SE: Wildcats Focused on Playing ‘K-State Basketball’ in Big Monday Battle at Kansas
Feb 25, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Nothing changes.
Dean Wade and Barry Brown, Jr., made it pretty clear this would be No. 23/21 K-State's approach to its battle at No. 12/12 Kansas on Monday at 8 p.m., on ESPN. Despite all that surrounds this season's second Sunflower Showdown, the two seniors said they cannot stray from what got them to the top of the Big 12 standings.
"We know Monday is going to be a huge game for us, but we just have to come out and play the same basketball we've been playing," Wade said after K-State's 85-46 win against Oklahoma State on Saturday. "We can't change anything."
"Our mindset is going to be the same," Brown added. "We're going to go in there and just play K-State basketball."
That starts with defense.
K-State ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense (59.3) and comes off one of its most dominant performances this season. The Wildcats limited Oklahoma State to 31 percent from the field and 17 percent from 3-point range. K-State improved to 14-1 this season when holding its opponent to less than 60 points.
The Wildcats also scored 19 points off 10 Cowboy turnovers, marking the 11th time in Big 12 play the Wildcats recorded at least 15 points from turnovers. In K-State's win against Kansas earlier this season, it picked up 22 points off 23 Jayhawk turnovers.
"Playing great defense, that's what we have to hang our hats on," Wade said. "We just have to come with the same mentality we've been playing with all season. Defense first, defense leads to offense. The coaches do such a good job on the scouting reports…when we buy in, we're a hard team to beat."
K-State has been especially bought in on the road. The Wildcats hold a 6-1 road record in Big 12 play. This came after losing their first three road games of the season, too.
"That's part of the reason to go on the road (in non-conference play)," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said, "to learn and get better."
What exactly did his team learn in its early road losses?
"We have to do what we do well," Weber said.
This Big 12 season, K-State has done a good job of staying focused, not looking ahead or behind, and treating each game the same.
The Wildcats' outing against a 10-win Oklahoma State team, with Monday's rivalry game looming, was a great example. K-State jumped to a 15-0 lead and never let up en route to a season-high shooting percentage (61.5) and a Big 12-high 85 points. It was K-State's largest margin of victory against a conference opponent since topping Missouri by 55 in 1998.
As the Wildcats turned their focus to Kansas and an opportunity to sweep the Jayhawks in the regular season for the first time in 36 years, Wade and Brown spoke about it like any coach would want.
The game, they know, is important. But not any more so than the previous ones.
"We honestly just look to the next game and that just so happens to be the next game. It's a huge game for us and it's on the road," Wade said. "We know we've been playing great on the road, so we need to stay locked-in, just play K-State basketball, play the way we've been playing, and see how it goes."
They are also aware the venue, Allen Fieldhouse, is historic and hard to walk out of with a win. The Jayhawks are 15-0 at home this season and have not lost to K-State in Allen Fieldhouse since 2006. But even that does not change the Wildcats' mentality going in.
"As basketball players, it is a great venue to play in. But the court's the same length. The basketball goal's the same height. At the end of the day, it's still just basketball," Wade said. "As long as we come out, do what we need to do, play defense, we'll be alright."
Nothing changes.
Dean Wade and Barry Brown, Jr., made it pretty clear this would be No. 23/21 K-State's approach to its battle at No. 12/12 Kansas on Monday at 8 p.m., on ESPN. Despite all that surrounds this season's second Sunflower Showdown, the two seniors said they cannot stray from what got them to the top of the Big 12 standings.
"We know Monday is going to be a huge game for us, but we just have to come out and play the same basketball we've been playing," Wade said after K-State's 85-46 win against Oklahoma State on Saturday. "We can't change anything."
"Our mindset is going to be the same," Brown added. "We're going to go in there and just play K-State basketball."
That starts with defense.
K-State ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense (59.3) and comes off one of its most dominant performances this season. The Wildcats limited Oklahoma State to 31 percent from the field and 17 percent from 3-point range. K-State improved to 14-1 this season when holding its opponent to less than 60 points.
The Wildcats also scored 19 points off 10 Cowboy turnovers, marking the 11th time in Big 12 play the Wildcats recorded at least 15 points from turnovers. In K-State's win against Kansas earlier this season, it picked up 22 points off 23 Jayhawk turnovers.
"Playing great defense, that's what we have to hang our hats on," Wade said. "We just have to come with the same mentality we've been playing with all season. Defense first, defense leads to offense. The coaches do such a good job on the scouting reports…when we buy in, we're a hard team to beat."
K-State has been especially bought in on the road. The Wildcats hold a 6-1 road record in Big 12 play. This came after losing their first three road games of the season, too.
"That's part of the reason to go on the road (in non-conference play)," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said, "to learn and get better."
What exactly did his team learn in its early road losses?
"We have to do what we do well," Weber said.
This Big 12 season, K-State has done a good job of staying focused, not looking ahead or behind, and treating each game the same.
The Wildcats' outing against a 10-win Oklahoma State team, with Monday's rivalry game looming, was a great example. K-State jumped to a 15-0 lead and never let up en route to a season-high shooting percentage (61.5) and a Big 12-high 85 points. It was K-State's largest margin of victory against a conference opponent since topping Missouri by 55 in 1998.
As the Wildcats turned their focus to Kansas and an opportunity to sweep the Jayhawks in the regular season for the first time in 36 years, Wade and Brown spoke about it like any coach would want.
The game, they know, is important. But not any more so than the previous ones.
"We honestly just look to the next game and that just so happens to be the next game. It's a huge game for us and it's on the road," Wade said. "We know we've been playing great on the road, so we need to stay locked-in, just play K-State basketball, play the way we've been playing, and see how it goes."
They are also aware the venue, Allen Fieldhouse, is historic and hard to walk out of with a win. The Jayhawks are 15-0 at home this season and have not lost to K-State in Allen Fieldhouse since 2006. But even that does not change the Wildcats' mentality going in.
"As basketball players, it is a great venue to play in. But the court's the same length. The basketball goal's the same height. At the end of the day, it's still just basketball," Wade said. "As long as we come out, do what we need to do, play defense, we'll be alright."
Players Mentioned
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