Confident Pack Keeps Raising the Bar
Feb 28, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Playing with a deep thigh bruise and a banged-up knee, unshakable Kansas State sophomore guard Nijel Pack continues his remarkable rise through the talent-filled Big 12 Conference while achieving at least one feat that the Wildcats haven't seen in a decade.
Pack, who poured in 32 points in a 74-73 loss to Iowa State, is the first K-State player to reach three 30-point scoring games in a single season since Rodney McGruder did so in 2011-12.
After scoring a career-high 35 points, including eight 3-pointers against No. 7 Kansas on January 22, Pack had 31 points against No. 10 Baylor on February 9. Against the Cyclones, Pack went 11 of 15 from the floor, including 6 of 9 on 3-pointers, and 4 of 5 on free throws.
Such exploits, coupled with Pack's standing in Big 12 statistics — fourth in scoring (17.8), fifth in field goal percentage (.461), first in 3-pointers per game (3.35) and first in 3-point accuracy (.439) — causes K-State head coach Bruce Weber to ponder Pack's potential inclusion on the All-Big 12 First Team.
"How can you keep him off?" Weber says.
Quiet-mannered Pack, a 6-foot, 180-pound native of Indianapolis, has made plenty of noise in his second season in Manhattan.
"He's a great player, a great shooter and has tremendous heart," K-State junior guard Markquis Nowell says. "I mean, his stats speak for themselves — three 30-point games and a ton of 20-point games. Nijel is great, man."
If successful, Pack would become the first K-State player to earn First Team All-Big 12 honors since Barry Brown and Dean Wade both did so in 2019.
A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week honoree, Pack hit his first game-winner with his 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining against Oklahoma State on February 2 to cap a 22-point performance on 9 of 17 shooting. It marked the first of three consecutive 20-point games for Pack, who has six 20-point games this season.
In fact, twice this season, he has scored at least 20 points in the first half. That included scoring 20 points during the first half against the Cyclones.
"I just started off with an early (3-pointer) and got a good one to go in," Pack says. "I got some rhythm going early, and then my teammates found me on a few, and I was able to knock them down just because I had that rhythm going, and I got to the free-throw line as well. It's really an arsenal of different things that's hard to guard."
The key to Pack's onslaught: Confidence. How else to explain his 87 made 3-pointers, fifth most in single-season history, and the most 3-pointers in a season since Jacob Pullen (110) and Denis Clemente (88) in 2009-10? Pack has hit a 3-pointer in 31 consecutive games dating back to last season — a streak that trumps the original school record by Steve Henson (25) in 1989.
"I've just learned to be confident in myself," Pack says. "That's a key for any player. When you have confidence and are playing with confidence it's really hard to take that away. I've built up some confidence over time and Coach has given me a lot of confidence and my teammates as well. It just makes me play in a groove and in a rhythm. Confidence is really everything."
A consensus Top-150 recruit out of Lawrence (Ind.) Central High, Pack scored more than 1,000 points on 50.7% shooting over his high school career. Last season, he led K-State with 12.7 points while shooting 41.8% from the floor, including 40.5% on 3-pointers, with 3.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was one of just three true freshmen in history to lead K-State in scoring, joining Michael Beasley (2007-08) and Marcus Foster (2013-14).
His best game was a career-high 26 points against Texas A&M when he sank eight 3-pointers. Only Askia Jones hit more 3-pointers in a single game. Jones had 14 3-pointers in a game in 1994.
Pack eclipsed his performance against the Aggies with his career-high 35 points against No. 7 Kansas, the most by a sophomore since 1992 and the most against the Jayhawks since Pullen scored 38 in 2011. Pack tied his career high with eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts.
"Pack was a First Team All-American today," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "He was great. He may have been the best guard in America today."
Pack doesn't have to wait long for his next chance to shine. K-State, 14-14 overall and 6-10 in the Big 12, visits No. 9 Texas Tech, 22-7 and 11-5, at 8 p.m. Monday in Lubbock, Texas.
"We have to keep fighting," Pack says. "That's something we've done all year. We've fought. We've got to be better."
Weber argues there's none much better than Pack in the Big 12 this season.
"Obviously, we've got some special guys in this league," Weber says. "Our league is very, very talented. Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) is special, Isaiah Brockington (Iowa State) is special, Taz Sherman (West Virginia) is pretty good, but Nijel has to be up there with that group.
"It's been a pleasure to coach him. It's been fun. He gives us a chance and he's made big improvement obviously from a year ago. And he was good last year. He's made big steps."
Playing with a deep thigh bruise and a banged-up knee, unshakable Kansas State sophomore guard Nijel Pack continues his remarkable rise through the talent-filled Big 12 Conference while achieving at least one feat that the Wildcats haven't seen in a decade.
Pack, who poured in 32 points in a 74-73 loss to Iowa State, is the first K-State player to reach three 30-point scoring games in a single season since Rodney McGruder did so in 2011-12.
After scoring a career-high 35 points, including eight 3-pointers against No. 7 Kansas on January 22, Pack had 31 points against No. 10 Baylor on February 9. Against the Cyclones, Pack went 11 of 15 from the floor, including 6 of 9 on 3-pointers, and 4 of 5 on free throws.
Such exploits, coupled with Pack's standing in Big 12 statistics — fourth in scoring (17.8), fifth in field goal percentage (.461), first in 3-pointers per game (3.35) and first in 3-point accuracy (.439) — causes K-State head coach Bruce Weber to ponder Pack's potential inclusion on the All-Big 12 First Team.
"How can you keep him off?" Weber says.
Quiet-mannered Pack, a 6-foot, 180-pound native of Indianapolis, has made plenty of noise in his second season in Manhattan.
"He's a great player, a great shooter and has tremendous heart," K-State junior guard Markquis Nowell says. "I mean, his stats speak for themselves — three 30-point games and a ton of 20-point games. Nijel is great, man."
If successful, Pack would become the first K-State player to earn First Team All-Big 12 honors since Barry Brown and Dean Wade both did so in 2019.
A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week honoree, Pack hit his first game-winner with his 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining against Oklahoma State on February 2 to cap a 22-point performance on 9 of 17 shooting. It marked the first of three consecutive 20-point games for Pack, who has six 20-point games this season.
In fact, twice this season, he has scored at least 20 points in the first half. That included scoring 20 points during the first half against the Cyclones.
"I just started off with an early (3-pointer) and got a good one to go in," Pack says. "I got some rhythm going early, and then my teammates found me on a few, and I was able to knock them down just because I had that rhythm going, and I got to the free-throw line as well. It's really an arsenal of different things that's hard to guard."
The key to Pack's onslaught: Confidence. How else to explain his 87 made 3-pointers, fifth most in single-season history, and the most 3-pointers in a season since Jacob Pullen (110) and Denis Clemente (88) in 2009-10? Pack has hit a 3-pointer in 31 consecutive games dating back to last season — a streak that trumps the original school record by Steve Henson (25) in 1989.
"I've just learned to be confident in myself," Pack says. "That's a key for any player. When you have confidence and are playing with confidence it's really hard to take that away. I've built up some confidence over time and Coach has given me a lot of confidence and my teammates as well. It just makes me play in a groove and in a rhythm. Confidence is really everything."
A consensus Top-150 recruit out of Lawrence (Ind.) Central High, Pack scored more than 1,000 points on 50.7% shooting over his high school career. Last season, he led K-State with 12.7 points while shooting 41.8% from the floor, including 40.5% on 3-pointers, with 3.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was one of just three true freshmen in history to lead K-State in scoring, joining Michael Beasley (2007-08) and Marcus Foster (2013-14).
His best game was a career-high 26 points against Texas A&M when he sank eight 3-pointers. Only Askia Jones hit more 3-pointers in a single game. Jones had 14 3-pointers in a game in 1994.
Pack eclipsed his performance against the Aggies with his career-high 35 points against No. 7 Kansas, the most by a sophomore since 1992 and the most against the Jayhawks since Pullen scored 38 in 2011. Pack tied his career high with eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts.
"Pack was a First Team All-American today," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "He was great. He may have been the best guard in America today."
Pack doesn't have to wait long for his next chance to shine. K-State, 14-14 overall and 6-10 in the Big 12, visits No. 9 Texas Tech, 22-7 and 11-5, at 8 p.m. Monday in Lubbock, Texas.
"We have to keep fighting," Pack says. "That's something we've done all year. We've fought. We've got to be better."
Weber argues there's none much better than Pack in the Big 12 this season.
"Obviously, we've got some special guys in this league," Weber says. "Our league is very, very talented. Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) is special, Isaiah Brockington (Iowa State) is special, Taz Sherman (West Virginia) is pretty good, but Nijel has to be up there with that group.
"It's been a pleasure to coach him. It's been fun. He gives us a chance and he's made big improvement obviously from a year ago. And he was good last year. He's made big steps."
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