland, August 8-19, to go with 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game... He scored a tour-high 20 vs.?Kosovo National Team.
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 12.5 points on 44.0 percent (55-of-125) shooting, including 48.8 percent (39-of-80) from inside the 3-point line and 35.6 percent (16-of-45) from long range.
• 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 has been among the steals leaders, ranking 27th nationally in steals per game (2.2) and 33rd in total steals (26)... He has at least 2 steals in 8 of 12 games, including a career-best 5 vs. Hampton (11/20)... He ranks 3rd in the Big 12 in steals.
SUPER SUB
• Freshman?Xavier Sneed has provided a big boost from the bench this season, averaging 10.3 points on 50 percent shooting (41-of-82), including 38.8 percent (19-of-49) from 3-point range, to go with 3.6 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game.
• Sneed has scored in double figures 7 times, including a season-best 17 points in his debut vs. Western Illinois (11/11).
• Sneed ranks 2nd on the team in both 3-point FG makes (19) and attempts (49) and has knocked down at least 2 treys in 6 games with a season-best 4 against both Western Illinois (11/11) and at Saint Louis (12/3).
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 4th current Big 12 coach to win 400 games, joining Bob Huggins, Bill?Self and Lon Kruger.
• Weber currently ranks 5th on the school’s all-time wins list with 90 victories after passing Lon Kruger (81, 1986-90), Jim Wooldridge (83, 2000-06), Tom Asbury (85, 1994-2000) and Charles Corsaut (89, 1923-33) earlier this season... His 90 wins now trail all-time wins leader Jack Hartman (295), Tex Winter (261), Jack Gardner (146) and Frank Martin (117).
• 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: AT KANSAS (11-1)
• The Wildcats will hit the road for Lawrence, Kan., on Tuesday, as the team will play No. 3/3 Kansas (11-1) at 7 p.m., CT at Allen Fieldhouse. The game will air nationally on ESPN2.