23/21 K-State Returns Home to Face Oklahoma State Saturday

GAME 27
23/21 KANSAS STATE (20-6, 10-3 Big 12) vs. OKLAHOMA STATE (10-16, 3-10 Big 12)
Saturday, February 23, 2019 >> 3:05 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

PROMOTION
Throwback Game
The Wildcats will wear special lavender throwback uniforms, which were worn from 1973 to 1982 with the first 1,500 students receiving a purple Hipster Fanny Pack.

TELEVISION
ESPN / ESPN3

Chuckie Kempf (play-by-play)
Bryndon Manzer (analyst)
Steve Kurtenbach (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network

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

Listen Online: TuneIn.com [free] // www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
Satellite Radio: Sirius 136 / 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: $35 (bench & GA)/$75 (chairback)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 458-241/21^st season
At K-State: 145-86/7^th season
vs. Oklahoma State: 10-5 (5-1 at home)

Oklahoma State: Mike Boynton, Jr. (South Carolina '03)
Overall: 31-31/2^nd Year
At Oklahoma State: 31-31/2^nd Year
vs. Kansas State: 0-3 (0-1 on the road)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (20-6, 10-3 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien

Oklahoma State (10-16, 3-10 Big 12)
G: #4 Thomas Dziagwa
G: #13 Isaac Likekele
G: #21 Lindy Waters III
F: #12 Cameron McGriff
F: #14 Yor Anei

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 81-53
Current Streak: K-State, 3
In Manhattan: K-State leads 40-16
At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 12-10
Last Meeting: W, 75-57, 2/2/19
Weber vs. Boynton, Jr.: 3-0 (1-0 at home)

OPENING TIP

No. 23/21 Kansas State (20-6, 10-3 Big 12) returns home this weekend, as the Wildcats host Oklahoma State (10-16, 3-10 Big 12) at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State used a near school-record 16 3-point field goals to down OSU, 75-57, in the first meeting on Feb. 2 at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The game will tip at 3:05 p.m., CT on ESPN2 with Chuckie Kempf (play-by-play) and Bryndon Manzer (analyst) on the call.
K-State enters Saturday's game in first place in the Big 12, one game ahead of the second-place duo of No. 14/14 Texas Tech (21-5, 9-4 Big 12) and No. 12/12 Kansas (20-6, 9-4 Big 12) and two games ahead of the fourth-place tandem of No. 19/20 Iowa State (19-7, 8-5 Big 12) and Baylor (17-9, 8-5 Big 12). Seven Big 12 schools have at least 5 league wins with 5 games left in the regular season.
Saturday's contest will be Throwback Day at Bramlage Coliseum, as K-State will wear special two-tone lavender throwback uniforms, which were worn from 1973 to 1982 and made famous by the Purple Pop-Gun tandem of Mike Evans and Chuckie Williams during the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons and commemorated by Rolando Blackman on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the 1981 upset of No. 1 Oregon State in the NCAA?Tournament. Overall, the Wildcats posted an 186-81 (.697) record during the period of the uniform (1973-82), including an 85-41 mark in Big Eight play, winning the 1977 Big Eight regular-season title and the 1977 and 1980 Big Eight Tournament crowns to go with five NCAA?Tournament appearances.
K-State bounced back from its first Big 12 loss in more than a month on Monday, as the Wildcats broke open a 42-all tie with a 19-2 run midway through the second half to extend their Big 12 road winning streak to 6 games with a 65-51 win at West Virginia. The victory gave K-State 20 wins for the fifth time in head coach Bruce Weber's 7 seasons, including 10 in Big 12 play for the fourth time under Weber and in back-to-back seasons. The 6-game Big 12 road winning streak is the longest since also winning 6 from Jan. 16 to Feb. 23, 2010. Senior Barry Brown, Jr., paced three Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 21 points to go with game-highs in both assists (4) and steals (4) to help the Wildcats snap a 5-game skid at the WVU Coliseum and sweep the series from the Mountaineers for the first time since 2013.
Oklahoma State enters Saturday's game with a momentum after ending a 5-game losing streak with a 68-61 win over TCU at home on Monday. The Big 12's best 3-point shooting team knocked down 11 triples against the Horned Frogs and have 2 players among the league's Top 5 in 3-point field goals made (Thomas Dziagwa [3.3 3FGM/1st] and Lindy?Waters III [2.1 3FGM/5th]). Junior Cameron McGriff paces the Cowboys in both scoring (12.9 ppg.) and rebounding (7.5 rpg.).
K-State got back to its defensive ways against West Virginia on Monday, holding the Mountaineers to 51 points on 34.6 percent shooting, including 21.7 percent from 3-point range. The Wildcats have been one of the better defensive teams in the nation, allowing 59.8 points on 41.5 percent shooting, including 31.8 percent from 3-point range, and forcing opponents into 15.0 turnovers per game.

NOTES ON OKLAHOMA STATE

Oklahoma State (10-16, 3-10 Big 12) snapped a 5-game losing streak on Monday with a 68-61 win over TCU at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys hit on 11 3-point field goals, including 6 from Big 12 leader Thomas Dziagwa, to even the season series with the Horned Frogs. Dziagwa paced 3 players in double figures with a game-high 23 points.
Oklahoma State is averaging 67.8 points on 42.5 percent shooting, including a Big 12-best 38.2 percent from 3-point range, to go with 34.6 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.1 blocks per game, while allowing 70.5 points on 42.4 percent shooting, including 34.9 percent from 3-point range. The team is connecting on 68.6 percent from the free throw line.
Oklahoma State averaging 64.2 points in Big 12 play on 40.2 percent shooting, including 37.6 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 71.5 points on 43.9 percent shooting, including 35.9 percent from 3-point range.
The Cowboys have 3 players averaging in double figures, including junior Cameron McGriff, who leads in both scoring (12.9 ppg.) and rebounding (7.5 rpg.). Juniors Lindy Waters III (12.0 ppg.) and Thomas Dziagwa (11.3 ppg.) also average double digits and have combined for 62 percent (139 of 224) of the team's 3-point field goals. Dziagwa ranks first in the Big 12 with 3.3 3-point field goals per game, while Waters is fifth with 2.1 per contest. Freshman Isaac Likelele is averaging a team-best 3.7 assists per game to go with 8.3 points on 47 percent shooting and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma State is led by head coach Mike Boynton, Jr., who has posted a 31-31 (.500) record in his second season, which includes a 21-win season and trip to the NIT quarterfinals in his inaugural season. Boynton has been an assistant coach at Coastal Carolina (2005-07), Wofford (2007-08), South Carolina (2008-13), Stephen F. Austin (2013-16) and OSU (2016-17).

SERIES HISTORY

K-State and OSU will meet for the 135th time with the Wildcats holding an 81-53 advantage in a series that dates to 1922. K-State is 40-16 in games played at home, including wins in 6 of the last 7 meetings.
K-State has won 7 of the last 9 meetings with Oklahoma State, including 3 of the last 4 at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats have won 3 straight in the series, including a 75-57 win earlier this season on Feb. 2 at Gallagher-Iba Arena, in which, the squad knocked down a school conference-record 16 3-point field goals. The team also won the last meeting (86-82) in Manhattan on Jan. 10, 2018, as Barry Brown, Jr., scored a career-high 38 points.
Brown has averaged 16.6 points on 49 percent shooting in 8 career games against OSU with 7 starts, while senior Dean Wade has each averaged 12.9 points on 59.3 percent shooting in 8 career starts against the Cowboys.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 10-5 all-time against OSU, including a 5-1 mark at home, while Weber is 3-0 vs. head coach Mike Boynton, Jr.

HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

K-State has posted a 375-118 (.761) record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 375 wins are the second-most at a home venue, trailing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88).
K-State has a 175-38 record at home over the past 13 seasons, including a 76-33 mark in Big 12 play. In all, the program has earned double-digit wins in 26 of its 31 seasons in the arena, including a streak of 18 straight seasons.
Head coach Bruce Weber has tallied a 91-22 (.805) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State. The 22 losses have come by 174 points or 7.9 points per game. He has a 41-19 (.683) record at home in Big 12 play.

LAST TIME OUT: 23/21 K-STATE 65, WEST VIRGINIA 51

No. 23/21 Kansas State broke open a 42-all tie with a 19-2 run midway through the second half, as the Wildcats extended their Big 12 road winning streak to 6 games with a 65-51 victory over West Virginia on Monday night.
The victory gave K-State 20 wins for the fifth time in head coach Bruce Weber's seven seasons, including 10 in Big 12 play for the fourth time under Weber and in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. The Wildcats have now won 10 of its last 11 Big 12 contests, including 6 in a row on the road in league play for the first time since 2010.
Tied at 42-all with 11:55 to play, the Wildcats came out of a timeout to score 14 straight points over a nearly 4-minute span to take a commanding 56-42 lead with 7:36 left. Junior Xavier Sneed, who scored a season-high 19 points, was responsible for 8 of the 14 points in the stretch, including back-to-back 3-pointers. The run was extended to 19-2 after another Sneed triple gave the team a 61-44 advantage with 4:59 to play.
The lead never dipped below double figures the rest of the way, as K-State earned its first win at West Virginia since 2013, snapping a 5-game losing streak, while sweeping the season series for the first time in 6 seasons. The 51 points tied for the fewest allowed the Mountaineers in the Big 12 era.
Senior Barry Brown, Jr., paced three Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-14 field goals and a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the free throw line to go with game-highs in assists (4) and steals (4) in 39 minutes. Sneed's 19 points came on 6-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range, to go with a team-tying 7 rebounds and 3 steals, while senior Dean Wade added 10 points and 6 rebounds.
With his 21 points, Brown moved into the school's Top 5 in career scoring with 1,696 points, eclipsing Bob Boozer (1,685; 1956-59).
K-State connected on 44.4 percent (24-of-54) from the field, including 50 percent (13-of-26) in the second half, while holding West Virginia to 34.6 percent (18-of-52) shooting, including 32.1 percent (9-of-28) after halftime. The Wildcats have now held 14 opponents to 60 points or less this season, including 5 in Big 12 play.

'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).
K-State is holding opponents to 59.8 points on 41.5 percent shooting, including 31.8 percent from 3-point range, while forcing 15.0 turnovers per game. The Wildcats rank 4th in scoring defense, 35th in turnover margin (+3.2), 67th in 3-point field goal percentage defense and 70th in field goal percentage defense. The team leads the Big 12 in steals (7.5), while is second in scoring defense, turnover margin (+3.2), rebounding defense (31.7) and turnovers forced and third in 3-point field goal percentage defense.
K-State has held 14 of 26 opponents to 60 points or less this season with one eclipsing 70. The squad has now held 83 opponents to 60 points or less in Weber's tenure, boasting a 75-8 mark in those contests.
K-State has held its opponents to an average of 14.1 points per game under their scoring average, including 13.6 points in Big 12 play. Nine foes have been held to 20 or more points under their average, including Penn (35.3), Tulsa (28.8), Texas Tech (26.6), Southern Miss (26.2), Vanderbilt (25.6), TCU?(25.4), Iowa State (24.3), West Virginia (20.4) and EKU (20.3).
In Big 12 play, K-State is allowing 61.3 points per game on 43.5 percent shooting, including 35.4 percent from 3-point range, while forcing opponents into 14.3 turnovers per game and scoring an average of 16.5 points off those turnovers. The Wildcats have held 5 conference foes (Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and West Virginia) to less 60 points.
In the 58-45 win over No. 14/13 Texas Tech on Jan. 22, the Wildcat defense lived up to their billing, holding the Red Raiders to their lowest point total (45) under head coach Chris Beard and the lowest since scoring 44 in a loss against Loyola Chicago on Dec. 22, 2014. The team was held to a season-low 32.7 field goal percentage (16-of-49), including just 21.7 percent (5-of-23) from 3-point range, with Wildcats scoring 16 points off 13 turnovers.
The 45 points were the fewest surrendered to a conference foe under Weber and the fewest since holding No. 23 Texas Tech to 44 points on Jan. 11, 2003. The Wildcats have held 3 Big 12 opponents (Iowa State, TCU and Texas Tech) to its season-low in points, while West Virginia was held to its second-fewest points (51) on Feb. 18, 2019.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS

More than a quarter of K-State's total points (446/1711) this season have come off opponent turnovers, as the Wildcats are averaging 17.2 points off 15.0 opponent turnovers per game. The team ranks 35th in turnover margin (+3.2), 58th in turnovers forced (15.0) and 71st in steals (7.5).
The Wildcats scored 20 or more points off turnovers in 9 games, including a season-high 25 in the come-from-behind 71-69 win over West Virginia (1/9/19) and at Texas A&M (1/26/19). 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), TCU?(21) and Kansas (22).
K-State has scored more than 3,000 points (3,531) 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 (126), Xavier Sneed (125) and Dean Wade (113). Stokes and Sneed rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in career steals, while Wade could join the career Top 10. Brown currently ranks seventh in Big 12 history with 240 career steals, which is 7 shy of Kansas' Russell Robinson (2004-08) for sixth place.

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 averaging 33.7 rebounds per game, which ranks last in the Big 12, to go with averages of 9.7 offensive (seventh) and 24.0 defensive (ninth) rebounds per game. On the positive side, the Wildcats are allowing opponents 31.7 rebounds per game (second in the Big 12) and hold a Big 12-best 74.7 defensive rebounding percentage.
K-State has out-rebounded 15 of 26 opponents, including 6 in 13 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 3.1 rebounds per game in just 8.6 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 6.6 rpg.), Xavier Sneed (5.1 to 5.6 rpg.), Makol Mawien (3.4 to 4.5 rpg.), Barry Brown,?Jr., (3.1 to 4.1 rpg.) and Cartier Diarra (2.5 to 3.2 rpg.).

OFFENSE STILL STRUGGLING BUT IMPROVEMENT

K-State is averaging a Big 12-low 65.8 points on 43 percent shooting (616-of-1431), including 33.4 percent (180-of-539) from 3-point range, and 66.2 percent (299-of-452) from the free throw line. The Wildcats rank 323rd among 351 Division I?teams in scoring offense, 252nd in field goal percentage, 233rd in 3-point field goal percentage and 313th in free throw percentage.
In the Big 12, K-State ranks eighth in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage and 10th in scoring offense and free throw percentage.
The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points on just 9 occasions, while they have only connected on 45 percent from the field in 10 games and 40 percent or better from the 3-point line on 7 occasions.
In Big 12 play, K-State is averaging 65.3 points on 43.6 percent shooting, including 36.3 percent from 3-point range, and 68.5 percent from the line. The Wildcats rank fourth in 3-point field goal percentage, sixth in field goal percentage, seventh in scoring offense and free throw percentage.
The struggles from 3-point range are noticeable after a record-setting 2017-18 season from 3-point range, in which, the Wildcats set single-season marks for makes (254) and attempts (745). Five different players posted 30 or more 3-point field goals led by Xavier Sneed's 65 makes.
Prior to scoring 64 points against No. 22/23 Iowa State (2/16/19), K-State was averaging 72.5 points in the previous 4 games on 47.4 percent shooting, including 44.8 percent from 3-point range, with 70 assists on the 102 made field goals. In addition, there were assists on 41 of the 43 made 3-pointers.

'CATS SEE FIRST 9-GAME LEAGUE WIN STREAK IN BIG 12 ERA END

K-State's 9-game winning streak in Big 12 play came to an end in the 78-64 loss to No. 23/22 Iowa State on Feb. 16. The streak, which began after the Wildcats had dropped their first 2 Big 12 games, started with the come-from-behind win over West Virginia (71-69) and included four Top 25 wins (at No. 20/21 Iowa State (58-57) and No. 20/19 Oklahoma (74-61) and at home over No. 14/13 Texas Tech (58-45) and No. 13/14 Kansas (74-67), along with wins over TCU?(65-55), Oklahoma State (75-57), Baylor (70-63) and Texas (71-64). It was the Wildcats' longest win streak in Big 12 play and the longest regular-season conference win streak since winning 11 in a row from Jan. 14 to Feb. 26, 1974 in the old Big Eight Conference.
During the win streak, K-State averaged 68.4 points on 46.1 percent (217-of-471) shooting, including 39.5 percent (77-of-195) from 3-point range, to go with 69.5 percent (105-of-151) from the line, while averaging 14.8 assists and just 10.6 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 allowed 59.8 points in the win streak on 42.8 percent (194-of-453) shooting, including 32.3 percent (62-of-192) from 3-point range, while averaging 17.2 points off 14.6 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., averaged a team-best 18.6 points on 53.5 percent (61-of-114) shooting, which includes 3 20-point performances, while fellow senior Dean Wade, who played in 8 of the 9 games, averaged 13.9 points on 49.4 percent (40-of-81) shooting. Four other players (Kamau Stokes, Xavier Sneed, Cartier Diarra, Mike McGuirl and Makol Mawien) averaged between 5.1 and 10.0 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 16-4 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 67.7 points on 43.9 percent shooting, including 34 percent from 3-point range, in the 20 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 20 games with Wade in the lineup, while three other players (Kamau Stokes, Makol Mawien and Cartier Diarra) are averaging betwen 6.3 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.

NEAR HISTORIC NIGHT FROM 3

K-State showed its potential from long range, as the Wildcats connected on 16 3-point field goals -- the second-most triples in school history -- to propel themselves past Oklahoma State, 75-57, on Feb. 2.
The 16 made 3-point field goals were the most-ever in a conference game and the most since the Wildcats connected on a school-record 23 against Fresno State on March 24, 1994. Eight different Wildcats had at least one 3-pointer, including a career-tying 5 by senior Barry Brown, Jr.
The 75 points were a high in Big 12 play, as K-State connected on 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from the field, including 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from 3-point range. It marked the fourth time (now fifth time) this season that the Wildcats have hit 50 percent or better from the field, including just the second time from 3-point range, and had 19 assists on 26 made field goals.
The 26 made 3-point field goals in the games against OSU and No. 13/14 Kansas (2/5/19) were the most in a 2-game stretch since knocking down 32 against Fresno State (23) and Vanderbilt on March 24 and 28, 1994.

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 22 by Brown, 16 by Wade, 13 by Sneed and Stokes, 8 by Mawien, 7 by Cartier Diarra and 1 by Mike McGuirl.
Since Weber took over in 2012-13, K-State has posted a 61-19 (.763) record when four or more players score in double figures, including a 9-1 mark in 2018-19. The Wildcats are 13-5 when Mawien scores in double digits, while the team is 13-4 (5-2 in 2018-19) when Diarra reaches double-digits.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS

Although it ended in a loss to Texas A&M on Jan. 26, K-State enjoyed a success non-conference season, posting a 10-3 (.769) mark which included a 7-0 mark at home venues (Bramlage Coliseum and the Sprint Center. It marked the fourth consecutive season with at least 10 non-conference wins.
K-State has posted a 140-36 (.795) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season, which includes a 105-6 (.946) mark at home venues. The team has registered double-digit non-conference wins in 12 of the last 13 years, averaging 10.8 non-conference wins in that stretch, and went a program-best 13-1 in non-conference play during the 2009-10 season.
Since going 7-6 in non-conference in 2014-15, which included back-to-back losses to Texas Southern and Georgia, the Wildcats has won double-digit non-conference games each of the past four seasons and is 40-9 (.816) in non-conference play since 2015-16.
K-State has a 105-6 (.946) record at home venues (includes home games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST?Bank Arena in Wichita and the Sprint Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play dating back to the 2006-07 season, including a 96-5 (.950) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats have won 92 of their last 96 non-conference home games, including a 29-game winning streak at Bramlage Coliseum. The last home non-conference loss came against Georgia, 50-46, on Dec. 31, 2014.

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.

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.

BROWN AMONG CAREER LEADERS

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 240 career steals in 131 games played.
Brown's 240 career steals currently rank seventh in Big 12 history, trailing Kansas' Russell Robinson (247; 2004-08) for sixth place by 7 steals. Brown also ranks fourth among active Division I players in career steals, trailing just Washington's Matisse Thybulle (289), Purdue Fort Wayne's John Koncher (259) and Oregon's Ehab Amin (257).
Brown places among several career records, including 5th in scoring (1,696) and field goals attempted (1,429), 6th in double-digit scoring games (85), field goals (603) and 3-point field goals attempted (512), 7th in assists (326), games played (131) and starts (109), 8th in 3-point field goals made (167) and 10th in free throw attempted (461).
Brown also ranks among the leaders in games played, as his streak of 131 consecutive game played is now the school record, breaking his tie with Steve Henson (127; 1986-90), while his 109 straight starts ranks second (just 10 shy of Henson's school record). He has a chance to top the school record of 135 games played, which is held by Jacob Pullen and Rodney McGruder.
Brown ranks second in minutes (4,190) in school history, needing 284 to pass Steve Henson (4,474; 1987-90). He became the second Wildcat to eclipse 4,000 minutes as well as the 19th player to do so in the Big 12 era with his 40-minute performance vs. No. 13/14 Kansas (2/5/19).

BROWN NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR NAISMITH DEFENSIVE POY AWARD

Senior Barry Brown, Jr., was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by Bona on Feb. 21.
Brown was one of two Big 12 players named as semifinalists, joining Texas Tech senior Tariq Owens. The other semifinalists include Gonzaga's Brandon Clarke, Kentucky's Ashton Hagans, Virginia's De'Andre Hunter, Duke's Tre Jones and Zion Williamson, Michigan's Zavier Simpson, Washington's Matisse Thybulle and Tennessee's Grant Williams.

SENIOR CLASS HAS 4,000+ 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.
The trio have accounted for 4,282 points in their respective careers, which is tops among all Power Conferences and ninth among all of Division I, trailing South Dakota State (5,022/Mike Daum, David Jenkins, Skyler Flatten), Campbell (4,655/Chris Clemons, Andrew Eudy, Marcus Burk), Lipscomb (4,647/Garrison Mathews, Rob Marberry, Nate Moran), Wofford (4,625, Fletcher Magee, Cameron Jackson, Nathan Hoover), Marshall (4,572/Jon Elmore, C.J. Burks, Rondale Watson), Georgia Southern (4,469/Tookie Brown, Ike Smith, Montae Glenn), College of Charleston (4,359/Jarrell Brantley, Grant Riller, Marquise Pointer) and Buffalo (4,326/C.J. Massinburg, Nick Perkins, Jeremy Harris).
Brown (1,696 points) and Wade (1,456 points) each eclipsed the 1,000-point mark as juniors and currently rank 5th and 10th, respectively, on the all-time scoring list, while Stokes ranks 19th with 1,130 points.

STOKES AMONG THE BEST ALL-TIME IN ASSISTS

Just like Barry Brown, Jr., and Dean Wade, Kamau Stokes ranks among the all-time leaders in several categories, including 3rd in 3-point field goals attempted (540), 4th in assists (388) and 5th in 3-point field goals (186), 6th in steals (126) and 9th in minutes (3,334).
Needing just 12 assists, Stokes could become just the third Wildcat in school history to eclipse 400 assists, joining all-time leader Steve Henson (582; 1986-90) and Jacob Pullen (455; 2007-11).

DON'T?FORGET?SNEED

With all the attention paid to the three seniors, the accomplishments of junior Xavier Sneed have somehow been overlooked. The St. Louis native enjoyed a career best year in 2017-18, averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 31.4 minutes per game while starting all 37 games.
Since missing the opener with Kennesaw State (11/9/18), Sneed has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 25 games, including a season-high 19 points on 6-of-11 field goals in the win over West Virginia (2/18/19).
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. He has grabbed 5 or more rebounds in 12 games, including double-digit boards twice with a season-high 14 vs. Southern Miss (12/19).

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 the 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 12/12 KANSAS (20-6, 9-4 Big 12)

K-State renews the Sunflower Showdown on Monday, as the Wildcats travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on No. 12/12 Kansas (20-6, 9-4 Big 12) at 8 p.m., CT. K-State ended an 8-game losing streak in the series with a 74-67 victory over Kansas at Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 5.

23/21 K-State Returns Home to Face Oklahoma State Saturday

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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

23/21 K-State Returns Home to Face Oklahoma State Saturday

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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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