Game Preview // K-State Travels to Oklahoma State on Wednesday Night

GAME #26
KANSAS STATE (17-8, 6-6 Big 12) at OKLAHOMA STATE (15-10, 5-7 Big 12)
Wednesday, February 14, 2018 >> 6 p.m. CT >> Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611) >> Stillwater, Okla.

TELEVISION
ESPNU // WatchESPN // ESPN3

Clay Matvick (play-by-play)
Tim Welsh (analyst)
Steve Kurtenbach (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
Stan Weber (analyst)

Listen Online: TuneIn.com [free] // www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
Satellite Radio: Sirius 132 // XM 199 // Internet 953

LIVE STATS
okstate.com
okstate.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
orange.okstate.com/tickets
(877) ALL-4-OSU [4678]
Single Game: $7-$45 (GA/bench/chairback)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 430-231/20^th season
At K-State: 117-76/6^th season
vs. Oklahoma State: 9-5 (1-4 on the road)

Oklahoma State: Mike Boynton (South Carolina '05)
Career Record: 15-10/1^st Year
Record at OSU: 15-10/1^st Year
vs. Kansas State: 0-1 (0-0 on the road)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (17-8, 6-6 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 (15-10, 5-7 Big 12)
G: #1 Kendall Smith
G: #21 Lindy Waters III
G: #30 Jeffrey Carroll
F: #12 Cameron McGriff
F: #41 Mitchell Solomon

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 79-53
Big 12 era: OSU?leads 18-13
In Stillwater: OSU?leads 33-25
In Manhattan: K-State leads 40-16
Active Streak: K-State, 1
Weber vs. Oklahoma State: 9-5 (1-4 on the road)
Boynton vs. K-State: 0-1 (0-0 at home)
Weber vs. Boynton: 1-0 (0-0 on the road)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (17-8, 6-6 Big 12) returns to the road on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on the surging Oklahoma State Cowboys (15-10, 5-7 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT at Gallagher-Iba Arena. K-State has won just once in the last four outings, including back-to-back home losses, while Oklahoma State has two of the best road wins in the league with victories at Kansas and West Virginia the last two Saturdays. Wednesday's game will air on ESPNU and the WatchESPN?app with Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Tim Welsh (analyst) on the call.
K-State will finish with a split of its last six regular-season games with three at home and three on the road beginning on Wednesday night at Oklahoma State. The Wildcats will host consecutive home games against Iowa State (13-11, 4-8 Big 12) and Texas (15-11, 5-8 Big 12) on Feb. 17 and 21 before back-to-back road games at No. 23/23 Oklahoma (16-8, 6-6 Big 12) and TCU (17-9, 5-8 Big 12) on Feb. 24 and 27 before the regular-season finale against Baylor (16-10, 6-7 Big 12) on March 3. The squad is 6-5 away from Bramlage Coliseum this season, including 5-3 in true road games and 3-3 in Big 12 road contests. The five true road wins tie Kansas for the most of any league team, while K-State is one of four with three or more Big 12 road wins.
K-State and Oklahoma State will meet for the second time this season after the Wildcats posted a 86-82 victory at home on Jan. 10, in which, junior guard Barry Brown, Jr., scored a career-high 38 points on 12-of-17 field goals in 36 minutes. Overall, the schools will be meeting for the 133rd time in their respective histories, including the 32nd time in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats owning a 79-53 edge. The Cowboys hold a 33-25 advantage at home in the series, including wins in 15 of the last 17 meetings at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Wildcats are looking to sweep the season series for the first time since 2012 when round-robin play began.
K-State ran into a defensive buzz saw on Saturday night, as No. 7/7 Texas Tech broke open a tightly-contested game with a 13-1 run to start the second half en route to a 66-47 win at Bramlage Coliseum. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak by the league-leading Red Raiders in Manhattan, as they swept the season series for the first time since round-robin play began in 2012. The Big 12's top defensive team held the Wildcats to a season-low 47 points on 28.9 percent shooting (13-of-45), including 17.6 percent (3-of-17) from 3-point range, while scoring 18 points off of a season-high 18 Wildcat turnovers. It was the fewest points by K-State at home since 2014 and the fewest in a Big 12 home game since 2006, while the 19-point loss was the largest at home since a 98-71 loss to No. 2 Kansas in 2002.
K-State is in the midst of an offensive slump in the last five games, in which, the Wildcats haven't broken the 70-point barrier and are averaging just 55.4 points on 36.8 percent shooting, including 26.7 percent from 3-point range, while posting 53 assists (10.6 apg.) to 58 turnovers (11.6 tpg.).
Despite having two players among the Big 12's Top 10 in scoring, balanced scoring has been a huge key to K-State's success under head coach Bruce Weber, as the Wildcats are 50-18 (.735) when four or more players score in double figures, including 9-2 (.818) this season. The team is 6-0 when sophomore Makol Mawien registers double digits, while they are 7-2 when Diarra scores 10 or more points.

NOTES ON OKLAHOMA STATE

Oklahoma State enters Wednesday's game with a 15-10 overall record and a 5-7 mark in Big 12 play after its come-from-behind 88-85 win at No. 19/17 West Virginia on Saturday. The Cowboys trailed by eight points in the second half, including six in the last three minutes, before rallying down the stretch. All five starters scored in double figures, including 20-point efforts from graduate transfer Kendall Smith and junior Cameron McGriff and 14 points from senior Jeffrey?Carroll. OSU shot 46.2 percent from the field, including 53.6 percent in the second half, and knocked down 83.3 percent (30-of-36) from the free throw line.
OSU is averaging 77.4 points per game on 44.2 percent shooting, including 33.6 percent from 3-point range, to go with 36.8 rebounds, 14.8 assists, 7.0 steals and 4.1 blocks per game, while allowing opponents 73.1 points per game on 43.2 percent shooting, including 36.0 percent from long range. The Cowboys are averaging 8.0 3-point field goals per game with five players with at least 28 made treys. The team is shooting 76.1 percent from the free throw line, which ranks second in the Big 12.
Carroll is one of three Cowboys averaging in double figures, as he averages a team-best 15.4 points per game game (12th in the Big 12) on 39.6 percent shooting, including 33.3 percent from 3-point range, to go with 5.7 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game. Smith averages 12 points on 41.7 percent shooting, including 39.2 percent from 3-point range, to go with 3.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game, while junior Tavarius Shine averages 11.2 points on 43.5 percent shooting, including 32.6 percent from 3-point range, to go with 3.7 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per game. Four others (Lindy Waters, Mitchell Solomon and Cameron McGriff) all average better than 8 points per game, while Carroll (44), sophomore Thomas Dziagwa (41), Waters (32), Smith (29) and Shine (28) all post more than 28 made 3-point field goals this season. Solomon is tops in rebounding at 6.4 per game, while sophomore Brandon Averette averages a team-best 3.3 assists per game to go with 7.6 points.
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 (Furman, Coastal Carolina, Wofford, South Carolina, Stephen F. Austin and Oklahoma State).

SERIES HISTORY

This will be 133rd meeting between Kansas State and Oklahoma State on the hardwood, including the 32nd in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats holding a 79-53 advantage in a series that dates to 1922. The 79 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 a 33-25 advantage at home, including 15 wins in the last 17 meetings at Gallagher-Iba Arena since 1994. OSU has an 18-13 advantage since the start of Big 12 play in 1997, including a 12-2 record at home.
In the last matchup in Stillwater, then sophomore guard Barry Brown, Jr., paced a potent K-State offense with a then career-best 22 points, as the Wildcats earned their first win at Gallagher-Iba Arena since 2012 with a 96-88 win over Oklahoma State in the last meeting between the schools on Jan. 18 in Stillwater. The 96 points were the most scored in a Big 12 road game in school history and the most since posting 101 in an overtime win at Oklahoma on March 2, 1991. Overall, the point total was the ninth-most recorded by the Wildcats in a road contest and the most-ever against OSU.
The Wildcats took the lead for good after a 3-point play from senior D.J. Johnson with 13:49 remaining. The Cowboys would close to within 80-76 at the 5:02 mark on a pair of free throws from junior Mitchell Solomon, however, a Brown layup just 30 seconds later ignited a 10-3 run to close out the victory. Brown paced five players in double figures with his 22 points on 9-of-17 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, while Johnson added 18 points, 6 rebounds and a game-high 3 blocks. Senior Wesley Iwundu finished with 15 points, a game-tying 8 rebounds and a career-best 8 assists. Sophomore Kamau Stokes (12) and freshman Xavier Sneed (11) also reached double figures. The Wildcats connected on 50 percent or better from the field for the third consecutive road game, hitting on 56.3 percent (36-of-64) from the field and 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from 3-point range. The team knocked down 81 percent (17-of-21) from the line, including 86.7 percent (13-of-15) in first half.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 9-5 all-time against Oklahoma State, including 1-4 on the road.

LAST MEETING: K-STATE 86, OKLAHOMA STATE 82 (JAN. 10, 2018)

Junior guard Barry Brown, Jr., enjoyed a special night with a career-high 38 points, as Kansas State snapped a two-game skid with an 86-82 win over Oklahoma State in the last meeting between the schools at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 10. The 38-point scoring output by Brown was the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 points against Wisconsin on March 19, 2011. He connected on 12-of-17 from the field, including 3-of-4 from long range, to go with an 11-of-16 effort from the free throw line. He also added 6 steals, which were the most by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game.
Redshirt freshman guard Cartier Diarra, who earned his first career start in place of the injured Kamau Stokes, scored a career-best 17 points 6-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-3 from long range, to go with a team-high 4 assists. Sophomore guard Xavier Sneed collected his first career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 points. In all, four Wildcats scored in double figures, along with 10 from junior forward Dean?Wade.
With K-State trailing 34-33 at the break, Brown (26) and Diarra (10) combined for 36 of the Wildcats' 53 points after halftime on 11-of-16 shooting, including scoring the team's first 25 points. Late in the second half, the Wildcats used a 7-0 scoring run to gain a 68-60 edge with five minutes remaining. In the bonus, K-State would build upon its lead at the free throw line, as the team added 16 free throws in the final five minutes to close out the game.

LAST TIME OUT: 7/7 TEXAS TECH 66, K-STATE 47

No. 7/7 Texas Tech started the second half on a 13-1 run to break open a tightly-contested game with K-State en route to a 66-47 victory on Saturday night at Bramlage Coliseum. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak by the league-leading Red Raiders at Bramlage Coliseum, as they swept the season series for the first time since round-robin play began in 2012. The 19-point loss was the largest at home since 2002.
The Big 12's top defensive team held K-State to a season-low 47 points on 26.9 percent shooting (13-of-45), including 17.6 percent (3-of-17) from 3-point range, while scoring 18 points off of a season-high 18 Wildcat turnovers. It was the fewest points by K-State since scoring 42 at Baylor on Feb. 21, 2015, while it was the fewest points at home since scoring 46 against Georgia on Dec. 31, 2014. It was the fewest points in a home Big 12 contest since scoring 42 against Nebraska on Jan. 11, 2006. In all, the squad posted season lows in six categories, including points, field goals made, field goal percentage, assists (7), points off of turnovers (3) and points in the second half (20). In addition, Texas Tech had an opponent-high 13 steals.
The Wildcats were led by a valiant effort from junior forward Dean Wade, who recorded his fourth career double-double behind 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field and a game-high 11 rebounds. Wade's double-double was the third he has recorded this season, and the 20th time in his career he has led the Wildcats in scoring. He has now led the team in scoring six times in the last seven games, including five consecutive games.

OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES OF LATE

K-State has struggled offensively the last five games, averaging just 55.4 points on 36.8 percent shooting (95-of-258), including 26.7 percent (27-of-101) from 3-point range, in posting a 2-3 record against Georgia (56), No. 7/7 Kansas (56), No. 15/11 West Virginia (51), Texas (67) and Texas Tech (47). It marked the first time since Jan. 24-Feb. 7, 2015 (Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas, Texas Tech and Texas) that the Wildcats have been held under 70 points in five consecutive games, while the 277 points are the fewest in a five-game stretch since scoring 273 points from Dec. 28, 2014-Jan. 10, 2015 (Texas Southern, Georgia, Oklahoma State, TCU and Oklahoma). The team has not eclipsed 60 points in three consecutive home games for the first time since Jan. 27-Feb. 14, 2015 (West Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma).
The recent offensive struggles came on the heels of a 90-point effort in a win against Baylor (1/22), in which, the squad connected on 57.1 percent (28-of-49), including 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from 3-point range, and went 26-of-33 from the free throw line. The Wildcats have scored 80 or more points 10 times, including three 90-point efforts against Arizona State (11/23), Iowa State (12/29) and Baylor (1/22). It is the most 90-point and 80-point games in the first 25 games since the 2009-10 season, which saw the team post 13 80-point and four 90-point games.

OVERALL THE OFFENSE HAS BEEN SOLID

K-State is averaging 73 points on 46.9 percent shooting, including 35.5 percent from 3-point range, to go with a solid 74.6 percent clip from the free throw line through 25 games. The Wildcats' offensive numbers are slightly less since the start of Big 12 play with the team averaging 70.6 points on 45.9 percent shooting, including 37.2 percent from 3-point range, and 74.2 percent from the free throw line in Big 12 play.
K-State 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 13 3-point field goals tied for the ninth-most makes and the most in a Big 12 game since hitting 14 at Iowa State on Feb. 5, 2011.
K-State has connected on better than 50 percent from the field in 12 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 nine games (American, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, USC?Upstate, SE Missouri State, Iowa State, TCU, Baylor and Texas). The Wildcats tied a season-high for both field goals made (35) and attempted (62) against Oklahoma (1/16), while they registered season-highs for assists (25), points in the paint (44) and dunks (7) vs. SE?Missouri State. 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.

STOKES RETURNS BUT SLOWLY

Junior guard Kamau Stokes returned the lineup against No. 15/11 West Virginia (2/3), posting 2 points on 0-of-3 shooting, including 0-of-3 from 3-point range, and a 2-of-2 effort from the free throw line to go with a team-best 4 assists and 1 turnover in 10 minutes of action. It marked his first action since going down with a foot injury at No. 18/18 Texas Tech (1/6), which required him to miss seven games. He will be brought back slowly (10-12 minutes) over the next few weeks until he returns to full health. In 18 games this season with 15 starts, he is averaging 11.5 points on 41.1 percent shooting, including 38.4 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 27.6 minutes per game.
Stokes, who has seen action in 74 career games with 70 starts, played in all 35 games a season ago, averaging 11.7 points on 35.6 percent shooting, including 36.4 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 33.3 minutes per game. He led the Wildcats a season ago in five categories (3-point field goals made and attempts, assists, starts and minutes) and was second in seven others (scoring, double-digit scoring games, field goals attempts, free throws made and attempts, free throw percentage and steals).

TRIPLE SCORING THREAT

Even with Kamau Stokes slowed by injury, K-State still has a trio of scoring threats in juniors Dean Wade (16.2 ppg.) and Barry Brown, Jr. (15.7 ppg.) and sophomore Xavier Sneed (11.1 ppg.). They rank seventh, ninth and 29th in scoring in the Big 12, as the three are averaging 43 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting, including 36 percent from long range, and 77.3 percent from the free throw line. Without Stokes, the trio averaged 48.6 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting, including 35.4 percent from long range, and 81.8 percent from the free throw line.
The trio of Brown, Wade and Sneed have all scored in double figures in 13 career games, including nine this season. The three have combined for 50 or more points three times, including 51 against No. 6/5 West Virginia (1/1) on 50 percent shooting, 59 against Oklahoma State (1/10) on 55.2 percent shooting and 58 against No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16) on 57.5 percent shooting (23-of-40). They combined for 48 points against No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13) on 46.2 percent shooting. They have combined for 54 double-digit scoring games, including Wade's team-high 21. Brown and Wade are tied for the team lead in career 20-point games (12) and season 20-point games (eight).
Wade is averaging 19 points on 54.5 percent shooting (84-of-154), including 48.8 percent (21-of-43) from 3-point range, and 78 percent (39-of-50) from the free throw line, through the first 12 games of Big 12 play. His scoring average ranks fourth in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma's Trae Young (31.3 ppg.), Kansas' Devonte' Graham (19.5 ppg.) and Texas Tech's Keenan Evans (19.3 ppg.), while he is also third in 3-point field goal percentage, fourth in field goal percentage and ninth in rebounding. His 228 points are the second-most through the first 12 Big 12 games since 2007-08, trailing the 338 scored by Michael Beasley in 2008. He has scored 20 or more points in five of the last eight games, including 22 points vs. No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13), 21 vs. No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16), 20 vs. No. 24/25 TCU (1/20), 24 vs. Baylor (1/22), 20 vs. Georgia (1/27) and 20 vs. 7/7 Kansas (1/29), while he has led in scoring in six of the last seven games. He was the first Wildcat with six straight 20-point games since Michael Beasley in 2007-08.
Brown is not far behind Wade, averaging 17.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting (70-of-154), including 34 percent (16-of-47) from 3-point range, through the first 12 league games. After his 34-point effort at Baylor (1/22), he is the first Wildcat with multiple 30-point games since Rodney McGruder (three) in 2011-12. His career-best 38 points vs. Oklahoma State (1/10) were the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 against Wisconsin on March 19, 2011 and the most in a home game since Pullen's 38 against Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011.
Wade (19.0 ppg.) and Brown (17.5 ppg.) have combined to score 438 points on 50 percent shooting in the first 12 Big 12 games, which is the most since Michael Beasley (28.2 ppg.) and Bill Walker (18.4 ppg.) combined for 559 points in the first 12 league games in 2008.
Sneed is starting to heat back up with eight double-figure scoring games in the last 12 outings and has registered double-digit points 15 times this season, including three 20-point games (Vanderbilt, SE Missouri State and West Virginia). He is the 3-point leader with 45, which includes a career-best 6-of-9 effort vs. West Virginia (1/1). He collected his first career double-double vs. Oklahoma State (1/10) with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

DIARRA FILLING IN NICELY

Redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra has played well since having to take over for Kamau Stokes, who was injured against Texas Tech (1/6) and missed seven games before returning to play 10 minutes at West Virginia (2/3). With Diarra running point, K-State has averaged 68.5 points on 45.2 percent shooting (238-of-527), including 34.6 percent (66-of-191) from 3-point range, with an average of 12.9 assists and 11.9 turnovers per game.
Diarra, who was averaging 3.9 points on 44.2 percent shooting in the 14 games prior to the Texas Tech game, has averaged 11.2 points on 52.6 percent shooting (41-of-78), including 44.1 percent (15-of-34) from 3-point range, and 86.7 percent (26-of-30) from the free throw line in 31.1 minutes per game in the last 11 games. Since earning his first start against Oklahoma State (1/10), he is averaging 11.2 points on 52.1 percent shooting (38-of-73), including 41.9 percent (13-of-31) from long range, and 88.5 (23-of-26) percent from the free throw line.
Diarra has tallied double-digit points in seven of the last 11 games (had two before joining lineup), which includes 17 points vs. Oklahoma State (1/10), a season-best 18 points at No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13) and 16 points vs. No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16). He ranks second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage in league-only (50.0) games and has knocked down at least two 3-pointers in five games, including three vs. the Jayhawks (1/13).

IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT, PART 1

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.

IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT, PART 2

Barry Brown, Jr., enjoyed a special night with a career-high 38 points in the Wildcats' 86-82 win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 10. The 38-point scoring output by Brown was the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 points against Wisconsin in the NCAA?Tournament on March 19, 2011, while it was most in a Big 12 home game since Pullen's 38 against top-ranked Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011. Brown, who scored 20 or more points in the fourth time in a five-game stretch, connected on 12-of-17 from the field to go with an 11-of-16 effort from the free throw line. He scored 26 of his 38 points after halftime on 8-of-10 field goals and 9-of-13 free throw line. He also added 6 steals, which were the most by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

K-State has been solid taking care of the basketball this season, averaging a Big 12-low 11.4 turnovers per game. The average ranks 32nd nationally, while the 284 total turnovers rank 30th in the nation. In contrast, the Wildcats have also forced their opponents into 14.8 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the league. The team ranks 25th nationally and third in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+3.4).
K-State has posted 12 turnovers or less in 18 of 25 games, including single-digit turnovers on seven occasions (UC Irvine, George Washington, Oral Roberts, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Georgia and Kansas). Despite turning it over a season-high 18 times vs. 7/7 Texas Tech (2/10), the Wildcats have still posted 11 games of 10 turnovers or less in last 24 games. The team is averaging just 12.8 turnovers per game in Big 12 play.
K-State is averaging 14.5 assists per game on 25.6 made field goals per game, which ranks seventh in the Big 12. However, when comparing it to the low turnover average, the team ranks 55th nationally and fourth in the league in assist turnover ratio at 1.28. 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 from 3-point range, averaging 7.6 treys per game on 35.5 percent shooting (189-of-532). Sophomore Xavier Sneed is one of six players with double-digit 3-point field goals, as he leads all players with 47 treys on 36.2 percent shooting (47-of-130) this season. Junior Kamau Stokes is second on the team with 33 treys on 38.4 percent shooting (33-of-86), while Barry Brown, Jr. (30), Dean Wade (30), Cartier Diarra (24), Brian Patrick (10) and Amaad Wainright (10) all have 10 or more 3-point makes. Wade (Iowa State) 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).

DEFENSIVE PROWESS

K-State has been solid on the defensive end to start the season, allowing 67.5 points while holding its opposition to 42.6 percent shooting, including 32.8 percent from 3-point range. The team ranks among the Top 75 in steals per game (23rd), turnover margin (25th) and scoring defense (62nd), while they are third in the Big 12 in turnover margin and steals and fourth in scoring defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense.
K-State has held all but four opponents (Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Baylor and West Virginia) to below its scoring average and has held its opponents to an average of 11 points below its season scoring average. The nation's top-ranked scoring team -- Oklahoma (93.6 ppg.) -- was held to a season-low 69 points on 41.9 percent shooting, including 28 percent from 3-point range, and were forced into a season-worst 20 turnovers. TCU, who ranked fifth in scoring offense at 88.6 points per game on 50.8 percent shooting, were held to 68 points on 42.9 percent shooting.
K-State has scored 20 or more points off of turnovers in 10 games, which includes 38 vs. Northern Arizona (11/20) and 36 vs. USC?Upstate (12/16). The Wildcats opened the year with four consecutive games of 20 or more points off of turnovers, which included the 38-point effort vs. NAU on a school-record-tying 19 steals. The team has done it four times in Big 12 play, including 25 vs. West Virginia (1/1) and 22 at Texas (2/7).
K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in his tenure (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 64.7 points per game (12,488 points). K-State has a 97-27 (.782) record when holding a foe to 69 points or less since 2012-13 and a 20-49 (.290) mark when allowing an opponent to score 70 or more.

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: IOWA STATE (13-11, 4-8 Big 12)

K-State continues Big 12 play on Saturday, as the Wildcats play host to Iowa State (13-11, 4-8 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum on ESPNU.

Game Preview // K-State Travels to Oklahoma State on Wednesday Night

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Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

D.J. Johnson

Makol Mawien

Brian Patrick

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Amaad Wainright

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State Travels to Oklahoma State on Wednesday Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

D.J. Johnson

Makol Mawien

Brian Patrick

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Amaad Wainright

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