Game Preview // K-State to Face Top-Seeded Baylor Thursday at Big 12 Championship

GAME 28
(9) KANSAS STATE (9-19, 4-14 Big 12) vs. (1) BAYLOR (21-1, 13-1 Big 12)
Thursday, March 11, 2021 >> 1:33 p.m. CT >> T-Mobile Center (18,972*) >> Kansas City, Mo.
25^th Annual Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship

TELEVISION
ESPN / WatchESPN

Bob Wischusen (play-by-play)
Fran Fraschilla (analyst)
Holly Rowe (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
XM 199 // Internet 953 [Baylor broadcast]
Online: TuneIn.com [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

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

LIVE STATS
www.Big12Sports.com
big12.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
*T-Mobile Center will be open to 20 percent capacity (3,794) for the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. Anyone entering the arena must wear face coverings over their mouths and noses and continue wearing them inside the arena at all times.

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 483-284/23^rd season
At K-State: 170-129/9^th season
vs. Baylor: 9-10 (1-0 at Big 12 Championship)

Baylor: Scott Drew (Butler '93)
Overall: 383-225/19^th season
Record at Baylor: 363-214/18^th season
vs. K-State: 15-16 (1-2 at Big 12 Championship)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (9-19)
G: #21 Nijel Pack
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #2 Selton Miguel
G: #3 DaJuan Gordon
F: #21 Davion Bradford

Baylor (21-1)
G: #12 Jared Butler
G: #31 MaCio Teague
G: #45 Davion Mitchell
F: #0 Flo Thamba
F: #11 Mark Vital

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 23-22
Current Streak: Baylor, 4
In Big 12 Play: Baylor leads 21-18
At Big 12 Championship: K-State leads 3-1
At T-Mobile Center: K-State leads 2-1
Last Meeting: L, 59-107 [1/27/21 in Waco, Texas]
Weber vs. Drew: 9-10 [1-0 at Big 12 Championship]

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (9-19, 4-14 Big 12) continues play as the No. 9 seed in the quarterfinals of the 25th annual Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., CT against top-seed and No. 2/2 ranked Baylor (21-1, 13-1 Big 12) at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The winner will play either No. 4 seed West Virginia (18-8) or No. 5 seed Oklahoma State (18-7) in the semifinals on Friday at 5:30 p.m., CT on ESPN or ESPN2.
Thursday's game will air nationally on ESPN with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (analyst) and Holly Rowe (reporter).
The Wildcats lost both regular-season games with the Bears, falling 100-69 at home on December 19, 2020 and then 107-59 in Waco, Texas on January 27, 2021. It marked the first times that a Bruce Weber-coached team has given 100 or more points in a game.
K-State will face Baylor for the fifth time in the conference tournament (2002, 2010, 2012, 2017) and the first time since 2017. The Wildcats are 3-1 all-time vs. the Bears at the Championship, including a 70-64 win in the quarterfinals in 2017. The two teams also met in 2002 (a 74-73 K-State overtime win), 2010 (an 82-75 K-State win) and 2012 (an 82-74 Baylor win).
This will mark the 16^th time (2-13) that the Wildcats have faced the top-seed at the tournament and the first time since 2018. They have lost 8 consecutive games against the tournament's top-seed with the last win coming in 1993 against Kansas at the Big Eight Championship at Kemper Arena. They are 0-6 in the Big 12 era vs. the No. 1 seed.
K-State is the tournament's No. 9 seed for the third time in program history and the first time since 2006. The Wildcats are 37-41 (.468) all-time in the Big Eight/12 Championship dating to its inception in 1977, including a 17-23 (.410) mark in the Big 12 era. The school is 1-2 as a No. 9 seed (2004, 2006, 2021) in the Big Eight/12 Championship, while it is 2-13 vs. the No. 1 seed (1978, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018).
Winners of 4 of its last 5 games, K-State played perhaps its best all-around game in some time in the 71-50 first-round win over TCU on Wednesday, connecting on an efficient 48.3 percent (28-of-58) from the field, including 56.8 percent (21-of-37) from inside the 3-point arc, while holding the Horned Frogs to just 37 percent (20-of-54) shooting, including 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from long range, and forcing 17 turnovers.
K-State has now held 6 straight opponents to 65 points or less, including less than 60 in all 4 victories (TCU twice, Oklahoma and Iowa State). In that 6-game span, the Wildcats are allowing 56.8 points on 38.6 percent shooting, including 23.3 percent from 3-point range, while forcing an average of 15 turnovers.
Freshman Nijel Pack (23) and senior Mike McGuirl (17) combined for 40 of the Wildcats' 71 points on 13-of-22 field goals, including 7-of-13 from 3-point range, and 7-of-9 free throws. They were also responsible for 10 of the team's 13 assists and 5 of their 9 steals. It marked Pack's third 20-point game of the season, while he connected on 5 triples for the second time. McGuirl has scored in double figures in 5 consecutive games.
K-State shot better than 46 percent in both halves while posting its fourth-highest field goal percentage of the season and the highest since shooting 51 percent against No. 13/13 Texas on February 9. It marked just the second 70-point game since January and the first since scoring 77 in the same game against the Longhorns.
Defense has played a pivotal role in the Wildcats' recent success, as the team has held 5 of the last 6 opponents to under 60 points, including 54 and 50 by TCU, 57 by No. 7/8 Oklahoma and 56 by Iowa State in the last 4 wins. During this 6-game span, K-State is holding opponents to 56.8 points on 38.6 percent shooting, including 23.3 percent from 3-point range, while forcing an average of 15 turnovers per game. The Wildcats have now held 103 opponents to 60 points or less during head coach Bruce Weber's tenure, boasting a 93-10 (.902) record in those contests, including a 7-1 mark in 8 such games this season.
Due to various issues this season, including injuries and COVID-related protocols, K-State has had to start 3 true freshmen (Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack) in 16 games, including 12 times in Big 12 play. The team has started at least 2 true freshmen in the last 22 games with Bradford starting 24 games, Pack 23 and Miguel 21. The Wildcats are one of 10 teams nationally to start at least 3 true freshmen in at least one game, while the 68 combined starts by true freshmen rank second nationally behind Kentucky's 70 and just ahead of Duke's 65 and Washington State's 63.

TCU POSTGAME NOTES
Team Notes

K-State is now 37-41 all-time in Big Eight/12 Championship play, including 17-23 in the Big 12 era… The Wildcats are now 1-2 as a No. 9 seed in their first appearance since 2006… The team is now 20-14 in the first round… K-State is now 3-2 all-time against the No. 8 seed.
K-State won its first game at the Big 12 Championships for the sixth consecutive season, including its fourth in a row against TCU at the tournament.
K-State scored its 71 points on 48.3 percent (28-of-58) shooting, including 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from 3-point range, while connecting on 50 percent (8-of-16) from the free throw line.
It was just the second 70-point game since January and the first since posting 77 vs. Texas (2/9/21).
It was the fourth-highest field goal percentage this season and the highest since shooting 51 percent vs. Texas (2/9/21).
TCU scored its 50 points on 37 percent (20-of-54) shooting, including 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from 3-point range, while knocking down 50 percent (6-of-12) from the free throw line.
K-State is now 93-10 under head coach Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 60 points or less, including 7-1 in 2020-21… The Wildcats have held 5 of the 6 opponents under 60 points.
K-State led for 31 minutes and 50 seconds… It marked second consecutive game and the sixth time overall that the Wildcats have led a game for more than 30 minutes.
K-State held a 38-36 advantage on the boards, including 12 offensive rebounds… The Wildcats have held the rebounding advantage in 15 games, including 7 times in the last 9 games.
K-State posted a 36-30 edge on points in the paint… It marked the 12^th time this season that the Wildcats have totaled 30 or more points in the paint.
TCU held a 19-14 advantage in points off turnovers even though K-State had just 13 miscues.
K-State led 29-23 at the half as the Wildcats connected on 46.4 percent from the field.
K-State is now 7-1 when leading at the half… It marked the first time that the Wildcats have led at the half in back-to-back games since the Jacksonville (12/21/20) and Omaha (12/29/20) games in late December.

Player Notes

Freshman Nijel Pack scored 23 points on 6-of-8 field goals, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, and a 6-of-7 effort from the free throw line to go with a game-tying 5 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals in 2 steals in 34 minutes… It marked his third 20-point game this season and just 3 points shy of his season-high of 26 vs. Texas A&M (1/30/21)… He has now scored in double figures in 15 games… He has now led the team in scoring in 10 games this season… He posted his 12th game of at least 5 assists.
The 23 points by Pack were the most by a Wildcat at the Big 12 Championship since Makol Mawien had 29 against Kansas on March 9, 2018, while it was the most by a true freshman since Michael Beasley scored 25 against Texas A&M on March 14, 2008.
Senior Mike McGuirl scored 17 points on 7-of-14 field goals, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range, and 1-of-2 free throws to go with a team-tying 5 assists (and zero turnovers), 3 rebounds and a game-tying 3 steals in 35 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 30 career games, including a team-leading 20 this season… He has 10 or more points in 5 consecutive games.
Freshman Selton Miguel continued his solid play with 7 points on 3-of-11 field goals to go with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and game-tying 3 steals in 34 minutes.
Sophomore Kaosi Ezeagu grabbed a season-high 8 rebounds to go with 6 points on 3-of-4 shooting in 18 minutes off the bench.
Freshman Davion Bradford finished with 8 points on 4-of-6 shooting with 6 rebounds in 21 minutes.

Game Preview // K-State to Face Top-Seeded Baylor Thursday at Big 12 Championship

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Davion Bradford

Kaosi Ezeagu

DaJuan Gordon

Makol Mawien

Mike McGuirl

Selton Miguel

Nijel Pack

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State to Face Top-Seeded Baylor Thursday at Big 12 Championship

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Davion Bradford

Kaosi Ezeagu

DaJuan Gordon

Makol Mawien

Mike McGuirl

Selton Miguel

Nijel Pack

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