Game Preview // K-State Renews Rivalry with Wichita State Sunday

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GAME 7
KANSAS STATE (4-2) at WICHITA STATE (6-1)
Sunday, December 5, 2021 >> 5:05 p.m. CT >> INTRUST Bank Arena (15,004) >> Wichita, Kan.

TELEVISION
ESPNU / WatchESPN
Link: k-st.at/3Ickjod

Mike Corey (play-by-play)
Jon Crispin (analyst)
Bryan Shapiro (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: XM 375
Online: Varsity Network [free] / SXM 375 / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
Stan Weber (analyst)

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
wichita.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
https://www.intrustbankarena.com/events-tickets/events
(316) 440.9000
Single Game: $20, $30, $45, $90, $150, $250

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee '78]
Record at K-State: 174-132/10th Year
Career Record: 487-287/24th Year
vs. Wichita State: 10-1 [0-0 at K-State]

Wichita State: Isaac Brown [Louisiana-Monroe '95]
Record at Wichita State: 22-7/2nd Year
Career Record: 22-7/2nd Year
vs. K-State: 0-0 [0-0 at Wichita State]

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 20-11
Current Streak: K-State, 2
In Wichita: Wichita State leads 9-6
At INTRUST Bank Arena: First meeting
Last Meeting: W, 54-50 [12/10/2003 in Manhattan, Kan.]
Weber vs. Brown: First meeting

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (4-2)
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #13 Mark Smith
G: #21 Nijel Pack
F: #25 Ismael [Ish] Massoud
F: #20 Kaosi Ezeagu

Wichita State (6-1)
G: #3 Craig Porter, Jr.
G: #1 Tyson Etienne
G: #0 Dexter Dennis
F: #32 Joe Pleasant
F: #24 Morris Udeze

K-STATE RENEWS RIVALRY WITH WICHITA STATE SUNDAY

Kansas State (4-2) faces yet another challenging stretch to its season on Sunday afternoon, as the Wildcats travel to Wichita, Kan., to take on in-state rival Wichita State (6-1) at INTRUST Bank Arena. It will mark the first meeting between the schools since 2003. The game will air nationally on ESPNU at 5 p.m., CT.
Sunday's contest will be the first in a 4-game series inked between the schools in July 2020. Following the matchup at INTRUST Bank Arena, the Wildcats will host the Shockers at Bramlage Coliseum on Dec. 3, 2022, followed by a meeting at Kansas City's T-Mobile Center on Dec. 22, 2023, before wrapping up at WSU's Koch Arena on Dec. 7, 2024.
This will be the first meeting since the schools split a four-game, home-and-home series between 2000 and 2003 with the Wildcats winning the last two games, 79-66 in Wichita on Dec. 7, 2002, and 54-50 at home on Dec. 10, 2003.

OPENING TIP

The series between the schools dates nearly 90 years when then Municipal University of Wichita defeated Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, 29-27, at the Henrion Gymnasium in Wichita on Dec. 17, 1932. The schools played on-and-off for the next 30-plus seasons, including a historic 94-86 win by K-State in the 1964 NCAA Midwest Regional Final at the WSU Roundhouse that propelled the Wildcats to the Final Four.
The schools played twice a year during the 1969-70, 1970-71 and 1971-72 season - splitting the 6-game series - before taking a 15-year hiatus. Beginning with a 77-60 win by K-State at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan on Jan. 6, 1986, the schools played at least once in 18 of the next 19 seasons (1986-2003), which included a pair of home-and-home matchups during the 1986-87 season.
K-State leads the series, 20-11, but Wichita State has won 9 of 15 meetings in various arenas in Wichita. Since the Wildcats won 6 in a row from 1987-92, the series has been nearly equal with K-State holding a narrow 6-5 advantage.
Sunday's matchup begins another pivotal 2-game stretch for K-State, as the Wildcats play host to a surging Marquette (7-2) squad on Wednesday night in the annual BIG EAST/Big 12 Battle at 8 p.m., CT. The team has already faced a similar stretch, losing back-to-back games to No. 13/12 Arkansas (11/22/21) and No. 14/15 Illinois (11/23/21) at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City.
K-State will look to gauge its growth since those 2 games in Kansas City, as the Wildcats have responded with convincing home wins against North Dakota (84-42) and UAlbany (71-43) in the past week. It marked the first time the Wildcats have recorded wins of 25 or more points in back-to-back games since posting wins over Loyola Chicago (92-54) and Western Illinois (82-50) in November 2009.
Defense carried the headlines in those 2 wins, as K-State held North Dakota and UAlbany to 42.5 points per game on 30.4 percent (34-of-112) shooting, including 8.2 percent (4-of-49) from 3-point range. It marked the first time the Wildcats have held consecutive opponents to under 50 points since games against North Dakota (49) and Saint Louis (47) on Dec. 22 and 29, 2015.
Although the Wildcats struggled with turnovers against UAlbany, the offense did show signs of improvement, averaging 77.5 points on 53.5 percent (61-of-114) shooting, including 42.2 percent (19-of-45) from 3-point range, in the last 2 games. Six players averaged in double figures led by sophomore Nijel Pack (16.5 ppg.), who ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring at 15.8 points per game.
Wichita State enters Sunday's game with a 6-1 record, including 3 wins in a row - all on the road or on neutral courts against UNLV (74-73), Missouri (61-55) and Oklahoma State (60-51). The Shockers are holding opponents to a mere 61 points per game, while on offense, they are averaging 66 points per game on 40 percent shooting and are led by sophomore Tyson Etienne (16.3 ppg.).
Sunday's game could be defensive slugfest with both teams ranking in the top-60 in scoring defense, as K-State ranks 26th (58.3 ppg.) and WSU ranks 56th (61.0 ppg.). Each school ranks in the top-25 in 3-point field goal percentage defense.

NOTES ON WICHITA STATE

Wichita State is off to a strong start to the season, rattling off 3 consecutive wins against UNLV (74-73), Missouri (61-55) and Oklahoma State (60-51), all away from home. The Shockers' lone loss came on a neutral court to Arizona, 82-78, in overtime, which has since risen to No. 11 in the polls. They have been successful in close games, winning by an average of 6.5 points per game.
WSU is averaging 66.0 points per game on 40 percent shooting, including 33.1 percent from 3-point range, with 35.4 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.3 blocks per game, while allowing opponents to average 61.0 points on 40.8 percent shooting, including 26.3 percent from long range. The team is hitting on 65.9 percent from the free throw line.
Six players are averaging 6 or more points, including a pair of double-digit scorers in sophomore Tyson Etienne (16.3 ppg.) and freshman reserve Ricky Council IV (11.1 ppg.). Etienne leads the Shockers in scoring, field goals (32), 3-point field goals (17), while he is second in assists (2.2 apg.). Council, who has come off the bench in 5 of 7 games, is hitting on 52.7 percent from the field, inclduign 50 percent from long range, while averaging 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Junior Morris Udeze is the team's leading rebounder (5.6 rpg), while averaging 9.0 points per game, while junior Craig Porter, Jr. paces the team in assists (2.4 apg.) to go with 3.9 points and 5.3 rebounds.
The reigning AAC regular-season champions, WSU returns 7 lettermen, including 3 starters, from a squad that posted a 16-6 overall record, including an 11-2 mark in league play, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Shockers lost 53-52 to Drake in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Isaac Brown is in his second season at Wichita State, posting a 22-7 overall record. First tabbed as the interim head coach after the resignation of Gregg Marshall, he led the Shockers to the AAC regular-season title and the NCAA Tournament in one of the more impressive coaching jobs of 2020-21.

SERIES HISTORY

This will be the 32nd meeting between K-State and Wichita State and the first since a 54-50 win by the Wildcats on Dec. 10, 2003, at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State leads the series, 20-11, winning 14 of 16 meetings in Manhattan, while WSU owns a 9-6 advantage in games played in Wichita. This is the first meeting at INTRUST Bank Arena and the first other than either teams' home arenas.
The teams have split the last 8 meetings in Wichita with K-State winning in 1989, 1991, 1997 and 2002 and WSU winning in 1986, 1992, 1995 and 2000. The Wildcats won the last such meeting, 79-66, on Dec. 7, 2002.
Head coach Bruce Weber has a long history with Wichita State dating back to his days at Southern Illinois, where he posted a 9-1 mark against the Shockers from 1998-2003. Overall, he is 10-1 against WSU with his Illinois team earning a 55-54 win in the latest meeting on Nov. 25, 2005 in South Padre Island, Texas.

LONG HISTORY IN WICHITA

K-State has a long history of playing games in the city of Wichita dating back to that meeting with Wichita State on Dec. 17, 1932. The Wildcats are 9-13 in games played in Wichita, including the 6-9 mark against the Shockers.
K-State has twice played an NCAA Tournament game in the city, including wins against UTEP and Wichita State to advance to the 1964 Final Four and losses to TCU and Louisville in the 1968 tournament.
This will be fifth game played at INTRUST Bank Arena, as the Wildcats played home games in the Wichita Wildcat Classic in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. The team lost in double-overtime to West Virginia, 85-80, in the first game on Dec. 8, 2011, before wins against No. 21 Gonzaga (72-62) and Colorado State (61-56). They lost to Tulsa, 61-54, in the last meeting on Dec. 9, 2017.

NON-CONFERENCE HISTORY

K-State has a 119-13 (.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 110-11 (.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 106 of their last 117 non-conference home games.
K-State has posted a 155-49 (.757) 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 86-33 (.720) in non-conference play since he arrived at K-State, including a 67-11 (.857) mark at home.

LAST TIME OUT:
K-STATE 71, UALBANY 43

K-State once again used its defense to stifle an opponent at Bramlage Coliseum, as the Wildcats held UAlbany to 31.5 percent shooting, including just 5.6 percent from 3-point range, en route to a 71-43 win on Wednesday night.
Combined with 42 allowed to North Dakota on Sunday, the Wildcats have now held consecutive opponents under 50 points for the first time since 2015, while the 85 combined points in the last 2 games were the fewest since holding Lamar (55) and Alabama-Huntsville (26) to 81 on Nov. 12-13, 2012.
The Great Danes, which hit on their first 3-point field goal before missing their final 17 attempts, were held to the second-lowest 3-point field goal percentage by an opponent in school history and the lowest since Oklahoma connected on a school-record low 4.8 percent (1-of-21) on Jan. 21, 1993.
K-State has now held 29 opponents to 50 or less under head coach Bruce Weber, while the Wildcats moved to 96-10 all-time under Weber when holding an opponent to 60 points or less.
Offensively, the Wildcats did most of their damage from beyond the arc, knocking down a season-high 10 3-pointers, including 5 from sophomore Nijel Pack, who finished with a game-high 17 points. Pack, who leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goals per game (3.0) and is second in 3-point field goal percentage (48.6), has now hit on 3 or more 3-pointers in 15 of his 30 career games. He has now led the team in scoring in 4 of 6 games this season.
Pack was joined in double figures by fifth-year senior Mark Smith and sophomore Selton Miguel, who each registered double-doubles. It marked the first time a pair of Wildcats each collected double-doubles in the same game since March 2014. Smith, who posted his second consecutive double-double and the third of his career, finished with 14 points on 4-of-7 field goals to go with a career-tying 10 rebounds. Miguel earned his first double-double with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting and a career-best 10 boards.
Despite the final score, UAlbany made things difficult for K-State in the early going, taking the lead on several occasions and pulling to within a 17-all tie with 6:35 before halftime. However, the Wildcats responded with an 11-0 run to take the lead for good and pushing to as many as 28 in the second half. Over a 13-minute span between the two halves, K-State outscored UAlbany, 30-10.

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 nationally 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 212 opponents (out of 306 total) under 70 points during Bruce Weber's tenure, including a program-best 31 in 2012-13. The Wildcats have also held 106 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 104 games in the Bruce Weber era, including under 35 percent in 50 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 the defense is allowing 58.3 points on 37.1 percent shooting, including 23.7 percent from 3-point range. The Wildcats rank among the top-30 in 3 defensive categories, including sixth in 3-point field goal percentage defense, 21st in field goal percentage defense and 26th in scoring defense.
The Wildcats responded to allowed 72 points in back-to-back games vs. No. 13/12 Arkansas (11/22/21) and No. 14/15 Illinois (11/23/21) with stellar efforts vs. North Dakota (11/28/21) and UAlbany (12/2/21), allowing the fewest combined points (85) in consecutive games since holding Lamar (55) and Alabama-Huntsville (26) to 81 combined points on Nov. 12 and 13, 2012.
K-State has been able to score points off its opponent turnovers (19.5 ppg.) while forcing an average of 14.7 turnovers per game. The Wildcats has scored 20 or more points off turnovers twice, including 25 vs. North Dakota (11/28/21).

IMPROVED OFFENSE, BUT WORK CONTINUES FROM 3

The Wildcats are averaging 71.5 points on 46 percent shooting, including 35.7 percent from 3-point range, while connecting on 71.9 percent from the free throw line through the first 6 games. The team is averaging 31 points in the paint, 24.8 points off the bench, 19.5 points off turnovers, 8.5 fast-break points and 7.2 points on second-chance opportunities.
K-State's offense shines when the Wildcats share the ball, as the team is averaging 75.3 points and 17.3 assists in their 4 wins compared to just 64 points and 8 assists in their 2 losses. The squad also scored 124 combined points (31.0 ppg.) in the paint in their 4 victories, including 46 vs. North Dakota, which were the most since scoring 50 against Eastern Kentucky in November 2018.
The Wildcats' 3-point shooting needs to find some consistency, as they made just 20.9 percent (9-of-43) combined from long range in the 2 games with No. 13/12 Arkansas and No. 14/15 Illinois while hitting on 43 percent (37-of-86) in games against Florida A&M, Omaha, North Dakota, UAlbany.
The Wildcats were really clicking offensively in the 79-64 win over Omaha (11/17/21), as the team connected on 52.8 percent (28-of-53) from the field, including 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from the 3-point line and hit on 87.5 percent (14-of-16) from the free throw line. The squad hit 50 percent or better from the field in each half for the first time since the Milwaukee game (12/21/20).
K-State played even better offensively against North Dakota (11/28/21), hitting on 60.3 percent (35-of-58) from the field, including 69 percent (20-of-29) in the second half, to post their first 80-point game since scoring 84 vs. West Virginia on Jan. 18, 2020. It marked the first time that the Wildcats had shot better than 60 percent from the field since hitting on 62.5 percent (35-of-56) against Alabama State on Dec. 11, 2019.

IMPROVED EXPERIENCE/DEPTH

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 the Power 6. The Wildcats were one of 10 teams to start at least 3 true freshmen in one game with Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack starting in 17 of the 29 games.
K-State is hoping that the return of 9 of 14 lettermen, including senior Mike McGuirl and sophomores Bradford, Miguel and Pack, as well as the influx of 7 newcomers, including 3 transfers in Ish Massoud (Wake Forest), Markquis Nowell (Little Rock) and Mark Smith (Missouri) will lead to improved play.
The Wildcats have used at least 10 players in each of the first 6 games with 7 of those players totaling double-digit field goals made and 7 averaging nearly 6 points per game, including a pair of double-digit scorers (Pack and Nowell).
K-State is averaging nearly 25 points per game from its bench this season, including 28-point efforts against No. 13/12 Arkansas and No. 14/15 Illinois. The team has posted 6 consecutive games of 22 or more bench points.
Junior Markquis Nowell has provided a spark off the bench, averaging 11.7 points on 45.3 percent (24-of-53) shooting and 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in 4 of the 5 games, including a season-high 19 points vs. No. 14/15 Illinois and 18 vs. North Dakota.

IMPROVED FREE THROW SHOOTING

Again, it's a small sample size with just 6 games, but so far, K-State has taken care of its opportunities from the free throw line, connecting on 71.9 percent (69-of-96) from the charity stripe, which ranks third in the Big 12.
That percentage was even better in its 3-game stretch vs. Omaha, No. 13/12 Arkansas and No. 14/15 Illinois, as the Wildcats hit on 81.3 percent (39-of-48) during that stretch, including 78.1 percent (25-of-32) in the games against No. 13/12 Arkansas and No. 14/15 Illinois.
Four players (Nijel Pack, Markquis Nowell, Ish Massoud and Mike McGuirl) are hitting on better than 70 percent from the line, as Pack (9-of-9) and Massoud (4-of-4) have been perfect so far.
The Wildcats shot just 66.4 percent from the free throw line in 2020-21, while they haven't connected on better than 70 percent from the line since hitting on 73.4 percent as a team in 2017-18.

TURNOVER LOW

K-State turned the ball over just 4 times in the loss to No. 14/15 Illinois, which tied 5 others for the third-fewest in a game in school history and fewest since also registered 4 turnovers in a win over Gonzaga on Dec. 21, 2013. It tied the 2013 Gonzaga contest for the fewest turnovers in the Bruce Weber era.
In contrast, the Wildcats were able to force the Fighting Illini into 18 turnovers, which resulted in a 23-3 advantage in points off turnovers.

NIJEL TO THE RESCUE

Sophomore Nijel Pack has picked up where he left off from his freshman season, as he has led or have been tied for the team lead in scoring in 4 of the first 6 games, including an 18-point performance in the opener vs. Florida A&M, 15 points vs. Omaha, 14 points vs. No. 12/13 Arkansas and 17 points vs. UAlbany.
Pack is averaging a team-best 15.8 points on 51.5 percent (34-of-66) shooting, including 48.6 percent (18-of-37) from 3-point range, to go with 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 27.8 minutes per game. He is the leader in scoring, field goals, 3-pointers and double-digit scoring games (6). His 95 points through the first 6 games are the most since Dean Wade had 97 to start 2018-19.
The promising point guard enjoyed one of the best freshmen seasons in school history, becoming the third true freshman (Michael Beasley, Marcus Foster) to lead the team in scoring (12.7 ppg.) and the first since 2013-14.

MOVING TOWARDS 500

Head coach Bruce Weber is working towards a coaching milestone, as he is 13 wins away from earning 500 in his career. He enters Sunday's game with a 487-287 (.629) record in 24 years as a head coach at Southern Illinois (1998-2003), Illinois (2003-12) and K-State (2012-21).
If Weber were to achieve the milestone in 2021-22, he would be among elite company as only 26 current Division I coaches have reached 500 wins in their career with Herb Sendek (Santa Clara) just ahead of him with 497 victories.

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 Carlton Linguard, Jr., and freshman Maximus Edwards. Linguard returned to the floor against North Dakota (11/28/21), while there is optimism about Edwards' progress.

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 (4 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).
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 (385) in their respective careers on 36.1 percent shooting.
The trio made their impact in the first 6 games with Massoud and Smith each starting every game, while Nowell has averaged 21.7 minutes of the bench. They have combined for 163 points on 41.4 percent (58-of-140) shooting with 87 rebounds and 31 assists. Nowell has scored in double figures in 4 of 6 games, including 19 vs. No. 14/15 Illinois, while Massoud added 13 points vs. the Fighting Illini. Smith is the team's leading rebounder (7.5 rpg.).

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.
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: MARQUETTE (7-2)

K-State returns home on Wednesday to start a 2-game homestand, as the Wildcats play host to Marquette (7-2) at 8 p.m., CT on ESPN2 in the BIG EAST/ Big 12 Battle. This will be the third meeting between the schools since 2018.

Game Preview // K-State Renews Rivalry with Wichita State Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Davion Bradford

Maximus Edwards

Kaosi Ezeagu

Drew Honas

Luke Kasubke

Seryee Lewis

Carlton Linguard, Jr.

Mike McGuirl

Selton Miguel

Markquis Nowell

Nijel Pack

Mark Smith

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State Renews Rivalry with Wichita State Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Davion Bradford

Maximus Edwards

Kaosi Ezeagu

Drew Honas

Luke Kasubke

Seryee Lewis

Carlton Linguard, Jr.

Mike McGuirl

Selton Miguel

Markquis Nowell

Nijel Pack

Mark Smith

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