SE: Pack Gaining Traction After Injury
Nov 11, 2021 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Nijel Pack looked to be back to his old self in leading Kansas State with 18 points, including 4 of 7 shooting on 3-pointers, in the Wildcats' 67-57 win over Florida A&M on Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum. However, the journey back for Pack only seemingly continues as the sophomore guard tries to regain full health following a painful offseason.
Pack, who scored 13 points in the first half, dealt with apparent hip pointers that caused him to miss between 5 and 7 weeks of action. It wasn't until two weeks ago that the team's leading scorer from a year ago was able to resume practice with the new-look Wildcats.
"He started making shots this week in practice, and we felt good about him," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "We got some little plays for Nijel, and they switched out and didn't give him easy looks. He's going to have to learn to adjust. You hope other guys can make plays."
Although it had been more than eight months since K-State played an official game, Pack seemingly continued where he left off from his breakout freshman campaign when he averaged a team-high 12.7 points, while scoring 23 points against TCU and 18 against Baylor to close out the Wildcats' COVID-marred 2020-21 season.
Pack was just grateful to even be in position to be back on the court Wednesday.
"I took advantage of what the defense gave me," Pack said. "My teammates drove and created and were able to find me. The defense gave me a lot of space, and I was able to take advantage of that and use my 3-point ability. It was a great start for me. I know each and every game we're going to have a different leading scorer just with how much talent we have. It felt good to come out and get some confidence under me with how long I'd been out."
Pack finished 6 of 11 from the floor and added 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 31 minutes against the Rattlers.
"We probably pushed his minutes a little far," Weber said. "He's tired in there right now. When you don't practice five or seven weeks and then you work your way up two weeks (it's difficult)."
Pack's shooting touch from outside and his all-around court awareness helped K-State to welcome three Division I transfers during their first performance in fifth year Mark Smith (Missouri), junior Markquis Nowell (Arkansas-Little Rock) and sophomore Ismael Massoud (Wake Forest). Smith had 12 points and 6 rebounds, Nowell had 6 points and 6 assists, and Massoud had 5 points and 3 rebounds.
When K-State needed somebody to step up down the stretch to help the Wildcats pull away, sophomore Selton Miguel stepped forward. Miguel scored all 10 of his points in the second half as the Wildcats turned a 33-30 halftime lead into a 13-point advantage at 64-51 with 3:38 left in the game.
"It was amazing," Pack said. "Being on the bench taking a break I was thinking, 'How are we going to get some separation from them?' Selton came in and made some huge baskets. The energy, we were all into it. It was great to get that huge spark to get going and then we never looked back."
Pack said during the Wildcats' media day event that he believed this team would offer some excitement, and Pack, although he was limited, seemed to provide plenty.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Pack, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, seemingly did a little bit of everything for the Wildcats. Pack drove the lane and followed his own miss with a one-handed tip-in for a 59-49 lead, their largest lead to that point in the game. A few moments later, he pulled down a rebound while falling out of bounds and launched the ball to Massoud.
On one possession, Pack drew a charge on Florida A&M's M.J. Randolph in the paint. On the other end of the court, Pack hit Miguel with a touch pass in the lane for a layup. Over and over, it appeared that Pack was the top playmaker for the Wildcats even when he wasn't shooting the ball.
"I'm still trying to get better day by day," Pack said. "I do a lot of stuff with the trainer. Me and the trainer basically became best friends. I'm trying to find something to help it but right now I felt pretty good to be out there on the court at least. I'm blessed to say that at least."
Pack scored 8 of his points in a span of 3 minutes in the first half, as he hit a 3-pointer, drained a pair of free throws, and hit another 3-pointer for a 22-21 lead. His third 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 31-26 lead, which tied for their largest advantage of the first half.
"The coaches even talked to me that it's going to take some time to get back into rhythm," he said. "I knew it was going to take some time. Any player thinks when they come back in, they want to play at the level they were. With how competitive practice is, you want to be competitive right along with them. It took some time to get back into that rhythm and back into that playing mood."
K-State plays Omaha next Wednesday before embarking on the two-game Hall of Fame Classic at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Wildcats face Arkansas on November 22 and either Cincinnati or Illinois the following day.
"It felt good to come out here first game," Pack said, "and now we're just getting focused on Omaha."
Nijel Pack looked to be back to his old self in leading Kansas State with 18 points, including 4 of 7 shooting on 3-pointers, in the Wildcats' 67-57 win over Florida A&M on Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum. However, the journey back for Pack only seemingly continues as the sophomore guard tries to regain full health following a painful offseason.
Pack, who scored 13 points in the first half, dealt with apparent hip pointers that caused him to miss between 5 and 7 weeks of action. It wasn't until two weeks ago that the team's leading scorer from a year ago was able to resume practice with the new-look Wildcats.
"He started making shots this week in practice, and we felt good about him," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "We got some little plays for Nijel, and they switched out and didn't give him easy looks. He's going to have to learn to adjust. You hope other guys can make plays."
Although it had been more than eight months since K-State played an official game, Pack seemingly continued where he left off from his breakout freshman campaign when he averaged a team-high 12.7 points, while scoring 23 points against TCU and 18 against Baylor to close out the Wildcats' COVID-marred 2020-21 season.
Pack was just grateful to even be in position to be back on the court Wednesday.
"I took advantage of what the defense gave me," Pack said. "My teammates drove and created and were able to find me. The defense gave me a lot of space, and I was able to take advantage of that and use my 3-point ability. It was a great start for me. I know each and every game we're going to have a different leading scorer just with how much talent we have. It felt good to come out and get some confidence under me with how long I'd been out."
Pack finished 6 of 11 from the floor and added 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 31 minutes against the Rattlers.
"We probably pushed his minutes a little far," Weber said. "He's tired in there right now. When you don't practice five or seven weeks and then you work your way up two weeks (it's difficult)."
Pack's shooting touch from outside and his all-around court awareness helped K-State to welcome three Division I transfers during their first performance in fifth year Mark Smith (Missouri), junior Markquis Nowell (Arkansas-Little Rock) and sophomore Ismael Massoud (Wake Forest). Smith had 12 points and 6 rebounds, Nowell had 6 points and 6 assists, and Massoud had 5 points and 3 rebounds.
When K-State needed somebody to step up down the stretch to help the Wildcats pull away, sophomore Selton Miguel stepped forward. Miguel scored all 10 of his points in the second half as the Wildcats turned a 33-30 halftime lead into a 13-point advantage at 64-51 with 3:38 left in the game.
"It was amazing," Pack said. "Being on the bench taking a break I was thinking, 'How are we going to get some separation from them?' Selton came in and made some huge baskets. The energy, we were all into it. It was great to get that huge spark to get going and then we never looked back."
Pack said during the Wildcats' media day event that he believed this team would offer some excitement, and Pack, although he was limited, seemed to provide plenty.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Pack, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, seemingly did a little bit of everything for the Wildcats. Pack drove the lane and followed his own miss with a one-handed tip-in for a 59-49 lead, their largest lead to that point in the game. A few moments later, he pulled down a rebound while falling out of bounds and launched the ball to Massoud.
On one possession, Pack drew a charge on Florida A&M's M.J. Randolph in the paint. On the other end of the court, Pack hit Miguel with a touch pass in the lane for a layup. Over and over, it appeared that Pack was the top playmaker for the Wildcats even when he wasn't shooting the ball.
"I'm still trying to get better day by day," Pack said. "I do a lot of stuff with the trainer. Me and the trainer basically became best friends. I'm trying to find something to help it but right now I felt pretty good to be out there on the court at least. I'm blessed to say that at least."
Pack scored 8 of his points in a span of 3 minutes in the first half, as he hit a 3-pointer, drained a pair of free throws, and hit another 3-pointer for a 22-21 lead. His third 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 31-26 lead, which tied for their largest advantage of the first half.
"The coaches even talked to me that it's going to take some time to get back into rhythm," he said. "I knew it was going to take some time. Any player thinks when they come back in, they want to play at the level they were. With how competitive practice is, you want to be competitive right along with them. It took some time to get back into that rhythm and back into that playing mood."
K-State plays Omaha next Wednesday before embarking on the two-game Hall of Fame Classic at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Wildcats face Arkansas on November 22 and either Cincinnati or Illinois the following day.
"It felt good to come out here first game," Pack said, "and now we're just getting focused on Omaha."
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