SE: K-State Men’s Hoops Has a Schedule. Here’s What Comes Next
Nov 10, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Find your niche. Find your role. Find a way to score.
As a college basketball mission statement, it's not a bad one for Bruce Weber and his team with two weeks to go before the season opener against Drake on November 25.
"That's what's to happen," Weber said. "As coaches, how can we create those opportunities. DaJuan [Gordon] is a way better shooter, he's just got to find a way to get open threes. Same with Rudi Williams. He's used to having the ball and now it's a different situation."
K-State enters the 2020-21 season with eight scholarship players on the roster who are new to Manhattan.
Just one player - Mike McGuirl - was on the team when K-State won the Big 12 back in 2019.
It was always going to be a new chapter for the Wildcats. It just took them longer than usual to get their hands on the book in this COVID-19 adjusted season.
"It was tough those first couple weeks when they announced the start date," Weber said. "Even though we released the schedule, I would expect at least one change if not more. Every day, something happens."
K-State will tip off the 2020-21 season at the Little Apple Classic in Manhattan, a tournament that was created to replace the Cayman Islands Classic on the team's original schedule.
As the schedule stands in November, the Wildcats will face Drake on November 25 and Colorado on November 27 as part of the Little Apple Classic.
With the release of KenPom rankings this week - Christmas morning for a certain corner of the college basketball Internet - the Wildcats non-conference schedule is coming into focus.
Both the Bulldogs and Buffaloes should provide K-State with a strong test to open the season.
KenPom has Drake in the middle of the pack in the Missouri Valley Conference, within touching distance in a conference that includes mid-major powers Loyola Chicago and Northern Iowa.
It's a similar story for Colorado in the Pac-12, where the Buffs look like they can compete for a postseason spot and will try to edge past teams like USC and Utah on the March bubble.
It will be the first meeting between Colorado and K-State since the Buffaloes left the Big 12 in 2011.
"Right now, I'm really looking forward to Drake," McGuirl said. "We've got a lot of good opponents, but right now the focus is on getting better every day and then it's going to be Drake."
The toughest opponent the Wildcats draw in the non-conference slate might be in the Big 12/Big East Battle with Butler in Indianapolis.
The Bulldogs ended last season ranked No. 23 in the country, though KenPom is bullish on a team that saw some of their top players graduate in the spring. Even if Butler is jockeying with teams like Seton Hall and Providence in the Big East, they should be a tough out.
Before the Wildcats can start scouting opponents, the focus for a K-State veteran like McGuirl is still on "stringing days together."
"DaJuan has turned himself into a much better player, Antonio (Gordon) has really improved his game," McGuirl said. "Selton (Miguel) is a freshman but he's an animal. Our big men, Davion (Bradford) and Kaosi (Ezeagu), are a couple of big bodies that move well and can catch and finish."
For all the attention that the team's newcomers have gotten this summer, it's not like the cupboard is bare among the returning Wildcats in 2020.
DaJuan Gordon started 11 game down the stretch last season as a true freshman and looks primed to continue to improve when the Wildcats tip off this month. If McGuirl is the team's vocal leader as the only senior, Gordon is somebody who will look to lead K-State by example.
"Just going hard, playing hard every day and trying to be a good person," Gordon said. "I let Mike be the voice and just show my energy. But if I think things need to be said, then I'll try and say things the right way."
As a second-year player, Gordon said he is still focused on learning the system at K-State after an impressive freshman season. His ability to balance that improvement with stepping into a larger role could be one of the stories to watch for the Wildcats this season.
Weber said the coaching staff is focused on helping players like Gordon walk that tightrope, even though the task of building a team is never an easy one.
But the K-State head coach is optimistic with just two weeks to go before the season tips off.
"We've got to be learning all the time," Weber said. "I think they all have camaraderie because they all have a purpose: Get to the season."
Find your niche. Find your role. Find a way to score.
As a college basketball mission statement, it's not a bad one for Bruce Weber and his team with two weeks to go before the season opener against Drake on November 25.
"That's what's to happen," Weber said. "As coaches, how can we create those opportunities. DaJuan [Gordon] is a way better shooter, he's just got to find a way to get open threes. Same with Rudi Williams. He's used to having the ball and now it's a different situation."
K-State enters the 2020-21 season with eight scholarship players on the roster who are new to Manhattan.
Just one player - Mike McGuirl - was on the team when K-State won the Big 12 back in 2019.
It was always going to be a new chapter for the Wildcats. It just took them longer than usual to get their hands on the book in this COVID-19 adjusted season.
"It was tough those first couple weeks when they announced the start date," Weber said. "Even though we released the schedule, I would expect at least one change if not more. Every day, something happens."
The art of 🏀#KStateMBB x EMAW pic.twitter.com/bPdtkyHxuX
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) November 2, 2020
K-State will tip off the 2020-21 season at the Little Apple Classic in Manhattan, a tournament that was created to replace the Cayman Islands Classic on the team's original schedule.
As the schedule stands in November, the Wildcats will face Drake on November 25 and Colorado on November 27 as part of the Little Apple Classic.
With the release of KenPom rankings this week - Christmas morning for a certain corner of the college basketball Internet - the Wildcats non-conference schedule is coming into focus.
Both the Bulldogs and Buffaloes should provide K-State with a strong test to open the season.
KenPom has Drake in the middle of the pack in the Missouri Valley Conference, within touching distance in a conference that includes mid-major powers Loyola Chicago and Northern Iowa.
It's a similar story for Colorado in the Pac-12, where the Buffs look like they can compete for a postseason spot and will try to edge past teams like USC and Utah on the March bubble.
It will be the first meeting between Colorado and K-State since the Buffaloes left the Big 12 in 2011.
Got it on the first take 😁📸🎥😂#KStateMBB x EMAW pic.twitter.com/tNWtdcPD8d
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) October 8, 2020
"Right now, I'm really looking forward to Drake," McGuirl said. "We've got a lot of good opponents, but right now the focus is on getting better every day and then it's going to be Drake."
The toughest opponent the Wildcats draw in the non-conference slate might be in the Big 12/Big East Battle with Butler in Indianapolis.
The Bulldogs ended last season ranked No. 23 in the country, though KenPom is bullish on a team that saw some of their top players graduate in the spring. Even if Butler is jockeying with teams like Seton Hall and Providence in the Big East, they should be a tough out.
Before the Wildcats can start scouting opponents, the focus for a K-State veteran like McGuirl is still on "stringing days together."
"DaJuan has turned himself into a much better player, Antonio (Gordon) has really improved his game," McGuirl said. "Selton (Miguel) is a freshman but he's an animal. Our big men, Davion (Bradford) and Kaosi (Ezeagu), are a couple of big bodies that move well and can catch and finish."
For all the attention that the team's newcomers have gotten this summer, it's not like the cupboard is bare among the returning Wildcats in 2020.
DaJuan Gordon started 11 game down the stretch last season as a true freshman and looks primed to continue to improve when the Wildcats tip off this month. If McGuirl is the team's vocal leader as the only senior, Gordon is somebody who will look to lead K-State by example.
Under the radar no more
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) November 6, 2020
📄 https://t.co/4WVcCuNvQi#KStateMBB x @Thatboyquaye pic.twitter.com/WiWlygWoTQ
"Just going hard, playing hard every day and trying to be a good person," Gordon said. "I let Mike be the voice and just show my energy. But if I think things need to be said, then I'll try and say things the right way."
As a second-year player, Gordon said he is still focused on learning the system at K-State after an impressive freshman season. His ability to balance that improvement with stepping into a larger role could be one of the stories to watch for the Wildcats this season.
Weber said the coaching staff is focused on helping players like Gordon walk that tightrope, even though the task of building a team is never an easy one.
But the K-State head coach is optimistic with just two weeks to go before the season tips off.
"We've got to be learning all the time," Weber said. "I think they all have camaraderie because they all have a purpose: Get to the season."
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