
Game Preview // K-State Hosts Oklahoma State Wednesday
Jan 09, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Game Preview // K-State Hosts Oklahoma State Wednesday
GAME #16
KANSAS STATE (11-4, 1-2 Big 12) vs. OKLAHOMA STATE (11-4, 1-2 Big 12)
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 >> 7:01p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.
TELEVISION
ESPNews // WatchESPN // ESPN3
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Satellite Radio: Sirius 135 // XM 199 // Internet 953
LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com [media only]
TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $15 (bench & GA)/$35 (chairback)
Wildcat 4 Pack: $50 (4 GA tickets)
Group (12+): $10
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 424-227/20th season
At K-State: 111-72/6th season
vs. Oklahoma State: 8-5 (4-1 at home)
Oklahoma State: Mike Boynton (South Carolina '03)
Career Record: 11-4/1st Year
Record at OSU: 11-4/1st Year
vs. Kansas State: 0-0
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (11-4, 1-2 Big 12)
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien
Oklahoma State (11-4, 1-2 Big 12)
G: #1 Kendall Smith
G: #30 Jeffrey Carroll
F: #5 Tavarius Shine
F: #35 Yankuba Sima
C: #41 Mitchell Solomon
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 78-53
Big 12 era: OSU?leads 18-12
In Manhattan: K-State leads 39-16
In Stillwater: OSU?leads 33-25
Active Streak: OSU, 1
Weber vs. Oklahoma State: 8-5 (4-1 at home)
Boynton vs. K-State: First meeting
Weber vs. Boynton: First meeting
OPENING TIP
NOTES ON OKLAHOMA STATE
SERIES HISTORY
HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM
LAST TIME OUT: 18/18 TEXAS TECH 74, K-STATE 58
HISTORY OF STRONG STARTS
OFFENSE OFF TO A GOOD START
TRIPLE SCORING THREAT
IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
SUCCESS BEYOND THE ARC
DEFENSIVE PROWESS
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
ONE OF THE YOUNGEST TEAMS
K-STATE WELCOMES SHAUN WILLIAMS
UP NEXT: AT 12/12 KANSAS (12-3, 2-1 Big 12)
KANSAS STATE (11-4, 1-2 Big 12) vs. OKLAHOMA STATE (11-4, 1-2 Big 12)
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 >> 7:01p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.
TELEVISION
ESPNews // WatchESPN // ESPN3
- Lowell Galindo (play-by-play)
- Lance Blanks (analyst)
- Steve Kurtenbach (producer)
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
- Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
- Stan Weber (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 135 // XM 199 // Internet 953
LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com [media only]
TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $15 (bench & GA)/$35 (chairback)
Wildcat 4 Pack: $50 (4 GA tickets)
Group (12+): $10
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 424-227/20th season
At K-State: 111-72/6th season
vs. Oklahoma State: 8-5 (4-1 at home)
Oklahoma State: Mike Boynton (South Carolina '03)
Career Record: 11-4/1st Year
Record at OSU: 11-4/1st Year
vs. Kansas State: 0-0
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (11-4, 1-2 Big 12)
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien
Oklahoma State (11-4, 1-2 Big 12)
G: #1 Kendall Smith
G: #30 Jeffrey Carroll
F: #5 Tavarius Shine
F: #35 Yankuba Sima
C: #41 Mitchell Solomon
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 78-53
Big 12 era: OSU?leads 18-12
In Manhattan: K-State leads 39-16
In Stillwater: OSU?leads 33-25
Active Streak: OSU, 1
Weber vs. Oklahoma State: 8-5 (4-1 at home)
Boynton vs. K-State: First meeting
Weber vs. Boynton: First meeting
OPENING TIP
- After playing three of its last four games away from home, Kansas State (11-4, 1-2 Big 12) returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats play host to longtime conference foe Oklahoma State (11-4, 1-2 Big 12) at 7 p.m., CT. The contest will air nationally on ESPNews and the WatchESPN?app with Lowell Galindo (play-by-play) and Lance Blanks (analyst) on the call.
- K-State has lost consecutive games for the first time this season, falling to two of the nation's hottest teams in No. 6/7 West Virginia (69-77) at home on New Year's Day and then at No. 18/18 Texas Tech (58-74) on Saturday afternoon. Three of the Wildcats' four losses have come to teams that are currently ranked in the Top 15 (No. 2/2 West Virginia, No. 8/8 Texas Tech and No. 11/11 Arizona State). K-State is 7-2 at home this season, including 7-1 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- K-State and Oklahoma State will meet for the 132nd time on Wednesday night, including the 31st time as members of the Big 12. The Wildcats lead the series, 78-53, which dates back to 1922, but the Cowboys have an 18-12 advantage in Big 12 play, including a 10-11 mark at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State had won five consecutive at home against OSU until an 80-68 loss last season. The Cowboys are looking for back-to-back wins at Bramlage Coliseum for the first time since 2004 and 2006.
- K-State will be without the services of junior point guard Kamau Stokes for an undetermined period of time after he sustained an injury in the first half of Saturday's loss at Texas Tech. The Baltimore native has led the Wildcats in a number of categories, including minutes (30.5 mpg.), double-digit scoring games (11), 3-point field goals (33) and assists (4.6 apg.), while ranking third in scoring (13.4 ppg.). He started all 35 games a season ago, leading the way in 3-point field goals (64), assists (4.1 apg.) and minutes (33.3 mpg.). It marks the second time in three seasons that Stokes will miss an extended period after missing the final 12 games of the 2015-16 campaign.
- Redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra is expected to earn his first career start in place of Stokes. Diarra, who missed the entire 2016-17 season due to a knee injury, has played in all 15 games this season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.5 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game. He played a career-best 30 minutes on Saturday at Texas Tech, scoring in double figures for the third time with 11 points on 3-of-5 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 3-of-4 from the line with 2 assists.
- With Stokes out, K-State will look to get more scoring from its reserves, including guards Amaad?Wainright (3.5 ppg.) and Brian Patrick (2.1 ppg.) and forwards Mawdo Sallah (2.4 ppg.), Levi Stockard III (1.9 ppg.) and Nigel Shadd (1.1 ppg.). The Wildcat bench is averaging 15 points per game, including 9.3 points in Big 12 play, compared to their opponents' 18.6 points per game average. Both West Virginia and Texas Tech scored 34 points from its bench in the last two games compared to 11 and 13, respectively, for K-State.
- The Wildcat starters are averaging 60.9 points per game on 49.2 percent shooting, including 36.4 percent from 3-point range. Aside from Stokes' scoring average, Barry Brown, Jr. (15.5 ppg.), Dean Wade (14.9 ppg.) and Xavier Sneed (11.4 ppg.) are all averaging in double figures.
NOTES ON OKLAHOMA STATE
- Oklahoma State enters Wednesday's game with an 11-4 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Big 12 play after posting a 96-87 victory in overtime at home against Iowa State on Saturday. The Cowboys scored 46 of their 96 points in the paint, as the team overcame an eight-point deficit with 3:32 to play to earn their first Big 12 win. Senior Jeffrey Carroll led four players in double figures with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while graduate transfer Kendall Smith added 20 points and 5 assists. Senior Mitchell Solomon had a near double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds.
- OSU is averaging 81.1 points per game on 44.9 percent shooting, including 32.9 percent from 3-point range, to go with 38.5 rebounds, 16.5 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.1 blocks per game, while allowing opponents 71.3 points per game on 41.7 percent shooting, including 33.7 percent from long range. The Cowboys are shooting a Big 12-best 77.1 percent from the free throw line.
- Carroll is one of three Cowboys averaging in double figures, as he averages a team-best 15.9 points per game (No. 9 in the Big 12) on 40.9 percent shooting, including 31.5 percent from 3-point range, to go with 6.6 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game. Junior Tavarius Shine averages 11.8 points on 46.5 percent shooting, including 32.8 percent from 3-point range, to go 4.1 rebounds per game, while transfer Kendall Smith averages 11.1 points on 39.2 percent shooting with a team-best 3.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. Solomon averages a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game on 63.2 percent shooting to go with 9.1 points per game. Four others (Lindy Waters, Brandon Averette, Thomas Dziagwa and Cameron McGriff) all average between 7.1 and 8.1 points per game, while Dziagwa (31) is one of three Cowboys with 20 or more 3-pointers.
- Oklahoma State is led by head coach Mike Boynton, who is in his first season after serving as assistant coach last season. A former assistant to former K-State head coach Frank Martin at South Carolina from 2008-13, he has been an assistant for 12 years at six different schools.
SERIES HISTORY
- This will be 132nd meeting between Kansas State and Oklahoma State on the hardwood, including the 31st in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats holding a 78-53 advantage in a series that dates to 1922. The 78 wins are the seventh-most against one team, while the two schools have met at least once a year every season since 1958. The Cowboys own an 18-12 advantage since the start of Big 12 play in 1997, including a 6-7 mark at Bramlage Coliseum. Overall, the Wildcats are 39-16 all-time at home in the series, including wins in four of the last five meetings.
- In the last matchup in Manhattan, Oklahoma State took control of a tight contest midway though the second half, as the Cowboys snapped a four-game losing streak at Bramlage Coliseum with an 80-68 victory on Feb. 22, 2017. Behind the play of senior Leyton Hammonds, OSU used a 13-5 run over a more than 3-minute stretch to convert a 52-51 lead into a 65-56 advantage with 7:14 to play. Hammonds, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, scored nine of the Cowboys' 13 points in the span. The lead grew to double figures after a pair of free throws by guard Jawun Evans with 6:13 to play, as the Wildcats could get no closer than six points the rest of the way.
- Senior Wesley Iwundu led K-State with a game-tying 21 points, which including a career-best 14 free throws on 17 attempts, and a team-high 9 rebounds, while forward Dean Wade added 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-3 from long range.
- Head coach Bruce Weber is 8-5 all-time against Oklahoma State, including 4-1 at home.
HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM
- K-State has posted a 359-114 (.759) all-time record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 359 victories are the second-most at a home venue for the Wildcats, trailing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88).
- K-State has collected a 158-34 (.823) record at home over the past 12 seasons, including a 66-29 (.695) mark in Big 12 play. The 158 wins rank fourth among Big 12 schools in that span, while the 66 league victories at home are only surpassed by Kansas and Texas. In all, the school has earned double-digit wins in 24 of its 29 seasons in the arena, including a current streak of 16 straight seasons.
- The Wildcats are 34-57 (.378) all-time at Bramlage Coliseum against ranked teams, including 31-54 (.369) against ranked Big 12 opponents. The team is 19-17 (.543) against ranked opponents at home since 2008, which included a stretch of 10 wins in 13 matchups from 2013 to 2015. Since a double-overtime loss to No. 19 West Virginia on Jan. 2, 2016, K-State has won just two of its last 10 meetings with ranked opponents at home.
- Head coach Bruce Weber has a 74-18 (.804) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State in 2012-13 with the 18 losses (15 of which have come in Big 12 play) coming by 107 points or 5.9 points per game. Among the 74 victories are 12 over ranked teams, including five against teams ranked in the Top 10 (No. 6 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Kansas in 2014, No. 8 Kansas in 2015, No. 1 Oklahoma in 2016 and No. 7 West Virginia in 2017).
LAST TIME OUT: 18/18 TEXAS TECH 74, K-STATE 58
- A valiant second-half effort by Kansas State wasn't enough to overcome a complete all-around first-half effort by No. 18/18 Texas Tech, as the Red Raiders moved to 3-0 in Big 12 play with a 74-58 win on Saturday afternoon before 12,531 fans at United Supermarkets Arena. Texas Tech (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) led by as many as 21 points in the first half on nearly 70 percent shooting from the field and never trailed in winning for the fourth consecutive time in the series at home. Senior guard Keenan Evans poured in a game-high 27 points, including 13-of-14 from the free throw line, as nine different Red Raiders registered field goals en route to connecting on 58.5 percent (24-of-41) from the field.
- Facing its largest halftime deficit since February 2015, K-State opened the half on a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to 42-35 on a 3-point play by junior Barry Brown, Jr., with 14:31 to play. However, Texas Tech responded with an 11-2 run midway through the half to push it back to 17 points in an eventual 74-58 victory. Brown led the Wildcats with 24 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while fellow junior Dean Wade added 14. Redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra, who played a career-best 30 minutes after taking over for the injured Kamau Stokes, scored 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting.
HISTORY OF STRONG STARTS
- K-State is looking to continue a history of strong starts to a season on Wednesday, as the Wildcats have jumped out to an 11-4 record. The 11-4 mark ties for the fourth-best start under head coach Bruce Weber and ties the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08 and 2008-09 for the sixth-best start in the last 15 seasons by a Wildcat team. Only the 2009-10 (13-2), 2011-12 (12-3), 2012-13 (13-2) and 2016-17 (13-2) teams have jumped out to a better start since 2003-04.
- K-State's best start after 15 games since 2003-04 has been a 13-2 mark, which has been done three times (2009-10, 2012-13 and 2016-17).
- The Wildcats have started 2-0 (2014-15), 4-0 (2015-16), 5-0 (2016-17) and 4-0 (2017-18) in each of the last four seasons since dropping their opener to Northern Colorado in 2013. The 5-0 start last season was the best since the 2012-13 season. The squad has started 5-0 five times in the last 15 seasons, including 2004-05 (8-0), 2008-09 (5-0), 2011-12 (5-0), 2012-13 (5-0) and 2016-17 (5-0).
- The best start in the last 15 seasons came in 2016-17 when K-State won each of its first five games en route to a 12-1 start (which included a 7-game winning streak). The best-ever start to a season came in 1918-19 when the squad opened 17-0 before losing their last two games to finish 17-2 and win the Missouri Valley Conference title under head coach Zora Clevenger for the second time in three seasons.
OFFENSE OFF TO A GOOD START
- K-State is averaging 75.9 points on 47.9 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with a solid 72.4 percent clip from the free throw line through 15 games. The Wildcats have scored 80 or more points seven times, including a pair of 90-point efforts against Arizona State (11/23) and Iowa State (12/29), and have eclipsed the 75-point barrier seven times in the last 12 games. It is the most 90-point and 80-point games in the first 15 games since 2009-10 (which had 11 80-point and 4 90-point games), while the 1,139 points are the most points through 15 games since scoring 1,237 (82.5 ppg.) in the same span to start the 2009-10 season. The 91 points at ISU were the most in a Big 12 opener since 2000.
- The Wildcats scored a season-best 91 points at Iowa State (12/29) on 55.2 percent shooting (32-of-58), including 50 percent (13-of-26) from 3-point range. It was the most points in a Big 12 opener since scoring 97 at home against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000, while it was the most in a Big 12 opener on the road since scoring 92 at Colorado on Jan. 21, 1987. The 91 points were the most in a Big 12 road game overall since scoring 96 at Oklahoma State on Jan. 18, 2017. The Wildcats connected on 50 percent or better in both halves for the sixth time this season. The 13 3-point field goals tied for the ninth-most makes in school history and most in a Big 12 game since hitting 14 against the Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 5, 2011.
- K-State also posted 90 points vs. Arizona State (11/23), which tied for the fourth-most points ever scored in a loss and the most since a 112-95 loss at No. 4 Oklahoma on Feb. 13, 1988. The 84 points at Vanderbilt (12/3) were the most in a non-conference road game since also scoring 84 at Saint Louis on Dec. 3, 2016. The squad also has 80-point efforts vs. American (11/10), NAU?(11/20), USC?Upstate (12/5) and SE Missouri State (12/16).
- K-State has connected on better than 50 percent from the field in seven games, including a season-best 62.5 percent (35-of-56) in the win over SE?Missouri State (12/16). The team has hit on 50 percent or better in both halves in six games (American, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, USC?Upstate, SE Missouri State and Iowa State). The Wildcats posted season-highs for field goals made (35), assists (25), points in the paint (44) as well as dunks (7) vs. SE?Missouri. It was the most assists in a game since dishing out 25 at Baylor on Feb. 15, 2014, while it was the most points in the paint since posting 46 in a win over Iowa State on Feb. 28, 2015. The 35 field goals was one shy of the record in the Bruce Weber era of 36 vs. OSU on Jan. 18, 2017.
TRIPLE SCORING THREAT
- Even without junior Kamau Stokes, K-State still has a trio of scoring threats in juniors Barry Brown, Jr. (15.5 ppg.) and Dean Wade (14.9 ppg.) and sophomore Xavier Sneed (11.4 ppg.). They rank 11th, 14th and 27th in scoring in the Big 12, as the three are averaging 41.7 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting, including 34.7 percent from long range, and 75.3 percent from the free throw line.
- The trio of Brown, Wade and Sneed have all scored in double figures in eight career games, including four this season. The three combined for 51 points against No. 6/5 West Virginia on 50 percent shooting (16-of-32). They have combined for 31 double-digit scoring games.
- Wade is averaging 21.7 points on 69.4 percent shooting (25-of-36), including 66.7 percent (6-of-9) with 7.7 rebounds through his first three Big 12 games. His scoring average ranks third in the Big 12 behind Trae Young (31.7 ppg.) and Devonte Graham (26.0 ppg.), while he is second in 3-point field goal percentage, fourth in field goal percentage and seventh in rebounding. His 65 points are the most by a Wildcat through the first three Big 12 games since Michael Beasley scored 82 vs. Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Colorado in 2008.
- Brown is not far behind Wade since the start of Big 12 play, averaging 19.7 points on 46.2 percent shooting, which includes 20-point scoring efforts at Iowa State (12/29/17) and Texas Tech (1/6/18). He leads the Wildcats with nine career 20-point games, including a team-best five this season (with three in the last four outings). His current 19.7 points per game average ranks fifth in the Big 12 behind Young, Graham, Wade and Keenan Evans.
- Sneed has struggled with his scoring consistency of late with just three double-figure scoring game in his six outings, but he has registered double-digit points eight times this season, including three 20-point games (Vanderbilt, SE Missouri State and West Virginia). He is now the leader in 3-point field goals with Stokes out with 27, which includes a career-best 6-of-9 effort in the setback to the Mountaineers on New Year's Day.
IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT
- In the Big 12 opener at Iowa State, Dean Wade (34), Kamau Stokes (23) and Barry Brown, Jr. (21) combined for 78 of the team's 91 points on 62.8 percent shooting (27-of-43), including 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from 3-point range. It marked just the second time that the Wildcats had a 30-point scorer and two 20-point scorers in the same game since Chuckie Williams (34), Daryl Winston (23) and Mike Evans (20) accomplished the feat in a 108-93 victory at Iowa State on Jan. 29, 1975. It was also the most combined points for three players in a game since Michael Beasley (44), Bill Walker (31) and Clent Stewart (5) combined for 80 points in a loss a Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008. In addition, it was the first time K-State had three 20-point scorers (Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente and Curtis Kelly) since the 2010 NCAA West Regional Semifinal against Xavier on March 25, 2010.
- Wade became the first 30-point scorer since Marcus Foster also scored 34 vs. Texas on Feb. 8, 2014, while it was the most points by in a Big 12 road game since Clemente scored 44 at Texas on Jan. 31, 2009 and most in a Big 12 opener since Beasley had 32 at Oklahoma on Jan. 12, 2008.
- Stokes, who tied for the team lead with 11 double-figure scoring games prior to his injury, has registered 20 or more points seven times in his career, including three times this season. Brown, the Wildcats' leader with 12 double-digit scoring games, has been the leader in 20-point games with nine in his career, including five this season. The two guards combined for 50 points in the loss to Arizona State (11/26) with Brown scoring a career-best 27 points in the two-point loss to the Sun Devils. Stokes (20) also joined Xavier Sneed (21) with 20-point games in the win at Vanderbilt (12/3).
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
- K-State has been solid taking care of the basketball this season, averaging a Big 12-low 11.2 turnovers per game. The average ranks 20th nationally, while the 168 total turnover also ranks 15th in the nation. In contrast, the Wildcats have also forced their opponents into 15.3 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the league. The team ranks 22nd nationally and third in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+4.1).
- K-State has posted 12 turnovers or less in 11 of 15 games, including single-digit turnovers on four occasions (UC Irvine, George Washington, Oral Roberts, Vanderbilt). The team is averaging just 10.4 turnovers over the last 10 games (104). Since turning over the ball a season-high 17 in the opener against American (11/10), the Wildcats have averaged just 10.8 turnovers in the last 14 games, including seven games of 10 turnovers or less.
- K-State is averaging 15.6 assists per game on 26.9 made field goals per game, which ranks seventh in the Big 12. However, when comparing it to the low turnover average, the team ranks 27th nationally and fourth in the league in assist turnover ratio at 1.39. They have dished out 20 or more assists four times, including a season-best 25 against SE?Missouri State (12/16) and 22 against American (11/10) and Northern Arizona (11/20).
SUCCESS BEYOND THE ARC
- K-State has been successful to start the season from 3-point range, averaging 8.2 treys per game on 36.1 percent shooting (123-of-341). Junior Kamau Stokes is one of four players with double-digit 3-point field goals, as he leads all players with 33 treys on 41.3 percent shooting (33-of-80) this season. Before the injury, he ranked seventh in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made/game (2.2), while he is 14th in 3-point field goal percentage.
- Stokes hit a career-high 7 treys vs. Arizona State (11/23), which tied for the fourth-most in school history, while he has at least 3 or three other games.
- Sophomore Xavier Sneed is second in 3-point field goals with 27 on a 38 percent clip, while junior Barry Brown, Jr. (19), junior Dean Wade (14), redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra (11) and junior Amaad Wainright (8) all have more than eight 3-point makes. Wade (ISU) and Sneed (West Virginia) both hit a career-high 6 treys recently, while Brown had a career-best 4 against Arizona State (11/23) and Diarra had 4 vs. American (11/10).
- K-State has hit on six or more 3-pointers in 10 of 15 games this season, including double-digits against American (12), Arizona State (15), USC Upstate (12), SE?Missouri?State (11), Iowa State (13) and West Virginia (10). The 15 makes against the Sun Devils tied for the second-most in school history and were the most since also converting on 15 3-pointers against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000. Overall, the Wildcats hit on 46.9 percent from beyond the arc against ASU with the 32 attempts the third-most ever in a game and the most since attempting a school-record 37 at Texas on Feb. 12, 2005.
DEFENSIVE PROWESS
- K-State has been solid on the defensive end to start the season, allowing 64.9 points while holding its opposition to 41.1 percent shooting (319-of-777), including 32.5 percent (106-of-326) from 3-point range. The team ranks among the Top 35 in turnover margin (22nd), steals per game (30th) and scoring defense (33rd), while they are third in the Big 12 in scoring defense, turnover margin and steals, fourth in 3-point field goal percentage defense and sixth in field goal percentage defense.
- Only four times in the modern era (since 1953-54) has a K-State team allowed 60 points or less six times to the first 15 opponents, as the 2017-18 squad joins the 1981-82, 1984-85 and 2005-06 teams to accomplish the feat.
- The Wildcats have held six of the 15 opponents to 45, 51, 49, 58, 59 and 49 points, respectively, as they have now held 64 opponents to 60 points or less under head coach Bruce Weber's direction with the squad boasting a 57-7 (.891) record in those contests. The squad has held 17 opponents to 50 points or less under Weber (16-1 record), which includes a Weber era-best 26 points allowed to Alabama-Huntsville on Nov. 13, 2012.
- K-State has held all but one opponent (Vanderbilt) to below its scoring average and has held its opponents to an average of 11.1 points below its season scoring average. The Wildcats held UMKC (11/14)?to 32.5 points under its scoring average, while UC?Irvine (11/17) and USC?Upstate (12/5) were held to 27 and 26 points, respectively, below its average. Eight opponents (Arizona State, George Washington, Vanderbilt, Tulsa, SE?Missouri State, Iowa State, West Virginia and Texas Tech) have shot better than 40 percent from the field.
- K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in the past five seasons (60.4 ppg., in 2012-13 and 65.4 ppg., in 2013-14). Since his arrival in 2012-13, the Wildcats are allowing opponents just 64.3 points per game (11,773 points).
- Under Weber's direction, K-State has a 93-26 (.782) record when holding an opponent to 69 points or less since 2012-13 and an 18-46 (.279) mark when allowing an opponent to score 70 or more points.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
- K-State enjoyed quite the memorable night on defensive end against Northern?Arizona (11/20), as the Wildcats tied the school record with 19 steals while forcing 31 total turnovers and enjoying a 38-15 edge in points off turnovers in the convincing 80-58 win. The 19 steals tied the school mark set against Tulane on Jan. 10, 1976 at Ahearn Field House. The 31 turnovers tied for the fifth most and were the most since also forcing 31 against Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2008. The 38 points off of turnovers were the fourth-most and the most since totaling 39 against Washington State on Dec. 5, 2009.
- In all, five different Wildcats had at least two steals, including a career-best 6 by Barry?Brown, Jr., and 5 by Dean?Wade. The 6 steals by Brown tied nine other players for the eighth-most steals in a game. He now has 150 in his career, which ranks third on the all-time list. Kamau Stokes also had 3 steals, while sophomore Xavier Sneed and redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra had 2 each.
ONE OF THE YOUNGEST TEAMS
- K-State is one of 15 schools nationally (Auburn, American, Bowling Green, UC Irvine, The Citadel, Holy Cross, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Marquette, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Toledo and Wofford) to have one or fewer seniors on its roster in 2017-18, while the Wildcats' nine freshmen (true and redshirt) and sophomores ranks nine nationally and are only surpassed by the 12 at Auburn and Kentucky, 11 by UC Irvine, 10 each by American, The Citadel, Tennessee, Toledo and Wofford.
K-STATE WELCOMES SHAUN WILLIAMS
- Head coach Bruce Weber announced the signing of Shaun Williams (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) on the first day of the National Signing Period on Nov. 8.
- A 6-foot-3, 170-pound guard, Williams led Hazelwood Central in 12 categories en route to helping the Hawks to a 17-11 record and a trip to the Class 5, District 3 Championship Game. He averaged a team-best 18.6 points on 47.4 percent shooting (155-of-237), including 35.2 percent (38-of-108) from 3-point range, to go with 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He connected on a team-best 83.8 percent (98-of-117) from the free throw line. He was a First Team Class 5 All-State selection by the Missouri Basketball?Coaches Association as a junior.
UP NEXT: AT 12/12 KANSAS (12-3, 2-1 Big 12)
- K-State continues Big 12 play on Saturday when they travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on No. 12/12 Kansas (12-3, 2-1 Big 12) at 11 am CT at Allen Fieldhouse.
Players Mentioned
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at TCU
Saturday, February 07
K-State Men's Basketball | Honoring Coach Jack Hartman
Wednesday, February 04
K-State Men's Basketball | Game Replay vs Iowa State - February 1st, 2026
Monday, February 02
K-State Men's Basketball | David Castillo, PJ Haggerty Postgame Press Conference (Iowa State)
Sunday, February 01


















