Game Preview // K-State Faces No. 7/7 Texas Tech at Home Saturday

Saturday, February 10

Manhattan, Kan.

7 p.m.

Kansas State University

Texas Tech

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Game Preview // K-State Faces No. 7/7 Texas Tech at Home Saturday

Feb 09, 2018 | Men's Basketball

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Game Preview // K-State Faces No. 7/7 Texas Tech at Home Saturday

GAME #25
KANSAS STATE (17-7, 6-5 Big 12) vs. 7/7 TEXAS TECH (20-4, 8-3 Big 12)
Saturday, February 10, 2018 >> 7 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION
ESPNU // WatchESPN // ESPN3

Mitch Holthus (play-by-play)
Bryndon Manzer (analyst)
Chris Matthews (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 84 // XM 84 // Internet 84

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $25 (bench & GA)/$50 (chairback)
Wildcat 4 Pack: $75 (4 GA tickets)
Groups (12+): $15

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 430-230/20^th season
At K-State: 117-75/6^th season
vs. Texas Tech: 8-4 (5-0 at home)

Texas Tech: Chris Beard (Texas '95)
Career Record: 209-68/9^th Year
Record at Texas Tech: 38-18/2^nd Year
vs. Kansas State: 2-1 (0-1 on the road)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (17-7, 6-5 Big 12)
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien

7/7 Texas Tech (20-4, 8-3 Big 12)
G: #12 Keenan Evans
G: #2 Zhaire Smith
G: #5 Justin Gray
G: #23 Jarrett Culver
C: #32 Norense Odiase

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 23-14
In Manhattan: K-State leads 15-2
In Lubbock: Texas Tech leads 11-7
Big 12 era: K-State leads 16-13
Active Streak: Texas Tech, 1
Weber vs. Texas Tech: 8-4 (5-0 at home)
Beard vs. K-State: 2-1 (0-1 on the road)
Weber vs. Beard: 1-2 (1-0 at home)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (17-7, 6-5 Big 12) returns home on Saturday night, as the Wildcats play host to Big 12 co-leader and No. 7/7 Texas Tech (20-4, 8-3 Big 12) at 7 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State snapped a two-game losing streak with a 67-64 win at Texas on Wednesday night, while Texas Tech has rebounded from its own two-game skid to win five consecutive games, including decisive road victories at South Carolina (70-63) and TCU (83-71). The Red Raiders are tied atop the league standings with No. 10/10 Kansas, while the Wildcats are tied with No. 17/18 Oklahoma two games back in fourth place. Saturday's game will air on ESPNU and the WatchESPN?app with Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Bryndon Manzer (analyst) on the call.
Saturday's tilt begins a stretch of three home games in the next four outings, as K-State hosts Iowa State (12-11, 3-8 Big 12) and Texas (15-9, 5-6 Big 12) on Feb. 17 and Feb. 21, respectively, after a road contest at Oklahoma State (14-10, 4-7 Big 12) on Wednesday. The Wildcats are 11-2 at Bramlage Coliseum this season, including 3-2 in league play with their two setbacks coming to No. 6/7 West Virginia (69-77) and No. 7/7 Kansas (56-70). Overall, K-State is 36-58 (.383) against Top 25 opponents at Bramlage?Coliseum, including a 33-55 (.375) mark vs. ranked Big 12 foes. The team is 2-2 vs. Top 25 opponents at home this season with wins vs. No. 4/6 Oklahoma (87-69) and No. 24/25 TCU?(73-68) to go with the losses to West Virginia and Kansas.
K-State and Texas Tech will meet for the second time this season after the Red?Raiders won decisively at home, 74-58, on Jan. 6 in a game where junior starter Kamau Stokes went down with a foot injury. Overall, the schools will be meeting for the 38th time in their respective histories, including the 30th time in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats owning a 23-14 advantage, including a 16-13 edge in league play. K-State is 15-2 all-time at home against Texas Tech, including eight consecutive wins dating back to 2009. The Red Raiders are looking to sweep the season series for the first time since the start of round-robin play in 2013.
K-State jumped back on the winning track on?Wednesday night, as the Wildcats shot an impressive 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the field and got a balanced scoring effort with all five starters registering double figures for the first time since the season opener against American on Nov. 10. Junior Dean Wade led the way in scoring for the fifth time in six games with 16 points, while redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra added 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go with 11 points each from junior Barry Brown, Jr. and Xavier Sneed. It marked the 12th time connecting on 50 percent or better from the field, including the ninth time in both halves.
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 7/7 TEXAS TECH

No. 7/7 Texas Tech enters Saturday's game with a 20-4 overall record and an 8-3 mark in Big 12 play after a 76-58 win over Iowa State on Wednesday night. ?The Red Raiders are the Big 12 co-leaders with Kansas and the first league school to eclipse the 20-win barrier this season, while they own a current five-game winning streak. The team connected on 49.2 percent from the field against Iowa State with three players scoring in double figures, while holding the Cyclones to just 58 points on 38.6 percent shooting. Freshman Zhaire Smith was stellar across the board with a team-high 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, while fellow freshman guard Jarrett Culver and senior guard Keenan Evans added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Texas Tech is ranked among the top defensive teams in country, ranking seventh in the nation in scoring defense at 62.7 points per game. The Red Raiders also rank eighth in field goal percentage defense (39.3), 17th in turnovers forced (16.6), 22nd in steals per game (7.9) and 33rd in 3-point field goal percentage defense (31.4). They led the Big 12 in scoring defense, field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. The team is also impressive on the offensive end, averaging 76.7 points on 47 percent shooting, including 34.8 percent from 3-point range, to go with a 70.4 percent clip from the free throw line. They are averaging 6.8 3-point field goals per game and with six different players in double-digit treys.
A prime candidate for Big 12 Player of the Year honors, the steady Keenan Evans is leading a Texas Tech attack that has seven players averaging 5.5 or more points per game this season with a team-best 18.4 points on 48.4 percent shooting, including 32.4 percent from 3-point range, to go with 3.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29.0 minutes per game. Freshmen Jarrett Culver (11.0 ppg.) and Zhaire Smith (10.5 ppg.) both average better than 10 points per game, as Smith is shooting 57.6 percent from the field and 71.8 percent from the free throw line, while Culver is connecting on 49.7 percent and leads the team in 3-point field goals (36) and is tied with Evans in steals (30). Senior Niem Stevenson (6.8 ppg.) is one of four others averaging 5.5 points per more, along with senior Zach Smith (6.5 ppg.), junior Brandone Francis (5.9 ppg.) and senior Tommy Hamilton IV (5.5 ppg.). Senior Norense Odiase leads the way with 5.2 rebounds per game.
Texas Tech is led by head coach Chris Beard, who has a 209-68 overall record in nine seasons as head coach, which includes stints at McMurray (2012-13), Angelo State (2013-15), Little Rock (2015-16) and now Texas Tech. He has led the Red Raiders to a 38-18 record in two seasons.

SERIES HISTORY

This will be 38th meeting between Kansas State and Texas Tech on the hardwood, including the 30th in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats holding an 23-14 advantage in a series that dates to 1955. K-State has won seven of the last 11 matchups, including each of the last 5 at Bramlage Coliseum. However, the Red Raiders have won each of the last four meetings at United Supermarket Arena, including a 74-58 victory on Jan. 6, 2018.
In the last matchup at Bramlage Coliseum, K-State used perhaps its best defensive effort of the season to help honor its five seniors with a 61-48 win over Texas Tech on March 4, 2017. The Wildcats held the Red Raiders to season-lows for points (48) and field goal percentage (35.6/16-of-45) in earning its second straight win and ending a 4-game slide at home. K-State set the tone for the game in the first half, holding Tech to 22 points on 24.0 percent shooting (6-of-25) and forcing 4 shot clock violations, blocking 5 shots and taking 2 charges. The Wildcats were efficient on offense, scoring their 61 points on 44 percent shooting (22-of-50) and posting a 28-12 advantage in points in the paint. The team had 17 assists on 22 made field goals.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 8-4 all-time against Texas Tech, including 5-0 mark at home.

LAST MEETING: 18/18 TEXAS TECH 74, K-STATE 58 (JAN. 6, 2018)

A valiant second-half effort by K-State wasn't enough to overcome a complete all-around first-half effort by No. 18/18 Texas Tech, as the Red Raiders posted a 74-58 win in the last meeting between the teams at United Supermarket Arena on Jan. 6.
Texas Tech 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 straight 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.

HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

K-State has posted a 363-115 (.759) all-time record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 363 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 162-35 (.822) record at home over the past 12 seasons, including a 69-30 (.697) mark in Big 12 play. The 162 wins rank fourth among Big 12 schools in that span, while the 69 league victories at home are only surpassed by Kansas and Texas. In all, the school has earned double-digit wins in 25 of its 30 seasons in the arena, including a current streak of 17 straight seasons.
The Wildcats are 36-58 (.383) all-time at Bramlage Coliseum against ranked teams, including 33-55 (.375) against ranked Big 12 opponents. The team is 21-18 (.539) 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 four of its last 13 meetings with ranked opponents at home.
Head coach Bruce Weber has a 78-19 (.804) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State with the 19 losses (16 in Big 12 play) coming by 121 points or 6.4 points per game. Among the 78 victories are 14 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, No. 7 West Virginia in 2017 and No. 4 Oklahoma in 2018).

LAST TIME OUT: K-STATE 67, TEXAS 64

Five Wildcats players scored in double figures for the first time since the season opener, as K-State snapped a two-game skid with a 67-64 win over Texas on Wednesday night at the Frank Erwin Center. K-State earned its third consecutive win over Texas, including back-to-back wins at the Frank Erwin Center for the first time since the start of round-robin play. The Wildcats' five road wins tie Kansas for the most among Big 12 teams.
The scoring effort was led by five starters that reached double-digits, as junior Dean Wade paced the Wildcats with 16 points, while redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra added 13 points, junior Barry Brown Jr., and sophomore Xavier Sneed scored 11 points each and sophomore Makol Mawien tallied 10 points. It marked the first time since the opener with American on Nov. 10, 2017 that five players scored in double figures. In addition, redshirt freshman James Love II scored a career-high 6 points on 3-of-3 from the field and his first-career rebound in 15 minutes.
The Wildcats connected on 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the field, including 50 percent or better in each half, and 8-of-10 from the floor over the last 7:46 to come away with the victory. The team has now shot 50 percent or better in 12 games, including in each half in 9 games.
K-State scored 22 points off of 16 Texas turnovers, which marked the 10th time this season scoring 20 or more points off of opponent miscues.
Wade led the Wildcats with 16 points on 6-of-12 field goals and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. It marked the 19th time that Wade has led the team in scoring, including a team-best nine times this season, while he has now registered double figures in a team-best 54 career games, including a team-high 20 games this season. He has led the team in scoring in five of the last six games, including four consecutive contests.

OVERALL THE OFFENSE HAS BEEN SOLID

K-State is averaging 74 points on 47.5 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with a solid 74.8 percent clip from the free throw line through 24 games. The Wildcats' offensive numbers are slightly less since the start of Big 12 play with the team averaging 72.7 points on 47.2 percent shooting, including 38.7 percent from 3-point range, and 74.5 percent from the free throw line in Big 12 play. Although the team ranks eighth in scoring offense in the league, they are fourth in free throw percentage and fifth in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. The Wildcats are first in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (47.2) and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (38.7) since the start of league 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 17 games this season with 15 starts, he is averaging 11.9 points on 40.9 percent shooting, including 38.8 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.5 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 28.4 minutes per game.
Stokes, who has seen action in 72 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 (16.4 ppg.) and Barry Brown, Jr. (16.0 ppg.) and sophomore Xavier Sneed (11.2 ppg.). They rank sixth, eighth and 29th in scoring in the Big 12, as the three are averaging 43.6 points per game on 47.7 percent shooting, including 36.6 percent from long range, and 77.7 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 53 double-digit scoring games, including Wade's team-high 20. Brown and Wade are tied for the team lead in career 20-point games (12) and season 20-point games (eight).
Wade is averaging 19.5 points on 56.3 percent shooting (80-of-142), including 52.5 percent (21-of-40) from 3-point range, and 77.3 percent (34-of-44) from the free throw line, through the first 11 games of Big 12 play. His scoring average ranks second in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma's Trae Young (32.2 ppg.) and just ahead of Texas Tech's Keenan Evans (19.4 ppg.), while he is also second in 3-point field goal percentage, sixth in field goal percentage and 12th in rebounding and free throw percentage. His 215 points are the second-most through the first 11 Big 12 games since 2007-08, trailing the 294 scored by Michael Beasley in 2008. He has scored 20 or more points in five of the last seven 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 five of the last six 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 18.5 points on 47.6 percent shooting (68-of-143), including 36.4 percent (16-of-44) from 3-point range, through the first 11 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 (19.5 ppg.) and Brown (18.5 ppg.) have combined to score 418 points on 52 percent shooting in the first 11 Big 12 games, which is the most since Michael Beasley (26.7 ppg.) and Bill Walker (17.3 ppg.) combined for 484 points in the first 11 league games in 2008. It is the sixth-most points by a duo in the first 11 league games, trailing the 484 by Beasley and Walker, 481 by Norris Coleman and Joe Wright in 1986, 465 by Chuckie Williams and Mike Evans in 1975, 450 by Coleman and Mitch?Richmond in 1987 and 420 by Mike Evans and Chuckie Williams in 1976.
Sneed is starting to heat back up with eight double-figure scoring games in the last 11 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 70.9 points on 46.7 percent shooting (225-of-482), including 36.2 percent (63-of-174) from 3-point range, with an average of 13.6 assists and 10.9 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 11.4 points on 56.3 percent shooting (40-of-71), including 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from 3-point range, and 90.5 percent (19-of-21) from the free throw line in 31.5 minutes per game in the last 10 games. Since earning his first start against Oklahoma State (1/10), he is averaging 11.4 points on 56.1 percent shooting (37-of-66), including 46.4 percent (13-of-28) from long range, and 94.1 (16-of-17) percent from the free throw line.
Diarra has tallied double-digit points in seven of the last 10 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 vs. No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16). The Big 12 leader in 3-point field goal percentage in league-only (55.2) games has knocked down at least two 3-pointers in five of the last 10 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 11.1 turnovers per game. The average ranks 26th nationally, while the 266 total turnovers rank 32nd 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 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+3.8).
K-State has posted 12 turnovers or less in 18 of 24 games, including single-digit turnovers on seven occasions (UC Irvine, George Washington, Oral Roberts, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Georgia and Kansas). Since turning over the ball a season-high 17 vs. American (11/10), the Wildcats have averaged just 11.0 turnovers in the last 23 games, including 11 games of 10 turnovers or less. The team is averaging just 12.3 turnovers per game in Big 12 play.
K-State is averaging 14.8 assists per game on 26.0 made field goals per game, which ranks seventh in the Big 12. However, when comparing it to the low turnover average, the team ranks 39th nationally and third in the league in assist turnover ratio at 1.34. 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 7.8 treys per game on 36.1 percent shooting (186-of-515). Sophomore Xavier Sneed is one of six players with double-digit 3-point field goals, as he leads all players with 45 treys on 35.7 percent shooting (45-of-126) this season.
Junior Kamau Stokes is second on the team with 33 treys on 38.8 percent shooting (33-of-85), while Barry Brown, Jr. (30), Dean Wade (30), Cartier Diarra (24), Brian Patrick (10) and Amaad Wainright (9) all have more than nine 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 67.6 points while holding its opposition to 42.5 percent shooting, including 32.4 percent from 3-point range. The team ranks among the Top 75 in turnover margin (18th), steals per game (21st) and scoring defense (64th), while they are second 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 (12,422 points). K-State has a 97-26 (.788) 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: AT OKLAHOMA STATE (14-10, 4-7 Big 12)

K-State continues Big 12 play on Wednesday, as the Wildcats travel to Stillwater, Okla., to play Oklahoma State (14-10, 4-7) at 7 p.m., CT on ESPNews.