Game Preview // K-State Begins Challenging 3-Day Stretch at Iowa State Saturday

GAME 24
KANSAS STATE (12-11, 4-7 Big 12) AT rv/rv IOWA STATE (16-8, 3-8 Big 12)
Saturday, February 12, 2022 > 3:05 p.m. CT >> Hilton Coliseum (14,384) >> Ames, Iowa

TELEVISION
ESPNU / ESPN App (Link)

Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play)
Tim Welsh (analyst)
Rick Willenzik (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: XM 381
Online: Varsity Network [free] / SXM 971 / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

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

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
isu.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS
www.cyclones.com/tickets
(888) 478.2925
Single Game: $40, $50

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee '78]
Record at K-State: 182-141/10th Year
Career Record: 495-296/24th Year
vs. Iowa State: 9-11 [3-6 on the road]

Iowa State: T.J. Otzelberger [Wisconsin-Whitewater '01]
Record at Iowa State: 16-8/1st Year
Career Record: 115-71/6th Year
vs. K-State: 1-1 [0-1 at home]

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 143-90
Big 12 era: Iowa State leads 27-26 [24-26 in regular season]
Current Streak: K-State, 3
In Ames: K-State leads 53-51
At Hilton Coliseum: Iowa State leads 28-22 [16-9 in Big 12 era]
Last Meeting: W, 61-56 [3/6/21 in Manhattan, Kan.]
Weber vs. Otzelberger: 1-1 [1-0 on the road]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (12-11, 4-7 Big 12)
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #1 Markquis Nowell
G: #13 Mark Smith
G: #24 Nijel Pack
C: #21 Davion Bradford

Iowa State (16-8, 3-8 Big 12)
G: #1 Izaiah Brockington
G: #11 Tyrese Hunter
G: #22 Gabe Kalscheur
F: #23 Tristan Enaruna
F: #12 Robert Jones

K-STATE TRAVELS TO IOWA STATE ON SATURDAY

Kansas State (12-11, 4-7 Big 12) will play the first of 2 games in a 3-day stretch on Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State (16-8, 3-8 Big 12) at 3 p.m., CT at Hilton Coliseum. The Wildcats will conclude the quick turnaround with a matchup with West Virginia (14-9, 3-7 Big 12) at home on Monday night at 6 p.m., CT.
In an unusual scheduling quirk, K-State and Iowa State will be meeting for the first time after the team has already completed its home-and-home series with Baylor, TCU and Texas. The Wildcats have won the last 3 games in the series with the Cyclones, including a 74-65 victory in their last visit to Ames on Dec. 15, 2020.
K-State snapped its 3-game losing streak last week with consecutive wins (Oklahoma State and TCU) in Big 12 play for the second time this season. After starting in a 0-4 hole, the Wildcats have won 4 of their last 7 vs. league competition.

OPENING TIP

K-State saw its 2-game winning streak in Big 12 play end in a 75-60 loss to No. 10/10 Baylor on Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats got another special performance from sophomore Nijel Pack, who thrilled the home crowd with a 31-point effort, but the Bears' 19-4 run to start the second half proved to be too big to overcome. The Wildcats did rally to within 55-49 with 9:01 to play, but they could not get any closer. Pack and senior Mark Smith combined for 48 of the team's 60 points, but the rest of the squad combined for just 12 points on 18.2 percent (4-of-22) shooting, including 0-of-6 from 3-point range.
For Pack, it was his second 30-point performance of the season, as he finished 10-of-19 from the field, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and was a career-best 7-of-10 from the free throw line. In the process, he extended his streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 26, breaking the school record of 25 set by Steve Henson between Jan. 5, 1989 and Dec. 2, 1989. During the streak, he has averaged 3.3 makes per game on 43.9 percent (86-of-196) shooting.
The loss to No. 10/10 Baylor was just the fourth by double figures, including the second such game to the defending national champion, as 4 of K-State's 7 Big 12 losses have been by one possession, including 2 points to Oklahoma (69-71) and 3 points to West Virginia (68-71), TCU (57-60) and Kansas (75-78). The team has led or been tied in the second half in 5 of the 7 conference losses.
Health has been a big storyline for the Wildcats this season, as 12 of the 16 players listed on the roster have combined to miss 79 games. Fifth-year senior Mark Smith is the only player to start in all 23 games, as injuries and COVID-19 protocols have forced head coach Bruce Weber to use 10 different starting lineups. Along with Smith, sophomore Luke Kasubke and Ish Massoud are the only Wildcats that have played in all 23 games. The 3-game stretch that included the wins over No. 19/19 Texas Tech and No. 23/22 Texas as well as the heartbreaking loss to No. 7/7 Kansas marked the first and only time all season that all 10 healthy scholarship players have been available.
For his efforts in the wins over OSU and TCU, Pack was selected as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. He had consecutive 20-point performances, including the game-winning 3-pointer vs. the Cowboys. He is the first Wildcat to win multiple Player of the Week honors in the same season in more than 7 years since Nino Williams did it twice during the 2014-15. Pack has led the team in scoring in 14 of 21 games played, scoring in double figures in all but 1 game, while posting 6 games or 20 or more points.
The transfer trio of Smith, Massoud and junior Markquis Nowell continue to play a major role for the Wildcats. The trio have been responsible for 42 percent of the team's scoring (653) and rebounding (331). They are averaging 28.4 points, 14.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.7 steals per game as a group this season.
With one of the smallest backcourts, K-State's offense has hinged on effective 3-point shooting and limited turnovers. The Wildcats rank second in 3-point makes per game (7.91) and third in 3-point percentage (33.7), while they have the fewest turnovers (266). In Big 12 play, the team ranks first in 3-pointers (7.82) and fourth in assist/turnover ratio (0.94) and turnover margin (+1.36).

NOTES ON IOWA STATE

Iowa State (16-8, 3-8 Big 12) enters Saturday's game on a 3-game losing streak after dropping a 79-63 decision at West Virginia on Tuesday. The Cyclones are 12-3 at home this season, including 2-3 in Big 12 play, with notable wins over nationally-ranked squads from Texas Tech and Texas.
The Cyclones are averaging 67.8 points per game on 43.8 percent shooting, including 31.7 percent from 3-point range, while allowing opponents to average 61.8 points on 42.2 percent shooting, including 29.1 percent from long range. The team is among th best nationally in several defensive categories, including 14th in turnovers forced (17.54), 18th in 3-point field goal percentage defense, 21st in scoring defense and 28th in steals per game (8.8).
Iowa State has a pair of double-digit scorers in Izaiah Brockington (16.6 ppg.) and Tyrese Hunter (11.0 ppg.), while 2 others are averaging better than 7.0 points per game. A candidate for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Brockington also leads the Cyclones in rebounding (7.8 rpg.) and free throw percentage (81.0). Hunter paces the squad in both assists (106) and steals (47).
Iowa State is led by first-year head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who was already helped the Cyclones to a 14-win improvement from last season. Otzelberger has a 115-71 record in his sixth season as a head coach, which includes stints at South Dakota State (2016-19) and UNLV (2019-21).

SERIES HISTORY

K-State and Iowa State will meet for the 234th time on Saturday with the Wildcats holding a 143-90 advantage all-time, including 53-51 in games played in Ames. The Cyclones own a narrow 27-26 lead in matchups in the Big 12 era, while they have a 28-22 lead in games played at Hilton Coliseum.
K-State owns a 3-game winning streak in the series, including a season sweep in 2020-21, which included a 74-65 win in Ames on Dec. 15, 2020.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 9-11 all-time against Iowa State, including a 3-6 record on the road, while he is 1-1 against head coach T.J. Otzelberger. The pair split a home-and-home series during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

LAST TIME OUT:
10/10 BAYLOR 75, K-STATE 60

Despite a 31-point effort from sophomore Nijel Pack, a 19-4 run by No. 10/10 Baylor to start the second half proved to be the difference, as the Bears completed the season sweep of Kansas State with a 75-60 win on Wednesday night before a crowd of 6,236 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
Trailing by as many as 7 points in the first half and knotted at 34-all at the break, Baylor seized control of the momentum and the game with its 19-4 outburst out of halftime, as six different Bear players contributed to the run, including 9 points from senior transfer James Akinjo.
K-State was able to close to within 55-49 with just over 9 minutes remaining on the play of Pack, who scored 9 points in an 11-2 run. However, the Wildcats could not gain any further ground as the balanced Bears finished off the game by scoring 14 of the last 21 points to win their seventh straight in the series.
The loss spoiled yet another impressive effort from Pack, who collected his second 30-point game of the Big 12 season by hitting on 10-of-19 field goals, including 4-of-9 from 3-point range, and 7-of-10 free throws in just over 35 minutes of action. It was his ninth career game of 20 or more points, including his team-leading sixth this season. He has now scored in double figures in 36 of 45 career games, including 20 of 21 this season.
With his 3-pointer less than 2 minutes into the game, Pack extended his streak of consecutive games with a triple to 26 games dating back to last season, snapping the school record of 25 set by Steve Henson between January 5, 1989 and December 2, 1989. The Big 12 leader in 3-point field goals made (70), he has now knocked down at least 4 triples in 9 games this season.
Pack was joined in double figures by fifth-year senior Mark Smith, who nearly grabbed another double-double with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting with a game-high 8 rebounds. The duo combined for 48 of the Wildcats' 60 points on 53.1 percent (17-of-32) shooting, including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from 3-point range, but the rest of the team managed just 12 points on 18.2 percent (4-of-22) shooting, including 0-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Baylor did most of its damage down low, as the Bears scored 40 of their 75 points in the paint, connecting on 56.8 percent (25-of-44) of their field goals inside the 3-point arc. They also held a 39-31 advantage on the glass, converting 13 offensive rebounds into a 17-9 edge in second-chance points.

MISSED GAMES

Almost seems like the plot from the movie Groundhog Day, as K-State has once again had to deal with a mixture of injuries, COVID-19 protocols and inexperience in 2021-22. A year after playing with similar issues, the Wildcats have seen 12 of the 16 players listed on the roster combine to miss 79 games this season, while fifth-year senior Mark Smith is the only player to start all 23 games with 10 different starting lineups.
The Wildcats, which started the season with 12 scholarship players, lost 2 (sophomore Seryee Lewis and freshman Maximus Edwards) of those players in the preseason due to season-ending injuries.
Of those 10 available scholarship players, there has only been 3 games (Texas Tech, Texas and Kansas) of which all were healthy and active.
Only 3 Wildcats (Smith, Ish Massoud and Luke Kasubke) have seen action in all 23 games this season.
In addition, head coach Bruce Weber missed 11 days of practice, including games vs. Texas and West Virginia.

SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS MISSING GAMES IN 2021-22 [72]

Davion Bradford - 2 (COVID-19/slowed vs. Baylor, Ole Miss due to hip injury)
Maximus Edwards - 23 (will miss rest of season)
Kaosi Ezeagu - 2 (COVID-19 protocols missed Texas, WVU)
Logan Landers - 3 (COVID-19 protocols missed Texas, WVU)
Seryee Lewis - 23 (will miss rest of season)
Carlton Linguard, Jr. - 7 (missed 7 of 1st 8 rehabbing from off-season surgery)
Mike McGuirl - 3 (flu/COVID-19 protocols missed WVU, TCU)
Selton Miguel - 5 (missed Ole Miss/OSU/TCU/Baylor games due to ankle injury)
Markquis Nowell - 2 (COVID-19 protocols missed OU, Texas)
Nijel Pack - 2 (missed WSU, Marquette due to concussion)

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 222 opponents (out of 322 total) under 70 points during Bruce Weber's tenure, including a program-best 31 in 2012-13. The Wildcats have also held 110 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.
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. The Wildcats were able to win 4 of their last 7 games in 2020-21 due to their improved defense, as they held 5 of those 7 foes under 60 points, allowing just 59.3 points per game in that span.
K-State is off to solid start in 2021-22, as the defense is allowing 63.8 points on 41.3 percent shooting, including 26.7 percent from 3-point range. The Wildcats rank among the top-45 in 2 defensive categories, including third in 3-point field goal percentage defense and 42nd in scoring defense.
In its 4 Big 12 wins this season, K-State is allowing just 61.8 points on 42.3 percent shooting, including 25.3 percent from 3-point range, while forcing an average of 14.3 turnovers per game. The opponents in those wins have a narrow 32.8-32.3 rebounding average (131-129), while averaging just 24 points in the paint and 5.5 second-chance points per game.
In its 7 Big 12 losses this season, K-State is allowing 71.3 points on 44.9 percent shooting, including 30.5 percent from 3-point range, while forcing 12 turnovers per game. The opponents in those losses have a whooping 40.4-30.0 rebounding average (283-210), including 22 more offensive rebounds, while averaging 31.7 points in the paint and 13.1 second-chance points per game.

GOOD AGAINST THE 3

A trademark of Bruce Weber-coached teams has been their ability to defend the 3, as his squads have ranked among the top-40 in 3-point field goal percentage defense 5 times in the last 13 seasons. Three times his K-State teams have ranked among the best, ranking eighth (29.3%) in 2013-14, 20th (31.0%) in 2015-16 and 36th (31.4%) in 2018-19.
K-State has been strong in defending the 3-pointer this season, allowing its opponents to make an average of 6.0 per game on just 26.7 percent shooting. Four times opponents have hit on better than 10 made 3-pointers, including 11 by Omaha, 12 by Illinois, 11 by Marquette and 10 by Oklahoma.
As you would expect, defending the 3 has been a key factor in wins and losses, as K-State is allowing just 5.1 made 3-pointers on 22.9 percent shooting in its 12 wins, while the team is allowing 7.1 made 3-pointers on 31.2 percent shooting in their 11 losses. In Big 12 play, the Wildcats are allowing just 5.5 made 3-pointers on 25.3 percent shooting in their 4 wins as compared to 6.6 made 3-pointers on 30.5 percent shooting in their 7 losses.

'CATS CONTINUE STRIDES ON OFFENSE

K-State is averaging 67.5 points on 42.2 percent shooting, including 33.9 percent from 3-point range, while connecting on 71.2 percent from the free throw line through the first 22 games. The Wildcats are getting assists on made field goals on 53.7 percent of the time, as they average 13.0 assists and a Big 12-low 11.4 turnovers per game. The team is also averaging 28.8 points in the paint, 16.1 points off the bench, 14.9 points off turnovers, 7.6 fast-break points and 9.2 points on second-chance opportunities.
K-State's offensive numbers are slightly lower in Big 12 play, as the Wildcats are averaging 64.9 points on 41.2 percent shooting, including 34.6 percent from 3-point range, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line. The team is averaging 25.2 points in the paint, 9.7 points off the bench, 13.1 points off turnovers, 7.7 fast-break points and 9.7 points on second-chance opportunities.
K-State's offense shines when the Wildcats share the ball, as the team is averaging 71.9 points and 14.6 assists in their 12 wins compared to just 62.2 points and 11.1 assists in their 10 losses. The squad has scored 356 points (29.7 ppg.) in the paint in the 12 wins, including 110 (27.5 ppg.) in the 4 Big 12 wins.

MARKED IMPROVEMENT FROM 3

After ranking among the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country in 2020-21, those numbers have improved in 2021-22. The Wildcats are second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal per game (7.9), while they are third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (33.7). In Big 12 play, the team is tied for first in 3-point makes (7.82) and third in 3-point percentage (34.1).
Last season, K-State ranked eighth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made (6.59) and 10th in 3-point field goals percentage (29.6). In league play, the team was 10th in both 3-point makes (5.67) and 3-point percentage (27.0). The Wildcats ranked 319th (out of 340) in 3-point field goal percentage, while they were 126th in total 3-point field goals (191) and 243rd in 3-pointers per game.
The Wildcats' 3-point shooting plays a big part in wins and losses, as the team is averaging 8.6 3-point makes on 37.5 percent shooting in the 12 wins, while they are averaging 7.2 treys on just 30 percent shooting in their 11 losses.
Sophomore Nijel Pack ranks first in the Big 12 in 3-pointers/game (3.33), while he is third in 3-point field goal percentage (43.5). He is also first in 3-point field goals/game (3.55) in Big 12-only games and third in percentage (42.9).

BUILDING BETTER 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. The team ranked second nationally in true freshmen starts with Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel and Nijel Pack starting in 17 of the 29 games.
The team has used at least 7 players in each game with 6 averaging nearly 6 points per game, including 3 double-digit scorers (Pack, Nowell and Smith).
K-State is averaging nearly 15.7 points per game from its bench this season, including 28-point efforts against No. 13/12 Arkansas and No. 14/15 Illinois. The team is 8-2 this season when getting 20 or more points from the bench.
The bench has played a significant factor in success in Big 12 play with the Wildcats combining for 38 in the wins over No. 19/19 Texas Tech (21) and No. 23/22 Texas (17), while getting just 40 combined points in the losses to Oklahoma (8), Texas (4), West Virginia (6), TCU (7), Kansas (7) and Baylor (8).

MINIMIZING TURNOVERS

K-State ranks among the best in the Big 12 with just 11.6 turnovers per game, including just 11.5 miscues per game in league play. The team has single-digit turnovers in 6 games, including twice in Big 12 play.
The Wildcats rank fourth in assist/turnover ratio (+1.11) and seventh in turnover margin (+1.70). Those numbers are better in league action, as they are fourth in both assist/turnover ratio (+0.94) and turnover margin (+1.36).
Junior Markquis Nowell is second overall in assist/turnover ratio (+1.96) and third in league-only games at +1.85. He is second in the Big 12 in assists (5.05), while he is tops in steals (2.19) in all games. He leads the league in both categories in Big 12 play, averaging 5.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
The Wildcats had just 5 turnovers at Ole Miss, which ties for the eighth-fewest in a game in school history and one shy of the season-low of 4 vs. Illinois.

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.
The Wildcats have also had 10 turnovers or less 5 times in the last 13 games, including 7 vs. Wichita State (12/1/21), 6 vs. Texas (1/4/22) and Kansas (1/22/22) and 5 at Ole Miss (1/29/22).

PACK CONTINUES ELITE PLAY

Sophomore Nijel Pack is off to an impressive start to the 2021-22 season, as he has led or have been tied for the team lead in scoring in 14 of 21 games played, which includes 6 games of 20 or more points (all in Big 12 play), along with a pair of 30-point games vs. Top 10 foes Kansas and Baylor. He also had his first game-winner with his 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds against Oklahoma State. He is the only Big 12 player with multiple 30-point games this season.
Pack is averaging a team-best 17.7 points on 46.4 percent (130-of-280) shooting, including 43.5 percent (70-of-161) from 3-point range, to go with 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 32.0 minutes per game. He is the leader in scoring, double-digit scoring games (20), field goals (130) and 3-point field goals (70).
Pack ranks among the Big 12's top-10 in 4 categories, including first in 3-point field goals per game (3.33), third in scoring and 3-point percentage and fourth in field goal percentage. Through 11 Big 12 games, he is second in both scoring (19.9 ppg.) and 3-point field goals per game (3.55).
With his 3-pointer less than 2 minutes into the game with No. 10/10 Baylor, Pack extended his streak of consecutive games with a triple to 26, which broke the school record of 25 games set by Steve Henson between Jan. 5, 1989 to Dec. 2, 1989. During this stretch, Pack is averaging 3.3 makes per game on 43.9 percent (86-of-196) shooting. He has hit on at least 4 made 3-pointers 11 times in this 26-game stretch, including career-tying 8 treys in his 35-point effort vs. No. 7/7 Kansas, which are the second-most by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game.

NOWELL PROVIDES SPARK

Junior Markquis Nowell returned to the lineup against West Virginia and provided an immediate spark to the Wildcat, collecting his third points/assists double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists in 32 minutes. He is believed to be the first Wildcat to accomplish the feat in his first league game.
His 3 points/assists double-doubles are the most-ever by a Wildcat in both a single-season and career, as he also posted double-doubles against Marquette (11 points, 11 assists) and McNeese (18 points, 10 assists). He nearly tallied the school's first recorded triple-double vs. Marquette, as he added 8 rebounds to his 11 points and 11 assists in 37 minutes. He now has 8 such double-doubles in his college career, posting 5 during his 3-year stint at Little Rock (2018-21).
Nowell leads in assists (106) and steals (46), while he is third in scoring (11.3 ppg.), while connecting on 37.9 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free throw line. He ranks 22nd in the nation and first in the Big 12 in steals (2.2), while he is 34th nationally and second in the Big 12 in assists (5.0). He leads the Big 12 in both assists (5.3 apg.) and steals (2.4 spg.) in league action.

DYNAMIC DUO

The shortest backcourt tandem in the country, sophomore Nijel Pack and junior Markquis Nowell are averaging 29.0 points and 7.3 assists per game this season, which would rank as the third-best duo in the Big 12 behind Kansas' Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun (35.4) and West Virginia's Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil (32.2).
Pack and Nowell's assist average also ranks second behind TCU's Mike Miles and Damion Baugh.

SMITH CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

Fifth-year senior Mark Smith has made a big impact in a short period of time, as the transfer leads in double-doubles (6), rebounding (8.4 rpg.) and defensive rebounds (151) while he ranks second in scoring (11.9 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (15) and 20-point games (4). Smith leads the Big 12 in both rebounding and defensive rebounds (6.6 drpg.), while he is second in double-doubles. He has had 16 rebounds twice, which is the most by any Big 12 player.
The loss at Oklahoma overshadowed a historic performance by Smith, who became the first Wildcat in school history to post a game of at least 25 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists since assists became an official stat in 1976-77. He had career-highs in points (25), rebounds (16) and assists (5), while posting zero turnovers in 39 minutes. His 16 rebounds were the most since Michael Beasley registered 17 boards against Missouri on Feb. 16, 2008.
For his efforts, Smith was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, becoming the first Wildcat to earn the honor since Dean Wade in 2016.
Smith, who is tied for the Big 12 lead with 7 games of 10 or more rebounds, posted his second 20/10 double-double at Ole Miss, as he scored a game-high 20 points and tied his career-high with 16 rebounds. He followed his effort with 21 points vs. Oklahoma to become the first Wildcat in 3 years with consecutive 20-point games. He is averaging 18.5 points in the last 4 games.

MOVING TOWARDS 500

Head coach Bruce Weber is working towards a coaching milestone, as he is 6 wins away from earning 500 in his career. He enters Saturday's game with a 495-296 (.626) 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 27 current Division I coaches have reached 500 wins in their career with Herb Sendek (Santa Clara) recently joining the club.

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 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 practice in late December.
Although that luck has been tested early with 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 practice in late December.
The backcourt has been hit of late, as Pack missed 2 games against Wichita State and Marquette due to a concussion, while Markquis Nowell missed the first 2 Big 12 games due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Seven players (Bradford, Edwards, Nowell, junior Kaosi Ezeagu, freshman Logan Landers and walk-ons Jordan Brooks and Trey Harris) plus head coach Bruce Weber missed the game vs. No. 14/16 Texas (1/4/22), while six players (Edwards, Ezeagu, Landers, Brooks, Harris and senior Mike McGuirl) and Weber missed the game at West Virginia (1/8/22) due to health protocols.
Miguel has missed 5 games due to injuries, including the last 4 games vs. Ole Miss (1/29/22), Oklahoma State (2/2/22), TCU (2/5/22) and Baylor (2/9/22) due to an ankle injury.
K-State has played just 3 games with 10 healthy scholarship players.

TRANSFERS PAYING OFF

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 more than 450 triples (462) in their respective careers on 36.1 percent shooting.
The trio have made their impact in the first 23 games with Smith starting every game, while Massoud and Nowell have each started 15. They have combined for 653 points (28.3 ppg.) on 40 percent (228-of-572) shooting with 331 rebounds (14.4 rpg.), 154 assists (6.7 apg.) and 84 steals (3.7 spg).
Nowell has scored in double figures in 14 games, including 3 points/assists double-doubles, and ranks first in the Big 12 in steals (2.2 spg.) and second in both assists (5.1 apg.) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.96). He also paces first in both assists (5.0 apg.) and steals (2.1 spg.) in league-only games. Massoud has 7 double-digit scoring games. Smith has 6 double-doubles and leads the Big 12 in rebounding (8.4 rpg.) and defensive rebounds (6.6 drpg.).

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).

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: WEST VIRGINIA (14-9, 3-7 BIG 12)

K-State will conclude its challenging stretch of 3 games in a 6-day window on Monday night, as the Wildcats welcome West Virginia (14-9, 3-7 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum at 6 p.m., CT on ESPN2. The Mountaineers won the first meeting, 71-68, on Jan. 8 in Morgantown, W.Va.

Game Preview // K-State Begins Challenging 3-Day Stretch at Iowa State Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Davion Bradford

Jordan Brooks

Maximus Edwards

Kaosi Ezeagu

Trey Harris

Drew Honas

Luke Kasubke

Logan Landers

Seryee Lewis

Carlton Linguard, Jr.

Mike McGuirl

Selton Miguel

Markquis Nowell

Nijel Pack

Mark Smith

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State Begins Challenging 3-Day Stretch at Iowa State Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Davion Bradford

Jordan Brooks

Maximus Edwards

Kaosi Ezeagu

Trey Harris

Drew Honas

Luke Kasubke

Logan Landers

Seryee Lewis

Carlton Linguard, Jr.

Mike McGuirl

Selton Miguel

Markquis Nowell

Nijel Pack

Mark Smith

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