PREVIEW: K-State Travels to Tennessee for SEC/Big 12 Challenge Saturday
Jan 27, 2017 | Men's Basketball
GAME PREVIEW
JAN 28, 1:00 PM CT
Thompson-Boling Arena
Knoxville, TN
RV/RV
K-STATE
WILDCATS
15-5 (4-4 Big 12)
NR/NR
TENNESSEE
VOLUNTEERS
11-9 (4-4 SEC)
TELEVISION
ESPN2
• Tom Hart (play-by-play)
• Kara Lawson (analyst)
• Andy Jacobson (producer)
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 145/XM 190 (Tennessee broadcast)
ONLINE/MOBILE
K-State Game Center at kstatesports.com
• Free audio stream available
WatchESPN.com
• Free video stream available
TICKETS
AllVols.com
(800) 332.VOLS
VolsTix@utk.edu
$15-$30
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 407-214/19th season
At K-State: 94-59/5th season
vs. Tennessee: 0-2 (0-1 on the road)
Tennessee: Rick Barnes (Lenoir-Rhyne ‘77)
Overall: 630-342/29th season
At Tennessee: 26-28/2nd season
vs. Kansas State: 14-9 (7-4 at home)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (15-5, 4-4 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (11.6 ppg., 4.6 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (12.7 ppg., 3.5 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.3 ppg., 5.6 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.9 ppg., 4.9 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (12.3 ppg., 6.4 rpg.)
Tennessee (11-9, 4-4 SEC)
G: #0 Jordan Bone (7.5 ppg., 2.7 apg.)
G: #3 Robert Hubbs III (15.2 ppg., 5.0 rpg.)
G: #23 Jordan Bowden (8.2 ppg., 2.8 rpg.)
F: #2 Grant Williams (11.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg.)
F: #11 Kyle Alexander (3.4 ppg., 3.6 rpg.)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Tennessee leads 1-0 (series dates to 2014)
In SEC/Big 12 Challenge: K-State leads 2-1 (0-1 on the road)
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads 1-0 (W, 65-64, 12/6/2014)
Current Streak: Tennessee, 1
Last Meeting: Tennessee won 65-64 in Knoxville, Tenn. (12/6/2014)
Weber vs. Tennessee: 0-2 (0-1 on the road)
Weber vs. Barnes: 4-5 (1-3 on the road)
GAME 21 - QUICK HITTERS
• Kansas State (15-5, 4-4 Big 12) continues a stretch of back-to-back road games on?Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on Rick Barnes and his Tennessee Volunteers (11-9, 4-4 SEC) in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at 1 p.m. CT at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• This will the second time the two teams have met in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge with the Volunteers posting a 65-64 victory at home in the only meeting between the schools on Dec. 6, 2014.
• Overall, the Wildcats are 2-1 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge series with wins over Ole Miss at home in both 2013 (61-58) and 2016 (69-64).
• K-State will face Barnes for the 24th time in his career, including the first time at Tennessee, after he posted a 14-9 record against the Wildcats during his 17-year tenure at Texas (1999-2015).
• Saturday’s game will conclude the non-conference season, as K-State enters the contest with an 11-1 record, including a 3-1 mark away from home. The Wildcats won both true road games at Saint Louis and Colorado State. A?victory would give the team 12 wins in non-conference play for the first time under head coach Bruce Weber (11 in 2012-13, 2015-16).
• K-State saw its modest 2-game winning streak in Big 12 play end in a 70-65 loss at Iowa State on Tuesday night. The Wildcats, who faced a 20-point deficit early in the second half, slowly chipped away at the deficit, using a 20-3 run to take a 58-57 lead with 5 minutes to play. However, the veteran Cyclones were able to make enough plays down the stretch to halt any further momentum and win their 6th straight at home in the series.
• Senior Wesley Iwundu led 5 Wildcats in double figures, including 4 starters, with a team-high 15 points. K-State has had 5 double-digit scorers in 5 of the last 7 games, including all 5 starters on 3 occasions. In all, the team has had 6 different leading scorers with those 6 players totaling at least 10 double-digit scoring games led by sophomore Barry Brown’s 16.
• K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.5 spg./18th) and turnovers forced (16.3/24th). The Wildcats have helped force double-digit turnovers in 18 games, including 10 or more steals 7 times, and have scored at least 12 points off those turnovers in 19 games. The team is averaging 17.8 points off of turnovers, including 16.1 points in Big 12 play.
• K-State fell 3 spots in the NCAA?RPI with the Iowa State loss to No. 42 and remains one of 7 Big 12 schools in the Top 45, while the ESPN BPI lists 8 of the 10 Big 12 schools in the Top 50 with the Wildcats at 31st.
THE OPPONENT: TENNESSEE (11-9, 4-4 SEC)
• Tennessee enters Saturday’s game with an 11-9 record and a 4-4 mark in SEC play after an 82-80 win over No. 4 Kentucky at home on Tuesday... The Volunteers are 7-3 at home this season, including 5-1 in non-conference play.
• The Volunteers are averaging 78 points on 44.4 percent shooting, including 33.6 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 37.5 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.9 blocks per game... They are allowing opponents 74.3 points per game on 43.7 percent shooting, including 35.2 percent from beyond the arc... The team is shooting 72.6 percent from the free throw line.
• The Volunteers are one of the youngest teams in the country with 10 of their 12 players either freshmen or sophomores... Senior Robert Hubbs III is the only senior in a lineup of three freshmen and one sophomore, as he paces the squad at 15.2 points per game on 52.1 percent shooting... Freshman Grant Williams (11.0 ppg.) also averages double figures to go with team-highs in rebounds (5.5 rpg.) and blocks (2.1 bpg.)... Redshirt freshman Lamonte Turner is tops in assists (3.1 apg.).
• Tennessee is led by second-year coach Rick Barnes, who has a 630-342 record in his 30th season as a head coach and a 26-28 mark with the Volunteers... He has led teams at George Mason, Providence, Clemson and Texas to 20 NCAA?Tournaments... He posted a 402-180 record during his 17-year tenure with the Longhorns, including 14-9 mark against K-State during that span.
BREAKING?DOWN?THE?SERIES
• This will be just the second meeting between the two schools with Tennessee leading 1-0.
• The Vols won the first and only meeting in the third SEC/Big 12 Challenge, posting a 65-64 win at home on Dec. 6, 2014.
• K-State has a 161-148 all-time records against SEC?teams, including a 48-82 mark on the road... If you remove the meetings with former Big 12 foes Missouri (120-116) and Texas A&M (18-8), the Wildcats are 23-24 against the rest of the SEC.
• The Wildcats went 3-1 vs. SEC?teams last season, defeating Missouri, 66-42, at the CBE Hall of Fame Classic at the Sprint Center in Kansas City on Nov. 23, 2015, winning at Georgia, 68-66, on Dec. 4, 2015 and posting a 69-64 win over Ole Miss on Jan. 30, 2016 at home in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge to go with a 78-68 loss at Texas A&M on Dec. 12, 2015.
• Head coach Bruce Weber is 0-2 all-time against Tennessee, losing 87-74 at the Puerto Rico Tipoff on Dec. 22, 1999 while at Southern Illinois and 65-64 on Dec. 6, 2014 in Knoxville... He is 4-5 all-time against Rick Barnes, including 1-3 on the road.
LAST TIME VS. TENNESSEE
• Josh Richardson scored a team-high 17 points to help lead a balanced Tennessee effort in a 65-64 win over Kansas State in the last meeting on De. 6, 2014 at Thompson-Boling Arena in the third annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
• The Volunteers shot just 41.5 percent (22-of-53), including 25 percent (4-of-16) from 3-point range, but did convert 22 Wildcat turnovers in 21 points and scored nearly half their points (28)?in the paint.
• K-State recovered from a dismal first-half, in which, the Wildcats scored 17 points on just 25 percent shooting, erupting for 47 after halftime on 51.7 percent (15-of-29) shooting, including 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from 3-point range.
• Marcus Foster led 3 Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 23 points, including 7 3-pointers, while Jevon Thomas (13) and Nino Williams (10) also posted double digits... Williams led with 8 rebounds, while Thomas dished out 6 assists.
• Only one current Wildcat - Wesley Iwundu - remains from the game, as he posted 4 points and 7 rebounds in 25 minutes.
CATS EFFICIENT ON OFFENSE
• K-State is averaging 75.9 points on 48.5 percent shooting (535-of-1103) and 37.8 percent from 3-point range (152-of-402), through the first 20 games with assists on 62 percent of its made field goals (329/535) 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, field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage and 4th in 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 75.9 points per game scoring average is the highest since the 2009-10 team averaged 79.7 points per game, while the 48.5 field goal percentage is the highest since the 1987-88 team connected on 50.6 percent and the 37.8 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 20 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
• Four of 5 starters are averaging in double figures led by sophomore Barry Brown (12.7 ppg.), senior D.J. Johnson (12.3 ppg.) and senior Wesley Iwundu (12.3 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, Iwundu and sophomore Dean Wade.
• K-State was the only Big 12 team to have all 5 starters averaging double figures until Wade dropped to 9.9 points per game.
• 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 13 of 20 games, including at least 3 in 19 games... In all, 7 have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 6 having at least 10 double-digit scoring games led by Brown’s 16 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 48.1 percent from the field (412-of-856), including 37.3 percent (104-of-279) from 3-point range, this season.
• In all, starters are responsible for 77 percent of the team’s 1,518 points and 535 made field goals, 68 percent of the 152 made 3-pointers and 81.2 percent of the 329 assists... They also own 69 of the 80 double-digit scoring games.
OFFENSE HAS?ALSO BEEN?STRONG?IN?BIG?12 PLAY
• K-State is averaging 75.1 points in Big 12 play on 47.8 percent shooting (205-of-429), including 36.3 percent (57-of-157) from long range, with assists on 62 percent of its field goals (126/205) and a +3.6 turnover margin.
• The current 75.1 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 assists (15.8) and turnover margin (+3.6) and 4th in 3-point field goal percentage, 3-point field goals (7.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2) and 5th in scoring offense.
• K-State has connected on 50 percent or better from the field in 5 of 8 Big 12 games with all 5 contests coming in last 7 games... During that 7-game stretch, the Wildcats are averaging 76.6 points per game on 49.2 percent shooting (188-of-382).
• 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 12 or more points led by Wesley Iwundu (13.4 ppg.), Kamau Stokes (13.4 ppg.), Barry Brown (12.9 ppg.) and D.J. Johnson (12.8 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 37.8 percent (152-of-402) from 3-point range and is averaging 7.6 3-point field goals per game.
• K-State ranks 65th 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 15 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 37-of-90 start by Kamau Stokes... Stokes has at least 1 3-pointer in 17 of 20 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 292 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 153 games), the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 64.4 points per game (9,849)... 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), 24th in turnovers forced (16.3), 38th in scoring defense (64.7) and 72nd in FG percentage defense (41.0)... The Wildcats are 2nd in the Big 12 in scoring defense and 4th in FG?percentage defense and steals.
• Five opponents have been held to 55 points or less, while 9 of 20 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 13-35 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 (16.3/24th).
• 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 71 through first 8 games.
• The Wildcats have forced double figure turnovers in 18 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 13 of the last 14 games.
• K-State is averaging 17.8 points per game off of turnovers, including 16.1 points per game in Big 12 play, and have outscored opponents, 356-216... The team has scored at least 12 points off turnovers in 19 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 (2,276) 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 20 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 8 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 20 games (including 7 of 8 Big 12 games) by a combined score of 778-596.
• Senior D.J. Johnson leads the team with 140 points on the Play Hard Chart, while sophomore Dean Wade is not far behind with 122 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 (104), Kamau Stokes (93) and Wesley Iwundu (89) round out Top 5.
• Johnson has tallied 580 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 (5.6 rpg.) and assists (3.6 apg.) and 3rd in scoring (12.3 ppg.) and steals (1.1 spg.).
• Iwundu has scored in double figures 52 times in his career, including 14 this season (with 6 in the last 8 contests).
• Iwundu ranks among the Top 20 in 7 Big 12 categories, including scoring (18th), rebounding (15th), field goal percentage (46.6), free throw percentage (75.9/9th), assists (3.6/12th), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5/15th) and defensive rebounds (4.7/9th).
• Iwundu and Oklahoma’s Jordan Woodard are the only Big 12 players to rank in the Top 20 in scoring, rebounding and assists.
• Iwundu ranks 1st in scoring (13.4 ppg.) and rebounding (6.0 rpg.) and 2nd in assists (4.3 apg.) in Big 12-only games.
• 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 (109/5th), assists (317/7th), minutes (3,233/8th) and steals (107/10th).
• Iwundu is the leader in points (1039), rebounds (508), assists (317), steals (107), minutes (3,233), games (117) and starts (109).
JOHNSON A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
• Senior D.J. Johnson has become a consistent force in the middle, averaging 12.3 points on a Big 12-best 63.2 percent shooting with team-bests in rebounding (6.4 rpg.) and blocks (1.6 bpg.)... He has double figures in 14 games, including 3 20-point games.
• Dating back to the win over No. 1 Oklahoma last season, Johnson is averaging 12.5 points on 61.2 percent shooting (145-of-237) in the last 31 games with 6.5 rebounds per game... He has 21 double-digit scoring in those games with 3 double-doubles.
• Johnson ranks among the Big 12’s Top 20 in 6 different categories, including field goal percentage (1st), blocked shots (6th), offensive rebounds (2.5/7th), rebounding (10th), defensive rebounds (3.9/14th) 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 59.2 field goal percentage ranks 2nd in school history after shooting a school-record 60.8 percent as a junior.
STOKES ON POINT
• Sophomore Kamau?Stokes return from injury has been one of the biggest storylines to K-State’s 15-5 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 20 games and average 11.6 points per game to go with team-highs in assists (4.6 apg.), minutes (32.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9).
• Stokes ranks among the Big 12’s Top 15 in 5 categories, including 4th in minutes (32.8), 5th in 3-point field goal percentage (41.1), 7th in assists (4.6) and 9th in 3-point field goals per game (1.9) and 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).
• Stokes ranks 1st on the team in 3-point field goals (37) and 3-point attempts (90) and 2nd in percentage (41.1).
• Stokes has scored in double figures 15 times, including in 10 consecutive games, with a season-high 18 vs. Gardner-Webb.
• Stokes, who ranks in the Top 15 in the Big 12 in both assists (7th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (11th), 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 (13.4 ppg.), 3-pointers (15), assists (5.0 apg.) and minutes (35.2) 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 15th nationally in steals per game (2.3) and 16th in total steals (45).
• Brown has at least 2 steals in 15 of 20 games, including a career-best 5 vs. Hampton (11/20)... He ranks 2nd in the Big 12.
• Brown’s 45 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 12.7 points on 43.1 percent (93-of-216) shooting.
• Brown leads all Wildcats with 16 double-figure scoring games, including 6 of the 8 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).
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 13 games... During that stretch, he has led the team in scoring 3 times, including a career-tying 20 points at Kansas (1/3).
• Wade ranks 6th in field goal percentage (55.0/33-of-60) while averaging 11.1 points per game in Big 12 play with double-digit scoring game in 5 of 8 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 (11 this season) with K-State posting a 22-5 mark in those contests.
X-FACTOR
• Freshman?Xavier Sneed has provided a big boost from the bench this season, averaging 8.9 points on 49.6 percent shooting (61-of-123), including 37.8 percent (28-of-74) from 3-point range, to go with 3.1 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game.
• Sneed has scored in double figures 10 times, including 3 in the last 4 Big 12 games with 12 vs. No. 1/1 Baylor (1/14).
• K-State is 8-2 this season when Sneed scores in double figures, while he is responsible for 10 of the bench’s 11 double-digit games... He ranks 3rd on the team in both 3-point FG makes (28) and attempts (74).
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: TCU (14-6, 3-5 Big 12)
• K-State returns home on Wednesday, as the Wildcats play host to upstart TCU (14-6, 3-5 Big 12) at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNews. Tickets are available for just $15 by calling (800) 221.CATS or online at www.kstatesports.com/tickets.
