PREVIEW: K-State Begins Grueling Stretch at No. 2/3 Baylor Saturday
Feb 03, 2017 | Men's Basketball
GAME PREVIEW
FEB 4, 2:00 PM CT
Ferrell Center
Waco, TX
NR/RV
K-STATE
WILDCATS
15-7 (4-5 Big 12)
2/3
BAYLOR
BEARS
20-2 (7-2 Big 12)
TELEVISION
ESPNEWS
• Dave Armstrong (play-by-play)
• Bryndon Manzer (analyst)
• Jeff Kirby (producer)
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 136/XM 199
ONLINE/MOBILE
K-State Game Center at kstatesports.com
• Free audio stream available
WatchESPN.com
• Free video stream available
TICKETS
BaylorBears.com
(254) 710.1000
Athletic_Ticketoffice@baylor.edu
$25 (reserved) | $45 (premium)
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 407-216/19th season
At K-State: 94-61/5th season
vs. Baylor: 3-6 (1-3 on the road)
Baylor: Scott Drew (Butler ‘93)
Overall: 290-185/15th season
At Baylor: 270-174/14th season
vs. Kansas State: 10-10 (5-3 at home)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (15-7, 4-5 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (12.0 ppg., 4.6 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (12.6 ppg., 3.2 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.3 ppg., 5.5 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (12.0 ppg., 6.4 rpg.)
2/3 Baylor (20-2, 7-2 Big 12)
G: #20 Manu Lecomte (12.5 ppg., 4.4 apg.)
G: #24 Ishmail Wainright (5.7 ppg., 5.0 apg.)
G: #25 Al Freeman (9.8 ppg., 2.5 rpg.)
F: #5 Johnathan Motley (16.2 ppg., 9.6 rpg.)
F: #0 Jo Lual-Acuil, Jr. (10.2 ppg., 7.3 rpg.)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Baylor leads 18-17 (series began in 1948)
In Big 12 era: Baylor leads 16-13 (8-4 at home)
In Waco: Baylor leads 8-5 (last meeting - 1/20/2016)
Current Streak: Baylor, 4
Last Meeting: Baylor, 77-68, in Manhattan, Kan., on 1/14/2017
Weber vs. Baylor: 3-6 (1-3 on the road)
Weber vs. Drew: 3-5 (1-3 on the road)
GAME 23 - QUICK HITTERS
• Kansas State (15-7, 4-5 Big 12) faces a daunting a stretch of three straight Top 10 opponents on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats begin the second half of Big 12 play with a matchup against No. 2/3 Baylor (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) at 2 p.m. CT, at the Ferrell Center.
• After Saturday’s game, K-State will make a quick turnaround to host No. 3/2 Kansas (20-2, 8-1 Big 12) on Monday night before traveling to No. 7/12 West Virginia (18-4, 6-3 Big 12) on Saturday.
• It marks just the second time in school history that the Wildcats have played three straight Top 10 foes and the first time since doing it against No. 4 Kansas, No. 9 Baylor and No. 3 Missouri from Feb. 13-21, 2012. The team will play consecutive Top 3 opponents for the first time since the 1964 Final Four when it played No. 1 UCLA?and No. 2 Michigan.
• K-State is 21-72 (.226) against the AP?Top 5, including 5-15 (.250) vs. the No. 2 team. The Wildcats have lost 5 straight to the No. 2 team with the last win coming against No. 2 Kansas at home on Jan. 30, 2008. The team has 4 road wins over the Top 5, including No. 5 Wichita State in 1964, No. 5 Missouri in 1982, No. 1 Kansas in 1994 and No. 3 Missouri in 2012.
• Baylor leads the all-times series with K-State, 18-17, with wins in 6 of the last 7 meetings since 2014. The Wildcats have played the Bears close in 2 of the last 3 matchups in Waco with 2 of those losses coming in double overtime, including a 79-72 setback in the last visit on Jan. 20, 2016.
• K-State saw its losing streak hit a season-high 3 games on Wednesday, as TCU?rallied from a 5-point deficit with 2:19 to play to force overtime and post an 86-80 victory. It was the first win by the Horned Frogs at Bramlage Coliseum since 1999. TCU?connected on 50 percent from the field, including a combined 51.5 percent (17-of-33) in the second half and overtime. The Frogs scored 22 points off turnovers and 17 second-chance points.
• The Wildcats are allowing 61.5 points per game on 38.9 percent shooting in their 15 wins compared to nearly 75.4 points on 47.6 percent in the 7 losses. This comparison is particularly stark in Big 12 play, where the team is scoring 75.7 points on 47.5 percent shooting while allowing 75.3 points on 47.5 percent shooting, including 77.8 points in the 5 Big 12 losses.
• Sophomore Kamau Stokes paced four Wildcats in double figures with his 3rd career 20-point game with a game-high 21 points (15 of which came in the second half) against TCU. He has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games, averaging 13.9 points per game in that span.
THE OPPONENT: 2/3 BAYLOR (20-2, 7-2 Big 12)
• No. 2/3 Baylor enters Saturday’s game with a 20-2 overall record and a 7-2 mark in Big 12 play after dropping just its 2nd game of the season at No. 3/2 Kansas, 73-68, on Wednesday... The Bears are 13-0 at home this season, including 4-0 in Big 12 play.
• The Bears are averaging 75 points on 47.8 percent shooting, including 36 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 38.3 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 5.8 steals and 5.2 blocks per game... They are allowing opponents 61.7 points per game on 38.4 percent shooting, including 31.2 percent from beyond the arc... The team is shooting 73.1 percent from the free throw line.
• Baylor leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, FG percentage defense, rebounding, offensive boards and rebounding margin (+8.1).
• The Bears are led by junior forward Johnathan Motley, who paces the team in both scoring (16.2 ppg.) and rebounding (9.6 rpg.) and shoots 51.6 percent from the field... Motley is one of 3 players averaging in double figures, along with juniors Manu Lecomte (12.5 ppg.) and Jo Lual-Acuil, Jr. (10.2 ppg.)... Lual-Acuil, Jr. ranks 3rd in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (58.1) and 1st in blocked shots (2.8 bpg.)... Lecomte has a team-high 46 3-pointers and dishes out a team-high 4.4 assists per game.
• Baylor is led by veteran head coach Scott Drew, who has a 270-174 record in his 14th season at the school and is 290-185 overall in 15 seasons... He has led the Bears to 6 NCAA?Tournament appearances, including a pair of Elite Eights (2010, 2012).
BREAKING?DOWN?THE?SERIES
• This will be the 36th meeting between the two schools with Baylor holding an 18-17 edge.
• Baylor owns a 16-13 lead in the Big 12 era, including a 15-11 mark in regular-season meetings.
• Baylor has an 8-5 record at home in the series with 3 consecutive wins... The last K-State win in Waco came on March 2, 2013.
• The Bears have won 6 of the last 7 games in the series, including a season sweep in 2016 with a 79-72 win in double overtime at home on Jan. 20 and an 82-72 victory in Manhattan on Feb. 10... The current 4-game skid is the longest in series history.
• The last K-State win in the series came at Bramlage Coliseum, 63-61, on Jan. 17, 2015.
LAST MEETING: 1/1 BAYLOR 77, K-STATE 68
• Baylor junior guard Manu Lecomte scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the second half, as the top-ranked Bears rallied past No. 25 Kansas State, 77-68, on Jan. 14 in front of a sold-out crowd of 12,528 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
• K-State fought hard against Baylor, leading 44-43 with just over 10 minutes to play... However, the Wildcats lost the lead just moments later, as the Bears scored 6 straight points out of a timeout to recapture the lead and the momentum.
• K-State pulled within 71-66 with 31 seconds to go on a layup senior D.J. Johnson, but Baylor made six free throws in the final 27 seconds to prevent any further comeback... Johnson paced four Wildcats in double figures with 20 points.
• Johnson scored his 20 points on 9-of-13 field goals, including 6-of-6 in the second half, while sophomore Barry Brown and freshman Xavier Sneed finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively... Sophomore Kamau Stokes added 10 points.
• Lecomte was one of three Bears in double figures, scoring a game-high 26 points, 18 of which came in the second half, while senior Ishmail Wainright and junior Al Freeman each added 15 points.
CATS EFFICIENT ON OFFENSE
• K-State is averaging 75.3 points on 48 percent shooting (579-of-1206) and 37.8 percent from 3-point range (166-of-439), through the first 22 games with assists on 63 percent of its made field goals (362/579) and a +3.0 turnover margin.
• The Wildcats may rank just 8th in the Big 12 in scoring offense, but they place in Top 5 in most offensive categories, including 3rd in field goal percentage and turnover margin, 4th in 3-point field goal percentage and assists and 5th in 3-pointers.
• 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).
• The current 75.3 points per game scoring average is the highest since the 2009-10 team averaged 79.7 points per game, while the 48.0 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 18 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 15 of 22 games this season, including 20 or more 6 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 (12.6 ppg.), senior Wesley Iwundu (12.3 ppg.), senior D.J. Johnson (12.0 ppg.) and sophomore Kamau Stokes (12.0 ppg.), while 6 players are averaging 8 or more points... 6 different players have led the team in scoring, including a team-best 6 times by Brown.
• K-State was the only Big 12 team to have all 5 starters averaging double figures until Wade dropped to 9.2 points per game... The Wildcats are the only Big 12 school to have 6 players averaging 9 or more points, which includes Xavier Sneed (9.2 ppg.).
• 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 14 of 22 games, including at least 3 in 21 games... In all, 7 have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 6 having at least 11 double-digit scoring games led by 17 by Brown and Stokes.
• Nine Wildcats are shooting 45 percent or better from the field, including 3 of 5 starters... The starters are shooting a combined 47.6 percent from the field (447-of-939), including 37.0 percent (114-of-308) from 3-point range, this season.
• In all, starters are responsible for 77 percent of the team’s 1,656 points and 579 made field goals, 69 percent of the 166 made 3-pointers and 81 percent of the 362 assists... They also own 75 of the 87 double-digit scoring games.
• The starters are averaging 58.2 points on 49.1 percent shooting in the 15 wins and 57.6 points on 44.6 percent shooting.
OFFENSE HAS?ALSO BEEN?STRONG?IN?BIG?12 PLAY
• K-State is averaging 75.7 points in Big 12 play on a league-best 47.5 percent shooting (230-of-484), including 37.1 percent (66-of-178) from long range, with assists on 64 percent of its field goals (147/230) and a +3.4 turnover margin.
• The current 75.7 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 2nd in assists (16.3), 3rd in free throw percentage (72.4) and turnover margin (+3.4) and 4th in 3-pointers (7.3), 3-point percentage (37.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2).
• K-State has connected on 50 percent or better from the field in 5 of 9 Big 12 games with all 5 contests coming in last 8 games... During that 8-game stretch, the Wildcats are averaging 77 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting (213-of-437).
• 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 Kamau Stokes (14.2 ppg.), Wesley Iwundu (13 ppg.), D.J. Johnson (12.9 ppg.) and Barry Brown (12.2 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 (166-of-439) from 3-point range and is averaging 7.5 3-point field goals per game.
• K-State ranks 63rd nationally in 3-point field goal percentage... The team is 4th in percentage and 5th in makes in the Big 12.
• K-State has at least 7 3-pointers in 16 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 3 with 30 or more treys (Kamau Stokes, Barry Brown and Xavier Sneed)... Stokes and Brown rank in the Big 12’s Top 15 in both percentage and 3-pointer per game.
• K-State has made at least one 3-pointer in 294 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 155 games), the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 64.5 points per game (10,005)... The next closest team in that span is Baylor (64.9 ppg.) followed by Oklahoma State (65.3 ppg.).
• K-State ranks 17th in steals (8.5), 23rd in turnovers forced (16.3), 47th in scoring defense (65.9) and 86th in FG percentage defense (41.7)... The Wildcats are 3rd in the Big 12 steals, 4th in scoring defense and 5th in field goal percentage defense.
• 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 is 81-24 under Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 69 points or less and 13-37 when allowing 70 or more.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TURNOVERS
• K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.5 apg./17th) and turnovers forced (16.3/23rd).
• 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 8th time with 11 against TCU, including on the 5th occasion in Big 12 play... The team ranks 3rd in the Big 12 in steals in all games, including 2nd in league-only games with 82 through first 9 games.
• The Wildcats have forced double figure turnovers in 20 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 15 of the last 16 games.
• K-State is averaging 17.8 points per game off of turnovers, including 18.2 points per game in Big 12 play, and have outscored opponents, 391-253... The team has scored at least 12 points off turnovers in 21 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 (2,311) off of turnovers under Bruce Weber, an average of 14.9 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 17 of 22 games (including 7 of 9 Big 12 games) by a combined score of 842-672.
• Senior D.J. Johnson leads the team with 151 points on the Play Hard Chart, while sophomore Dean Wade is not far behind with 127 points... Johnson and Wade have won the individual game chart a team-high 7 times... The starters rank in five of the Top 6 on the Play Hard chart, as Barry Brown (111), Wesley Iwundu (98) and Kamau Stokes (97) round out Top 5.
• Johnson has tallied 591 Play Hard points in his career, including a team-best 14 in the opener vs.?Western Illinois (11/11).
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 is the leader in points (1063), rebounds (518), assists (322), steals (110), minutes (3,307), games (119) and starts (111).
• 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 1,063 points ties him for 20th on the all-time scoring list with Lon Kruger (1,063, 1971-74).
• Iwundu is one of 27 players to tally 500 career rebounds, while he is one of just 7 to dish out more than 300 career assists.
• Iwundu on track to record the most career starts, as he is just 8 away from passing all-time mark of 118 set by first by Ed Nealy (1978-82) and then by Steve Henson (1987-90)... He also needs just 5 games played to crack the career Top 10 list.
• Iwundu already ranks in the career Top 10 in starts (111/5th), assists (322/6th), minutes (3,307/7th) and steals (110/7th).
STAT STUFFER
• Senior Wesley Iwundu is the only Big 12 player to rank in the league’s Top 20 in scoring, rebounding and assists in all games, while he joins West Virginia’s Jevon Carter and Kansas’?Josh Jackson as the only Big 12 players to rank in the Top 20 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals in Big 12 games... He also ranks 13th in league-only games with a 46.8 field goal percentage.
• Iwundu ranks among the Top 20 in 8 Big 12 categories, including scoring (17th), rebounding (15th), field goal percentage (12th), free throw percentage (14th), assists (11th), assist-to-turnover ratio (13th), defensive rebounds (9th) and minutes (8th).
• Iwundu ranks 2nd on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg.), rebounding (5.5 rpg.) and assists (3.5 apg.) and 3rd in steals (1.1 spg.).
• Iwundu has scored in double figures 54 times in his career, including 16 this season (with 8 in the last 10 contests).
• Iwundu ranks 1st in rebounding (5.8 rpg.) and 2nd in scoring (13.0 ppg.) and assists (4.0 apg.) in Big 12-only games.
FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
• Senior D.J. Johnson has become a consistent force in the middle, averaging 12 points on a Big 12-best 63 percent shooting with team-bests in rebounding (6.4 rpg.) and blocks (1.5 bpg.)... He has double figures in 15 games, including 3 20-point games.
• Johnson leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage in both overall (63.0/104-of-165) and Big 12-only games (61.4/43-of-70), while he is the league’s overall Top 15 in blocks (4th), offensive rebounds (9th), rebounding (12th) and defensive rebounds (13th).
• His career 59.3 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 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).
• His 34 blocked shots have already surpassed his total from 2015-16 (29), while twice he has posted a career-best 4 blocks.
• Dating back to the win over No. 1 Oklahoma last season, Johnson is averaging 12.3 points on 61.2 percent shooting (153-of-250) in the last 33 games with 6.5 rebounds per game... He has 22 double-digit scoring in those games with 3 double-doubles.
CONSISTENT SCORING THREAT
• Sophomore Barry Brown has been the Wildcats’ most consistent scoring threat, averaging a team-best 12.6 points on 42.7 percent shooting (102-of-239)... He ranks 1st on the team in field goals attempted (239) and 2nd in makes (102).
• Brown has led in scoring a team-best 6 times, including a career-high 22 points at Oklahoma State (1/18)... He also led the way vs. Western Illinois (18, 11/11), Omaha (15, 11/15), Green Bay (18, 11/30), West Virginia (15, 1/21) and Tennessee (17, 1/28).
• Brown is tied for the team lead with 17 double-figure scoring games, including 6 of the 9 Big 12 games.
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 10th nationally in steals per game (2.4) and 11th in total steals (52).
• Brown’s 52 steals already rank 10th 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 92 career steals are also within 11 of cracking the Top 10 list.
• Brown has at least 2 steals in 17 of 22 games, including a career-best 5 vs. Hampton (11/20) and TCU (2/1).
• Brown’s 5 steals tied 9 others for the 5th-most in a league game and most since Justin Edwards had 5 vs. Oklahoma (1/9/16).
STOKES ON POINT
• Sophomore Kamau?Stokes return from injury has been one of the biggest storylines to K-State’s 15-7 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 22 games and average 12 points per game to go with team-highs in assists (4.6 apg.), minutes (33.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8).
• Stokes also ranks 1st on the team in 3-point field goals (42), 3-point attempts (102) and percentage (41.2).
• Stokes ranks among the Big 12’s Top 10 in 6 categories, including 4th in minutes (33.1), 6th in assists (4.6), 8th in 3-point field goal percentage (41.2), 10th in 3-point field goals (1.9), 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8) and 13th in free throw percentage.
• Stokes has scored in double figures a team-best 17 times, including in 12 consecutive games, with a season-high 21 vs. TCU... During that 12-game span, he is averaging 13.9 points on 38.8 percent shooting, including 42.1 percent from 3-point range.
• Stokes has dished out 5 or more assists 12 times this season after doing it just 3 times in 21 games as a freshman.
• Stokes ranks 1st on the team in scoring (14.2 ppg.), 3-pointers (20), assists (5.2 apg.) and minutes (36.0) in Big 12 play.
X-FACTOR
• No player may be more important to the Wildcats’ success than sophomore Dean Wade, who has 9 double-digit scoring games (55 percent shooting) in the 15 wins compared to just 2 double-digit scoring games (40.5 percent) in the 7 losses.
• Wade has scored in double figures in 27 career games (11 this season) with K-State posting a 22-5 mark in those contests.
• Wade is averaging 10.5 points on 55 percent shooting with 5.8 rebounds in the 15 wins and just 6.3 points on 40.5 percent shooting with 2.1 rebounds in the 7 losses... 32 of 44 total points in losses came at Kansas (1/3) and at Texas Tech (1/10).
• During the recent 3-game losing streak, Wade is averaging 2.3 points on 16.7 percent (2-of-12) shooting with 1.3 rebounds in just 16 minutes per game... In the first 19 games, he averaged 10.3 points on 54.4 percent shooting with 5.2 rebounds.
• Wade ranks 4th on the team in scoring (9.2 ppg.) on 51.1 percent shooting, including 38.6 percent from 3-point range, to go with 3rd-best rebounding averaging (4.6 rpg.)... He is averaging 10.1 points on 50.8 percent shooting in Big 12 games.
• 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.
SUPER SUB
• Freshman?Xavier Sneed has provided a big boost from the bench this season, averaging 9.2 points on 49.6 percent shooting (66-of-133), including 40 percent (32-of-80) from 3-point range, to go with 3.2 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game.
• Sneed has scored in double figures 11 times, including 4 in the last 5 Big 12 games with a season-best 19 vs. TCU (2/1).
• K-State is 8-3 this season when Sneed scores in double figures, while he is responsible for 11 of the bench’s 12 double-digit games... He ranks 3rd on the team in both 3-point FG makes (32) and attempts (80).
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: 3/2 KANSAS (20-2, 8-1 Big 12)
• K-State returns home on Monday night to host No. 3/2 Kansas (20-2, 8-1 Big 12) at 8 p.m., on ESPN’s Big Monday. Tickets are available for $100 by calling (800) 221.CATS or online at www.kstatesports.com/tickets.
