Kansas State University Athletics
Game Preview // K-State Concludes Homestand vs. Omaha Wednesday
Nov 16, 2021 | Men's Basketball
Buy TicketsKimble Avenue Arrival & Departure MapsK-State Notes (.pdf) ListenLive StatsWatch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
The schools meet for the fourth time since 2014, including the second straight year
Complete Release Available Here
Â
GAME 2
KANSAS STATE vs. OMAHA
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 >> 7:01 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,654) >> Manhattan, Kan.
Â
TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ / WatchESPN
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: XM 383
Online: Varsity Network [free]/SXM 973 / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com
Â
TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $10, $15, $25
Â
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 484-285/24th season
At K-State: 171-130/10th season
vs. Omaha: 3-0 (3-0 at K-State)
Â
Omaha: Derrin Hansen (Nebraska Wesleyan '91)
Overall: 249-236/17th season
School Record: 249-236/17th season
vs. K-State: 0-3 (0-3 at Omaha)
Â
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 3-0
Current Streak: K-State, 3
In Manhattan: K-State leads 3-0
At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 3-0
Last Meeting: W, 60-58 [12/29/20 in Manhattan]
Weber vs. Hansen: 3-0 [3-0 at home]
Â
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (1-0)
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #13 Mark Smith
G: #21 Nijel Pack
F: #25 Ismael [Ish] Massoud
F: #20 Kaosi Ezeagu
Â
Omaha (1-1)
G: #00 Sam'i Roe
G: #25 Felix Lemetti
G/F: #2 Kyle Luedtke
F: #23 Frankie Fidler
F: #44 Isaiah Pooh Bear-Chandler
Â
K-STATE CONCLUDES HOMESTAND VS. OMAHA WEDNESDAY
OPENING TIP
NOTES ON OMAHA
SERIES HISTORY
LAST MEETING:
K-STATE 60, OMAHA 58 (Dec. 29, 2020, in Manhattan)
LAST TIME OUT:
K-STATE 67, FLORIDA A&M 57
NON-CONFERENCE HISTORY
HOME SWEET HOME // BRAMLAGE COLISEUM (1989-present)
LEADING WITH DEFENSE
IMPROVED DEPTH/EXPERIENCE
HOPING FOR BETTER INJURY LUCK
McGUIRL UTILIZES EXTRA SEASON
THE 'CATS INK 3 HIGH-PROFILE TRANSFERS
A QUICK LOOK AT K-STATE
UP NEXT: HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
Â
GAME 2
KANSAS STATE vs. OMAHA
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 >> 7:01 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,654) >> Manhattan, Kan.
Â
TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ / WatchESPN
- Ben Boyle (play-by-play)
- Stan Weber (analyst)
- Katherine Benhardt (sideline reporter)
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: XM 383
Online: Varsity Network [free]/SXM 973 / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
- Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
- Matt Walters (analyst)
LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com
Â
TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $10, $15, $25
Â
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 484-285/24th season
At K-State: 171-130/10th season
vs. Omaha: 3-0 (3-0 at K-State)
Â
Omaha: Derrin Hansen (Nebraska Wesleyan '91)
Overall: 249-236/17th season
School Record: 249-236/17th season
vs. K-State: 0-3 (0-3 at Omaha)
Â
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 3-0
Current Streak: K-State, 3
In Manhattan: K-State leads 3-0
At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 3-0
Last Meeting: W, 60-58 [12/29/20 in Manhattan]
Weber vs. Hansen: 3-0 [3-0 at home]
Â
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (1-0)
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #13 Mark Smith
G: #21 Nijel Pack
F: #25 Ismael [Ish] Massoud
F: #20 Kaosi Ezeagu
Â
Omaha (1-1)
G: #00 Sam'i Roe
G: #25 Felix Lemetti
G/F: #2 Kyle Luedtke
F: #23 Frankie Fidler
F: #44 Isaiah Pooh Bear-Chandler
Â
K-STATE CONCLUDES HOMESTAND VS. OMAHA WEDNESDAY
- Kansas State (1-0) returns to the court for the first time in a week on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats play host to Summit League foe Omaha (1-1) at 7 p.m., to conclude their brief 3-game homestand to start the season. K-State opened the season with a 67-57 win over Florida A&M at Bramlage Coliseum on November 10.
- K-State and Omaha will be playing for the fourth time (2014, 2016, 2020) in the last 8 seasons, including the second consecutive season. The last meeting had quite the thrilling ending with then freshman Selton Miguel knocking down a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds left to lift the Wildcats to a 60-58 win over the Mavericks.Â
- K-State will attempt to go 2-0 to start a season for seventh time in the last 8 seasons but for the first time since 2019-20. The Wildcats started the 2020-21 season with consecutive losses (Drake, Colorado) for the first time since 2002-03.
OPENING TIP
- Due to a scheduling quirk, K-State returns to the court on Wednesday night for just its second game of the season. Bramlage Coliseum has been unavailable as the women's basketball team played host to the first-round games of the WNIT with doubleheaders on Nov. 12, 14 and 15 sandwiched between a home football game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Nov. 13.
- The Wildcats are coming off a 67-57 win over Florida A&M on November 10, in which, the team broke open a tight contest with a 12-2 run midway through the second half. Sophomore reserve Selton Miguel scored all 10 of his points in this pivotal stretch, which flipped a one-point deficit (42-43) with 13:28 to play into a 9-point advantage (54-45) with 9:17 remaining.
- The run enabled K-State to stretch ahead and build as much as a 13-point lead en route to the victory. The Rattlers led by as many as 4 points on multiple occasions in the first half, and after falling behind by 5 (31-26) right before halftime, surged back ahead moments after halftime.                 Â
- K-State relied on its usually strong defense to earn its 23rd win in the last 25 home openers, holding an opponent below 60 points for the 104th time under head coach Bruce Weber. The Wildcats held the Rattlers to just 41.5 percent (22-of-53) shooting, including 20 percent (3-of-15) from 3-point range, and forced 18 turnovers, of which, were converted into 19 points.
- K-State and Omaha played a thriller last season in Manhattan, as the Mavericks rallied from an 8-point deficit (45-37) early in the second half to set the stage for a back and forth contest the rest of the way. The teams battled through 6 lead changes and 4 ties in the last 11 minutes and neither team led by more than 2 points in the last 8:33.
- The 3-pointer by Miguel that gave K-State the 60-58 win with 9.7 seconds left came just moments after Omaha had taken a 58-57 lead on a pair of free throws by senior Ayo Akinwole with 17 seconds left. Akinwole led all scorers with 19 points, including 14 in the second half, on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3 triples.
- There will be 11 players returning from last season's matchup, including 4 of K-State's 5 starters (Davion Bradford, Mike McGuirl, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack). McGuirl (13) and Miguel (11) each scored in double figures in the last game between the schools with McGuirl going 5-of-13 from the field to go with a game-high 6 assists and 4 rebounds in 39 minutes, while all 3 of Miguel's made field goals came from 3-point range in 35 minutes of action.
- Omaha enters Wednesday's game with a 1-1 record after nearly pulling off a 29-point comeback against Ball State on Saturday. The Mavericks scored 48 points in the second half on 50 percent shooting, including 46.2 percent from 3-point range. The team was balanced with seven players connecting on at least 3 made field goals led by freshman Frankie Fidler (13) and junior Kyle Luedtke (10).
- The Mavericks return 10 players, including 2 starters, from a squad looking to rebound from last year's 5-20 campaign. They also welcome a pair of high-level transfers in Akol Arop (Nebraska) and Isaiah Pooh Bear Chandler (WSU).
NOTES ON OMAHA
- Omaha (1-1) has split its first 2 games of the season, opening the season with a 67-57 win over Division II Hastings College on Nov. 9 before Saturday's 73-69 loss at Ball State on Saturday afternoon. The Mavericks are in the midst of 5-game road trip, which includes visits to Montana (Nov. 20), Texas Tech (Nov. 23) and Purdue (Nov. 26).
- Omaha enters Wednesday's game with a momentum after nearly pulling off a 29-point comeback against Ball State on Saturday. The Mavericks trailed 44-15 with just over 2 minutes to play in the first half then was behind 56-30 with just over 15 minutes to play in the game. However, the team scored 34 of the next 43 points to close to within 65-64 with 3:41 to play. They had a number of chances to take the lead in the waning minutes, including a layup in the last few seconds to tie the game, before the Cardinals closed it out from the free throw line.
- The Mavericks are averaging 68 points per game on 42.5 percent shooting, including 26.3 percent from 3-point range, with 38.5 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 8.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per game, while allowing opponents to average 65 points on 37.9 percent shooting, including 35.7 percent from long range. The team is connecting on 77.4 percent from the free throw line.
- Two players are averaging in double figures led by freshman Frankie Fidler, who is averaging 14.0 points on 52.9 percent shooting, including 37.5 percent from 3-point range, in a pair of starts. Junior Kyle Luedtke is also averaging in double figures at 10 points per game on 37.5 percent shooting, including 40 percent from long range, and team-high 5.5 rebounds in 2 outings. Four others are averaging better than 7.5 points per game, including 9.0 points per game by senior Marco Smith and 8.0 points per game by senior Isaiah Pooh Bear-Chandler. Smith is a formerly played at Kansas City (2017-18) and Pooh-Bear Chandler is a transfer from Wichita State (2018-21).
- Omaha is in its 109th season of basketball, but just its 11th at the Division I level. The Mavericks have posted a 139-167 record since making the move to Division I in 2011-12, which includes 16 or more wins 5 times in the last 8 seasons, including a 21-win season in 2018-19.
- Head coach Derrin Hansen is in his 17th season at Omaha with a 249-236 record, which includes 8 winning seasons and 3 20-win seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
- K-State and Omaha will meet for the fourth time on Wednesday in a series that dates to 2014. The Wildcats have won the 3 previous meetings with the Mavericks, posting an 84-66 win on Dec. 2, 2014, and 81-68 on Nov. 15, 2016, before last year's dramatic 60-58 win on Dec. 29, 2020.
- Head coach Bruce Weber is 3-0 in his career vs. Omaha, coaching K-State during the wins in 2014, 2016 and 2020.
- K-State is 55-3 all-time against teams from the Summit League, including a 48-0 mark in games played at home. The matchup with Omaha will be the first of 2 meetings with Summit League foes, as North Dakota visits Manhattan for the next home game on Sunday, Nov. 28.
LAST MEETING:
K-STATE 60, OMAHA 58 (Dec. 29, 2020, in Manhattan)
- Freshman Selton Miguel connected on a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds to lift K-State to a 60-58 win over Omaha in the last meeting between the teams at Bramlage Coliseum on December 29, 2020.
- The 3-pointer by Miguel came just moments after Omaha had taken a 58-57 lead on a pair of free throws by senior guard Ayo Akinwole with 17 seconds to play. Akinwole led all scorers with 19 points, including 14 in the second half on 7-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range.
- With the Wildcats leading 45-37 with 14:37 to play, the Mavericks used an 8-0 run over a 3-minute span to knot the game at 45-all and set the stage for a back and forth contest the rest of the way. The teams battled through 6 lead changes and 4 ties in the last 11 minutes and neither team led by more than 2 points in the last 8:33.
LAST TIME OUT:
K-STATE 67, FLORIDA A&M 57
- Sophomore reserve Selton Miguel scored all 10 of his points in a pivotal stretch in the second half to help propel K-State past Florida A&M, 67-57, in the opener for both teams on Nov. 10 before 5,296 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
- Miguel, who went scoreless in the first half, caught fire at the right moment in the second half for the Wildcats, which was in a back and forth affair with the Rattlers (0-1). He scored all 10 of his points in a 12-2 run that flipped a one-point deficit (42-43) with 13:28 to play into a 9-point advantage (54-45) with 9:17 remaining. He ignited the pivotal run with a layup that gave K-State the lead for good at 44-43 with 12:49 to play then followed with a jumper for a 5-point lead (48-43) before capping the run with consecutive 3-pointers.
- K-State was able to break open an early back-and-forth contest with a pivotal 10-1 run over a 3-minute span late in the first half. Moments after Pitt State tied the game at 18-all with just over 8 minutes to play before halftime, sophomore Ish Massoud ignited the 10-1 run with a pull-up jumper. It was followed by a 3-pointer from junior Markquis Nowell, layups by fifth-year Mark Smith and Miguel and a 3-pointer by fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl.
- The run enabled the Wildcats to stretch ahead and build as much as a 13-point lead en route to the victory. The Rattlers led by as many as 4 points on multiple occasions in the first half, and after falling behind by 5 (31-26) right before halftime, surged back ahead moments after halftime.
- K-State relied on its usually strong defense to earn its 23rd win in the last 25 home openers, holding a foe below 60 points for the 104th time under Bruce Weber. The Wildcats held the Rattlers to 41.5 percent (22-of-53) shooting, including 20 percent (3-of-15) from 3-point range, and forced 18 turnovers.
- Miguel was joined in double figures by fellow sophomore Nijel Pack, who led the team with 18 points on 6-of-11 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and fifth-year senior Mark Smith, who collected 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting and 6 rebounds. Junior Kaosi Ezeagu had solid stat line with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in just 18 minutes.
- With the win, K-State moved to 92-26 all-time in season openers dating back to 1903, including a 28-3 mark at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats are now 8-2 in season openers under head coach Bruce Weber.
NON-CONFERENCE HISTORY
- K-State has a 116-13 (.898) record at home venues (includes home games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play dating back to the 2006-07 season, including a 107-11 (.906) mark at Bramlage Coliseum
- Despite seeing their 33-game winning streak end at Bramlage Coliseum with a loss to Marquette on Dec. 7, 2019, the Wildcats have still won 103 of their last 114 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 152-47 (.763) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. Prior to the 2020-21 season, the Wildcats had posted double-digit non-conference wins in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
- Head coach Bruce Weber is 83-31 (.726) in non-conference play since he arrived at K-State, including a 64-11 (.851) mark at home.
- K-State finished 2020-21 non-conference season with a 4-5 record after dropping the SEC/Big 12 Challenge game to Texas A&M on Jan. 30. After starting the season with losses in 4 of the first 5 games, the Wildcats rebounded to win 3 of their last 4 non-conference. Despite the momentum to end the season, the team still suffered their first non-conference losing record in 50 years since the 1970-71 season.
HOME SWEET HOME // BRAMLAGE COLISEUM (1989-present)
- K-State has posted a 394-137 (.742) all-time record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 394 wins are the most at a home venue for the Wildcats, surpassing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88). It is the school's third home venue.
- K-State has registered a 194-57 (.772) record at home over the past 15 seasons, including an 84-46 (.646) mark in Big 12 play. The 194 wins rank fourth among all Big 12 schools in that span, while the 84 league victories at home are among the top in the Big 12. In all, the program has double-digit victories in 26 of its 33 seasons in the arena.
- K-State has a 255-79 (.763) record at home, including a 149-16 (.902) mark in non-conference action, since the 2001-02 season for an average of just over 13 home wins (13.1) per season in that span.
- Head coach Bruce Weber has recorded a 109-41 (.725) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State in 2012-13 with just 11 non-conference home losses. The 41 losses (30 of which have come in Big 12 play) have come by a total of 418 points or 10.2 points per game. Weber has posted a 49-32 (.6050) record in Big 12 play at Bramlage Coliseum.
LEADING WITH DEFENSE
- K-State has developed a strong reputation as defensive team under head coach Bruce Weber, ranking among the top-60 nationally in opponent points per game 6 times in the 9 seasons. The Wildcats ranked fourth in scoring defense (59.6 ppg.) during its Big 12 Championship season in 2018-19, while they placed 36th (60.4 ppg.) in 2012-13 and 46th (67.0 ppg.) in 2017-18.
- K-State has held 209 opponents (out of 301 total) under 70 points during Bruce Weber's tenure, including a program-best 31 in 2012-13. The Wildcats have also held 104 opponents under 60 points in that span, while 29 have scored less than 50 points in his tenure.
- In addition to its scoring defense, K-State has ranked among the top-40 in opponent 3-point field goal percentage 3 times (2013-14, 2015-16 and 2018-19) and among the top-50 in steals on 5 occasions (every season from 2015-16 to 2019-20) in the Bruce Weber era. Twice (2016-17 and 2019-20) the school has ranked the top-45 in opponent turnovers.
- The Wildcats have held opponents to under 40 percent shooting in 100 games in the Bruce Weber era, including under 35 percent in 48 games.
- K-State struggled mightily across the board during the 2020-21 season, but no more than on defensive end, allowing 80 or more points 7 times in the first 21 games, including allowing 100 or more points in both regular-season games with eventual national champion Baylor. However, the Wildcats were able to win 4 of their last 7 games due to their improved defense, as they held 5 of those 7 opponents under 60 points. During the last 7 games of the season, the team held their opponents to 59.3 points on 40.6 percent shooting (146-360), including 26.1 percent (36-of-138) from 3-point range.
- K-State has started the season off where they left off at the end of the 2020-21 season, as defense played a major role in the 67-57 win over Florida A&M. It marked the 104th time under Weber that the Wildcats have held opponent under 60 points, as the Rattlers connected on just 41.5 percent (22-of-53) from the field, including 20 percent (3-of-15) from 3-point range. The Wildcats were able to capitalize on turnovers, converting 18 turnovers into 19 points.
IMPROVED DEPTH/EXPERIENCE
- It has been well chronicled how young the Wildcats were during the 2020-21 season, as only 11 Division I schools were less experienced than K-State with only Auburn and Duke less experienced among teams in the Power 6 (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC). The 11 underclassmen were the third-most of any Power 6 school, trailing Louisville (13) and Mississippi State (12), while the 3 upperclassmen were the fourth-fewest, trailing just Stetson (1), Auburn (2) and UC Irvine (2). In addition, K-State was one of 10 schools to start at least 3 true freshmen in one game with trio of Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack starting in 17 of the team's 29 games.
- K-State is hoping that the return of 9 of 14 lettermen, including super senior Mike McGuirl and sophomores Bradford, Miguel and Pack, as well as the influx of 7 newcomers, including 3 Division I transfers in Ish Massoud (Wake Forest), Markquis Nowell (Little Rock) and Mark Smith (Illinois/Missouri) will lead to a dramatic improvement on the court.
- Head coach Bruce Weber has remarked numerous times that this improved experience and depth could be a strength for the Wildcats in 2021-22.
- The Wildcats saw 10 players contribute in the season opener with Florida A&M (11/10/21) with 4 of the 5 bench players notching at least one field goal and combining to outscore the Rattlers, 22-7. Miguel scored all 10 of his points on 4-of-6 shooting during a key 12-2 run by K-State, while Nowell added 6 points in his Wildcat debut along with a team-high 6 assists. The team's bench only exceeded that point total in 5 games in 2020-21.Â
HOPING FOR BETTER INJURY LUCK
- K-State is hoping for better luck on the injury front in 2021-22 after injuries were a major factor in the 2020-21 season, as 9 players combined to miss 75 games, which caused head coach Bruce Weber to start 3 true freshmen (Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack) a combined 71 times, which ranked second nationally to Kentucky.
- Only one other Division I team (Long Beach State) had more players miss time due to injuries in 2020-21.
- Although that luck has been tested early with promising big man Seryee Lewis going down with a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, along with injuries slowing down the progress made by junior big man Carlton Linguard, Jr., and freshman Maximus Edwards. There is hope that Linguard and Edwards will return at some point this season.
McGUIRL UTILIZES EXTRA SEASON
- K-State received some good news on March 23 when senior Mike McGuirl announced that he was utilizing his extra season and returning to the Wildcats for the 2021-22 season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA announced in October that they had agreed to grant players an additional year of eligibility.
- An All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection, McGuirl is coming off solid senior season in 2020-21, in which, he either led or was tied for the team lead in 12 categories, including points, field goals, 3-pointers, assists and steals. He was second in scoring (11.8 ppg.) to freshman teammate Nijel Pack.
- McGuirl's 20 double-digit scoring games doubled his entire career total (10) that he had entering the 2020-21 season. He opened the season with his first career 20-point game vs. Drake on November 25 with 22 points then equaled it against Fort Hays State on December 8, while he had a team-high 19 points in the upset of No. 7/8 Oklahoma on February 23. Of his 705 career points, 542 have come in the last two seasons in 58 games played with 49 starts (9.3 ppg.).
- The only player to start all 29 games, McGuirl showed his versatility by leading the Wildcats in scoring a team-best 11 times, while he also paced the team in rebounding 4 times, in assists 14 times and in steals on 10 occasions. He led the team in scoring (16), rebounding (9) and assists (5) in the win over TCU on February 20, a win which started the team's late surge to end the season (four wins in the last 6 games).
THE 'CATS INK 3 HIGH-PROFILE TRANSFERS
- K-State got an infusion of experience with the addition of 3 high-profile Division I transfers in fifth-year Mark Smith (Missouri), junior Markquis Nowell and sophomore Ismael (Ish) Massoud (Wake Forest). All 3 took advantage of the new transfer rules and are immediately eligible in 2021-22.
- Like McGuirl, Smith earned a second senior season due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and will bring 100 games of experience to the court after playing at Illinois (2017-18) and Missouri (2018-21). Nowell, who was a Lou Henson All-American at Little Rock, averaged double figures in each of his three seasons as a Trojan. Massoud played in all 53 games of his Wake Forest career, averaging 8.3 points per game as a sophomore in 2020-21.
- The transfers presumably fill the Wildcats' greatest need from the 2020-21 season, which was a lack of production from the 3-point line. The team ranked 319th (out of 340 teams) in 3-point field goal percentage (29.6), while they were 126th in total 3-point field goals made (191) and 243rd in 3-point field goals per game (6.6). The trio have combined for nearly 400 triples (383) in their respective careers on 36.1 percent shooting.
- The trio made their impact in the opener with Florida A&M (11/10/21) with Massoud and Smith each earning the start, while Nowell came off the bench to play more than 23 minutes. They combined for 23 points on 40 percent (8-of-20) shooting, including 25 percent (2-of-8) from 3-point range, with 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Smith scored in double figures with 12 points in his Wildcat debut to go with 6 rebounds, while Nowell had a game-tying 6 assists off the bench.
A QUICK LOOK AT K-STATE
- K-State returns 9 lettermen, including 4 players (Davion Bradford, Mike McGuirl, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack) who registered starts during its COVID-19 challenging 2020-21 campaign, which resulted in the Wildcats' second consecutive non-winning season at 9-20 overall and 4-14 in Big 12 play. In addition to these 4 players, the team will get back the services of several key lettermen, including juniors Kaosi Ezeagu and Carlton Linguard, Jr., sophomores Luke Kasubke and Seryee Lewis and walk-on Drew Honas.
- The biggest headliner from the returners might be McGuirl, who opted to return for an extra season in 2021-22 after his senior season was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors in 2020-21 after leading the Wildcats in 12 categories, including points (342), double-digit scoring games (20), field goals (112), 3-point field goals (60), assists (103), steals (30) and minutes (34.3).
- The freshmen trio of Bradford, Miguel and Pack had to grow up fast in their first season, starting together in 17 games with 12 of those coming in Big 12 play. The 71 combined starts by the three true freshmen in 2020-21 ranked second nationally only to Kentucky (72). The three combined to average 25.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals in 2020-21, as Pack (12.7 ppg.) became the first true freshman to lead the Wildcats in scoring since 2013-14. Bradford (7.7 ppg.) and Miguel (7.2 ppg.) were fourth and fifth in scoring. Â
- Ezeagu started early on for K-State before an injury forced him to miss 10 games. He returned in mid-January as mostly a reserve, averaging 5.2 points on 67.7 percent (21-of-31) in his last 10 games. Linguard and Lewis each showed flashes in their first seasons, playing in 17 and 18 games, respectively, while Kasubke recovered from a preseason injury that forced him to miss the first 13 games to be a key contributor in the final 16 games.
UP NEXT: HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
- K-State will compete in the 21st annual Hall of Fame Classic powered by Motels.com from Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 22-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City against a stellar field, including No. 10 Illinois (2-1), No. 16 Arkansas (2-0) and Cincinnati (2-0).
- This will be the third time K-State has participated in the event, advancing to the championship game in both 2010 and 2015.
- K-State will face No. 16 Arkansas (2-0) in the second game of Monday's doubleheader around 8 p.m., CT, following the first game between No. 10 Illinois (2-1) and Cincinnati (2-0).
- The winners will meet in Tuesday's championship game at 8:30 p.m., CT with the consolation game set for 6 p.m., CT.
Players Mentioned
K-State MBB | Tang Talkin' Transfers - Khamari McGriff
Monday, September 15
K-State MBB | Tang Talkin' Transfers - Abdi Bashir Jr
Wednesday, September 10
K-State MBB | Hang With Tang On The Go (Season 4, Episode 1)
Friday, September 05
K-State MBB | Coach Driscoll Mic'd Up
Friday, August 08