SE: K-State Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams Enter Big 12 Play ‘Eager’ for ‘New Season’
Jan 03, 2020 | Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Mike McGuirl said it plainly.
Where K-State men's basketball was picked to finish in the conference — ninth, ahead of only TCU — has nothing to do with where the Wildcats will finish come March, K-State's junior guard said.
"It means nothing," McGuirl said on Thursday, ahead of the team's conference opener at Oklahoma on Saturday at noon, on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. "It has absolutely no implication on where we're going to finish at all. We're just motivated, highly motivated to do what we know we can do."
Last year, K-State shared the Big 12 Championship with Texas Tech. This year, the new-look Wildcats (7-5) look to re-establish their identity of toughness in the rugged Big 12 after a disappointing non-conference that saw them lose five games by an average of 6.8 points, including three by two possessions or less.
"(We're) very eager. Defending Big 12 champs, we have a lot on our shoulders. We know that. (We had) not the ideal non-conference. Now, we're ready to come back and prove ourselves. We know what we're capable of and we're really excited to show it," McGuirl said. "It's our tradition, it's our culture to be the toughest team. We know the Big 12's a conference that's about toughness. That's what the coaches are stressing now. It's about being tough and out-toughing teams. That's what we're looking to go do. We're looking to go out-tough every team we play the rest of the year."
K-State started to show some of that toughness in its 69-67 win against Tulsa to close out 2019. The Wildcats trailed 16-3 early, clawed back into the game and made key plays down the stretch to win it, none bigger than Cartier Diarra's go-ahead three with 21 seconds left.
"I think it was good to win and win a close game because we hadn't won a close game," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "And you had to make the play. Obviously Carti makes a big shot but we also got some stops down the stretch. Xavier (Sneed) got a steal on a possession before and then we got the three. We've been in the scenario quite a bit. I hope that will help us in the Big 12 because a lot of times games are close, and we've been through quite a few of those and had that experience."
K-State WBB Hosts No. 19/21 WVU to Open 2020
K-State women's basketball could be undefeated or winless and Jeff Mittie's message would be the same.
"Fresh start, new season," K-State's sixth-year head coach said, as the Wildcats (6-5) open Big 12 play against No. 19/21 West Virginia (10-1) in Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday at noon, on Fox Sports Network. "For us, it has always been a new season. Regardless of whether we were 11-0 or 6-5, where we're at today, this has always been a new season for us."
Much like K-State's men, the women lost some close calls in the non-conference slate. Of their five, four were by single digits. The lone exception came against No. 3 Oregon in Eugene.
K-State also ended its non-conference schedule on a high note, topping UTRGV, 79-66. The Wildcats outscored UTRGV by 26 in the final three quarters. This, despite being without junior starter Rachel Ranke, who underwent season-ending surgery after averaging 10.1 points and 3.1 assists through eight games this season.
Mittie said senior Jasauen Beard will continue to hold down Ranke's spot in the lineup, for a few reasons.
"What I specifically like that J Beard gives us is she's a player that is active at the rim, active defensively," he said. "I like the passion that she plays with, the physicality that she can play with, and I think we have lacked that in some previous games."
Going into conference play, Mittie rattled off three keys to the team's success: Improved guard play, defensive resilience and more scoring balance. Fortunately, the Wildcats get some more uninterrupted time to improve on those in the next few weeks before the spring semester begins on January 21.
Already, Mittie said he felt the team has "taken advantage" of the basketball-only schedule.
"Because of the break, we're going to get three or four more weeks here. I think it's a critical time for us to continue to improve," he said. "The biggest difference for the young players is they get to take a deep breath a little bit. They're out of finals for the first time, they're out of class, they're able to certainly be more rested and, hopefully, freshen up their mind a little bit. For the veterans, they've been through it, they know, but it's still a nice break. No matter how many years you go through it, it's still a nice break. You get to focus on basketball only."
Mike McGuirl said it plainly.
Where K-State men's basketball was picked to finish in the conference — ninth, ahead of only TCU — has nothing to do with where the Wildcats will finish come March, K-State's junior guard said.
"It means nothing," McGuirl said on Thursday, ahead of the team's conference opener at Oklahoma on Saturday at noon, on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. "It has absolutely no implication on where we're going to finish at all. We're just motivated, highly motivated to do what we know we can do."
Last year, K-State shared the Big 12 Championship with Texas Tech. This year, the new-look Wildcats (7-5) look to re-establish their identity of toughness in the rugged Big 12 after a disappointing non-conference that saw them lose five games by an average of 6.8 points, including three by two possessions or less.
"(We're) very eager. Defending Big 12 champs, we have a lot on our shoulders. We know that. (We had) not the ideal non-conference. Now, we're ready to come back and prove ourselves. We know what we're capable of and we're really excited to show it," McGuirl said. "It's our tradition, it's our culture to be the toughest team. We know the Big 12's a conference that's about toughness. That's what the coaches are stressing now. It's about being tough and out-toughing teams. That's what we're looking to go do. We're looking to go out-tough every team we play the rest of the year."
K-State started to show some of that toughness in its 69-67 win against Tulsa to close out 2019. The Wildcats trailed 16-3 early, clawed back into the game and made key plays down the stretch to win it, none bigger than Cartier Diarra's go-ahead three with 21 seconds left.
"I think it was good to win and win a close game because we hadn't won a close game," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "And you had to make the play. Obviously Carti makes a big shot but we also got some stops down the stretch. Xavier (Sneed) got a steal on a possession before and then we got the three. We've been in the scenario quite a bit. I hope that will help us in the Big 12 because a lot of times games are close, and we've been through quite a few of those and had that experience."
K-State WBB Hosts No. 19/21 WVU to Open 2020
K-State women's basketball could be undefeated or winless and Jeff Mittie's message would be the same.
"Fresh start, new season," K-State's sixth-year head coach said, as the Wildcats (6-5) open Big 12 play against No. 19/21 West Virginia (10-1) in Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday at noon, on Fox Sports Network. "For us, it has always been a new season. Regardless of whether we were 11-0 or 6-5, where we're at today, this has always been a new season for us."
Much like K-State's men, the women lost some close calls in the non-conference slate. Of their five, four were by single digits. The lone exception came against No. 3 Oregon in Eugene.
K-State also ended its non-conference schedule on a high note, topping UTRGV, 79-66. The Wildcats outscored UTRGV by 26 in the final three quarters. This, despite being without junior starter Rachel Ranke, who underwent season-ending surgery after averaging 10.1 points and 3.1 assists through eight games this season.
Mittie said senior Jasauen Beard will continue to hold down Ranke's spot in the lineup, for a few reasons.
"What I specifically like that J Beard gives us is she's a player that is active at the rim, active defensively," he said. "I like the passion that she plays with, the physicality that she can play with, and I think we have lacked that in some previous games."
Going into conference play, Mittie rattled off three keys to the team's success: Improved guard play, defensive resilience and more scoring balance. Fortunately, the Wildcats get some more uninterrupted time to improve on those in the next few weeks before the spring semester begins on January 21.
Already, Mittie said he felt the team has "taken advantage" of the basketball-only schedule.
"Because of the break, we're going to get three or four more weeks here. I think it's a critical time for us to continue to improve," he said. "The biggest difference for the young players is they get to take a deep breath a little bit. They're out of finals for the first time, they're out of class, they're able to certainly be more rested and, hopefully, freshen up their mind a little bit. For the veterans, they've been through it, they know, but it's still a nice break. No matter how many years you go through it, it's still a nice break. You get to focus on basketball only."
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