SE: Weber Sees Opportunity in Rivalry Clash with Jayhawks
Feb 17, 2021 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
It's one of the special games in college basketball.
Bruce Weber knows this won't be a typical Dillons Sunflower Showdown, with reduced capacity in the stands, the Wildcats on a 12-game losing streak and Kansas sending their lowest-ranked team to Bramlage Coliseum since 1999.
For eight scholarship players on the Wildcats, their first time facing Kansas came earlier this month, as the Jayhawks pulled away in the second half of a 74-51 loss at Allen Fieldhouse.
Everyone at the Ice Family Basketball Center is focused on the rematch in Manhattan on Wednesday night, between two schools separated by just 85 miles on I-70.
"I keep telling our guys, every time they get to play it's a special opportunity," Weber said. "This is a special game. We'll have to play really well to have a chance."
In a season of adversity, the Wildcats have faced teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll in 10 of their last 11 conference games. The only unranked opponent, Oklahoma State, received the most votes of any D1 team not included in this week's AP Poll.
During that stretch, COVID-19 precautions or injuries have cost four of five opening night starters at least one game for the Wildcats.
"Our trainers, our health care workers and frontline guys, they've been extraordinary," Weber said. "Not only their time, but their knowledge and working with the doctors and giving us a chance."
Weber said the team returned from Stillwater on Saturday night, before waking up on Sunday morning to take a COVID test. That was supposed to be their day off. The 'Cats were back at practice on Monday, before the 295th Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Wednesday night.
"You see stuff on the news with the mental health of young people, we're just trying to keep being positive," Weber said. "No fans in the stands to experience this. The travel. It's different and we can't do things we normally do. I keep encouraging them and they've stuck with it."
In a three-point loss to No. 13 Texas last week and a seven-point loss to No. 23 Oklahoma State, the Wildcats played some of their best basketball of the season against a pair of teams with eyes on the NCAA Tournament.
Another opportunity against the Jayhawks awaits on Wednesday. Cashing in could start with getting Nijel Pack more involved.
The freshman was limited to 10 points when these teams first met in Lawrence earlier this month, a season low for the former four-star recruit in conference play.
"I think Nijel got out of his pace a little bit. They made him rush. They blitzed ball screens. Anytime he came off a cut, they jammed him," Weber said. "I talked with him yesterday after practice. We showed him some stuff. Just keep a good pace and make the next pass."
Specifically, K-State's head coach was focused on getting the team's big men, Kaosi Ezeagu and Davion Bradford, more involved in the offense.
The Wildcats have a capable backcourt with Pack and Mike McGuirl running the show this season, but Weber said his team needs to do a better job getting the ball into the paint.
"Nijel had Kaosi for a layup [against Kansas]. He had Davion a couple of times. Make them pay if they're going to do that. We're going to need to have great movement," Weber said. "They do a great job of switching ball screens, blitzing ball screens. We're going to have to make the next pass."
Considering how many unknowns K-State had coming into the season, and all the adversity that's followed, Ezeagu and Bradford are two guys who have impressed their head coach.
When Ezeagu went down in the first month of the season, Bradford stepped into a starting role and provided the Wildcats major minutes in conference play. Weber said he envisioned his freshman center as a player who might give him 18 to 20 minutes a night. He's played around 30.
Meanwhile, Ezeagu worked his way back from surgery and a seven-week rehab to provide experience on a team where that's something of a relative term.
"He's a little older and a little more mature. He's been to prep school, been to Canada, UTEP, so he's got a good spirit about him and sense of what reality is and what life's about," Weber said. "Hopefully as Kaosi moves forward this last stretch, he can get a little more confidence and feel better about himself and then help other people around him…That's the kind of person he is."
A big night from the frontcourt will be essential with so many Jayhawks who can score at the rim. David McCormack poured in 18 points the last time these teams met at Allen Fieldhouse, but Weber also stressed the need to slow down guards like Ochai Agbaji in the pick and roll.
If the Wildcats can turn progress into a proof of concept win on Wednesday night, slowing down the Jayhawks would certainly make some noise in the Big 12.
"Keep encouraging them because you become tougher and better in the long haul of your life when you go through challenges like this," Weber said. "I keep applauding them that they haven't quit and keep battling."
It's one of the special games in college basketball.
Bruce Weber knows this won't be a typical Dillons Sunflower Showdown, with reduced capacity in the stands, the Wildcats on a 12-game losing streak and Kansas sending their lowest-ranked team to Bramlage Coliseum since 1999.
For eight scholarship players on the Wildcats, their first time facing Kansas came earlier this month, as the Jayhawks pulled away in the second half of a 74-51 loss at Allen Fieldhouse.
Everyone at the Ice Family Basketball Center is focused on the rematch in Manhattan on Wednesday night, between two schools separated by just 85 miles on I-70.
"I keep telling our guys, every time they get to play it's a special opportunity," Weber said. "This is a special game. We'll have to play really well to have a chance."
Compete for 40 minutes, make memories for a lifetime. #KStateMBB 🌻 Sunflower Showdown pic.twitter.com/IAT4yPDTn1
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) February 17, 2021
In a season of adversity, the Wildcats have faced teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll in 10 of their last 11 conference games. The only unranked opponent, Oklahoma State, received the most votes of any D1 team not included in this week's AP Poll.
During that stretch, COVID-19 precautions or injuries have cost four of five opening night starters at least one game for the Wildcats.
"Our trainers, our health care workers and frontline guys, they've been extraordinary," Weber said. "Not only their time, but their knowledge and working with the doctors and giving us a chance."
Weber said the team returned from Stillwater on Saturday night, before waking up on Sunday morning to take a COVID test. That was supposed to be their day off. The 'Cats were back at practice on Monday, before the 295th Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Wednesday night.
"You see stuff on the news with the mental health of young people, we're just trying to keep being positive," Weber said. "No fans in the stands to experience this. The travel. It's different and we can't do things we normally do. I keep encouraging them and they've stuck with it."
In a three-point loss to No. 13 Texas last week and a seven-point loss to No. 23 Oklahoma State, the Wildcats played some of their best basketball of the season against a pair of teams with eyes on the NCAA Tournament.
Another opportunity against the Jayhawks awaits on Wednesday. Cashing in could start with getting Nijel Pack more involved.
The freshman was limited to 10 points when these teams first met in Lawrence earlier this month, a season low for the former four-star recruit in conference play.
"I think Nijel got out of his pace a little bit. They made him rush. They blitzed ball screens. Anytime he came off a cut, they jammed him," Weber said. "I talked with him yesterday after practice. We showed him some stuff. Just keep a good pace and make the next pass."
Specifically, K-State's head coach was focused on getting the team's big men, Kaosi Ezeagu and Davion Bradford, more involved in the offense.
The Wildcats have a capable backcourt with Pack and Mike McGuirl running the show this season, but Weber said his team needs to do a better job getting the ball into the paint.
"Nijel had Kaosi for a layup [against Kansas]. He had Davion a couple of times. Make them pay if they're going to do that. We're going to need to have great movement," Weber said. "They do a great job of switching ball screens, blitzing ball screens. We're going to have to make the next pass."
Considering how many unknowns K-State had coming into the season, and all the adversity that's followed, Ezeagu and Bradford are two guys who have impressed their head coach.
When Ezeagu went down in the first month of the season, Bradford stepped into a starting role and provided the Wildcats major minutes in conference play. Weber said he envisioned his freshman center as a player who might give him 18 to 20 minutes a night. He's played around 30.
Meanwhile, Ezeagu worked his way back from surgery and a seven-week rehab to provide experience on a team where that's something of a relative term.
"He's a little older and a little more mature. He's been to prep school, been to Canada, UTEP, so he's got a good spirit about him and sense of what reality is and what life's about," Weber said. "Hopefully as Kaosi moves forward this last stretch, he can get a little more confidence and feel better about himself and then help other people around him…That's the kind of person he is."
A big night from the frontcourt will be essential with so many Jayhawks who can score at the rim. David McCormack poured in 18 points the last time these teams met at Allen Fieldhouse, but Weber also stressed the need to slow down guards like Ochai Agbaji in the pick and roll.
If the Wildcats can turn progress into a proof of concept win on Wednesday night, slowing down the Jayhawks would certainly make some noise in the Big 12.
"Keep encouraging them because you become tougher and better in the long haul of your life when you go through challenges like this," Weber said. "I keep applauding them that they haven't quit and keep battling."
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