SE: K-State MBB Ready to Face Adversity, Showed So in 71-59 Win Over GSU

By Corbin McGuire

If history has taught us anything about this No. 25/24 K-State men's basketball team, it's that adversity does not rattle these Wildcats for long, if at all. Most often, it brings out the best out of them.

The latest example: K-State's 71-59 win against Georgia State in Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday that snapped a two-game losing streak. The Wildcats (7-2) finished the game on a 21-6 run without seniors Dean Wade and Kamau Stokes. They did so against a Georgia State team picked to win the Sun Belt Conference and led by an NBA Draft prospect in D'Marcus Simonds.

"Things happen for a reason, I really believe that. We had to have some adversity," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "I didn't want this adversity that we had tonight but hopefully it will help us grow as a team."

Family. #KStateMBB #PursuitOfBetter pic.twitter.com/oxkoYx9lF1
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) December 16, 2018

In a matter of about four minutes during the second half, K-State went from seizing control to somewhat in shock. The Wildcats went from a team led by a three-headed monster of veteran seniors to a group trying to survive with just one.

K-State was on a 10-0 run, up 48-39, when Wade went down with an injury. The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year slammed his hand on the court in frustration in what quickly became a silenced Bramlage Coliseum. Wade will be out an undetermined period of time, it was announced on Sunday.

Not long after, Stokes went down, too. He stepped on the foot of a Georgia State player after saving the ball from going out of bounds near the Panthers' bench. He checked out as Georgia State was on a 14-2 run and up 53-50, seemingly holding all the momentum as the Wildcats tried to regroup without two of their three leaders.

Wade and Stokes had a combined 27 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and six steals before getting hurt. But K-State had been there before, down a key piece or two but able to thrive despite it.

Last season, the Wildcats lost Stokes to a broken foot early in Big 12 play. K-State responded by winning four of its next five games, including a pair of ranked wins against No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 24 TCU. Wade only played eight minutes in the NCAA Tournament, yet K-State wound up in the Elite Eight.

"It's concerning," senior guard Barry Brown, Jr., said of the injuries, "but we've been through it before."

K-State's experience in this regard certainly showed on Saturday.

After falling behind, 53-50, Brown reclaimed the lead for K-State with a take and trey in back-to-back possessions. He finished with 21 points on 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.

"I just wanted us to stay focused, stay confident when Dean [Wade] and Kam [Stokes] went down," Brown said. "It is not difficult (to stay focused) because it is kind of the same thing as last year, and we have been through it."

After Brown's 5-0 spurt, sophomores Cartier Diarra and Mike McGuirl energized the entire building on a fast break. McGuirl connected with Diarra for a thunderous alley-oop dunk. Georgia State called timeout, but it did little good. The Wildcats never released their grip on the game.

Going ??

McGuirl to Diarra.. 'Cats back on ??#KStateMBB pic.twitter.com/aiJtIXlLhP
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) December 16, 2018

"We forgot all about being ranked and we were just trying to survive," Weber said on his postgame radio interview. "It was just like last year. Instead of worrying about all the other stuff, we were worrying about fighting our butt off to win the game against a good team."

In a statement Sunday night, Weber addressed Wade's injury: "Obviously I'm disappointed for Dean and his family. He has worked hard to get back from his injury from last season to have a great start to his senior year. I know that he will work equally hard to rehab and come back strong."

For now, Weber knows his team is equipped and prepared to win while Wade works his way back to full health.

"I think (last year's adversity was) a good thing, and I don't want it to happen. I feel bad Dean didn't get to go through that run last year. He's one of the guys that got us into that tournament with his play. You feel for him, but things happen in life, and we've been through it," Weber said. "We've played without him, other guys got to step up, and they again did tonight."

"We beat some good teams last year (in the NCAA Tournament) and we didn't really have Dean too much," Brown added. "We definitely need Dean, for sure, but I feel like we have to continue to stay focused, stay confident in ourselves, because if he doesn't play then we still have to win games."

Kansas State University Athletics

SE: K-State MBB Ready to Face Adversity, Showed So in 71-59 Win Over GSU

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Mike McGuirl

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

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