Game Preview // Top Defenses Battle Tuesday between K-State, 14/13 Texas Tech

GAME 19
KANSAS STATE (14-4, 4-2 Big 12) vs. 14/13 TEXAS TECH (15-3, 4-2 Big 12)
Tuesday, January 22, 2019 >> 6:01 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

PROMOTION
Diversity and Inclusion Game
The first 1,000 fans will receive a Diversity and Inclusion wristband, while special T-shirts are available for $14.99 at K-State Superstore locations and the concourse on gameday.

TELEVISION
ESPN2

Jon Sciambi (play-by-play)
Fran Fraschilla (analyst)
Joe McCoy (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 135 / XM 199 / Internet 953

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

TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]

Single Game: $20 (bench & GA)/$40 (chairback)
Group (12+): $12
Bramlage Bundle (w/$10 concession voucher & gift): $30
Wildcat 4-Pack (4 GA tickets): $60

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 452-239/21^st season
At K-State: 139-84/7^th season
vs Texas Tech: 8-6 (5-1 at home)

Texas Tech: Chris Beard (Texas '95)
Overall: 231-77/10^th season
At Texas Tech: 60-27/3^rd season
vs. Kansas State: 4-1 (1-1 on the road)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (14-4, 4-2 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien

Texas Tech (15-3, 4-2 Big 12)
G: #13 Matt Mooney
G: #23 Jarrett Culver
G: #25 Davide Moretti
F: #11 Tariq Owens
C: #32 Norense Odiase

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 23-16
Current Streak: Texas Tech, 3
In Manhattan: K-State leads 15-3
At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 11-3
Last Meeting: L, 57-63, 1/5/19
Weber vs. Beard: 1-4 (1-1 at home)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (14-4, 4-2 Big 12) wraps up a brief 2-game homestand on Tuesday, as the Wildcats play host to 14/13 Texas Tech (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) in a test of the Big 12's top defenses at Bramlage Coliseum. The game will tip at 6:01 p.m., CT on ESPN2 with Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) on the call.
Tuesday's contest will pit two of the top scoring defenses, as Texas Tech ranks second in the nation in allowing just 55.8 points per game, including 63 points in Big 12 play, while K-State ranks fourth in allowing 59.2 points per game, including a Big 12-best 62.0 points in league action. The Red Raiders allow opponents to shoot a Big 12-best 34.9 percent from the field, including 26.2 percent from 3-point range, while forcing a Big 12-high 16.2 turnovers per game, while the Wildcats allow opponents to connect on 40.6 percent from the field, including 30.6 percent from 3-point range, with 15.3 turnovers per contest.
K-State ran its winning streak to 4 games on Saturday afternoon with another defense gem, holding the Big 12's top scoring offense (80.4 ppg.) to a season-low in points in earning a 65-55 victory over TCU. The Wildcats jumped out to an 11-3 lead and never trailed in winning wire-to-wire for the second consecutive Big 12 game, as junior Xavier Sneed paced three players in double figures with a season-high 18 points, while Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week Dean Wade added 16 points to go with a game-high 6 assists.
Wade, who is just 3 games back from missing 6 games due to injury, averaged 18 points and 3.5 assists in helping the Wildcats to victories over No. 20/19 Oklahoma and TCU last week. Wade follows teammate Barry Brown, Jr., who was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 14 after hitting back-to-back game-winners vs. West Virginia (1/9/19) and No. 20/21 Iowa State (1/12/19). They are the first Wildcats to win Big 12 Player of the Week in consecutive weeks since Rodney McGruder did it in back-to-back weeks on Dec. 24, 2012 and Jan. 7, 2013.
Texas Tech enters Tuesday's game with consecutive losses for the first time this season after dropping games to Iowa State (68-64) and at Baylor (73-62). The Red Raiders, who are led by Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Jarrett Culver, who leads the squad in scoring (18.8 ppg.), rebounding (7.1 rpg.) and assists (3.9 apg.).
This will be the 40th meeting between K-State and Texas Tech with the Wildcats holding a 23-16 advantage, including a 15-3 mark in games played at home. The Red Raiders have won 6 of the last 8 meetings (3 in a row), including a 63-57 victory on Jan. 5 at home, in which, the Wildcats could not overcome a 16-point deficit.

NOTES ON 14/13 TEXAS TECH

No. 14/13 Texas Tech (13-3, 2-2 Big 12) has dropped back-to-back games in Big 12 play to Iowa State (68-64) and at Baylor (73-62) after winning 15 of its first 16 games, including the first 4 in league action. The Red Raiders connected on 46.7 percent from the field in the loss to the Bears, but allowed 11 Baylor 3-pointers and 11 second-chance points on 12 offensive rebounds.
Texas Tech is averaging 71.6 points on 47.4 percent shooting, including 34.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with 35.2 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game, while allowing a Big 12-best 55.8 points on 34.9 percent shooting, including 26.2 percent from 3-point range. The team is connecting on 70.5 percent from the free throw line.
A Big 12 Player of the Year candidate, sophomore Jarrett Culver, , paces the Red Raiders in scoring (18.8 ppg.), rebounding (7.1 rpg.) and assists (3.9 apg.) while connecting on 54.2 percent shooting from the field, including 36.8 percent from 3-point range. Two other players are averaging in double figures in graduate transfer Matt Mooney (10.7 ppg.) and sophomore Davide Moretti (10.0 ppg.), while graduate transfer Tariq Owens has a team-high 2.6 blocks to go with 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Texas Tech is led by head coach Chris Beard, who has posted a 60-27 (.690) record in his third season. He has a 231-77 (.750) overall record in his 10th season as a head coach, which includes stints at McMurry (2012-13), Angelo State (2013-15) and Little Rock (2015-16).

SERIES HISTORY

K-State and Texas Tech will meet for the 40th time in their histories with the Wildcats holding a 23-16 advantage in the series, including a 15-3 mark at home. The Wildcats own a slight 16-15 edge since the start of Big 12 play.
Texas Tech has won 6 of the last 8 meetings, including 3 in a row dating back to 2018. Last season, the Red Raiders swept the season series for the first time since the start of round-robin play in 2013 with a 74-58 victory at home on Jan. 6 before a 66-47 win in Manhattan on Feb. 10. It was the first win at Bramlage Coliseum since 2007, snapping a 8-game losing streak.
In the last meeting between the schools on Jan. 5 in Lubbock, Texas Tech led wire-to-wire for a 63-57 victory, as K-State could not recover from a 16-point deficit. Senior Barry Brown, Jr., led three Wildcats in double figures with 16 points, while junior Makol Mawien had a double-double with 10 points and a career-best 11 rebounds.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 8-6 all-time against Texas Tech, including a 5-1 mark at home, while Weber is 1-4 against head coach Chris Beard.
Senior Dean?Wade has had the most success against Texas Tech in his career, averaging 12.2 points on 49 percent shooting in 6 career games (6 starts), while fellow senior Barry Brown, Jr., has averaged 11.4 points and 2.3 steals in 7 career games (6 starts) vs. the Red Raiders.

HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

K-State has posted a 374-117 (.762) record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 374 wins are the second-most at a home venue, trailing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88).
K-State has registered a 173-37 (.823) record at home over the past 13 seasons, including a 74-32 (.695) mark in Big 12 play. The 173 wins rank fourth among all Big 12 schools in that span, while the 74 league victories at home rank third. In all, the program has earned double-digit victories in 25 of its 30 seasons in the arena, including a streak of 17 straight seasons.
Head coach Bruce Weber has tallied an 89-21 (.809) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State. The 21 losses (18 of which have come in Big 12 play) have come by a total of 160 points or 7.6 points per game.

LAST TIME OUT: K-STATE 65, TCU 55

Kansas State extended its winning streak to 4 games by holding TCU to a season-low 55 points, as the Wildcats led wire-to-wire in downing the Horned Frogs, 65-55, at Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
K-State held the Big 12's top scoring offense (80.4 ppg.) to 55 points on 42.6 percent (20-of-47) shooting, including 25 percent (6-of-24) from 3-point range, as the Wildcats have now held 11 of their 18 opponents to 60 points or less this season. The school has now held 80 opponents to 60 points or less under head coach Bruce Weber, where the team boasts a 72-8 mark.
TCU was held to more than 25 points under its average and eclipsed its previous season-low for points of 64 against Lipscomb on Nov. 20, 2018. The Wildcats forced the Horned Frogs into 18 turnovers, their second-most turnovers this season, which resulted in 21 points. K-State has now scored 20 or more points on opponent miscues in 7 games this season.
K-State jumped out to an 11-3 lead after more 3 minutes of action before TCU rallied to within one point on two occasions, including 28-27 with 4:18 before halftime. A lay-up by junior Xavier Sneed ignited a 9-0 run that gave K-State a 37-30 at the break. Although the Horned Frogs closed to within 47-43 with 12:24 to play, the Wildcats scored 6 in a row to push their advantage back into double figures, which they maintained for the rest of the game.
Sneed paced three Wildcats in double figures with a season-high 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 shooting from the free throw line. Senior Dean Wade scored 16 points on 4-of-9 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws go with a game-high 6 assists, while fellow senior Barry Brown, Jr., added 10 points and a game-high 5 rebounds. Senior Kamau Stokes and junior Makol Mawien each chipped in 8 points.
K-State turned the ball over just 7 times, which marked the seventh time this season with 10 or less turnovers. The Wildcats have had single-digit turnovers in 5 games.
K-State now leads the all-time series, 14-6, including 8-2 in games played in Manhattan. The Wildcats have now won 4 of the last 5 games against TCU, including back-to-back games at Bramlage Coliseum.

'CATS HAVE BEEN STELLAR ON DEFENSE UNDER WEBER

K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under head coach Bruce Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in the last 6 years (60.4 ppg., in 2012-13 and 65.4 ppg., in 2013-14). Last season, the Wildcats held opponents to 67 points on 42.5 percent shooting.
K-State is holding opponents to 59.2 points on 40.6 percent shooting, including 30.6 percent from 3-point range, while forcing 15.3 turnovers per game. The Wildcats rank 4th in scoring defense, 43rd in 3-point field goal percentage defense and 56th in field goal percentage defense. The team ranks second in scoring defense, turnovers forced and rebounding defense and third in 3-point field goal percentage defense and steals in the Big 12.
K-State has held 11 of 18 opponents to 60 points or less this season with one eclipsing 70. The squad has now held 80 opponents to 60 points or less in Weber's tenure, boasting a 72-8 mark (losses to Kansas in 2012, Northern Colorado and Kentucky in 2013, Texas Southern and Georgia in 2014, Texas and Oklahoma State in 2016, West Virginia in 2017 and Tulsa in 2018).
In Big 12 play, K-State is allowing a league-best 62 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting, including 37.1 percent from 3-point range, while forcing opponents into a Big 12-high 15.3 turnovers per game and scoring an average of 17.0 points off those turnovers. The Wildcats have held a pair of league foes (Iowa State and TCU) to less 60 points, while four have been held below 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
K-State has a 118-31 (.792) record under Weber when holding a foe to 69 points or less and a 21-53 (.284) when allowing 70 or more points.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS

Nearly a third of K-State's total points (308/1181) this season have come off turnovers, as the Wildcats are averaging 17.1 points off 15.3 opponent mistakes per game. The team ranks 28th nationally in turnover margin (+3.6), 66th in turnovers forced (15.3) and 94th in steals (7.3).
The Wildcats scored 20 or more points off turnovers in 7 games, including a season-high 25 in the come-from-behind 71-69 victory over West Virginia (1/9/19). They have also put up 20 points or more off opponent turnovers against Kennesaw State (20), Denver (23), Eastern?Kentucky (24), Penn (22), Marquette (22) and TCU?(21).
K-State has scored more than 3,000 points (3,408) off turnovers during Weber's tenure, an average of 15.3 points per game. In 2017-18, the Wildcats averaged 17.3 points off turnovers, outscoring opponents, 639-423.
A?year ago, K-State ranked eighth nationally in total steals (294) and 18th in steals per game (7.9), while the school was one of just 5 nationally (Georgia State, Nicholls State, Purdue and Stephen F. Austin) with three players (Barry Brown, Jr., Dean Wade and Xavier Sneed) with 40 or more steals.
Led by all-time steals leader Barry Brown, Jr., who recently broke the record with 211st steal against Vanderbilt (12/22/18), the Wildcats have 3 other players with 100 or more steals, including Kamau Stokes (116), Xavier Sneed (114) and Dean Wade (108). Sneed and Stokes now rank ninth and 10th in career steals, while Wade could also join the career Top 10.

IMPROVED REBOUNDING

One of the big emphasis in the off-season was rebounding, as the Wildcats finished 10th in the Big 12 in every rebounding categories, including overall rebounding (30.7), offensive rebounds (8.2), defensive rebounds (22.5) and rebounding margin (-3.4). The 30.7 rebounding average was the lowest by a K-State team since averaging just 30.0 per game in 1984-85.
K-State is currently averaging 35.0 rebounds per game, which is last in the Big 12, to go with averages of 9.8 offensive and 25.2 defensive rebounds per game. On the positive side, the Wildcats are allowing opponents just 31.7 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the Big 12, and hold a Big 12-best 77.9 defensive rebounding percentage.
K-State has out-rebounded 12 of 18 opponents, including 3 in 6 Big 12 games. In comparison, the Wildcats out-rebounded just 10 opponents in 2017-18 in 37 games, including 4 Big 12 foes.
K-State added one of the top rebounders in the community college ranks in junior Austin Trice, as he is averaging 3.4 rebounds per game in just 9.6 minutes game. Trice ranked among the Top 10 in 4 rebounding categories in the community college ranks in 2017-18, including 4th in average (12.1 rpg.).
In addition to Trice, the entire team has collectively elevated their efforts in rebounding this season, including Dean Wade (6.2 to 6.8 rpg.), Xavier Sneed (5.1 to 5.5 rpg.), Makol Mawien (3.4 to 4.6 rpg.), Barry Brown,?Jr., (3.1 to 4.1 rpg.) and Cartier Diarra (2.5 to 3.4 rpg.).

HISTORIC COMEBACK

K-State overcame its largest deficit ever when senior Barry Brown, Jr., laid in the go-ahead bucket with 29 seconds left to cap a 50-point second half by the Wildcats in a 71-69 defeat of West Virginia (1/9/19).
K-State trailed by as many as 21 points a little more than a minute into the second half before a 17-0 run cut the deficit to 42-38 with 13:07 left. A 4-point play by junior Xavier Sneed gave the Wildcats their first lead with 2:30 remaining before the Mountaineers regained the advantage, 69-68, on a Lamont West free throw a minute later. In the final 60 seconds, Brown put the Wildcats ahead 70-69 with a layup with 29 seconds remaining.
West Virginia missed a shot in the paint with 5 seconds and Sneed came down with the rebound and was sent to the line, where he hit one free throw. The Mountaineers were unable to get a final shot up at the buzzer.
Brown led K-State behind a season-high 29 points on 9-of-14 field goals and a 10-of-12 effort from the line to go with a career-tying 6 steals. It was his highest point total since scoring 34 points at Baylor on Jan. 22, 2018. In the process, he became the ninth Wildcat to eclipse 1,500 career points.
Brown was joined in double figures by a career night from sophomore Mike McGuirl, who scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-12 field goals, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, while senior Kamau Stokes and Xavier Sneed added 12 and 10 points, respectively. It was McGuirl's second career double-digit scoring game and his first since the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
K-State scored its 50 points after halftime on 62.1 percent (18-of-29) shooting, including 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from 3-point range, compared to just 21 in the first half on 29.2 percent (7-of-24) shooting, including 16.7 percent (2-of-12) from long range. In addition, the Wildcats scored 25 points off 17 Mountaineers turnovers, while only turning the ball over 6 times.
It marked the second time this season that K-State had rallied from a double-digit deficit at home, as the Wildcats came from 16 points down to defeat Southern Miss, 55-51, on?Dec. 19 at home. Senior Kamau?Stokes scored 16 of his season-high 18 points in the second half.
K-State went on a 24-2 run over 8:08 in the second half to take over the game, as the Wildcats held the Golden Eagles scoreless for 5:24 during the span. The run came after scoring a season-low 19 points in the first half, the fewest points in any half since scoring 15 vs. TCU on Feb. 15, 2015.

'CATS HAVE FIRST 4-GAME WIN STREAK IN BIG 12 PLAY SINCE 2015

Since starting Big 12 play 0-2 for the first time since 2011, K-State has rattled off 4 consecutive victories, which started with the come-from-behind win over West Virginia (71-69) and includes back-to-back Top 25 road wins over No. 20/21 Iowa State (58-57) and No. 20/19 Oklahoma (74-61) and a home win over TCU?(65-55). It is the first 4-game winning streak in Big 12 play since also winning 4 in a row from Jan. 7-17, 2015.
During the winning streak, K-State is averaging 67 points on 44.7 percent (96-of-215), including 35.4 percent (29-of-82) from 3-point range, to go with 73.4 percent (47-of-64) from the free throw line, while averaging 14.0 assists and just 8.8 turnovers per game. In losing the first 2 Big 12 games, the team averaged just 52 points on 33 percent (36-of-109), including 24.4 percent (10-of-41) from 3-point range, with 12.5 turnovers per game.
On the defensive end, the Wildcats are allowing just 60.5 points in the win streak on 44.1 percent (86-of-195) shooting, including 33.7 percent (29-of-86) from 3-point range, while averaging 18.3 points off 15.5 opponent turnovers. In those first 2 Big 12 games, the team allowed 65 points on 46.5 percent (40-of-86), including 43.5 percent (20-of-46) from 3-point range.
During the win streak, senior Barry Brown, Jr., has averaged a team-best 21.8 points on 52.3 percent (34-of-65) shooting, which includes 3 straight 20-point performances, while fellow senior Dean Wade, who has played in 3 of the 4 games, is averaging 12.7 points on 46.4 percent (13-of-28) shooting. Four others (Xavier Sneed, Kamau Stokes, Makol Mawien and Mike McGuirl) are averaging between 5.8 and 9.5 points per game. Brown averaged just 12.0 points in the first 2 Big 12 games.

BETTER WITH DEAN WADE

It's stating the obvious that K-State is a better team when the Wildcats have their Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Dean Wade on the floor. The team is 10-2 this season with Wade, who missed 6 games from Dec. 19 to Jan. 9 with a foot injury, in the lineup and just 4-2 with him out of it.
K-State is averaging 68.6 points on 43.7 percent shooting, including 31.6 percent from 3-point range, in the 12 games with Wade in the lineup, while the team is averaging just 59.7 points on 40.2 percent shooting, including 31.1 percent from 3-point range, in the 6 games without him.
Three Wildcats (Barry Brown, Jr., Dean Wade and Xavier Sneed) are averaging in double figures in the 12 games with Wade in the lineup, while three other players (Kamau Stokes, Makol Mawien and Cartier Diarra) are averaging betwen 5.5 and 9.1 points per game. In comparison, only two Wildcats (Brown/15.3 ppg., and Stokes/13.8 ppg.) are averaging in double figures in the 6 games without Wade.

GAME OF RUNS

K-State's use of runs have been particularly effective this season, as the Wildcats have totaled 41 runs of at least 7 or more points, including 23 runs of 10 or more points. The team posted five such runs in the win over Georgia State (12/15/18), including runs of 8-0, 16-4, 13-2, 12-0 and 9-1, while they produced the biggest run (24-2) in the comeback win over Southern Miss (12/19/18), which was the largest comeback before the West Virginia game. The team had a 17-0 run to close the gap against the Mountaineers.
The Paradise Jam was a tournament of runs for K-State, as the Wildcats put together decisive runs en route to double-digit victories against Eastern Kentucky (11/16/18), Penn (11/18/18) and Missouri (11/19/18) in the title game. The team had runs of 12-2 and 20-6 against EKU to take control, while the Wildcats erupted for a 17-2 run right before halftime against Penn. Against Missouri, the squad scored 20 of the next 22 points after a 27-all tie.
In addition, K-State used a 21-7 to jump out ahead of Vanderbilt (12/22/18) en route to building a 22-point lead in the second half, while the Wildcats had 17-0 and 20-8 runs in the comeback against West Virginia (1/9/19) and ended the Iowa State (1/12/19) game on a 10-2 run.

OFFENSIVE BALANCE KEY TO SUCCESS

Much like 2017-18, balance has been key to K-State's offensive success this season, as four players (Barry Brown, Jr., Dean Wade, Xavier Sneed and Kamau Stokes) are averaging in double figures.
Five different players (Wade, Brown, Sneed, Stokes and Makol Mawien) have led the Wildcats in scoring, while 7 players have at least one double-digit scoring game, including 14 by Brown, 11 by Stokes, 10 by Sneed and Wade, 6 by Mawien, 3 by Cartier Diarra and 1 by Mike McGuirl.
Since Weber took over in 2012-13, K-State has posted a 58-19 (.750) record when four or more players score in double figures, including a 6-1 mark in 2018-19. The Wildcats are 12-4 when Mawien scores in double digits, while the team is 10-3 (8-2 in 2017-18) when Diarra reaches double-digits.

BROWN, WADE BACK-TO-BACK BIG 12 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Seniors Barry Brown, Jr., and Dean Wade became the first Wildcats since 2013 to capture Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks, as the duo has helped the squad to 4 consecutive victories.
Brown earned his first-ever Big 12 Player of the Week honor on Jan. 14, as he averaged 26 points on 52.9 percent shooting (18-of-34), including a pair of game-winners, in K-State's victories over West Virginia and No. 20/21 Iowa State, while Wade averaged 18 points and 3.5 assists in the wins over No. 20/19 Oklahoma and TCU this past week.
Brown helped K-State engineer a school-record 21-point comeback in the victory over the Mountaineers. He scored a season-high 29 points on 9-of-14 field goals and 10-of-12 free throws to go with a career-tying 6 steals, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 rebound in 38 minutes. He scored a game-high 23 points in the win over the Cyclones, including game-winner with 4 seconds left.
Just 2 games removed from missing 6 games due to injury, Wade earned just his second 20-point game of the season with 20 points on 8-of-14 field goals in the Wildcats' first win at Oklahoma since 2015, while he added 16 points and a game-high 6 assists in the victory over TCU.

MORE ON BROWN

Senior Barry Brown, Jr., registered a significant milestone in the win over Vanderbilt (12/22/18), becoming the school's all-time steals leader with 3 against the Commodores to eclipse Jacob Pullen (210, 2007-11). Brown now has 222 career steals in 123 games played.
Brown places among several career offensive records, including 5th in field goals attempted (1,341), 7th in field goals made (556), 3-point field goals attempted (468), double-digit scoring games (77), 8th in scoring (1,561), 9th in 3-point field goals made (151) and assists (300). He is closing in on the Top 10 in free throws made (298) and attempted (423).
Brown also ranks among the leaders in games played, as his streak of 123 consecutive games tie for second (with Ed Nealy) and his 101 straight starts tie for third (with Rodney McGruder) in school history. He is also third in career minutes played (3,895), needing 579 to pass Steve Henson (4,474; 1987-90). He has a chance to eclipse the school record of 135 games played.

STOKES ECLIPSES 1,000 CAREER POINTS

With 20 points against George Mason (12/29/18), senior Kamau Stokes became the 30th player to post 1,000 points and joined fellow seniors Barry Brown, Jr., and Dean Wade in achieving the milestone. The trio became the first class in school history to each top 1,000 career points in a career.
Brown (1,561 points) and Wade (1,347 points) each eclipsed the mark as juniors and currently rank 8th and 11th, respectively, on the all-time scoring list, while Stokes ranks 24th with 1,057 points.
Stokes already ranks in the career Top 10 for both 3-point field goals made (170/7th) and attempted (494/6th), while he ranks fifth with 363 assists and has a chance to become the third Wildcat (Steve Henson and Jacob Pullen) with 400 assists.

DON'T?FORGET?SNEED

With all the attention paid to the three seniors, the accomplishments of junior Xavier Sneed can't be overlooked. He enjoyed a career best year in 2017-18, averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 31.4 minutes.
Since missing the opener with Kennesaw State (11/9), Sneed has scored in double figures in 10 of the last 17 games, including a season-high 18 points in the win over TCU (1/19/19) on 6-of-9 field goals.
Sneed collected his second career double-double and first of the season at Tulsa (12/8/18), posting a team-best 13 points to go with 10 rebounds.

WELCOME GOODNEWS

K-State got some unexpected "good news" on New Year's Eve when recent signee Goodnews Kpegeol joined the team and filled the 13th and final scholarship for the reminder of the 2018-19 season.
An NCAA?qualifier prior to enrolling at TaylorMade Academy in Pensacola, Florida for the 2018-19, Kpegeol is immediately eligible after enrolling for the spring semester and has been cleared to play by the NCAA. He is expected to redshirt the reminder of the season.
A 6-foot-6, 180-pound guard from St. Paul, Minnesota, Kpegeol spent the first half of the 2018-19 season as a postgraduate at TaylorMade after finishing his four-year prep career at North High School. He led the Polars to the Class 4A State Tournament for the first time in 17 years as a sophomore in 2015-16 before the school to a 22-5 record with a 15-1 mark in conference play as a senior in 2017-18. He averaged a team-best 18.2 points in 19 games played as a senior, which included nine 20-point games.

K-STATE WINS PARADISE JAM; FIRST TITLE SINCE 2011

Included in K-State's 6-0 start to season was a 3-game sweep to win the 19^th annual U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., Nov. 16-19, as the Wildcats knocked off Eastern Kentucky (95-68), Penn (64-48) and Missouri (82-67).
The tournament championship marked the 14^th in school history and the first since winning the 2011 Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawai'i. It was also the sixth career tournament title for head coach Bruce Weber and his first with the Wildcats.
Senior Dean Wade was named the tournament's most valuable player after averaging 17.3 points on 61.8 percent (21-of-34) shooting with 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in three games, including a team-high 21 points in the title game against the Tigers, while fellow senior Barry Brown, Jr., was one of five players selected as Paradise Jam Tournament All-Stars.

MORE ABOUT K-STATE

The Wildcats return 10 lettermen, including six players (Barry Brown, Jr., Cartier Diarra, Makol Mawien, Xavier Sneed, Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade) that combined to start all 37 games a season ago, for a team that posted a 25-12 overall record (10-8 in Big 12 play) and advanced to the Elite Eight for the 12th time in school history and the first time since 2010.
It marked just the sixth 25-win campaign in school history, including the second under head coach Bruce Weber, while the school advanced to the NCAA?Tournament for the fourth time in six seasons and 30th time overall.
K-State returns 185 combined starts from 2017-18, which is the most of any Division I team in the country, and ahead of other schools which return all of its starts, including George Mason (165), Iowa (165), Lipscomb (165) and North Florida (165).
K-State returns 93.2 percent (2,452 of 2,630 points) of its offense from 2017-18, which ranks 11th among Division I teams (trailing George Mason, Harvard, Wofford, Washington, Brown, Iowa, Wisconsin, UC Irvine, Syracuse and St.?Francis). The Wildcats also returns more than 90 percent of their field goals made (869/92.7%), 3-point field goals made (232/91.3%), free throws made (482/96%), assists (476/93.3%) and steals (266/90.5%) as well as 80 or better percent of their minutes (6,558/85%), rebounds (905/80%) and blocks (98/89%).
K-State returns seven of its top-8 scorers from last season, including three with double-digit averages [Wade (16.2 ppg.), Brown (15.9 ppg.) and Sneed (11.1 ppg.). Other returners include Kamau Stokes (9.0 ppg.), Cartier Diarra (7.1 ppg.), Makol Mawien (6.8 ppg.) and Mike McGuirl (3.3 ppg.). The Wildcats return their individual leader in scoring (Wade), rebounding (Wade), assists (Brown), steals (Brown) and blocks (Mawien).

'CATS EARN PRESEASON RANKINGS

K-State opened the 2018-19 season in the Top 15 in both major polls, as the Wildcats earned a No. 11 ranking in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll to go with a No. 12 ranking in the preseason Associated Press poll.
It marks the first time that K-State has started with preseason rankings in both polls since the 2010-11 campaign when the school opened at No. 3 in the AP and USA Today Coaches polls.
K-State appeared in the Preseason AP poll for the 17th time in school history, while it was the highest preseason ranking since starting the 2010-11 campaign at No. 3. It was also the 12th time debuting in the AP Top 15 (1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1961-62, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1975-76 and 2010-11).
The Wildcats have received several preseason rankings, including No. 11 by NBCSports.com, Yahoo! Sports, Street & Smith's, Lindy's and Athlon, No. 12 by ESPN.com, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Stadium, No. 13 by The Athletic, Blue Ribbon Yearbook and No. 14 by SI.com.
K-State was one of four Big 12 teams to place in both Top 25 polls, as Kansas was the unanimous No. 1 team. West Virginia was No. 13 in both polls, while TCU was ranked No. 20 (Coaches) and No. 21 (AP), respectively.

'CATS PICKED SECOND IN BIG 12 PLAY; WADE NAMED PRESEASON POY

K-State was picked to finish second by the league coaches in the annual Big 12 Preseason poll released on Oct. 19, as the Wildcats received 72 points and two first-place votes. Kansas was selected first, while West Virginia, TCU and Texas rounded out the Top 5.
The second-place selection was the second-highest by a K-State team in the history of the poll, following the 2010-11 team which was picked to finish first with 119 points. In fact, the Wildcats have been picked to finish fifth or better on just six other occasions in the poll, including fourth in 2007-08, 2009-10 and 2014-15 and fifth in 2006-07, 2012-13 and 2013-14.
Senior Dean Wade became just the second Wildcat to ever be selected the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year by the league coaches, while Wade and Barry Brown, Jr., were both named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. The duo was joined on the team by Kansas' Dedric Lawson, Iowa State's Lindell Wigginton and West Virginia's Sagaba Konate.
Wade's selection marked the second time that a K-State player has been named the preseason Player of the Year and the first since Jacob Pullen in 2010-11. It also was just the second time that two Wildcats appeared on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, following Pullen and Curtis Kelly in 2010-11. Wade and Brown are just the sixth and seventh players in school history to earn recognition to the Preseason All-Big 12 (since 1996-97), following Manny Dies in 1998-99, Kelly and Pullen in 2010-11, Rodney McGruder in 2012-13 and Marcus Foster in 2014-15.

NEXT UP: AT TEXAS A&M (7-9, 1-4 SEC)

K-State takes a break from the Big 12 schedule to travel to College Station, Texas to take on SEC?foe Texas A&M (7-9, 1-4 SEC) at 1 p.m., CT on Saturday, Jan. 26 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. This will be the first meeting since 2015.

Game Preview // Top Defenses Battle Tuesday between K-State, 14/13 Texas Tech

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Goodnews Kpegeol

Makol Mawien

Mike McGuirl

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Austin Trice

Dean Wade

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // Top Defenses Battle Tuesday between K-State, 14/13 Texas Tech

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Goodnews Kpegeol

Makol Mawien

Mike McGuirl

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Austin Trice

Dean Wade

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