PREVIEW: K-State Begins Two-Game Road Swing at Oklahoma Saturday

GAME PREVIEW

FEB 25, 5:00 PM CT

Lloyd Noble Center
Norman, OK

NR/RV
K-STATE
WILDCATS
17-11 (6-9 Big 12)

NR/NR
OKLAHOMA
SOONERS
9-18 (3-12 Big 12)

ESPNU
Sirius 134, XM 199

TELEVISION
ESPNU
• Mark Neely (play-by-play)
• Reid Gettys (analyst)
• Steve Kurtenbach (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 134/XM 199

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

TICKETS
SoonerSports.com
(800) 456.4668
outickets@ou.edu
$10-$32 (public)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 409-220/19th season
At K-State: 96-65/5th season
vs. Oklahoma: 7-2 (2-2 on the road)

Oklahoma: Lon Kruger (Kansas State ‘75)
Overall: 599-379/31st season
At Oklahoma State: 120-75/6th season
vs. Kansas State: 6-8 (4-2 at home)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (17-11, 6-9 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (12.2 ppg., 4.2 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (12.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.9 ppg., 6.3 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.6 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (11.2 ppg., 5.9 rpg.)

Oklahoma (9-18, 3-12 Big 12)
G: #0 Darrion Strong-Moore (3.8 ppg., 1.0 rpg.)
G: #1 Rashard Odomes (10.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg.)
G: #20 Kameron McGusty (10.6 ppg., 2.0 rpg.)
F: #11 Kristian Doolittle (8.6 ppg., 6.4 rpg.)
F: #12 Khadeem Lattin (7.6 ppg., 5.9 rpg.)

INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Oklahoma leads 106-98 (series began in 1920)
In Big 12 era: Oklahoma leads 14-13 (8-4 at home)
In Norman: Oklahoma leads 59-36 (last meeting - 1/9/2016)
Current Streak: K-State, 2
Last Meeting: K-State, 75-64, in Manhattan, Kan., on 1/7/2017
Weber vs. Oklahoma: 7-2 (2-2 on the road)
Weber vs. Kruger: 8-2 (2-2 on the road)

GAME 29 - QUICK HITTERS
• Kansas State (17-11, 6-9 Big 12) begins a two-game road swing to wrap up the regular season on Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to Norman, Okla., to face former player and coach Lon Kruger and his Oklahoma Sooners (9-18, 3-12 Big 12) at 5 p.m., CT on ESPNU.
• Kruger will be going for win 600 on Saturday against his alma mater, where he earned 81 of his victories as head coach from 1986-90. A two-time Big Eight Player of the Year (1973 & 1974) during his playing career for legendary coach Jack Hartman from 1971-74, he also served as an assistant coach to Hartman from 1977-82 before taking over as head coach.
• With 3 games left, K-State continues to jockey for Big 12 Championship seeding and postseason opportunities, as the Wildcats are one of 8 Big 12 schools with at least 17 wins. The team has equaled its win total from 2015-16, while surpassing the win total in Big 12 play from a season ago.
• K-State will try to continue its recent success on the road, as the team has 6 victories away from home, including 5 true road wins and 3 Big 12 road wins, which are the most in all 3 categories since the 2012-13 season. The Wildcats’ lone 2 wins in February have come on the road.
• Oklahoma leads the all-time series with K-State, 106-98, including 59-36 at home. The Wildcats are looking to sweep the season series for the third time in 5 seasons after earning a 75-64 win at home on Jan. 7.
• K-State saw its losing streak at home hit 4 games on Wednesday night, as red-hot Oklahoma State used a key run midway through the second half to post an 80-68 victory and even the season series. The Wildcats shot 36.7 percent (18-of-49), including just 30.4 percent (7-of-23) after halftime.
• Senior Wesley Iwundu continued his stellar play against the Cowboys, scoring a game-tying 21 points to go with a team-high 9 rebounds. He has led the Wildcats in scoring in 3 of the last 4 games, while he has been rebounding leader in 6 straight games. He paces the team in both scoring and rebounding in both overall and Big 12-only games.
• Defense has been a key element in the Wildcats’ success, as the team is 12-0 when holding an opponent to 65 points or less, including 4-0 in Big 12 play. K-State is holding foes to 61 points in its 17 wins on 39.2 percent shooting, including 67.3 points in its 6 Big 12 victories.
• In contrast, K-State is allowing 77.6 points on 48.2 percent shooting in its 11 losses, including 79.4 points on 48.8 percent shooting in the 9 Big 12 setbacks. The team is 9th in FG percentage defense in Big 12 play.

THE OPPONENT: OKLAHOMA (9-18, 3-12 BIG 12)

• Oklahoma enters Saturday’s game with a 9-18 record after losing at Baylor, 60-54, on Tuesday... The Sooners have lost 9 of their last 10 games since an overtime win at West Virginia on Jan. 18... The team is 6-8 at home, including 2-5 in Big 12 play.
• The youthful Sooners are averaging 73.4 points on 42.5 percent shooting, including 35.6 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 37.9 rebounds, 11 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.7 blocks per game... They are allowing opponent 75 points per game on 43 percent shooting, including 36.5 percent from beyond the arc... The team is shooting 71.8 percent from the free throw line.
• Oklahoma has 3 players averaging in double figures, but lost to senior guard and leading scorer Jordan Woodard (14.6 ppg.) to season-ending injury on Feb. 11... Freshman Kameron McGusty (10.6 ppg.) and sophomore Rashard Odomes (10.5 ppg.) pace five other players averaging 7.6 points or more... Freshman Kristian Doolittle (6.4 rpg.) and junior Khadeem Lattin (5.9 rpg.) mind the glass, while Lattin adds a team-best 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.
• Oklahoma is led by 6th-year head coach Lon Kruger, who has a 120-75 record in his tenure... He has a 599-379 record in his 31st season as a head coach, which includes stints at Pan American (1982-86), Kansas State (1986-90), Florida (1991-96), Illinois (1996-2000), UNLV?(2004-11) and now Oklahoma... He is the only coach to take 5 different teams to the NCAA?Tournament.

BREAKING?DOWN?THE?SERIES
• This will be the 205th meeting between the two schools with Oklahoma leading the series, 106-98... The schools have met at least once every season since 1927, while the series dates to 1920... It is the 5th-most played rivalry in school history.
• Oklahoma is 1 of only 3 Big 12 schools (Kansas and West Virginia) to hold a series advantage over K-State.
• Oklahoma owns a 61-27 record at home against K-State, including an 86-76 win in the last meeting on Jan. 9, 2016.
• K-State has won 11 of the last 16 meetings since dropping 8 in a row from 2000-06.

LAST MEETING: K-STATE 75, OKLAHOMA 64
• A dominant first-half performance paired with five players scoring in double figures led Kansas State to a 75-64 victory over Oklahoma in front of 12,295 fans at Bramlage Coliseum in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 7.

• K-State got an early lead and never looked back en route to the 11-point victory, as the Wildcats led for more than 38 minutes... All five K-State starters scored in double figures with a team-high 16 from Wesley Iwundu... Joining Iwundu in double figures was Barry Brown (14), Kamau Stokes (13), Dean Wade (12) and D.J. Johnson (10).

• The Wildcats shot lights out for the entire 40 minutes, shooting 53.6 percent (15-of-28) in the first half and 55 percent (11-of-20) in the second half to finish at 54.2 percent (26-of-48) for the game... It marked the seventh time this season that the team has connected on 50 percent or better from the field, including the fourth occasion doing in both halves.

‘CATS FACE ANOTHER FORMER WILDCAT

• Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger is one of 9 former K-State players or coaches who currently serve as head coach at the Division I level (13 when including Division II) and one of 6 current head coaches who played for the Wildcats.
• The list of Division I head coaches includes Oregon’s Dana Altman (assistant coach from 1986-89; head coach from 1990-94), UC Riverside’s Dennis Cutts (assistant from 2005-06), Georgia’s Mark Fox (assistant from 1994-2000), UTSA’s Steve Henson (player from 1986-90), West Virginia’s Bob Huggins (head coach from 2006-07), SMU’s Tim Jankovich (player from 1979-82; assistant from 1984-86), Oklahoma State’s Brad Underwood (player from 1984-86; assistant from 2006-12) and South Carolina’s Frank Martin (assistant from 2006-07; head coach from 2007-12) and Kruger.
• Kruger is one of 4 current Division I coaches who played for K-State, along with Henson, Jankovich and Underwood.
• This will be the second of 2 meetings with a former K-State player this week as the Wildcats dropped an 80-68 decision to Underwood and his Oklahoma State Cowboys on Wednesday at home... The team is 3-2 against former players and/or coaches this season.

CATS EFFICIENT ON OFFENSE
• K-State is averaging 73.6 points on 46.7 percent shooting (715-of-1531) and 37.2 percent from 3-point range (206-of-554), through 28 games with assists on 61 percent of its made field goals (434/715) and a +2.5 turnover margin.
• The current 73.6 points per game scoring average is the highest since the 2009-10 team averaged 79.7 points per game, while the 46.7 field goal percentage is the highest since the 1988-89 team connected on 48.4 percent and the 37.2 3-point field goal percentage is the highest since the 2010-11 team connected on 37.6 percent from long range.
• K-State’s 9 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 9 games are double the totals from 2013-14 (4) and 2014-15 (4).
• K-State has shot 50 percent or better 11 times this season, including on 6 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), West Virginia (1/21) and Texas (2/18).
• The 11 games of 50 percent or better field goal shooting is the highest since doing it in 13 games in 1988-89.
• K-State has connected on at least 50 percent of its field goals in at least one half of 20 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).
• The Wildcats have also performed well offensively in Big 12 play, averaging 72.3 points in Big 12 play on 45.2 percent shooting (366-of-809), including 36.2 percent (106-of-293) from long range, with assists on 60 percent of its field goals (219/366) and a +2.4 turnover margin... It is the highest scoring average in Big 12 play since averaging 76.8 points in 2009-10.

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 37.2 percent (206-of-554) from 3-point range and is averaging 7.4 3-point field goals per game.
• K-State ranks 84th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage... The team is 5th in both makes and percentage in the Big 12.
• K-State eclipsed 200 3-pointers in a season against Oklahoma State (2/22) for the first time since 2012-13.
• K-State has at least 7 3-pointers in 20 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 14 of their 17 wins this season.
• 11 Wildcats have at least one 3-pointer, including 5 with 20 or more treys (Kamau Stokes, Barry Brown, Xavier Sneed, Dean?Wade and Wesley Iwundu)... Stokes ranks in the Big 12’s Top 10 in 3-pointers per game (8th) and percentage (9th).
• K-State has made at least one 3-pointer in 300 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2008-09 season.

OFFENSIVE BALANCE HAS BEEN KEY
• Four of 5 starters are averaging in double figures led by senior Wesley Iwundu (12.9 ppg.), sophomore Kamau Stokes (12.2 ppg.) and sophomore Barry Brown (12.1 ppg.), while K-State and Texas Tech are the only Big 12 schools to have 6 players with averages of 8 or more points... 6 different players have led in scoring, including a team-best 7 times by Brown and Iwundu.
• K-State was the only Big 12 team to have all 5 starters averaging double figures until sophomore Dean Wade dropped to 9.9 points per game after the Iowa State game on Jan. 21, while all 5 usual starters are averaging double figures in Big 12 play.
• 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).
• 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.
• At least 4 Wildcats have scored in double figures in 17 of 28 games, including at least 3 in 25 games... In all, 8 players have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 6 having at least 12 double-digit scoring games led by Stokes’ 22.
• Nine Wildcats are shooting 45 percent or better from the field, including 3 of 5 starters... The starters are shooting a combined 46.5 percent from the field (566-of-1,218), including 36.4 percent (147-of-404) from 3-point range, this season.
• In all, starters are responsible for 78 percent of the team’s 2,060 points and 715 made field goals, 70 percent of the 206 made 3-pointers and 82 percent of the 434 assists... They also own 95 of the 107 double-digit scoring games.

A LOT?OF?MINUTES
• K-State is the only Big 12 school to have 3 players in the Big 12’s Top 10 for minutes played, as Kamau Stokes ranks 4th with a 33.1 per game average, Barry Brown is 6th at 32.6 per game and Wesley Iwundu is 10th at 31.4 per game.
• All 5 starters average better than 25 minutes per game and are responsible for nearly 75 percent (4,203) of the minute total.
• Only 2 reserves -- Xavier Sneed (19.8) and Carlbe Ervin II (13.5) -- average double-digit minutes.
• In Big 12 play, 4 of 5 starters average more than 30 minutes of action led by the 34.8 per game averages of Brown and Stokes and starters are responsible for nearly 80 percent (2,399) of the minute total in league play.

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 in 2012-13, the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 64.9 points per game (10,446).
• K-State ranks 18th in steals (8.3), 28th in turnovers forced (15.7) and 65th in scoring defense (67.5)... The Wildcats are 2nd in the Big 12 in steals, 4th in scoring defense, 6th in field goal percentage defense and 7th in blocked shots.
• Six opponents have been held to 55 points or less, while 10 foes have been held to 40 percent shooting or less.
• The Wildcats are 12-0 this season when holding an opponent to 65 points or less, including 4-0 in Big 12 play.
• 56 opponents have been held to 60 points or less in?Weber’s tenure with the Wildcats boasting a 50-6 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 is 83-24 under Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 69 points or less and 13-41 when allowing 70 or more.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TURNOVERS
• K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.3 apg./18th) and turnovers forced (15.7/28th).
• The current 8.3 steals per game average is on pace to be the 4th-best average in school history and the highest since 1994-95.
• K-State posted double-digit steals for the 8th time with 11 against TCU, including on the 5th occasion in Big 12 play... The team ranks 2nd in the Big 12 in steals in all games, including 3rd in league-only games with 128 through 15 games.
• The Wildcats have forced double figure turnovers in 25 games, including 20 or more turnovers 5 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 21 of the last 22 games.
• K-State is averaging 16.8 points per game off of turnovers, including 16.1 points per game in Big 12 play, and have outscored opponents, 470-365... The team has scored at least 12 points off turnovers in 25 games, including a season-high 26 vs. Omaha.
• Seven times the team has scored 20 or more points off turnovers, including at OSU?(1/18), West Virginia (1/21) and TCU (2/1).
• K-State has scored more than 2,000 points (2,389) off of turnovers under Bruce Weber, an average of 14.7 points per game.

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 20 of 28 games (including 10 of 15 Big 12 games) by a combined score of 1057-879.
• Senior D.J. Johnson leads the team with 172 points on the Play Hard Chart, while sophomore Dean Wade is not far behind with 154 points... Johnson has won the individual game chart a team-high 8 times... The starters rank in the Top 5 on the Play Hard chart, as Barry Brown (147), Wesley Iwundu (142) and Kamau Stokes (125) round out Top 5.

IWUNDU IN 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 became the 27th Wildcat and the 4th under head coach Bruce Weber to eclipse 1,000 career points at OSU (1/18)... His current total of 1,153 points ranks 16th on the all-time list after passing Willie Murrell (1,112, 1962-64) against ISU.
• Iwundu is one of 27 players to tally 500 career rebounds with his current total of 574 ranking 17th, while he is one of just 7 to dish out more than 300 career assists with his current total of 341 ranking 4th all-time... He is also one of 10 players to accumulate 100 career steals with his current total of 118 tying for 5th all-time.
• Iwundu on track to record the most career starts, as he is just 2 away from passing the all-time mark of 118 set by first by Ed Nealy (1978-82) and then by Steve Henson (1987-90)... He also now ranks tied for 10th in games played with 125.

STAT STUFFER
• Senior Wesley Iwundu is the only Big 12 player to rank in the league’s Top 20 in scoring, rebounding and assists, while he joins West Virginia’s Jevon Carter, Kansas’?Josh Jackson and Iowa State’s Monte Morris as the only Big 12 players to rank in the Top 20 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals in league play.
• Iwundu ranks among the Top 20 in 8 Big 12 categories, including scoring (15th), rebounding (11th), field goal percentage (12th), free throw percentage (11th), assists (11th), assist-to-turnover ratio (14th), defensive rebounds (5th) and minutes (10th).
• Iwundu ranks 1st in scoring (12.9 ppg.) and rebounding (6.3 rpg.), 2nd in assists (3.4 apg.) and 3rd in steals (1.1 spg.).
• Iwundu has scored in double figures 60 times in his career, including 21 this season (with a career-best 11 in a row).
• Iwundu collected his 8th career double-double (3rd this season) with 16 points and career-best 13 rebounds vs. Iowa State.
• Iwundu ranks 1st in scoring (13.8) and rebounding (7.2) and is 2nd in assists (3.7) and steals (1.3) in Big 12 games.
• Iwundu ranks in 8 Big 12 categories in league-play, including scoring (14th), rebounding (7th), field goal percentage (8th), assists (11th), free throw percentage (14th), steals (12th), assist-to-turnover ratio (12th) and defensive rebounds (5th).

FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
• Senior D.J. Johnson has been a vital cog for the Wildcats, averaging 11.2 points on a Big 12-best 61.1 percent shooting (118-of-193) with 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game... He has double figures in 16 games, including 3 20-point games.
• Johnson has been a starter in all 17 wins, including hitting the game-winner against Texas (2/18), while K-State has struggled without him in the lineup, losing to both West Virginia (2/11) and Iowa State (2/15) as he recovered from an ankle injury.
• Johnson leads the Big 12 in overall field goal percentage (61.1/118-of-193) and is 2nd in Big 12-only games (58.2/57-of-98), while he is in the league’s overall Top 15 in blocks (5th), offensive rebounds (10th) and rebounding (14th).
• His career 58.8 field goal percentage ranks 2nd in school history after shooting a school-record 60.8 percent as a junior.
• 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 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).
• His 40 blocked shots have already surpassed his total from 2015-16 (29), while his 98 career blocks rank 7th in school history.
• Dating back to the win over No. 1 Oklahoma last season, Johnson is averaging 11.8 points on 60.1 percent shooting (167-of-278) in the last 38 games with 6.1 rebounds per game... He has 23 double-digit scoring in those games with 3 double-doubles.

STOKES ON POINT
• Sophomore Kamau?Stokes return from injury has been one of the biggest storylines to K-State’s 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.
• Stokes has built on his success during the team’s European Tour this summer to start all 28 games and average team-bests in 3-point field goals (54), assists (4.2 apg.), minutes (33.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5) and 2nd in scoring (12.2 ppg.).
• Stokes ranks among the Big 12’s Top 15 in 6 categories, including 4th in minutes (33.1), 6th in assists (4.2), 8th in 3-pointers (1.9), 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (38.8) and free throw percentage (75.7) and 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6).
• Stokes has scored in double figures a team-best 22 times, including in 17 of the last 18, with a season-high 21 vs. TCU.
• Stokes had a 17-game double-digit scoring streak from Dec. 17 to Feb. 18, which was the longest by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen did it 20 consecutive games in 2010-11... During that 17-game span, he averaged 13.9 points on 38 percent shooting.
• Stokes ranks 1st on the team in scoring (13.8 ppg.), 3-pointers (32), assists (4.3 apg.) and minutes (34.8) in Big 12 play.

MORE THAN JUST A SCORER
• 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 11th nationally in steals per game (2.3) and 10th in total steals (65).
• Brown’s 65 steals ranks 3rd on the single-season steals list and are within striking distance of the school record of 67 set by Jacob Pullen in 2009-10... His 105 career steals are also within 4 of cracking the Top 10 list.
• Brown’s 65 steals rank 2nd in the Big 12 (Jevon Carter has 78), while his 37 in league play tie Carter (37) for tops.
• Brown has at least 2 steals in 21 games, including a career-best 5 vs. Hampton (11/20), TCU (2/1) and West Virginia (2/11).

STARTING TO REGAIN FORM?
• Sophomore Barry Brown hopes that the back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts against Iowa State (2/15) and Texas (2/18) help to regain his shooting touch after a recent 4-game slump... He averaged 18 points on 62.5 percent shooting in those 2 games after averaging just 6.8 points on 25.8 percent shooting, including 11.1 percent from 3-point range, from Feb. 1-11.
• Brown has led in scoring a team-best 7 times, including a career-high 22 points at OSU (1/18) and 21 vs. Iowa State (2/15).
• Brown is averaging a team-best 12.6 points in 17 wins on 44.4 percent shooting, including 37.3 percent from 3-point range, while averaging 11.5 points in the 11 losses on 38.7 percent shooting, including 23.4 percent from beyond the arc.

X-FACTOR
• No player may be more important to the Wildcats’ success than sophomore Dean Wade, who has 10 double-digit scoring games (53 percent shooting) in the 17 wins compared to just 5 double-digit scoring games (46.6 percent) in the 11 losses.
• Wade has scored in double figures in 31 career games (15 this season) with K-State posting a 23-8 mark in those contests.
• Wade ranks 5th on the team in scoring (9.6 ppg.) on 50.5 percent shooting, including 41.6 percent from 3-point range, to go with 3rd-best rebounding averaging (4.7 rpg.)... He is averaging 10.5 points on 50 percent shooting in Big 12 games.
• Wade registered his 3rd career 20-point game, including his 2nd consecutive against No. 3/2 Kansas (2/6), going 8-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, to go with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks in 34 minutes.

SUPER SUB TO STARTER
• Freshman?Xavier Sneed has provided a big boost to the Wildcats this season, averaging 8.1 points on 45.1 percent shooting (73-of-162), including 36.1 percent (35-of-97) from 3-point range, to go with 2.9 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game.
• Sneed started in place of the injured D.J.?Johnson vs. West Virginia (2/11) and Iowa State (2/15), totaling 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting vs. the Mountaineers in 20 minutes and 7 points and 5 rebounds vs. the Cyclones in a season-best 31 minutes.
• Sneed has scored in double figures 12 times, including 5 in the last 11 Big 12 games with a season-best 19 vs. TCU (2/1).
• K-State is 8-4 when Sneed scores in double figures, while he is responsible for 12 of the bench’s 14 double-digit games.

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 96 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 96 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 TCU (17-11, 6-9 Big 12)
• K-State concludes its road schedule on Wednesday, as the Wildcats travel to Fort Worth, Texas to face TCU (17-11, 6-9 Big 12) at 8 p.m., CT on ESPNU. Tickets are available for $35 through the TCU Ticket Office by calling (877) 828.3764 or online at www.GoFrogs.com.

Kansas State University Athletics