Game Preview // K-State to Meet 18/20 Kentucky in Sweet 16 Thursday

Thursday, March 22

Atlanta, Ga.

8:37 p.m.

Kansas State University

(5)Kentucky

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Game Preview // K-State to Meet 18/20 Kentucky in Sweet 16 Thursday

Mar 20, 2018 | Men's Basketball

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Game Preview // K-State to Meet 18/20 Kentucky in Sweet 16 Thursday

GAME #36
(9) KANSAS STATE (24-11, 10-8 Big 12) vs. (5) KENTUCKY (26-10, 10-8 SEC)
NCAA South Regional Semifinals
Thursday, March 22, 2018 >> 8:47 p.m. CT >> Philips Arena (21,000) >> Atlanta, Ga.

TELEVISION
CBS // NCAA March Madness Live

Brian Anderson (play-by-play)
Chris Webber (analyst)
Lisa Byington (sideline reporter)

NATIONAL RADIO
Westwood One
Listen Online: March Madness Live App [free] / www.ncaa.com/marchmadnesslive [free]
Satellite Radio: Sirius 137 / XM?201/ Internet 962

Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play)
John Thompson (analyst)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network

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

Listen Online: TuneIn.com [free] // www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

LIVE STATS
http://ncaa.com/mediastats

TICKETS
Vivid Seats (www.vividseats.com/)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 437-234/20^th season
At K-State: 124-79/6^th season
NCAA Tournament: 14-11 [12 trips]

Kentucky: John Calipari (Clarion '82)
Career Record: 720-203/26^th season
Record at UK: 275-63/9^th season
NCAA Tournament: 53-17 [19 trips]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (24-11, 10-8 Big 12)
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #3 Kamau Stokes
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #14 Makol Mawien

Kentucky (26-10)
G: #3 Hamidou Diallo
G: #22 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
F: #25 P.J. Washington
F: #5 Kevin Knox
F: #4 Nick Richards

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Kentucky leads 9-0
At NCAA Tournament: Kentucky leads 2-0
At Neutral Sites: Kentucky leads 4-0
In Atlanta: First meeting
In Manhattan: Kentucky leads 3-0
In Lexington: Kentucky leads 2-0
Active Streak: Kentucky, 9
Weber vs. Kentucky: 0-1 (0-1 at neutral sites)
Calipari vs. K-State: 1-0 (1-0 at neutral sites)
Weber vs. Calipari: 1-1 (0-1 at neutral sites)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (24-11, 10-8 Big 12) will be making its first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2010, as the Wildcats play 5-seed Kentucky (26-10, 10-8 SEC) in the NCAA South?Regional Semifinals on Thursday evening at Philips Arena in?Atlanta. The game will follow 30 minutes after the first contest of the regional between No. 11 seed Loyola Chicago (30-5) and No. 7 seed Nevada (29-7), which tips off at 6:07 p.m. CT. The winners will meet on Saturday with the opportunity to advance to the Final Four. This is the first regional in the history of the NCAA Tournament where none of the top four seeds advanced to the regional semifinals. Thursday's games will air on CBS with Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Chris Webber and Lisa Byington (reporter).
K-State is making its 37th postseason appearance, which includes 30 in the NCAA Tournament and seven in the NIT. The Wildcats have posted a 36-33 all-time record in NCAA?Tournament play, including a 12-5 mark in the regional semifinals. The school is making its third appearance (1987, 2014, 2018) as a No. 9 seed with a 3-2 all-time record and is 1-1 against a No. 5 seed (1988, 2010). The school has now advanced to the postseason 10 times in the last 12 seasons (eight trips to the NCAA?Tournament and two to the Postseason NIT), including in consecutive seasons for the first time since making five straight appearances from 2010 to 2014.
K-State has not advanced to the Elite Eight since a run to the West Regional Final in 2010, in which, the school defeated North Texas (82-62), BYU (84-72) and Xavier (101-96) before falling to Butler (56-63) in the final in Salt Lake City. Overall, the school has gone to 11 Elite Eights in its history (1951, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1981, 1988, 2010). Head coach Bruce Weber has not gone to the Elite Eight since taking Illinois to the national championship game in 2005. With the win over UMBC on Sunday, Weber became the 10th Division I coach to take three different schools to the Sweet 16, a list which also includes Kentucky's John Calipari.
K-State and Kentucky will be meeting for the 10th time in their histories, including on the third occasion in the NCAA?Tournament, with the "Blue" Wildcats winning all nine previous meetings dating back to 1940, including in the 1951 NCAA Final (losing 68-58 in Minneapolis) and the 2014 NCAA?Midwest Second Round (losing 56-49 in St. Louis). Kentucky, which has won nine of its last 10 games since a four-game losing streak in early February, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 26th time since 1975 with wins over No. 12 seed Davidson (78-73) and No. 13 seed Buffalo (95-75).
Playing without All-Big 12 First Team selection?Dean Wade, K-State has used defense to carry itself to its 17th Sweet 16, holding a potent Creighton offense to just 59 points on 33.8 percent shooting, including 26.5 percent from 3-point range, and an opportunistic UMBC squad to 43 points on 29.8 percent shooting. Overall, the Wildcats are allowing just 51 points on 32.2 percent shooting, including 26.8 percent from long range, while forcing opponents into 15 turnovers. The 102 points are the fewest through the first two NCAA?Tournament games in school history.

NOTES ON 18/20 KENTUCKY

No. 18/20 Kentucky (26-10) enters Thursday's game as perhaps the nation's hottest team with nine wins in its last 10 outings, which includes five in a row. The Wildcats, which tied for fourth place in the SEC?with Arkansas and Missouri with a 10-8 mark, won the SEC?Tournament with wins over Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee before knocking off No. 12 seed Davidson, 78-73, and No. 13 seed Buffalo, 95-75, to reach the round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
K-State and Kentucky have four common opponents - Kansas, Georgia, Vanderbilt and West Virginia. Both teams lost to the Jayhawks (including all three by K-State), while they both defeated Georgia and Vanderbilt. Kentucky won at West Virginia, while K-State was swept by the Mountaineers.
Kentucky is regarded as one of the nation's top defensive teams, ranking among the Top 20 in four categories, including third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (29.8), ninth in total rebounds (1390), 18th in total blocks (173) and 20th in field goal percentage defense (40.5). Overall, the Wildcats allow 70.5 points to go with 38.6 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 4.8 blocks per game. On the offensive end, the squad is very efficient, averaging 77.3 points per game on 47.4 percent shooting, including 36 percent from 3-point range, to go with 13.4 assists and 12.9 turnovers per game. They also rank among the Top 5 nationally in free throws attempted (893) and made (626) with three players with more than 100 made and attempted free throw.
The Wildcats have eight players averaging better than 5.0 points, including four in double figures, led by freshman Kevin Knox, who is averaging 15.6 points on 44.4 percent shooting, including 34.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with 5.3 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game. He has a team-best 56 made 3-pointers and has connected on 125 free throws on a 77.2 percent clip. Knox was selected as the SEC's co-Freshman of the Year as well as First Team All-SEC and to the All-Freshman team. Fellow freshman Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is second in scoring at 14.4 percent on 49.3 percent shooting to with team bests in free throws made (132) and attempted (163), assists (5.1 apg.), steals (1.7 spg.) and minutes (33.6 mpg.). Freshmen P.J. Washington (10.6 ppg.) and Hamidou Diallo (10.3 ppg.) also average in double figures, while another freshman - Quade Green - averages 9.4 points per game. Freshman Jarred Vanderbilt is one of six players averaging better than 4 rebounds per game at a team-best 7.9 per game.
Kentucky is led by Naismith Hall of Fame head coach John Calipari, who has a 275-63 (.814) record in his ninth season. Overall, he is 720-203 (.780) in his 26th season as a head coach, which includes stints at Massachusetts (1988-96), Memphis (2000-09) and now, Kentucky (2009-current).

SERIES HISTORY

This will be 10th meeting between Kansas State and Kentucky on the hardwood, which dates all the way back to 1940. Most of the nine previous meetings came during a seven-game stretch when the two schools played from 1940-76. The schools have met just twice since 2008, including a 74-72 win by Kentucky in the Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 28, 2008 and a 56-49 win by Kentucky in NCAA?Tournament on March 21, 2014.
This will be the third meeting between the schools in the NCAA?Tournament. Kentucky won the 1951 NCAA?Tournament title with a 68-58 win over K-State at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on March 27, 1951, while the "blue" Wildcats defeated the "purple" Wildcats, 56-49, in the second round of the Midwest Regional in St. Louis on March 21, 2014. Kentucky is 4-0 all-time against K-State at neutral sites, including an NIT meeting in 1976.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 0-1 all-time vs. Kentucky, which includes the 2014 NCAA?Tournament loss. He is 1-1 all-time against Kentucky head coach John Calipari with his Illinois squad defeating Calipari's Memphis team, 74-64, on Dec. 13, 2003.

1951 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

K-State and Kentucky met for the 1951 NCAA?Championship with the "blue" Wildcats earning a 68-58 victory on March 27, 1951 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. K-State led 29-27 at halftime before Kentucky rallied for 41 points in the second half to earn its third NCAA?title in a four-year span (1948, 1949, 1951) under legendary coach Adolph Rupp. K-State was led Jack Stone's12 points, while Bill Spivey had a game-high 22 points.

UP NEXT: LOYOLA CHICAGO (30-5)/NEVADA (29-7)

The winner of Thursday's second semifinal game will play either No. 11 seed Loyola Chicago (30-5) or No. 7 seed Nevada (29-7) on Saturday for the right to advance to the Final Four. The Ramblers have won 19 of their last 20 games, including 12 in a row, claiming both the Missouri Valley regular season and tournament titles. They are one of the most balanced teams in the field with five players averaging in double figures led by MVC?Player of the Year Clayton Custer (13.3 ppg.). Custer was a high school teammate of K-State senior Mason Schoen at Blue Valley Northwest in Overland Park, Kan. The regular-season Mountain West champion Wolf Pack, have made two of the most stunning comebacks in NCAA?Tournament history, rallying from nine-point halftime deficits to both No. 10 seed Texas and No. 2 seed Cincinnati to advance to the Sweet 16. Nevada has four players averaging in double figures led by Mountain West Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year Caleb Martin (18.8 ppg.).

AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

K-State is making its 37th postseason appearance, which includes 30 in the NCAA?Tournament and seven in the Postseason NIT. The Wildcats have now advanced to the NCAA?Tournament eight times in the last 12 seasons, including in consecutive seasons for the 11th time in school history and the first time since making a school-record five straight appearances from 2010 to 2014. The program has gone to the postseason 10 times in the last 12 seasons (eight trips to the NCAA Tournament and two to the Postseason NIT). The 30 overall bids ties for 20th nationally (along with Georgetown and Illinois), including fourth among Big 12 schools (trailing Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma).
In K-State's 30 NCAA?Tournament appearances, the Wildcats have advanced to the Sweet 16 a total of 17 times. The program has reached the Elite Eight 11 times, made four Final Four appearances (1948, 1951, 1958, 1964) and played in one NCAA?title game (1951).
The program has posted a 36-33 all-time record in NCAA?Tournament play, including a 12-5 mark in the regional semifinals. K-State is making its third appearance as a?No. 9 seed (1987, 2014, 2018) and the first since the 2014 Midwest Regional, in which, the Wildcats lost to No. 8 seed Kentucky, 56-49, in St. Louis. In the program's other appearance as a 9-seed, the squad defeated No. 8 seed Georgia, 82-79, in overtime before losing to top-seed UNLV, 80-61, in Salt Lake City. Overall, the school is 3-2 as a No. 9 seed. This is the first time advancing to a Sweet 16 as a No. 9 seed.
The Wildcats are 1-1 all-time vs. No. 5 seeds, defeating DePaul, 66-58, in the 1988 Midwest Regional Second Round in South Bend, Ind., and losing to Butler, 63-56, in the 2010 West Regional Final in Salt Lake City.
Last season, the Wildcats went 1-1 in the NCAA?Tournament, knocking off fellow No. 11 seed Wake Forest, 95-88, in the First Four at the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio on March 14 before losing to No. 6 seed Cincinnati, 75-61, on March 17 in the South Regional First Round at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. The win over the Demon Deacons was the school's first NCAA?Tournament win since earning a 70-64 win over Southern Miss in 2012.

BRUCE WEBER AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Head coach Bruce Weber becomes the fifth different coach to lead K-State to at least four NCAA?Tournament appearances and joins Jack Hartman (1978-82), Lon Kruger (1986-90) and Frank?Martin (2007-12) as the only coaches to accomplish it four times in a six-year period. His four appearances tie Kruger and Martin for third-most by a head coach in school history, trailing just Hartman (seven) and Tex Winter (six).
Overall, Weber is in his 12th NCAA?Tournament, which includes six at Illinois (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011) and two at Southern Illinois (2002, 2003). He is the 41st head coach in NCAA history to take three different schools to the tournament, including the 21st active coach. He has a 14-11 record in the NCAA Tournament with four trips to the Sweet 16 and an appearance in the 2005 Final Four and championship game. He is 3-3 in the NCAA?Tournament at K-State, losing to 13-seed La?Salle, 63-61, in 2013, Kentucky in 2014 and splitting with Wake Forest and Cincinnati in 2017.
With the win over UMBC on Sunday, Weber is now one of 10 Division I head coaches to take three different schools to the Sweet 16, joining Gene Bartow (Memphis, UCLA, UAB), John Calipari (Massachusetts, Memphis,?Kentucky), Lon Kruger (K-State, Florida, UNLV, Oklahoma), Frank McGuire (St. John's, North Carolina, South Carolina), Ralph Miller (Wichita State, Iowa, Oregon State), Rick?Pitino (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville), Bill?Self (Tulsa, Illinois, Kansas), Tubby Smith (Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky) and Eddie Sutton (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State).

THE SWEET 16 AND MORE

K-State advanced to its 17th Sweet 16 appearance in school history in Sunday's 50-43 win over UMBC. It is the just the third Sweet 16 trip in the last 30 seasons with head coach Lon Kruger pushing the Wildcats to the Midwest Regional Final in 1988 where they lost to Kansas, 71-58, and head coach Frank Martin advancing the Wildcats to the West Regional Final in 2010 before losing to Butler, 63-56. The other trips to the Sweet 16 have come in 1951, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982.
With the win over Texas on Feb. 21, K-State collected a 20-win season for the 29th time in school history, including the fourth time in six seasons under head coach Bruce Weber. The four 20-win seasons are the fourth-most by a head coach in school history, trailing Jack Hartman (seven), Tex Winter (five) and Frank Martin (five). The Wildcats have now posted 10 20-win seasons in the last 12 seasons, which is the best stretch in school history. The 24 current wins are the most by a K-State team since posting 27 in Weber's inaugural campaign in 2012-13.
K-State's fourth-place finish is the best placing in the Big 12 regular-season standings since sharing the league title with Kansas in 2012-13, while it marked the seventh finish of fourth place or better in the last 12 seasons. The 10 Big 12 wins were the most in a single season since also winning 10 in 2013-14, which is also the last time that the Wildcats finished above .500 in league play. The six Big 12 home wins were the most since posting seven in 2014-15 and gave the K-State a winning home record in league play for the first time since 2014-15 (7-2). The Wildcats were 4-5 on the road in Big 12 play for the second straight season, which equals the entire Big 12 road win total (eight) from 2013-16.
K-State swept the season series from Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas and Baylor. It was the most conference sweeps in a single season since the Big 12 Championship in 2012-13 when the Wildcats did it against six opponents (Baylor, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia).

WADE, BROWN EARN ALL-BIG 12 HONORS

Junior Dean Wade became just the fourth Wildcat to be named to the All-Big 12 First Team, while fellow junior Barry Brown, Jr., was selected to the Second Team and the All-Defensive Team, as the league office announced its annual men's basketball awards on March 4.
Wade and Broke become just the sixth Wildcat duo in the Big 12 era to earn spots on the 15-member All-Big 12 First, Second or Third Teams and the first since Rodney McGruder (first team) and Angel Rodriguez (third team) in 2013. Wade joins Michael Beasley (2008), Jacob Pullen (2010, 2011) and McGruder (2013) as the only First Team selections in the Big 12 era with only Beasley and Pullen doing it as undergraduates.
Brown is just the eighth Wildcat to earn recognition to the Second Team and the sixth to be named to the All-Defensive Team. He also became the fifth Wildcat to be named to one of the Big 12's First, Second or Third Teams as well as the All-Defensive Team in the same season, joining Pullen (2010, 2011), McGruder (2012), Rodriguez (2013) and Wesley Iwundu (2016). Overall, he is first All-Defensive Team member since Iwundu in 2016.
In addition to their honors from the league coaches, Brown and Wade were selected to the U.S. Basketball?Writers Association All-District VI?First Team, becoming just the third tandem to be selected for All-District honors in the same season and the first All-District team members since 2013.

MAWIEN NAMED TO PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Sophomore forward Makol Mawien was named to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team on March 10 after a pair of impressive efforts for K-State against TCU and No. 9/9 Kansas at the Championship. Mawien, who became the first Wildcat selected to the all-tournament team since 2013, was joined on the squad by Kansas sophomore guard Malik Newman and senior guard Devonte' Graham and West Virginia senior guards Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles, Jr. Newman was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
The native of West Valley City, Utah, Mawien averaged 22.5 points in games against the Horned Frogs and Jayhawks on 73.1 percent shooting (19-of-26) from the field and 87.5 percent (7-of-8) from the free throw line to go with 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in 32.0 minutes per game.
Mawien led K-State in points (16), rebounds (9) and blocks (3) in the 66-64 overtime win over TCU in the quarterfinals, as he connected on 6-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line. In the game against Kansas, he was at his best, scoring a career-best 29 points on 13-of-19 shooting to go with 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals in 34 minutes in the 83-67 loss to the Jayhawks in the semifinals. The 29 points were the most-ever by a Wildcat in a Big Eight/12 Championship game, surpassing the 27 done six other times, most recently by Jamar Samuels against Oklahoma State on March 11, 2010. The 13 made field goals tied Mike Evans (vs. Missouri on March 4, 1977) for the most by a Wildcat in a Big Eight/12 Championship game.

EFFICIENT OFFENSE

K-State is averaging 71.6 points on 47 percent shooting, including 34.3 percent from 3-point range, to go with a solid 73.5 percent clip from the free throw line through 35 games. Although the Wildcats rank last in scoring offense in the Big 12, they are second in turnover margin (+2.7), third in field goal percentage and fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.2). In Big 12 play, the team averaged 71.0 points on 46.8 percent shooting, including 35.9 percent from 3-point range, and 74.5 percent from the free throw line. The squad ranked among the Big 12's Top 5 in four offensive categories, including second in turnover margin (+1.6), third in field goal percentage, fourth in free throw percentage and fifth in 3-point field goal percentage.
The current 47.0 field goal percentage is the fifth-highest by a K-State team since the introduction of the shot clock in 1985-86 and the highest since connecting on 48.4 percent in 1988-89. The current 11.6 turnovers per game average is the lowest in school history, while the current 1.20 assist/turnover ratio is the fourth-best in school history and the highest since the Wildcats posted a school-record 1.38 ratio in 2012-13. The current 73.5 free throw percentage ties for the third-best and is the highest since the 1987-88 team connected on a 73.9 percent.
Despite scoring just 50 points in the win over UMBC, the Wildcats eclipsed 2,500 points in a single season for just sixth time in school history with the current of 2,507 points ranking sixth, while the squad has posted at least 200 3-point field goals in consecutive seasons with the current total (239) ranking fourth in school history. The team needs just 11 assists to top 500 in a single season for the 10th time.
The Wildcats have scored 80 or more points 11 times, including three 90-point efforts against Arizona State (11/23), Iowa State (12/29) and Baylor (1/22), while five of the 11 80-point games came in Big 12 play. It is the most 90-point (three) and 80-point games (11) since the 2009-10 season.
K-State has connected on better than 50 percent from the field in 15 games, including a season-best 62.5 percent (35-of-56) vs. SE?Missouri State (12/16), while nine came in Big 12 play. The 15 games of 50 percent or better shooting is the highest for a single season since registering 19 such games in 1987-88. The Wildcats have hit on 50 percent or better in both halves in 11 games (American, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, USC?Upstate, SE Missouri State, Iowa State, TCU, Baylor (twice), Texas and Oklahoma State). The team registered a season-high 35 field goals made twice (SE Missouri State (12/16) and Oklahoma (1/16), while they posted season-bests for assists (25), points in the paint (44) and dunks (7) vs. SE?Missouri State (12/16).

CLOSE GAMES

Nearing half of K-State's 35 games this season (21) have been decided by 10 points or less, including eight by 5 points or less. The Wildcats boast an 15-6 (.714) record in games decided by 10 points or less this season, including a 7-3 (.700) mark in Big 12 play. The team is 6-2 (.750) in games decided by 5 points or less with a two-point loss to Arizona State (11/23) and a one-point setback at Kansas (1/13), including 3-1 (.750) in league play.

BALANCE A KEY

Perhaps the biggest key to K-State's offensive success under head coach Bruce Weber has been its balance. Last season in advancing to the NCAA?Tournament, the Wildcats saw four players average in double figures for the first time since 2009-10, while it marked the first time since 1980-81 that four starters averaged double digits. Since Weber took over the reins in 2012-13, K-State has posted a 52-18 (.743) record when four or more players score in double figures, including an 11-2 (.846) mark this season. The team is 9-1 (4-0 in Big 12 play) this season when sophomore big man Makol Mawien scores in double figures, while they are 8-2 (6-2 in Big 12 play) when redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra registers double digits.
In the 13 games this season when four or more players score in double figures, K-State is averaging 77 points on 50.6 percent shooting, including 36.4 percent from 3-point range, to go with 16.5 assists and 11.6 turnovers per game. Seven of the 11 80-point games this season have come in these 13 games. In contrast, in the nine games this season when two or less players post double digits, the Wildcats are averaging just 59 points on 39.7 percent shooting, including 23.8 percent from 3-point range, to go with 11.4 assists and 12.6 turnovers per outing.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

K-State has been solid taking care of the basketball this season, averaging just 11.6 turnovers per game. The average ranks 61st nationally and second in the Big 12, while the 407 total turnovers places 126th in the nation. It is on pace to be the lowest turnover average in school history with only the 2012-13 squad averaging less than 12 turnovers per game (403/11.5). In contrast, the Wildcats have also forced their opponents into 14.4 turnovers per game, which ties for third in the league. The team ranks 33rd nationally and third in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+2.7).
K-State has posted 12 turnovers or less in 25 of 35 games, including single-digit turnovers on nine occasions (UC Irvine, George Washington, Oral Roberts, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State (twice), Georgia, Kansas and Oklahoma). Despite turning it over 18 times to UMBC on Sunday, the Wildcats have still registered 14 games of 10 turnovers or less in last 35 games. The team averaged just 12.4 turnovers per game in Big 12 play.

SUCCESS BEYOND THE ARC

K-State has been successful from 3-point range, averaging 6.8 treys per game on 34.3 percent shooting (239-of-697). The 239 3-point field goals already rank fourth for a single season in school history and are the most since hitting on 247 a season ago.
Sophomore Xavier Sneed is one of seven Wildcats with double-digit 3-point field goals, as he leads all players with 56 treys on 32 percent shooting (56-of-175) this season. He ranks first in both makes and attempts, while fellow junior Dean Wade has the best percentage at 44.0 (40-of-91). Brown and Wade rank second and third with 41 and 40 treys each, while fellow junior Kamau Stokes is tied for third with 39 treys. Cartier Diarra (32), Amaad Wainright (12) and Brian Patrick (10) also have 10 or more 3-point makes.
K-State has hit on eight or more 3-pointers in 16 of 35 games this season, including double-digits against American (11/10; 12), Arizona State (11/23; 15), USC Upstate (12/5; 12), SE?Missouri?State (12/16; 11), Iowa State (12/29; 13), West Virginia (1/1; 10) and Iowa State (2/17; 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 vs. Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000.

DEFENSIVE PROWESS

K-State has been solid on the defensive end this season, allowing 66.9 points on 42.3 percent shooting, including 32.7 percent from 3-point range. The team ranks among the Top 55 in steals per game (20th), turnover margin (33rd), scoring defense (46th) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (51st), while they are second in the Big 12 in scoring defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense, turnover margin and steals.
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 in the win on Jan. 16. Twice it has held TCU to less than 70 points, including 68 on 42.9 percent shooting on Jan. 20 and 66 on 44.2 percent shooting on Feb. 27.
K-State is one of just five schools nationally (Georgia State, Nicholls State, Purdue, Stephen F. Austin) with three players (Barry Brown, Jr., Dean Wade and Xavier Sneed) with 40 or more steals. The current total of 276 steals ranks third for a single season and are on pace for at least 250 steals for the second consecutive season. The Wildcats have outscored their opponents, 587-414, in points off of turnovers this season and averaging 16.8 points off of turnovers. The team has posted at least 20 points off of turnovers in 10 games. Earlier this season, the squad tied the school-record with 19 steals against Northern Arizona (11/20/16), which included a school-record 36 points off of turnovers.
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 64.0 points per game (12,995 points). K-State has a 103-28 (.786) record when holding a foe to 69 points or less since 2012-13 and a 21-51 (.292) mark when allowing an opponent to score 70 or more.

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.

DYNAMIC DUO

Juniors Dean Wade (16.5 ppg.) and Barry Brown, Jr. (16.1 ppg.) have developed into one of the top scoring tandems in the Big 12, as they rank sixth and eighth, respectively, in scoring in the Big 12. They have been responsible for nearly 44 percent of the team's scoring (1,092/2,507 points) on 50 percent shooting (390-of-780), including 37.7 percent (81-of-215) from 3-point range, and 76.2 percent (231-of-303) from the free throw line. They have combined to score in double figures 55 times this season, including a team-best 28 by Wade, to go with a 22 combined 20-point games.
Brown and Wade each reached milestones in the 77-67 win over Baylor (3/3), as the duo became the 30th and 31st players in school history to score 500 or more points and a single season. They also became just the seventh duo in school history to it in the same season and the first since Jacob Pullen (715) and Denis Clemente (613) in 2009-10. Others to do it include Chuckie Williams (585) and Mike Evans (502) in 1975-76, Evans (566) and Curtis Redding (516) in 1976-77 and Evans (555) and Redding (514) in 1977-78), Norris Coleman (609) and Joe Wright (544) in 1985-86 and Cartier Martin (599) and David Hoskins (508) in 2006-07.
The duo were even better in Big 12 play, as Wade ranked second in scoring at 18.8 points on 55 percent shooting and Brown is fourth at 18.6 points on 49.4 percent shooting in league-only action. Only Oklahoma's Trae Young (27.4 ppg./493) scored more points than Wade in league play. They were responsible for 53 percent of the Wildcats' scoring (673/1,278 points) in league play on 52.2 percent (241-of-462) shooting, including 41.7 percent (55-of-132) from 3-point range, and 75.8 percent (135-of-178) from the free throw line. They combined to score in double figures 34 times in Big 12 play with 18 combined 20-point games. Wade was the only Big 12 player this season to finish among the conference's Top 15 in 11 of 13 categories in league-only games. In finishing second and fourth in scoring in league-only games, Wade and Brown became the first Wildcat duo to finish in the Top 5 since Michael Beasley (28.4 ppg./1st) and Bill Walker (16.6 ppg./3rd) in 2007-08.
Wade has scored in double figures a team-best 28 games, which includes 11 20-point games. Ten of his 11 20-point games came in Big 12 play, which included six consecutive 20-point games from Jan. 13 to Jan. 29 (Kansas [twice], Oklahoma, TCU, Baylor, Georgia). He also has four double-doubles this season and narrowly missed becoming the first Wildcat with a triple-double vs. Iowa State (2/17) with 22 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds.
Wade is one of just 15 players in the Big 12 era (since 1996-97) to average at least 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals in a single season, joining the likes of Iowa State's Curtis Stinson, Oklahoma State's Tony Allen, Texas' P.J. Tucker and Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart. He is only one of just three Big 12 players since 2012-13, joining Smart (2012-13 and 2013-14) and Kansas' Josh Jackson (2016-17). With 529 points and 202 rebounds this season, Wade is the first Wildcat since Michael Beasley in 2007-08 to post 500 points and 200 rebounds in a single season.
Brown posted his 11th 20-point game of the season with a game-tying 28 points in the loss at Oklahoma (2/24), including his eighth in Big 12 play. He also has two 30-point game with a career-best 38 vs. Oklahoma State (1/10) and 34 at Baylor (1/22), making him the first Wildcat with multiple 30-point games since Rodney McGruder (three) in 2011-12. His career-best 38 points vs. the Cowboys were the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also had 38 vs. Wisconsin in the NCAA?Tournament on March 19, 2011 and the most at home since Pullen's 38 vs. Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011. With his five rebounds vs. TCU (3/8) in the Big 12 Championship, he is the first Wildcat to have 500 points, 100 rebounds, 100 assists and 50 steals in a single season.

DON'T OVERLOOK SNEED

Sophomore guard Xavier Sneed has been solid this season, averaging 10.7 points on 40.8 percent shooting (128-of-314), including 32 percent (56-of-175) from 3-point range, and 76.5 percent (62-of-81) from the free throw line with 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.3 minutes per game. He also averaged double figures in Big 12 play, averaging 10.3 points on 40.1 percent shooting (63-of-157), including 34.8 percent (32-of-92) from long range, to go with 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 assists in 32.5 minutes per game.
The Wildcats' top 3-point threat with 56 treys on 32 percent shooting,?Sneed ranks second or third in most statistical categories, including second in rebounding (4.9 rpg.) and steals (1.6 spg.) and third in scoring (10.7 ppg.), double-figure scoring games (20), 20-point games (three) and field goals made (128) and attempted (314). He also posted his first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds vs. Oklahoma State (1/10), while he grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds against Texas (2/21). Sneed became the first Wildcat in recorded history to lead the team in five categories vs. Tulsa (12/9/17) with team-bests in points (15), rebounds (8), assists (4), steals (3) and blocks (1) in 32 minutes of action.

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 68.4 points on 46.2 percent shooting (492-of-1064), including 32.6 percent (116-of-356) from 3-point range, with an average of 12.8 assists and 12.0 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 9.3 points on 49.6 percent shooting (67-of-135), including 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from 3-point range, and 73.1 percent (38-of-52) from the free throw line in 29.1 minutes per game in the last 21 games. Since earning his first start against Oklahoma State (1/10), he is averaging 9.2 points on 49.2 percent shooting (64-of-130), including 39.6 percent (21-of-53) from long range, and 72.9 percent (35-of-48) from the free throw line.

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.
Stokes is being brought back slowly but seems to be returning to form after a stellar performance at Oklahoma State (2/14), in which, he scored 11 points on 4-of-7 field goals, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal in 25 minutes. It marked his most minutes since playing 38 vs. West Virginia (1/1), while it was his first double-digit scoring game since his 23-point effort at Iowa State (12/29/17). He has started each of the last three games in place of the injured Wade, which includes an 11-point performance in the win over Creighton on Friday.

McGUIRL STEPS UP WHEN IT MATTERS MOST

Freshman guard Mike McGuirl played a huge role in K-State's first-round win over Creighton on Friday, scoring in double figures for the first time in his career with 17 points off the bench on 6-of-10 field goals, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-3 from the free throw line in a career-best 22 minutes. It was the most points by a Wildcat freshman in a NCAA?Tournament game since Michael Beasley had 23 vs. Wisconsin in 2008.

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, including one of just six in the NCAA Tournament. 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.