PREVIEW: K-State Begins Road Swing at Iowa State Tuesday

GAME PREVIEW

JAN 24, 8:05 PM CT

Hilton Coliseum
Ames, IA

RV/RV
K-STATE
WILDCATS
15-4 (4-3 Big 12)

RV/RV
IOWA STATE
CYCLONES
12-6 (4-3 Big 12)

ESPNU
Sirius 81, XM 81

TELEVISION
ESPNU
• Mark Neely (play-by-play)
• Reid Gettys (analyst)
• Nicole Rachel (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 81/XM 81

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

TICKETS
Cyclones.com
(888) 478.2925
tickets@iastate.edu
$40-$195

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 407-213/19th season
At K-State: 94-58/5th season
vs. Iowa State: 3-6 (0-4 on the road)

Iowa State: Steve Prohm (Alabama ‘97)
Overall: 139-47/6th season
At Iowa State: 139-47/6th season
vs. Kansas State: 2-0 (1-0 at home)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (15-4, 4-3 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (11.5 ppg., 4.6 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (12.8 ppg., 3.2 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.2 ppg., 5.5 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (10.3 ppg., 5.2 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (12.4 ppg., 6.4 rpg.)

Iowa State (12-6, 4-3 Big 12)
G: #11 Monte Morris (16.1 ppg., 6.0 apg.)
G: #15 Naz Mitrou-Long (16.1 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)
G: #21 Matt Thomas (11.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg.)
G: #30 Deonte Burton (13.9 ppg., 6.8 rpg.)
F: #10 Darrell Bowie (7.4 ppg., 5.1 rpg.)

INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: K-State leads 137-85 (series began in 1909)
In Big 12 era: Iowa State leads 22-20 (14-6 at home)
In Ames: K-State leads 50-49 (last meeting - 2/27/2016)
Current Streak: Iowa State, 2
Last Meeting: Iowa State, 80-61, in Ames, Iowa, on 2/27/2016
Weber vs. Iowa State: 3-6 (0-4 on the road)
Weber vs. Prohm: 0-2 (0-1 on the road)

GAME 20 - QUICK HITTERS
• Kansas State (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) begins a stretch of consecutive road games on Tuesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State (12-6, 4-3 Big 12) at 8 p.m. CT at Hilton Coliseum.
• K-State and Iowa State are among 7 Big 12 schools in the NCAA RPI Top 55 released Monday with the Wildcats at 39th and the Cyclones at 52nd. The Wildcats were just out of both Top 25 polls, ranking 26th in the AP poll with 41 points and 28th in the USA?Today Coaches poll with 17 points.
• The schools will meet for the 223rd time on Tuesday night with K-State holding a 137-85 all-time advantage in the series. However, Iowa State owns a slight 22-20 edge in the Big 12 era, including a 14-6 mark at home. The Cyclones have lost 5 in a row at Hilton Coliseum in the series.
• K-State is 4-3 away from home venues, including a 3-2 mark in true road tilts. The team was notable in their last road trip, ending a 4-game losing streak at Gallagher-Iba Arena with a 96-88 win over Oklahoma State. The 96 points were the most-ever scored in a Big 12 road game.
• K-State won consecutive Big 12 games for the first time since February 2015, as the Wildcats snapped a 5-game losing streak to West Virginia with a 79-75 victory. The win gave K-State its first over a Top 25 opponent this season and extended its streak of at least one win over a ranked foe to 11 consecutive seasons. It is the longest such streak since 1971-82.
• The Wildcats once against showed their balance in the win over the Mountaineers, as all 5 starters scored in double figures for the 6th time under head coach Bruce Weber, including the 4th time this season.
• K-State is the only Big 12 team to have all 5 starters averaging in double figures and the lone school with 5 double-digit scorers. In all, the Wildcats have had 6 different leading scorers with 5 of those players tallying at least 11 double-figure scoring games led by sophomore Barry Brown’s 15.
• K-State connected on 50 percent or better from the field against West Virginia for the 10th time this season, hitting on exactly 50 percent (28-of-56) of its field goals. The team has shot 50 percent or better 5 times in the last 6 outings, including 3 consecutive road games.
• K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.5 spg./18th) and turnovers forced (16.4/23rd). The Wildcats have helped force double-digit turnovers in 17 games, including 10 or more steals 7 times, and have scored at least 14 points off those turnovers in 18 games. The team is averaging 18.1 points off of turnovers, including 16.7 points in Big 12 play.

THE OPPONENT: IOWA STATE (12-6, 4-3 Big 12)
• Iowa State enters Tuesday’s game with a 12-6 record and a 4-3 mark in Big 12 play after a dramatic double-overtime 92-87 win at Oklahoma on Saturday... The Cyclones are 7-2 at home this season, including 2-1 in Big 12 play.
• The Cyclones are averaging 81.6 points on 45.8 percent shooting, including 36.5 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 39.1 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.1 blocks per game... They are allowing opponents 68.5 points per game on 41 percent shooting, including 33.4 percent from beyond the arc... The team is shooting 65.3 percent from the free throw line.
• Iowa State ranks 1st in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6) with a league-low 10.1 turnovers per contest.
• The Cyclones are one of the most experienced teams in the Big 12 with 5 senior starters led by All-American candidate Monte Morris, who leads the team in both scoring (16.1 ppg.) and assists (6.0 apg.)... Fellow senior Naz Mitrou-Long also averages 16.1 points per game to go with a team-best 47 3-point field goals, while Deonte Burton (13.9 ppg.) and Matt Thomas (11.0 ppg.) also average double figures... Burton leads the Cyclones in rebounding (6.8 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.2 bpg.).
• Iowa State is led by second-year coach Steve Prohm, who has a 139-47 record in his 6th season as a head coach and a 35-18 mark with the Cyclones... He led Murray State to 3 postseason appearances and 2 regular-season conference titles from 2011-15.

BREAKING?DOWN?THE?SERIES
• This will be the 223rd meeting between the two schools with K-State leading the series, 137-85.
• The 222 meetings are the 3rd-most against one opponent behind Kansas (285) and Missouri (236).
• The 137 wins are the most against one opponent ahead of the 126 vs. Nebraska and 120 vs. Missouri.
• Iowa State leads the series, 22-20, in the Big 12 era, including a 14-6 mark at home in that span.
• K-State has a slight 50-49 edge in Ames in the series, but has lost 5 in a row since an 86-85 win over Feb. 5, 2011.
• The Cyclones swept the season series a year ago for the first time since 2012, posting a 76-63 win at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 16, 2016 before an 80-61 victory at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 27, 2016.

LAST SEASON VS. IOWA STATE
• Iowa State won both meetings in 2016, including an 80-61 victory in the last meeting at Hilton Coliseum on?Feb. 27, 2016.
• No. 17/17 Iowa State broke open a tight contest with a 13-0 run midway through the second half, as the Cyclones tallied an 80-61 victory over K-State in the last meeting at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 27, 2016... With the Wildcats leading 39-37 with 16:28 to play, the Cyclones scored 13 consecutive points over a 3-minute stretch, which included 3 straight 3-pointers... The loss spoiled a stellar performance from D.J. Johnson, who collected his first career 20-point game with a game-high 22 to go with 9 boards.
• In the first meeting of 2016, K-State fell behind early and could never recover, as No. 17/18 Iowa State posted a 76-63 win at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 16... The Cyclones used a 15-0 run midway through the first half then used another 7-0 spurt to prevent any further comeback by the Wildcats... Justin Edwards led the way with 19 points, while Wesley Iwundu (11) and Kamau Stokes (10) also registered double figures... It was Iowa State’s first win at Bramlage Coliseum since Feb. 25, 2012.
• Among those returning, Johnson averaged 14.5 points on 66.7 percent (10-of-15) shooting in 2 games against the Cyclones in 2016 to go with a team-high 6.5 rebounds, while Iwundu (11.5 ppg.) and Stokes (10.0 ppg.) also averaged double figures.

CATS EFFICIENT ON OFFENSE
• K-State is averaging 76.5 points on 49 percent shooting (511-of-1043) and 38.3 percent from 3-point range (145-of-379), through the first 19 games with assists on 62 percent of its made field goals (317/511) and a +3.3 turnover margin.
• The Wildcats may rank just 7th in the Big 12 in scoring offense, but they place in Top 5 in most offensive categories, including
• 3rd in turnover margin and field goal percentage and 4th in 3-point field goal percentage, 3-point field goals made and assists.
• K-State’s 8 games of 80 or more points equals the entire total of such games from 2015-16 and are the most since the Wildcats scored 80 or more points 11 times in 2010-11... The 8 games are double the totals from 2013-14 (4) and 2014-15 (4).
• The current 76.5 points per game scoring average is the highest since the 2009-10 team averaged 79.7 points per game, while the 49.0 field goal percentage is the highest since the 1987-88 team connected on 50.6 percent and the 38.3 3-point field goal percentage is the highest since the 1989-90 team connected on 39.0 percent from long range.
• K-State has shot 50 percent or better 10 times this season, including on 5 occasions in Big 12 play... The Wildcats have shot 50 percent or better against Omaha (11/15), Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30), Saint Louis (12/3), Prairie View A&M (12/6), Kansas (1/3), Oklahoma (1/7), Texas Tech (1/10), Oklahoma State (1/18) and West Virginia (1/21).
• K-State has connected on at least 50 percent of its field goals in at least one half of 17 games this season, including hitting the mark in both halves against Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30), Prairie View A&M (12/6), Oklahoma (1/7) and OSU (1/18).
• K-State has totaled at least 15 assists in 14 of 19 games this season, including 20 or more 5 times... The Wildcats dished out 20 or more assists in 3 consecutive games (vs. Green Bay, Saint Louis and Prairie View A&M) for first time since 2010-11.

OFFENSIVE BALANCE HAS BEEN KEY
• All 5 starters are averaging in double figures led by sophomore Barry Brown (12.8 ppg.), senior D.J. Johnson (12.4 ppg.) and senior Wesley Iwundu (12.2 ppg.), while 6 players are averaging 8 or more points... 6 different players have led the team in scoring, including a team-best 5 times by Brown and 4 each by Johnson and sophomore Dean Wade.
• K-State is the only Big 12 team to have all 5 starters averaging double figures and the only one to have 5 double-digit scorers.
• All 5 starters scored in double figures vs. No. 7/8 West Virginia (1/21) for the 6th time under Bruce Weber, including the 4th time this season and 3rd time in Big 12 play, while a season-high 6 scored double digits in the win over Colorado State (12/17)... It marked the 3rd time under Weber that 6 players had double figures and the first time since Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014.
• All 5 starters scored in double figures in consecutive Big 12 games at No. 3/2 Kansas (1/3) and Oklahoma (1/7) for the first time since at least the 2005-06 season... Starters connected on 52.2 percent in the games against the Jayhawks and Sooners.
• K-State narrowly missed having all 5 starters in double figures at Texas Tech (1/10) and at Oklahoma State (1/18)... Brown and Iwundu each finished with 9 vs. the Red Raiders, while Wade was the only starter to not score double digits vs. the Cowboys.
• At least 4 Wildcats have scored in double figures in 12 of 19 games, including at least 3 in 18 games... In all, 7 have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 5 having at least 11 double-digit scoring games led by Brown’s 15 games of 10 or more points.
• Nine Wildcats are shooting 45 percent or better from the field, including 3 of 5 starters... The starters are shooting a combined 48.7 percent from the field (394-of-809), including 38.1 percent (101-of-265) from 3-point range, this season.
• In all, starters are responsible for 77 percent of the team’s 1,453 points and 511 made field goals, 70 percent of the 145 made 3-pointers and 81.1 percent of the 317 assists... They also own 65 of the 75 double-digit scoring games.

OFFENSE HAS?ALSO BEEN?STRONG?IN?BIG?12 PLAY
• K-State is averaging 76.6 points in Big 12 play on 49.1 percent shooting (181-of-369), including 37.3 percent (50-of-134) from long range, with assists on 63 percent of its field goals (114/181) and a +3.9 turnover margin.
• The current 76.6 scoring average is the highest in Big 12 play since averaging 76.8 points in 2009-10.
• The Wildcats lead the Big 12 in field goal percentage, while they are 3rd in 3-point field goal percentage, assists (16.3), turnover margin (+3.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2), 4th in 3-point field goals (7.1) and 5th in scoring offense.
• K-State has connected on 50 percent or better from the field in 5 of 7 Big 12 games with all 5 contests coming in last 6 games... During that 6-game stretch, the Wildcats are averaging 78.5 points per game on 50.9 percent shooting (164-of-322).
• The Wildcats hit on 50 percent or better from the field in games against No. 3/2 Kansas (50.8), Oklahoma (54.2)?and Texas Tech (50.0) for the first time in 3 consecutive league games in the Big 12 era and the first time overall since Dec. 12-21, 2009.
• All 5 starters are averaging in double figures with remarkable balance with 4 of those players averaging 13 or more points led by Kamau Stokes (13.6 ppg.), Barry Brown (13.3 ppg.), D.J. Johnson (13.1 ppg.) and Wesley Iwundu (13.1 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 38.3 percent (145-of-379) from 3-point range and is averaging 7.6 3-point field goals per game.
• K-State ranks 52nd nationally in 3-point field goal percentage... The team is 4th in makes and percentage in the Big 12.
• K-State has at least 7 3-pointers in 14 games, including double digits vs. Western?Illinois (11/11), Hampton (11/15) and Prairie View A&M (12/6) and Texas Tech (1/10)... The Wildcats have at least 6 treys in 12 of their 15 wins this season.
• 11 Wildcats have at least one 3-pointer this season, including a team-best 36-of-87 start by Kamau Stokes... Stokes has at least 1 3-pointer in 16 of 19 games, including at least 2 in 12 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 291 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2008-09 season.

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 152 games), the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 64.4 points per game (9,784)... The next closest team in that span is Baylor (64.9 ppg.) followed by Oklahoma State (65.3 ppg.).
• K-State ranks 18th nationally in steals (8.5), 23rd in turnovers forced (16.4), 33rd in scoring defense (64.4) and 62nd in FG percentage defense (40.8)... The Wildcats are 2nd in the Big 12 in scoring defense, 3rd in FG?percentage defense and 4th in steals.
• Five opponents have been held to 55 points or less, while 9 of 19 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 81-24 under Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 69 points or less and 13-34 when allowing 70 or more.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TURNOVERS
• K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.5 apg./18th) and turnovers forced (16.4/23rd).
• The current 8.5 steals per game average is on pace to be the 3rd-best average in school history and the highest since 1990-91.
• K-State posted double-digit steals for the 7th time with 12 against West Virginia, including on the 4th occasion in Big 12 play... The team ranks 4th in the Big 12 in steals in all games, including 2nd in league-only games with 63 through first 7 games.
• The Wildcats have forced double figure turnovers in 17 games, including 20 or more turnovers 4 times, with a season-high 25 vs. Robert Morris (11/22) and 23 vs. West Virginia (1/21)... The team has forced double-digit turnovers in 12 of the last 13 games.
• K-State is averaging 18.1 points per game off of turnovers, including 16.7 points per game in Big 12 play, and have outscored opponents, 344-209... The team has scored at least 14 points off turnovers in 18 games, including a season-high 26 vs. Omaha.
• Seven times the team has scored 20 or more points off turnovers, including in games at OSU?(1/18) and West Virginia (1/21).
• K-State has scored more than 2,000 points (2,264) off of turnovers under Bruce Weber, an average of 14.9 points per game.

MOMENTUM CHANGE
• K-State has been able to change the momentum by holding opponents without a field goal for stretches of 4 minutes or more in 10 of its 19 games... The Wildcats held Robert Morris without a field goal for two stretch of 6 minutes or more, including 6:13 of the first half (15:50 mark to the 9:37 mark) and a season-best 6:59 of the second half (16:44 mark to the 9:45 mark).
• It marked the third time this season that the Wildcats have held an opponent without a field goal for nearly 6 minutes in the first half, holding Western Illinois (11/11) for 5:57 to start the game and Omaha (11/15) for 6:49 stretch.
• K-State has 16 stretches of holding opponents without points for at least 4 minutes, including 6 in the last 7 games.
• K-State continued its strong defense vs. Texas (12/30), holding the Longhorns of droughts of 6:27 and 4:09 in the first half... The Wildcats turned in an 11-4 deficit into a 19-13 lead during the 6:27 drought, which included 13 straight missed field goals.

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 17 of 19 games (including all 7 Big 12 games) by a combined score of 740-550.
• Senior D.J. Johnson leads the team with 137 points on the Play Hard Chart, while sophomore Dean Wade is not far behind with 120 points... Johnson and Wade have won the individual game chart a team-high 7 times... The starters rank in the Top 5 on the Play Hard chart, as Barry Brown (98), Kamau Stokes (86) and Wesley Iwundu (82) round out Top 5.
• Johnson has tallied 577 Play Hard points in his career, including a team-best 14 in the opener vs.?Western Illinois (11/11)... He 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.

IWUNDU JOINS ELITE COMPANY
• Senior Wesley Iwundu became the first Wildcat in school history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 steals in a career in the win against No. 7/8 West Virginia (1/21)... He needed 7 rebounds to reach the milestone, grabbing 9 against the Mountaineers after reaching 1,000 points, 300 assists and 100 steals earlier this season.
• 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 in rebounding (5.5 rpg.) and assists (3.6 apg.) and 3rd in scoring (12.2 ppg.) and steals (1.0 spg.).
• Iwundu ranks among the Top 20 in 6 Big 12 categories, including scoring (20th), rebounding (15th), free throw percentage (74.7/8th), assists (3.6/11th), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6/13th) and defensive rebounds (4.6/9th).
• Iwundu and Oklahoma’s Jordan Woodard are the only Big 12 players to rank in the Top 20 in scoring, rebounding and assists.
• Iwundu became the 27th Wildcat and the 4th under head coach Bruce Weber to eclipse 1,000 career points at OSU (1/18).
• Iwundu now ranks in the Top 10 in career starts (108/5th), assists (314/7th), minutes (3,196/8th) and steals (105/10th).
• Iwundu is the leader in points (1024), rebounds (502), assists (314), steals (108), minutes (3,196), games (116) and starts (108).

JOHNSON A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
• Senior D.J. Johnson has become a consistent force in the middle, averaging 12.4 points on a Big 12-best 64.1 percent shooting with team-bests in rebounding (6.4 rpg.) and blocks (1.6 bpg.)... He has double figures in 13 games, including 3 20-point games.
• Dating back to the win over No. 1 Oklahoma last season, Johnson is averaging 12.6 points on 61.7 percent shooting (142-of-230) in the last 30 games with 6.5 rebounds per game... He has 20 double-digit scoring in those games with 3 double-doubles.
• Johnson ranks among the Big 12’s Top 20 in 7 different categories, including field goal percentage (1st), blocked shots (5th), offensive rebounds (2.5/7th), rebounding (11th), defensive rebounds (3.8/15th), free throw percentage (15th) and scoring (18th).
• Johnson posted his 5th career 20-point game (3rd this year) with 20 points vs. No. 1/1 Baylor (1/14) on 9-of-13 field goals.
• 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 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 31 blocked shots have already surpassed his total from 2015-16 (29), while twice he has posted a career-best 4 blocks.
• His career 59.5 field goal percentage ranks 2nd in school history after shooting a school-record 60.8 percent as a junior.

WADE A BIG FACTOR
• Sophomore Dean Wade has broken out to become a major scoring factor for the Wildcats, registering double figures in 9 of the last 12 games... During that stretch, he has led the team in scoring 3 times, including a career-tying 20 points at Kansas (1/3).
• During this 12-game span, Wade is averaging 12.4 points on 56.6 percent shooting (47-of-83), including 41.7 percent (15-of-36) from 3-point range, and 82.9 percent (29-of-35) from the free throw line to go with 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals.
• Wade ranks 6th in field goal percentage (58.2/32-of-55) while averaging 12.4 points per game in Big 12 play with double-digit scoring game in 5 of 7 games, including the first 4 league games for the 1st time in his career.
• Wade registered his 2nd career 20-point game at Kansas (1/3), going 6-of-12 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line... It was his 1st 20-point game of the season and his 1st since posting 20 vs. Oklahoma State in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
• Wade was also stellar in the Big 12 opener against Texas (12/30), scoring 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 2 treys.
• Wade has scored in double figures in 27 career games (10 this season) with K-State posting a 22-5 mark in those contests.

STOKES ON POINT
• Sophomore Kamau?Stokes return from injury has been one of the biggest storylines to K-State’s 14-4 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 19 games and average 11.5 points per game to go with team-highs in assists (4.6 apg.), minutes (32.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).
• Stokes ranks among the Big 12’s Top 10 in 5 categories, including 4th in minutes (32.8), 8th in 3-point field goal percentage (41.4), 6th in assists (4.6) and 9th in both 3-point field goals per game (1.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).
• Stokes ranks 1st on the team in 3-point field goals (36) and 3-point attempts (87) and 2nd in percentage (41.4).
• Stokes has scored in double figures 14 times, including in 9 consecutive games, with a season-high 18 vs. Gardner-Webb.
• Stokes, who ranks in the Top 10 in the Big 12 in both assists (6th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (9th), has dished out 5 or more assists 11 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 ranks 1st on the team in scoring (13.6 ppg.), 3-pointers (14), assists (5.3 apg.) and minutes (35.4) in Big 12 play.

BROWN MORE THAN JUST A SCORING THREAT
• Sophomore Barry Brown has elevated his game to become more than just a scoring threat for the Wildcats, as he ranks among the national leaders in steals, placing 17th nationally in steals per game (2.3) and 20th in total steals (43).
• Brown has at least 2 steals in 14 of 19 games, including a career-best 5 vs. Hampton (11/20)... He ranks 3rd in the Big 12.
• Brown’s 43 steals have already surpassed his 40 from last season, which tied Jacob Pullen for the 4th-most by a freshman.
• Brown has also been a consistent scoring threat for the Wildcats, averaging 12.8 points on 44.1 percent (89-of-202) shooting.
• Brown leads all Wildcats with 15 double-figure scoring games, including 5 of the 7 Big 12 games.
• Brown has led the Wildcats in scoring a team-best 5 times, including a career-high 22 points at Oklahoma State (1/18)... He also led the way against Western Illinois (18, 11/11), Omaha (15, 11/15), Green Bay (18, 11/30) and West Virginia (15, 1/21).

X-FACTOR
• Freshman?Xavier Sneed has provided a big boost from the bench this season, averaging 8.7 points on 50 percent shooting (57-of-114), including 37.9 percent (25-of-66) from 3-point range, to go with 3.1 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.
• Sneed has scored in double figures 9 times, including 12 vs. No. 1/1 Baylor (1/14) and 11 at Oklahoma State (1/18).
• K-State is 8-1 this season when Sneed scores in double figures, while he is responsible for 9 of the bench’s 10 double-digit games... He ranks 3rd on the team in both 3-point FG makes (25) and attempts (66).

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 94 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 94 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 TENNESSEE (10-9, 3-4 SEC)
• K-State concludes 2-game road swing on Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on Tennessee (10-9, 3-4 SEC) in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at Thompson-Boling Arena beginning at 1 p.m., CT on ESPN2.

Schedule