SE: Three Takeaways from K-State vs. TCU
Jan 04, 2021 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
K-State played the first of 17-straight conference games on Saturday, dropping a 67-60 decision to TCU at Bramlage Coliseum.
It was the first meeting between the teams since K-State took down the Horned Frogs in what would become the final college basketball game of the abbreviated 2019-20 season. TCU won Saturday's rematch, using a hot start to withstand a second half-surge from the Wildcats
Here are three storylines for K-State fans to follow after this weekend's matchup.
Bradford's Big Night
Davion Bradford led freshmen on both teams with 14 points and nine rebounds, just missing the first double-double of his K-State career.
"It just comes with toughness and discipline. I think we were tough most times out there on the court," Bradford said. "We've just got to stay disciplined and be ready for everything that's coming towards us."
Even as the Wildcats struggled to shoot the ball early on against TCU, Bradford helped create second chances on the offensive glass. Staying active throughout the afternoon, Bradford's energy was essential as K-State fought their way back into the game.
The challenges of starting as a true freshman in the Big 12 are seemingly endless, with Saturday providing yet another example for K-State's freshman center.
During his high school career in St. Louis, Bradford admitted that he rarely faced an opposing player who could match his seven-foot, 265-pound frame.
Against the Horned Frogs, he was posting up against the Big 12's current leader in both rebounding and blocked shots, the 6-foot-11 junior Kevin Samuel.
"He's physical, he weighs a little bit more than me, but I think that I could beat his physicality," Bradford said. "Him and I were still competing towards each other, so I feel like that was good. He's a good rebounder, I could tell by the way he boxes out."
For Bradford's head coach, the performance was promising, but Weber believes his seven-foot freshman still has another level to hit in his college career.
"He's very effective at what he does," Weber said. "In the first half, we had eight offensive rebounds and might've had just two points off those offensive rebounds. A couple of those, Davion, a year from now can power through and finish that hoop or get a foul."
Fighting Through a Shooting Slump
With their non-conference schedule a thing of the past, K-State can begin to fully evaluate how some of the talent in this program stacks up against the rest of the Big 12.
Weber called it "the grind of the league."
"You got to get ready," Weber said. "Every game is going to be tough, so we'll see if we have the maturity and toughness to come back and be ready for the next one."
While Davion Bradford's performance was a well-deserved headline, the Wildcats had other reasons for optimism against the Horned Frogs.
Nijel Pack finished with 12 points, as the guard-heavy rotation of Mike McGuirl, DaJuan Gordon and Pack handled most of the scoring load for K-State.
Pack wasn't immune from the shooting woes that plagued the Wildcats at times on Saturday, but the freshman still shot 40 percent from deep.
All of Pack's points against TCU came either at the rim or from three-point range.
That efficiency was huge for K-State in a game where Selton Miguel, Montavious Murphy and Carlton Linguard were held without a field goal.
"Carlton made the shots against Iowa State, didn't make them today and had a couple of wide-open ones. Rudi's made them but didn't," Weber said of Rudi Williams. "We got Monty (Montavious Murphy) in a little bit, but otherwise, we looked pretty balanced."
Gordon Erupts Against Horned Frogs
Ask DaJuan Gordon and he's just been taking what the defense gives him this season.
It's a simple approach that helped the sophomore fight through a shooting slump to post one of his best games of the season on Saturday. His final line against TCU showcased the kind of complete game that Gordon is working to develop in 2021. It also got his head coach fired up.
"DaJuan, unbelievable line and effort – 18 points, seven rebounds, three offensive rebounds, three assists and three steals," Weber said. "And then he's 12 on our play hard chart. He's a leader by a long range. He's got a big heart and plays his butt off."
On Saturday, Gordon was able to score from distance and get it done at the rim. He hit a running jumper at the buzzer to close out the first half and flashed an ability to pull up from mid-range that could force Big 12 opponents to guard him further away from the basket.
"Just got to continue to take what they give me," Gordon said. "If I see a rebound, I can go get it and make a layup. Just take whatever the defense gives me."
Like most of his teammates, Gordon turned up the intensity in the second half, helping to lead a K-State comeback that came up just short. It's a formula worth going back to as Big 12 play continues.
"In the second half, we made them guard us and played the right way," he said. "Got each other shots. Made open shots."
K-State played the first of 17-straight conference games on Saturday, dropping a 67-60 decision to TCU at Bramlage Coliseum.
It was the first meeting between the teams since K-State took down the Horned Frogs in what would become the final college basketball game of the abbreviated 2019-20 season. TCU won Saturday's rematch, using a hot start to withstand a second half-surge from the Wildcats
Here are three storylines for K-State fans to follow after this weekend's matchup.
Bradford's Big Night
Davion Bradford led freshmen on both teams with 14 points and nine rebounds, just missing the first double-double of his K-State career.
"It just comes with toughness and discipline. I think we were tough most times out there on the court," Bradford said. "We've just got to stay disciplined and be ready for everything that's coming towards us."
Even as the Wildcats struggled to shoot the ball early on against TCU, Bradford helped create second chances on the offensive glass. Staying active throughout the afternoon, Bradford's energy was essential as K-State fought their way back into the game.
The challenges of starting as a true freshman in the Big 12 are seemingly endless, with Saturday providing yet another example for K-State's freshman center.
During his high school career in St. Louis, Bradford admitted that he rarely faced an opposing player who could match his seven-foot, 265-pound frame.
Against the Horned Frogs, he was posting up against the Big 12's current leader in both rebounding and blocked shots, the 6-foot-11 junior Kevin Samuel.
"He's physical, he weighs a little bit more than me, but I think that I could beat his physicality," Bradford said. "Him and I were still competing towards each other, so I feel like that was good. He's a good rebounder, I could tell by the way he boxes out."
For Bradford's head coach, the performance was promising, but Weber believes his seven-foot freshman still has another level to hit in his college career.
"He's very effective at what he does," Weber said. "In the first half, we had eight offensive rebounds and might've had just two points off those offensive rebounds. A couple of those, Davion, a year from now can power through and finish that hoop or get a foul."
Fighting Through a Shooting Slump
With their non-conference schedule a thing of the past, K-State can begin to fully evaluate how some of the talent in this program stacks up against the rest of the Big 12.
Weber called it "the grind of the league."
"You got to get ready," Weber said. "Every game is going to be tough, so we'll see if we have the maturity and toughness to come back and be ready for the next one."
While Davion Bradford's performance was a well-deserved headline, the Wildcats had other reasons for optimism against the Horned Frogs.
Nijel Pack finished with 12 points, as the guard-heavy rotation of Mike McGuirl, DaJuan Gordon and Pack handled most of the scoring load for K-State.
Pack wasn't immune from the shooting woes that plagued the Wildcats at times on Saturday, but the freshman still shot 40 percent from deep.
All of Pack's points against TCU came either at the rim or from three-point range.
That efficiency was huge for K-State in a game where Selton Miguel, Montavious Murphy and Carlton Linguard were held without a field goal.
"Carlton made the shots against Iowa State, didn't make them today and had a couple of wide-open ones. Rudi's made them but didn't," Weber said of Rudi Williams. "We got Monty (Montavious Murphy) in a little bit, but otherwise, we looked pretty balanced."
Gordon Erupts Against Horned Frogs
Ask DaJuan Gordon and he's just been taking what the defense gives him this season.
It's a simple approach that helped the sophomore fight through a shooting slump to post one of his best games of the season on Saturday. His final line against TCU showcased the kind of complete game that Gordon is working to develop in 2021. It also got his head coach fired up.
"DaJuan, unbelievable line and effort – 18 points, seven rebounds, three offensive rebounds, three assists and three steals," Weber said. "And then he's 12 on our play hard chart. He's a leader by a long range. He's got a big heart and plays his butt off."
On Saturday, Gordon was able to score from distance and get it done at the rim. He hit a running jumper at the buzzer to close out the first half and flashed an ability to pull up from mid-range that could force Big 12 opponents to guard him further away from the basket.
"Just got to continue to take what they give me," Gordon said. "If I see a rebound, I can go get it and make a layup. Just take whatever the defense gives me."
Like most of his teammates, Gordon turned up the intensity in the second half, helping to lead a K-State comeback that came up just short. It's a formula worth going back to as Big 12 play continues.
"In the second half, we made them guard us and played the right way," he said. "Got each other shots. Made open shots."
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