Kansas State University Athletics
SE: K-State MBB Turns Focus to Challenges Ahead in Non-Conference; Other Takeaways from Paradise Jam Championship Run
Nov 23, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
K-State's men's basketball team accomplished one of its first goals of the season — winning a tournament championship — earlier this week, but the challenge of its non-conference schedule has only really just begun.
Head coach Bruce Weber conveyed this message to the No. 12/12 Wildcats after their 3-0 run at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands, capped by an 82-67 win over Missouri in the title game.
"It takes a little maturity to keep moving forward, and that'll be my big challenge to them: Come and play well again Saturday in Bramlage. Play at a high level all the time," Weber said as K-State (5-0) hosts Lehigh on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. "One goal was to win it. Another goal, obviously, is, if you win it, to have a great record in non-conference. Win some big games and you're going to have a good power rating and a chance down the road to be, hopefully, a high seed."
The Wildcats now approach a series of opportunities to bolster their early resume.
A week from Saturday, they face a talented Marquette team that is receiving votes in both major polls, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. K-State then goes on the road again to face Tulsa, which handed the Wildcats a disappointing loss in Wichita last season, on Saturday, December 8.
Next is a December 15 battle with Georgia State, an NCAA Tournament team last season, in Bramlage Coliseum, followed by a home battle with Southern Mississippi, which won at SMU earlier this season, on December 19. K-State closes its non-conference slate out against Vanderbilt, which brought in a top-15 recruiting class this season, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 22, and George Mason on December 29 in Manhattan.
"We have to get mentally ready for every game and use it to get better," Weber said. "It's a little bit of a step up but that's good for us. We have to learn and get better for the league."
Wade Warms Up, Named Paradise Jam MVP
Weber texted senior forward Dean Wade before K-State's championship game against Missouri. His message was simple: Make sure everyone knows who the best player in the gym is today.
Wade did exactly that, pouring in 21 points on 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He was named the tournament's most valuable player after averaging 17.3 points on 61.8 percent (21-of-34) shooting with 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
His shooting percentage at the tournament, bolstered by going 7-of-11 from 3-point range, was beyond impressive. But Weber would still like to see more shot attempts from the Big 12's Preseason Player of the Year.
"I have been on him a little bit. It's really his personality. We started practice with contested and uncontested shots. I think he was 22-of-24 of uncontested shots. 'Please shoot the ball, Dean,'" Weber said, laughing. "There's not a lot of guys that you beg to shoot the ball, but he's just such a team guy, and he listens to me when I tell the team to be patient. I don't want him to listen. I want him to shoot the ball.
"He's a special player. I don't think people nationwide know how good he is, but he has to do that consistently."
Other Notes
After a frigid first few games from beyond the arc, K-State knocked down 18-of-48 shots from beyond the arc in the Virgin Islands. They buried 12-of-24 against Missouri.
"We're making progress," Weber said. "I told them today I've probably been a little impatient. It is a new season, a new team. We're still trying to figure some things out."
In its 3-0 week, K-State had five players score in double figures against Eastern Kentucky, four score nine or more against Penn and four put up 10 or more against Missouri.
This balanced attack included senior point guard Kamau Stokes averaging 12.0 points on 50 percent shooting, while also dishing out 10 assists to only four turnovers between the three games. Sophomore guard Cartier Diarra also stepped up, scoring 14 off the bench against Eastern Kentucky and eight against Missouri.
K-State's bench chipped in 41, six and 14 points in the tournaments three games, respectively. In total, 11 different Wildcats played five or more minutes against Eastern Kentucky, with 10 meeting that threshold against Missouri. All were positives within the trip, Weber said.
"We have a good nucleus," he said. "Our bench has to be dangerous. That's got to be a key."
K-State's men's basketball team accomplished one of its first goals of the season — winning a tournament championship — earlier this week, but the challenge of its non-conference schedule has only really just begun.
Head coach Bruce Weber conveyed this message to the No. 12/12 Wildcats after their 3-0 run at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands, capped by an 82-67 win over Missouri in the title game.
"It takes a little maturity to keep moving forward, and that'll be my big challenge to them: Come and play well again Saturday in Bramlage. Play at a high level all the time," Weber said as K-State (5-0) hosts Lehigh on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. "One goal was to win it. Another goal, obviously, is, if you win it, to have a great record in non-conference. Win some big games and you're going to have a good power rating and a chance down the road to be, hopefully, a high seed."
The Wildcats now approach a series of opportunities to bolster their early resume.
A week from Saturday, they face a talented Marquette team that is receiving votes in both major polls, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. K-State then goes on the road again to face Tulsa, which handed the Wildcats a disappointing loss in Wichita last season, on Saturday, December 8.
Next is a December 15 battle with Georgia State, an NCAA Tournament team last season, in Bramlage Coliseum, followed by a home battle with Southern Mississippi, which won at SMU earlier this season, on December 19. K-State closes its non-conference slate out against Vanderbilt, which brought in a top-15 recruiting class this season, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 22, and George Mason on December 29 in Manhattan.
"We have to get mentally ready for every game and use it to get better," Weber said. "It's a little bit of a step up but that's good for us. We have to learn and get better for the league."
Wade Warms Up, Named Paradise Jam MVP
Weber texted senior forward Dean Wade before K-State's championship game against Missouri. His message was simple: Make sure everyone knows who the best player in the gym is today.
Wade did exactly that, pouring in 21 points on 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He was named the tournament's most valuable player after averaging 17.3 points on 61.8 percent (21-of-34) shooting with 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
His shooting percentage at the tournament, bolstered by going 7-of-11 from 3-point range, was beyond impressive. But Weber would still like to see more shot attempts from the Big 12's Preseason Player of the Year.
"I have been on him a little bit. It's really his personality. We started practice with contested and uncontested shots. I think he was 22-of-24 of uncontested shots. 'Please shoot the ball, Dean,'" Weber said, laughing. "There's not a lot of guys that you beg to shoot the ball, but he's just such a team guy, and he listens to me when I tell the team to be patient. I don't want him to listen. I want him to shoot the ball.
"He's a special player. I don't think people nationwide know how good he is, but he has to do that consistently."
Other Notes
After a frigid first few games from beyond the arc, K-State knocked down 18-of-48 shots from beyond the arc in the Virgin Islands. They buried 12-of-24 against Missouri.
"We're making progress," Weber said. "I told them today I've probably been a little impatient. It is a new season, a new team. We're still trying to figure some things out."
In its 3-0 week, K-State had five players score in double figures against Eastern Kentucky, four score nine or more against Penn and four put up 10 or more against Missouri.
This balanced attack included senior point guard Kamau Stokes averaging 12.0 points on 50 percent shooting, while also dishing out 10 assists to only four turnovers between the three games. Sophomore guard Cartier Diarra also stepped up, scoring 14 off the bench against Eastern Kentucky and eight against Missouri.
K-State's bench chipped in 41, six and 14 points in the tournaments three games, respectively. In total, 11 different Wildcats played five or more minutes against Eastern Kentucky, with 10 meeting that threshold against Missouri. All were positives within the trip, Weber said.
"We have a good nucleus," he said. "Our bench has to be dangerous. That's got to be a key."
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