Game Preview // K-State Travels to Play Texas Saturday

GAME 15
KANSAS STATE (7-7, 0-2 Big 12) at TEXAS (10-4, 0-2 Big 12)
Saturday, January 11, 2020 >> 7:01 p.m., CT >> Frank Erwin Center (16,540) >> Austin, Texas

TELEVISION
Longhorn Network

Lowell Galindo (play-by-play)
Lance Blanks (analyst)
Heather Wilson (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Online: TuneIn.com [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
Satellite Radio: XM 384 / Internet 974

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

LIVE STATS
www.texassports.com
texas.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
www.texassports.com/tickets
(512) 471.3333
Reserved: $15-$60

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 470-251/22^nd season
At K-State: 157-96/8^th season
vs. Texas: 9-6 (4-3 on the road)

Texas: Shaka Smart (Kenyon College '99)
Overall: 244-126/11^th season
At Texas: 81-70/5^th season
vs. Kansas State: 3-5 (1-3 at home)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (7-7)
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #23 Montavious Murphy
F: #14 Makol Mawien

Texas (10-4)
G: #1 Andrew Jones
G: #2 Matt Coleman III
G: #13 Jase Febres
F: #20 Jericho Sims
F: #33 Kamaka Hepa

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 22-16
Current Streak: K-State, 1
In Austin: Tied 9-9
At Erwin Center: Texas leads 9-8
Last Meeting: W, 71-64 [2/12/19 in Austin]
Weber vs. Smart: Weber leads 5-3 [3-1 on the road]

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (7-7, 0-2 Big 12) hits the road for the second time in 3 Big 12 games on Saturday night, as the Wildcats travel to Austin, Texas to take on Texas (10-4, 0-2) at the Frank Erwin Center. Both squads are off to 0-2 starts in Big 12 play, as K-State has dropped games to Oklahoma (61-66) and TCU (57-59), while Texas has lost to Baylor (44-59) and Oklahoma (62-72). Saturday's game will tip at 7 p.m., CT on the Longhorn Network with Lowell Galindo (play-by-play) and Lance Blanks (analyst).
K-State saw its string of heartbreaking losses continue on Tuesday night, as TCU center Kevin Samuel's tip-in with 2 seconds left lifted the Horned Frogs to a 59-57 win in the Big 12 home opener at Bramlage Coliseum. The game-winning tip-in came 11 seconds after junior reserve David Sloan's 3-pointer tied the game at 57-all that helped the Wildcats erase an 11-point second-half deficit. The setback spoiled an impressive second-half defensive performance by K-State, in which, the team held TCU to just 24 points on a 22.2 field goal percentage (6-of-27) after allowing 35 in the opening half on 43.8 percent (14-of-32) shooting, including 7 3-pointers. The loss was just the ninth in 94 games (85-9) under head coach Bruce Weber when holding an opponent under 60 points.
Senior Xavier Sneed continued his impressive play against TCU with his eighth double-digit scoring game in the last 9 games (15.8 ppg.) with a game-high 19 points against the Horned Frogs. The performance came on the heels of his 22-point effort against Oklahoma in the Big 12 opener, which was his third 20-point game of the season. He is one of just 3 Big 12 players to average 20 or more points in the first 2 league games, tying Oklahoma's Kristian Doolittle for second at 20.5 points per game and trailing just TCU's R.J. Nembhard (23.0 ppg.). Sneed has led the Wildcats in scoring in 8 of 14 games this season.
Texas enters Saturday's game in much the same position as K-State with losses in 3 of its last 4 games, including consecutive losses to open Big 12 play (Baylor and Oklahoma). The Longhorns had won 9 of their first 10 games, including an impressive 70-66 victory at Purdue and a 60-50 win over archrival Texas A&M, before their recent slump, which began with a 70-48 loss at Providence. The team is one of the more balanced in the Big 12 with 4 of their regular 5 starters, averaging in double figures led by junior Matt Coleman III (12.1 ppg.), sophomores Courtney Ramey (11.1 ppg.) and Andrew Jones (10.9 ppg.) and junior Jase Febres (10.2 ppg.).
This will be the 39th meeting between K-State and Texas with the Wildcats holding a 22-16 advantage, including a 17-16 edge in the Big 12 era and a 7-9 mark on the road. The Wildcats have won 5 of their last 6 matchups with the Longhorns, including 3 in a row at the Frank Erwin Center.
Despite hitting just 4 against TCU, the 3-point line has still become a focal point of the K-State offense, as the Wildcats rank fifth in the Big 12 in both 3-point field goals made (7.43) and 3-point field goal percentage (32.4). The team connected on double-digit 3-pointers in back-to-back games, including tying a season-high with 12 against Oklahoma. Although Sneed tied a season-high with 5 3-pointers, seven Wildcats had at least one trey, including two by Cartier Diarra and one each by Antonio Gordon, DaJuan Gordon, Makol Mawien, Mike McGuirl and Montavious Murphy.

NOTES ON TEXAS

Much like K-State, Texas has struggled of late, dropping 3 of its last 4 games, including its first 2 Big 12 games at Baylor (44-59) and at home to Oklahoma (62-72). The slump began with a 70-48 loss at Providence on Dec. 21 with its lone win in the 4-game stretch coming at home to High Point (89-58) on Dec. 30. The Longhorns allowed the Sooners to connect on 50 percent from the field in both halves, while hitting on 37.5 percent shooting. Reserve Courtney Ramey led four players in double figures with 14 points, while junior Jericho Sims had a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Texas is averaging 66.7 points on 43.5 percent shooting, including 32.3 percent from 3-point range, to go with 34.1 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.9 blocks per game, while allowing 61.5 points on 40.7 percent shooting, including 32.6 percent from 3-point range. The team is connecting on 64.6 percent from the free throw line.
Texas is averaging 53 points in Big 12 play on 36.2 percent shooting, including 24.4 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 65.5 points on 40 percent shooting, including 34.4 percent from 3-point range. The team is connecting on 50 percent from the free throw line.
One of the most balanced teams in the Big 12, the Longhorns are led by junior Matt Coleman III, who paces four players in double figures at 12.1 points on 44.9 percent shooting, including 44 percent from 3-point range, to go with team-bests in assists (4.4 apg.) and steals (1.6 spg.). Ramey averages 11.1 points on 42.1 percent shooting, while fellow junior guards Andrew Jones (10.9 ppg.) and Jase Febres (10.2 ppg.) average double digits. Febres ranks third in the Big 12 with a team-high 37 3-pointers, while Jones (27) and Coleman (22) each have 20 or more triples. Sims averages a near double-double with 9.4 points on 66.3 percent shooting with 8.4 rebounds.
Texas is led by fifth-year head coach Shaka Smart, who has posted an 81-70 (.536) record, which includes 2 trips to the NCAA Tournament and an NIT title in 2019. He is 244-126 (.660) in his 11th season as a head coach, which includes 163 victories during a stint at VCU (2009-15).

SERIES HISTORY

K-State and Texas will meet for the 39th time in their histories with the Wildcats holding a 22-16 advantage in a series that dates back to 1971. The Longhorns are 9-9 in games played at home. K-State holds a narrow 17-16 lead since the start of Big 12 play with Texas holding a 9-7 edge at home.
The two schools split their 2 meetings in 2019 with Texas winning 67-47 over K-State in the Big 12 opener on Jan. 2 in Manhattan before the Wildcats' 71-64 win in Austin on Feb. 12. Jase Febres came off the bench to score a game-high 23 points on 8-of-10 field goals, including 7-of-9 from 3-point range, for the Longhorns in the first meeting before all five Wildcat starters scored in double figures in the rematch.
Sneed has averaged 7.5 points on 36.6 percent shooting in 6 career games with 4 starts against Texas, while junior Cartier Diarra has averaged 10.3 points on 46.2 percent shooting in 3 career games vs. the Longhorns.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 9-6 all-time against Texas, including a 4-3 mark on the road, while he is 5-3 against head coach Shaka Smart.

ON THE ROAD

K-State has a 60-131 (.316) all-time record on the road since the start of Big 12 play in 1997. However, the Wildcats have been considerably better on the road since the 2006-07 season, having posted a 48-60 (.449) record away from home after going 10-70 (.125) from 1997-2006. The team is 32-46 (.410) under Bruce Weber on the road, including 25-37 (.403) in the Big 12.
K-State posted a 7-2 mark on the road in Big 12 play a season ago, which was the best mark by a Wildcat team since going 6-1 in 1975-76.

LAST TIME OUT: TCU 59, K-STATE 57

Sophomore center Kevin Samuel's tip-in with 2 seconds lifted TCU to a 59-57 win over Kansas State on Tuesday night in the Big 12 home opener before 7,119 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
The game-winning tip-in came 11 seconds after junior reserve David Sloan's 3-pointer tied the game at 57-all that helped the Wildcats erase an 11-point second-half deficit. In the final sequence, Samuel was able to rebound teammate R.J. Nembhard's missed jump shot for the tip-in and game-winning basket, as TCU snapped a 4-game losing streak in the series.
The loss spoiled a nearly impressive comeback and defensive effort by K-State, which trailed by 10 points at halftime after allowing 4 3-point field goals in the last 3:26 of the half and by 11 points just 2 minutes into the second half. The Wildcats held the Horned Frogs to just 24 points on 22.2 percent (6-of-27) shooting in the second half after allowing 35 in the opening half on 43.8 percent (14-of-32) shooting, including 7 3-pointers.
Ten of TCU's 20 field goals came from 3-point range, as the Horned Frogs connected on 37 percent (10-of-27) from long range, but just 31.3 percent (10-of-32) from inside the arc. K-State's offense was the complete opposite, as the Wildcats connected on 58.6 percent (17-of-29) of their 2-point field goals, but 20 percent (4-of-20) of their 3-pointers. K-State also squandered its opportunities at the free throw line in the second half, going 3-of-10.
Senior Xavier Sneed led all scorers for the second consecutive game with 19 points on 5-of-14 field goals and 8-of-10 free throws, while fellow senior Makol Mawien added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Sloan led the bench with 8 points in 21 minutes, as he had to spell starting point guard Cartier Diarra, who was hampered by foul trouble.
Samuel was one of four Horned Frogs in double figures, as he posted a double-double with 10 points on 5-of-9 field goals and a game-high 15 rebounds. Senior Desmond Bane led the team with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, while Nembhard and senior Jaire Grayer added 15 and 10 points, respectively.
Six of K-State's 7 losses have now come by single digits, including 5 losses by 6 points or less.

LEADING WITH DEFENSE

K-State has continued its reputation as one of the top defensive teams in the country under head coach Bruce Weber, holding its first 14 opponents to 60.6 points on 39.9 percent shooting (296-of-742), including 31.4 percent (88-of-280) from 3-point range, while posting 8.6 steals (second in the Big 12) and forcing 16.64 turnovers per game (fourth in the Big 12).
K-State ranks among Top 40 in 3 defensive categories, including 24th in scoring defense, 39th in turnovers forced (16.64) and 40th in steals per game.
K-State has held 25 of its last 48 opponents to 60 points or less with just four eclipsing 70 (with 3 occurring in the last 15 games). The squad has held 94 opponents to 60 points or less in Bruce Weber's tenure, boasting an 85-9 mark in those contests. The Wildcats are 6-1 this season when holding an opponent below 60 points, including their first 4 wins.
K-State had one of the top defensive teams in the country in 2018-19, holding opponents to 59.6 points on 41.5 percent shooting, including 31.4 percent from 3-point range, while forcing 14.8 turnovers per game and averaging 7.5 steals per game. The Wildcats ranked among the nation's best in a number of defensive categories, including fourth in scoring defense, 16th in turnover margin (+3.5), 36th in 3-point field goal percentage defense, 43rd in total steals (256) and 48th in steals per game.
The 59.6 points per game average was the lowest opponent scoring average since the introduction of the shot clock in 1985-86, surpassing the 60.4 points per game average in 2012-13, while it was the sixth-lowest all-time and the lowest since the 1982-83 team allowed 58.4 points per game. Only eight other teams (1948-49, 1949-50, 1950-51, 1961-62, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83) allowed less than 60 points per game in school history.
K-State held foes to an average of 14.5 points under their average in 2018-19, including a 14.6 average in Big 12 play. Eleven opponents (6 Big 12 foes) were held to 20 or more points under their average, most notably Texas Tech (26.6), TCU (25.4 and 23.5), Iowa State (24.3) and OSU (21.8).
In Big 12 play, K-State allowed 59.6 points per game on 42.6 percent shooting, including 33.8 percent from 3-point range. It is the school's lowest defensive scoring average in a Big 12 season and a tie for the ninth-best in a conference season and the lowest since 1961-62. The Wildcats held Big 12 opponents (Iowa State, TCU [twice], Texas Tech, Oklahoma State [twice], West Virginia, Baylor and Oklahoma) to 60 points or less on 9 occasions.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS

K-State is once again using its defense to generate offense, as the Wildcats are forcing 16.6 turnovers per game, including 8.6 steals per game, while averaging 17.0 points per game off those opponent turnovers.
K-State has scored 20 or more points off opponent turnovers 6 times this season, including a season-high 26 against Alabama State on Dec. 11. The team has also scored 20 or more points off turnovers against Monmouth (21), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (20), Pittsburgh (24) Bradley (22) and Florida A&M (20).
K-State has forced 4 opponents into 20 or more turnovers, including a season-best 25 turnovers by UNLV and Monmonth.
K-State has scored nearly 4,000 points (3,913) off turnovers during head coach Bruce Weber's tenure, an average of 15.5 points per game. In 2018-19, the Wildcats averaged 17.4 points off turnovers, outscoring opponents, 590-362. The team posted 12 games of 20 or more points off turnovers.

SCORING FROM 3

K-State has started to find some offensive identity from the 3-point line, where the the Wildcats rank fifth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made (7.43) and 3-point field goal percentage (32.4). The Wildcats connected on double-digit 3-point field goals in back-to-back games, including tying a season-high with 12 against Oklahoma in the Big 12 opener on Jan. 4.
Since connecting on just 22.2 percent (14-of-63) from 3-point range in the first 3 games, the Wildcats are hitting on 34.9 percent (90-of-258) from long range in the last 11 games, an average of 8.2 makes per game. During the last 10 games, the team has posted 10 or more 3-point field goals in 4 games and at least 7 3-pointers in 4 other games.
Senior Xavier Sneed leads all Wildcats with 29 3-point field goals, which includes 2 games of at least 5 treys, while junior Cartier Diarra (20), junior Mike McGuirl (19) and freshman DaJuan Gordon (11) all have double-digit makes. In all, 10 players have at least one triple this season.

2-POINTERS HAVE BEEN KEY

With its 3-point percentage nearly identical in wins (32.5; 54-of-166) as in losses (32.3; 50-of-155), K-State's 2-point field goal percentage has been a key factor in its wins this season. On the year, the Wildcats are connecting on 48.5 percent (219-of-452) from inside the 3-point line.
K-State is connecting on 45.5 percent (181-of-398) of its field goals in the 7 wins, including 54.7 percent (127-of-232) from inside the arc, while the team is hitting just 37.9 percent (142-of-375) of their field goals in the 7 losses, including 41.8 percent (92-of-220) from inside the arc.
This has been illustrated in the losses to Marquette and Mississippi State, as K-State connected on 32.3 percent (20-of-62) of its field goals, including 33.3 percent (13-of-39) from inside the arc, in the 73-65 loss to the Golden Eagles and 32.6 percent (14-of-43) of its field goals, including 32 percent (8-of-25) from inside the arc, in the 67-61 loss to the Bulldogs.
No 2 players have been as impactful in this statistic, as senior Xavier Sneed and junior Cartier Diarra.
Sneed is averaging a team-best 17.1 points on 48.8 percent (42-of-86) shooting, including 61 percent (25-of-41) from inside the arc, in the 7 wins, while he is averaging 13.4 points on just 32.5 percent (27-of-83) shooting in the 7 losses, including 35.7 percent (15-of-42) from inside the arc.
Diarra is averaging 13.4 points on 41.5 percent (34-of-82) shooting, including 52.2 percent 24-of-46) from inside the arc, in the 7 wins, while he is averaging 10.6 points on 38.1 percent (24-of-63) shooting, including 46.7 percent (14-of-30) from inside the arc, in the 7 losses.

RECAPPING NON-CONFERENCE HISTORY

K-State wrapped up non-conference play with a 69-67 win over Tulsa on Dec. 30. The win snapped a 2-game skid and helped the Wildcats finish with a winning record in non-conference play with 14th consecutive season. The team has one more non-conference game at Alabama on Jan. 25.
K-State has a 111-8 (.932) 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 102-6 (.944) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
Despite seeing their 33-game winning streak end at Bramlage Coliseum with a loss to Marquette on Dec. 7, the Wildcats have still won 98 of their last 104 non-conference home games. The last home non-conference loss before Marquette came against Georgia, 50-46, on Dec. 31, 2014.
K-State has posted a 147-41 (.781) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season, which includes a 10-3 (.769) mark in 2018-19. The team has posted double-digit non-conference wins in 12 of the last 13 years.
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 50-14 (.781) in non-conference play since the start of 2015-16 season.

SNEED GETTING HOT

Senior Xavier Sneed has led the Wildcats in scoring in 8 of the last 13 games, averaging 15.8 points on 41.1 percent shooting (65-of-158), including 34.6 percent (28-of-81) from 3-point range, which includes wins against UNLV, Monmouth, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Florida A&M and Alabama State.
Sneed scored 19 points in the overtime win over UNLV, including the go-ahead jumper with 28 seconds left, then followed that up with a 15-point effort in the win over Monmouth on Nov. 13 before posting 21 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 19. His 18-point effort against Florida A&M on Dec. 2 lifted him to the Top 20 scoring, while he claimed his second 20-point game with 20 against Alabama State on Dec. 11. He has a combined 59 points in the last 3 games, including a season-best 22 against Oklahoma on Jan. 4.
With his first rebound against Marquette on Dec. 7, Sneed became the 13th player in school history with at least 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. He currently has 1,222 points in 119 career games to go with 534 rebounds. He joins a 1,000-point/500-rebound list that includes legends Dick Knostman, Jack Parr, Bob Boozer, David Hall, Steve Mitchell, Rolando Blackman, Ed Nealy, Jamar Samuels, Rodney McGruder, Thomas Gipson, Wes Iwundu and Dean Wade.
Sneed is one of 9 players to rank in the Big 12's Top 20 in both scoring and rebounding, as he ranks seventh in scoring (15.3 ppg.) and 17th in rebounding (5.3 rpg.). He joins Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton, Oklahoma's Austin Reaves, Kristian Doolittle and Brady Manek, Kansas' Udoka Azubuike, TCU's Desmond Bane and West Virginia's Oscar Tshiebwe. Sneed also ranks fifth in steals (1.71), seventh in 3-point field goals made (2.07), 12th in minutes (31.68) and 14th in free throw percentage (71.2).

DIARRA PROVING TO BE A SOLID PG

Junior Cartier Diarra is proving to be a solid point guard for the Wildcats, averaging 12 points on 40 percent (58-of-145) shooting with 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He has led the team in scoring 5 times, including 3 times in the last 7 games, while has led the way in assists in 12 of 14 games to start the season.
Diarra's 81 assists are the most by a Wildcat in the first 14 games since assists began being kept in 1976-77, surpassing the previous 14-game high of 75 done by (current UTSA head coach) Steve Henson in 1988-89. He has at least 5 assists in 11 of 14 games, including a career-high 10 vs. Alabama State on Dec. 11. He became the first Wildcat with a 10-assist game since Marcus Foster (at Baylor) on Feb. 15, 2014.
Diarra ranks among the top 40 nationally in both assists (30th/5.8 apg.) and total assists (38th/81).
Diarra ranks third in assists and fourth in steals in the Big 12, while he is 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.69) and 17th in scoring.
Diarra was the only player to score in double figures in the first 2 games, including a career-best 23 points in the opener against North Dakota State on Nov. 5, connecting on 8-of-21 field goals, including 2-of-8 from 3-point range, and went a perfect 5-of-5 from the line to go with 6 rebounds and 6 assists in 32 minutes. He followed that with 12 points before fouling out in the overtime win at UNLV on Nov. 9.
Diarra has scored in double figures in 6 times in the last 10 games, including team-highs against Marquette (14), Mississippi State (20) and Tulsa (25). During that span, he is averaging 11.8 points on 42.6 percent shooting to go with 5.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 29.8 minutes per game.

DIARRA NAMED BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK DEC. 30

Junior Cartier Diarra earned his first career Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week honor on Dec. 31 after scoring a career-best 25 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with 22.4 seconds left, to help the Wildcats defeat Tulsa, 69-67, on Dec. 30.
Diarra is the first Wildcat to earn the Big 12's weekly honor since Barry Brown, Jr., and Dean Wade won the accolade in back-to-back weeks on January 14 and 21, 2019. Overall, it marks the school's 29th Player of the Week honor since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including the 13th under head coach Bruce Weber.
Diarra collected his third 20-point game of the season in Sunday's victory over the Golden Hurricane, connecting on 8-of-16 from the field, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, to go with a 3-of-4 effort from the line, a game-high 7 assists and 5 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. His 6 3-pointers were a career-high and the most by a Wildcat since teammate Xavier Sneed knocked down 6 triples against West Virginia on Jan. 1, 2018.

McGUIRL STEPPING UP

Junior Mike McGuirl is starting to become a consistent offensive weapon for the Wildcats, as he has scored in double figures in 3 of the last 9 games, including a season-high 16 points vs. Florida A&M on Dec. 2. During that 9-game span, he is averaging 7.7 points on 44.9 percent (22-of-49) shooting, including 45.5 percent (15-of-33) from 3-point range.
McGuirl averaged just 3.5 points in the first 4 games on 33.3 percent (4-of-12) shooting, including 28.6 percent (2-of-7) from 3-point range. He has averaged 7.5 points in the last 10 games on 45.3 percent (24-of-53) shooting, including 47.2 percent (17-of-36) from 3-point range.
McGuirl is connecting on 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the field, including 44.2 percent (19-of-43) from 3-point range. He ranks second on the team in 3-point field goal percentage and third in 3-point field goals (19), while he has already surpassed his entire 3-point total (18) from 2018-19.

FRESHMEN PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE

Three freshmen (DaJuan Gordon, Antonio Gordon and Montavious Murphy) are playing major roles for the Wildcats, as each are averaging 20 or more minutes this season, including 7 starts by Antonio Gordon and 5 by Murphy. Murphy missed 7 games due to injury.
DaJuan Gordon has played in all 14 games, averaging 21.9 minutes per game to lead all reserves. He has scored in double figures 3 times, including a 13-point effort against Alabama State on Dec. 12. He has connected on 43.8 percent (35-of-80) from the field and 32.4 percent (11-of-34) from 3.
Antonio Gordon has seen action in 12 games, averaging 21.9 minutes per game. He is averaging 5.8 points on 36.9 percent shooting (24-of-65), including 25 percent (8-of-32) from 3-point range, to go with 4.9 rebounds.
Murphy, who became the first true freshmen to start an opener since 2015, started each of the first 3 games of the season before his injury on Nov. 13. He returned to play 18 minutes against Saint Louis before starting against Tulsa, Oklahoma and TCU and averaging 23.3 minutes per game.

WEBER NAMED USA BASKETBALL CO-NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

After leading Team USA to a gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup this past summer, K-State men's basketball coach Bruce Weber was selected as the co-recipient of the 2019 USA Basketball National Coach of the Year award.
Weber shared the honor with Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz, who also led the USA Women's U19 World Cup Team to a gold medal on July 20-28 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Since 1996, USA Basketball has awarded its National Coach of the Year honor to a USA Basketball head coach, who during the year of the award, made a significant impact on the success of the individual athlete and team performance at the highest levels of competition in a manner consistent with the highest ethical, professional and moral standards.
Weber, who served as a head coach in the USA Basketball system for the first time in his career, led Team USA to their seventh gold medal at the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) U19 World Cup, including the first since 2015, with a perfect 7-0 record. Team USA capped their perfect performance with a 93-79 win over Mali in the gold-medal game in Greece on July 7.
Team USA averaged better than 100 points per game and won the tournament by an average of 28.7 points per game, including victories over New Zealand (111-71), Lithuania (102-84) and Senegal (87-58) to capture Group A then wins over Latvia (116-66) in the group of 16, Russia (95-80) in the medal round, Lithuania (102-67) in the semifinals and Mali (93-79) in the finals. The team ranked first in points per game (100.9), field goal percentage (.475), assists per game (28.6 apg.) and steals per game (15.9 spg.).

A QUICK LOOK AT K-STATE

The Wildcats return nine lettermen, including four players (Xavier Sneed, Makol Mawien, Cartier Diarra and Mike McGuirl) who registered starts, in 2019-20 from a squad that posted a 25-9 overall record a year ago and earned a share of the Big 12 regular-season championship for the second time under head coach Bruce Weber. The 25-win season was the seventh in school history, including the first time in consecutive seasons. K-State is one of just 24 schools -- 15 in power conferences -- and 3 in the Big 12 (Kansas and Texas Tech) -- with 25 wins in each of the last 2 seasons.
All-Big 12 honorable mention Xavier Sneed (10.6 ppg., 5.5 rpg.), fellow senior Makol Mawien (7.0 ppg., 4.9 rpg.) and key reserve and junior Cartier Diarra (6.8 ppg., 3.3 rpg.) form the core of a group returning for the Wildcats, who must replace their top three scorers in Barry Brown, Jr. (14.6 ppg.), Dean Wade (12.9 ppg.) and Kamau Stokes (11.0 ppg.). All three have played pivotal roles with the consecutive 25-win seasons, including 71 and 70 starts, respectively, by Mawien and Sneed and major minutes by Diarra.
Sneed is the team's top returner in nearly every stat category, including scoring (349), rebounding (182), assists (64), steals (45) and minutes (1014). He enters his senior season ranking 29th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,008 points having seen action in 105 career games with starts in 70 of the last 71 games. Mawien, who has started every game of his K-State career, has the fifth-highest career field goal percentage (56.1; 204-of-364) in school history after posting the sixth-highest (59.8; 104-of-174) field goal percentage in a single season as a junior in 2017-18. Diarra scored in double figures in four consecutive games, including three in Big 12 play, before missing eight games due to a broken finger. He did come back to play in the last three games with Wade out for the season, including a 15-point effort against Iowa State in the semifinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship and a 9-point effort in the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats also return rising senior Pierson McAtee (0.5 ppg., 0.5 rpg.), juniors Mike McGuirl (3.6 ppg., 1.5 rpg.), Levi Stockard III (1.8 ppg., 1.5 rpg.) and James Love III (0.3 ppg., 0.4 rpg.), sophomores Nigel Shadd (0.2 ppg., 0.4 rpg.) and Shaun Williams [was Neal-Williams] (1.4 ppg., 1.1 rpg.).

'CATS WELCOME FIVE NEWCOMERS

The Wildcats will welcome five newcomers in 2019-20, including a pair of junior college transfers (David Sloan and Joe Petrakis) and three true freshmen (Antonio Gordon, DaJuan Gordon and Montavious Murphy).
Sloan was regarded as one of the top community colleges players in the country (and a Top 150 player out of high school) in 2018-19 after helping John A. Logan College to a 27-5 overall record as a sophomore. The NJCAA All-American twice led the NJCAA ranks in both total assists and assists per game, including 10.2 assists per game a year ago.
The freshmen were all consensus Top 200 prospects, as the recruiting class was a consensus Top 40 class nationally by a number of recruiting services, ranking No. 39 by Rivals.com and No. 40 by 247Sports.com. DaJuan Gordon was a consensus Top 150 player by both recruiting services.
Antonio Gordon scored nearly 1,600 points in his high school career at Eisenhower High School in Lawton, Okla., and averaged 26.3 points and 10.1 rebounds as a senior in 2018-19. DaJuan Gordon was the Chicago Sun-Times City Player of the Year after averaging 17.6 points in leading Curie to the school's first city title. Murphy was one of the best players in Houston and a finalist for the Guy V. Lewis Award, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds as a senior at Concordia Lutheran.

'CATS PICKED NINTH IN BIG 12 POLL;
SNEED NAMED HONORABLE MENTION ALL-BIG 12

K-State was picked to finish ninth by the league coaches in the annual Big 12 Preseason poll released on Oct. 17, as the Wildcats received 23 points. Kansas was selected first for the ninth consecutive season, while Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas and West Virginia rounded out the Top 5.
The ninth-place selection tied for the lowest by a K-State team in the history of the 10-team poll, joining the 2016-17 team which was also picked to finish ninth by the league coaches. The team has been picked to finish eighth or worse 13 times in the history of the 24-year poll, including eighth in 2001-02, 2003-04, 2008-09, 2015-16 and 2017-18, ninth in 1996-97, 2004-05, 10th in 1999-2000, 11th in 2002-03 and 2005-06 and 12th in 1997-98 and 2000-01.
Senior Xavier Sneed was one of eight players to be selected to the honorable mention All-Big 12 preseason team, along with Oklahoma's Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma State's Yor Anei, Texas' Matt Coleman, Texas Tech's Chris Clarke, Davide Moretti and Jahmi'us Ramey and West Virginia's Derek Culver.
Kansas' Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson, along with Baylor's Tristan Clark, Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton and TCU's Desmond Bane were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Azubuike was the Preseason Player of the Year, while Chris Clarke was the Preseason Newcomer of the Year and West Virginia's Oscar Tshiebwe was the Preseason Freshman of the Year.

SNEED NAMED CANDIDATE FOR JULIUS ERVING AWARD

Senior Xavier Sneed was named one of 20 watch list members for the 2020 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Oct. 16.
Sneed was one of two Big 12 players named to the watch list, including Texas Tech transfer Chris Clarke. Other candidates include Arizona's Josh Green, Duke's Matthew Hurt, Florida's Scottie Lewis, Gonzaga's Corey Kispert, Harvard's Seth Towns, Kentucky's Kahlil Whitney, Louisville's Jordan Nwora, Memphis' Precious Achiuwa, Oregon State's Tres Tinkle, Providence's Alpha Diallo, Purdue's Nojel Eastern, St. John's L.J. Figueroa, Syracuse's Elijah Hughes, Vermont's Anthony Lamb, Villanova's Saddiq Bey, Washington's Jaden McDaniels, Washington State's C.J. Elleby and Xavier's Naji Marshall.
Wade is the first K-State player to be a preseason candidate for the Wooden Award since Rodney McGruder in 2012. Jacob Pullen, who was a preseason candidate in 2010, was the last Wildcat to earn recognition to the Wooden All-American team, while Michael Beasley (2008) was the last finalist.
The 20-member watch list for the Erving Award will be narrowed to just 10 by mid-February. In March, five finalists will be presented to Julius Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's on April 10, 2020.

Game Preview // K-State Travels to Play Texas Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Antonio Gordon

DaJuan Gordon

James Love III

Makol Mawien

Pierson McAtee

Mike McGuirl

Montavious Murphy

Joe Petrakis

Nigel Shadd

David Sloan

Xavier Sneed

Levi Stockard III

Dean Wade

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State Travels to Play Texas Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Antonio Gordon

DaJuan Gordon

James Love III

Makol Mawien

Pierson McAtee

Mike McGuirl

Montavious Murphy

Joe Petrakis

Nigel Shadd

David Sloan

Xavier Sneed

Levi Stockard III

Dean Wade

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