Game Preview // 7/6 K-State, 8/8 KU Face Off in Sunflower Showdown

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GAME 22
7/6 KANSAS STATE (18-3, 6-2 Big 12) at 8/8 KANSAS (17-4, 5-3 Big 12)
DILLONS SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 >> 7:02 p.m. CT >> Allen Fieldhouse (16,300) >> Lawrence, Kan.

TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ / WatchESPN (link here)

Jon Sciambi (play-by-play)
Jay Bilas (analyst)
Kris Budden (sideline reporter)
Tom Scofield (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Sirius XM 135 or 199
Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

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

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kansas.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS
Sold out

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College '07]
Record at K-State: 18-3/1st Year
Career Record: 20-3/1st Year+
vs. Kansas: 1-0 [1-0 at K-State]

Kansas: Bill Self [Oklahoma State '85]
Record at Kansas: 573-128/20th Year
Career Record: 780-233/30th Year
vs. K-State: 39-7 [38-7 at Kansas]

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Kansas leads 203-95
Big 12 Era: Kansas leads 56-7
In Lawrence: K-State leads 93-35
At Allen Fieldhouse: Kansas leads 51-17
Active Streak: K-State, 1
Tang vs. Kansas: 1-0 [1-0 at K-State]
Tang vs. Bill Self : 1-0 [0-0 on the road]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (Based off the last game)
7/6 Kansas State (18-3, 6-2 Big 12)
G: #1 Markquis Nowell
G: #5 Cam Carter
F: #11 Keyontae Johnson
F: #35 Nae'Qwan Tomlin
C: #3 David N'Guessan

8/8 Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12)
G: #3 Dajuan Harris, Jr.
G: #4 Gradey Dick
G: #15 Kevin McCullar, Jr.
F: #10 Jalen Wilson
F: #24 KJ Adams, Jr.

OPENING TIP
No. 7/6 K-State (18-3, 6-2 Big 12) returns to the grind of Big 12 play on Tuesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on No. 8/8 Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) in the 299th edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Allen Fieldhouse. It will be the 10th matchup of Top 10 teams in series history, including the first since No. 1 Kansas knocked off No. 9 K-State, 72-64, in the Big 12 Championship game on March 13, 2010. The Wildcats snapped a 7-game losing streak in the series with a dramatic 83-82 win in overtime on Jan. 17 at home. The team has lost 16 straight games in Allen Fieldhouse with their last win coming on Jan. 14, 2006. The Wildcats have not swept the season series since 1982-83.

KEY STORYLINES

K-State got back on the winning track on Saturday night, as the Wildcats responded to their loss at No. 12/12 Iowa State with arguably their best defensive performance of the season in a 64-50 win over Florida in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Wildcats held the Gators to a season-low 50 points on 31 percent (18-of-58) shooting, including just 16 points in the first half on 20.7 percent (6-of-29) shooting, to snap a 4-game losing skid in the 10th and final Challenge series. The 50 points tied for an opponent-low, also done in wins over Wichita State and UIW, while it was the lowest field goal percentage by opponent this season.
K-State is off to its best start (18-3) since also opening the 1972-73 season with a similar 18-3 mark, while the squad is 6-2 in Big 12 play for just the fourth time, including the first time since 2018-19. Among the 12 wins in the last 14 outings is a 9-game streak from Dec. 3, 2022 to Jan. 10, 2023, which was the longest by the Wildcats since a 10-game winning streak in 2013-14. The team has averaged 78.4 points per game in the last 14 games on 46.5 percent (383-of-824) shooting with 6 players averaging 7 or more points, including 3 in double figures.
K-State's 18-3 start under head coach Jerome Tang is the second-best by a first-year coach in school history, just behind the 15-2 record by Zora G. Clevenger (1916-17). Tang's 18-3 start also ranks among the very best by all first-year coaches in Division I, ahead of Xavier's Sean Miller (17-5), Missouri's Dennis Gates (16-5) and Seattle's Chris Victor (16-6).
Seniors Keyontae Johnson (18.0 ppg.) and Markquis Nowell (16.9 ppg.) have been one of the most prolific tandems in the country, as they combine to average 34.9 points per game on 47.1 percent (236-of-501) shooting, including 38.7 percent (72-of-186) from 3-point range, and 80.8 percent (189-of-234) from the free throw line. They are the 26th-best Division I scoring duo, including fourth-best among major conferences. They were named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy and Wooden Award Watch Lists and have combined to win 6 weekly Big 12 awards.
Nowell continues to be one of the leaders nationally in assists. He ranks second in assists per game (8.2 apg.) and third in total assists (173), while he is 32nd in assist/turnover ratio (2.66). His 173 assists currently tie for second on the single-season list, 13 shy of Steve Henson's school record (186; 1987-88). He is one of 2 active Division I player with at least 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals, while his 241 career steals are first among active players.
The Wildcats have quite the dynamic 1-2-3 scoring punch with Johnson (18.0 ppg.) and Nowell (16.9 ppg.) and junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin (10.5 ppg.) combining to average 45.4 points per game on 46.6 percent (321-of-689) shooting. They are the third-best scoring trio in the Big 12 after Baylor's Adam Flagler, Keyonte George and L.J. Cryer (47.2 ppg.) and Kansas' Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick and K.J. Adams, Jr. (46.8 ppg.).

NOTES ON 8/8 KANSAS

No. 8/8 Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) snapped a 3-game losing streak on Saturday with a 77-68 win at Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Despite their recent 3-game skid, the Jayhawks lead the nation in Quad 1 victories (8) and are 10-1 at home.
Kansas is averaging 76 points on 46.6 percent shooting, including 35.8 percent from 3-point range, with 36.9 rebounds, 17.1 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.0 blocks per game, while allowing 67.5 points on 41.0 percent shooting, including 31.6 percent from 3-point range. The Jayhawks are connecting on 72.5 percent from the free throw line.
Kansas continue to be one of the best teams at distributing the ball (14th in assists) and taking care of it (29th in assist/turnover ratio [1.38]), while the Jayhawks lead the Big 12 in defensive rebounds (26.3) and are second in 3-pointers/game (7.5), 3-point percentage, assists, A/TO ratio and steals.
Four players are averaging in double figures led by the Big 12's leading scorer - junior Jalen Wilson - who is averaging 21.4 points per game to go with a team-best 8.6 rebounds per game. Freshman phenom Gradey Dick is averaging 14.8 points, while sophomore KJ Adams, Jr. (10.7) and senior Kevin McCullar Jr. (10.4 ppg.) are also averaging double digits.
Kansas is led by Hall of Fame head coach Bill Self, who has a 573-128 record in his 20th season. Overall, he has a 780-233 record in his 30th season as a head coach. He is 39-7 all-time vs. K-State, including 18-1 at home.

SERIES HISTORY

Kansas holds a 203-95 advantage in the series vs. K-State, including an 93-35 mark in Lawrence. The Jayhawks are 56-7 in the Big 12 era (46-7 in regular season) with 25-1 mark at Allen Fieldhouse. They have won 9 of the last 11 meetings in the series.
Kansas has won the last 16 meetings at Allen Fieldhouse. The last Wildcat win in Lawrence came in a 59-55 victory on Jan. 14, 2006. K-State has not won the regular season series since 1982-83.

LAST 10 MEETINGS [2-8]
Date                      Rank      Result   Score                     Location
3/9/2018              —/9       L              67-83                     Kansas City
2/5/2019              —/13     W            74-67                     Manhattan
2/25/2019            16/15     L              49-64                     Lawrence
1/21/2020            —/3       L              61-80                     Lawrence
2/29/2020            —/1       L              58-62                     Manhattan
2/2/2021              —/23     L              51-74                     Lawrence
2/17/2021            —/23     L              41-59                     Manhattan
1/22/2022            —/7       L              75-78                     Manhattan
2/2/2022              —/5       L              83-102                   Lawrence
1/17/2023            13/2       W            83-82 (OT)          Manhattan

LAST MEETING: 13/15 K-STATE 83, 2/2 KANSAS 82 [OT]

Senior Keyontae Johnson's lob dunk from fellow senior Markquis Nowell with 25 seconds left in overtime proved to be the game-winner, as No. 13/15 K-State outlasted No. 2/2 Kansas, 83-82, in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Jan. 17 before a sold-out crowd at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State snapped a 7-game losing streak to its longtime rival in the 298th meeting and in the first top-15 matchup since 2013, while ending Kansas' 10-game overall winning streak.
Kansas had one last chance with 11 seconds left, but junior Ish Massoud was able to force junior Dajuan Harris, Jr., into a turnover with only a few seconds left to preserve the victory.
Johnson was among three Wildcats in double figures, as he and reserve Desi Sills each scored a team-leading 24 points, while junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin notched his first career double-double with 15 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Nowell more than made up for his season-low 4 points with 7 assists and a game-best 4 steals while playing nearly 42 minutes.

LAST MEETING IN LAWRENCE: 5/5 KANSAS 102, K-STATE 83

No. 5/5 Kansas connected on better than 60 percent from the field in both halves, as the Jayhawks captured the 297th edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown with an 102-83 win in the last meeting between the schools on Feb. 22, 2022 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas was simply spectacular on offense, connecting on 64.1 percent (41-of-64) from the field, including 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from 3-point range en route to posting just the second 100-point game in the series. The field goal percentage is the ninth-highest by an opponent in school history and the highest by an opponent since 2008.
Markquis Nowell led 5 Wildcats in double figures with 20 points.

LAST TIME OUT: 5/5 K-STATE 64, FLORIDA 50

No. 5/5 K-State turned up the defensive pressure, holding Florida to a season-low 50 points on 31 percent shooting, as the Wildcats snapped a 4-game losing streak in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge with a 64-50 win over the Gators on Saturday night before a sold-out crowd of 11,000 at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (18-3) continued its best start to a season in nearly 50 years, as the Wildcats earned their first win in the Challenge series since a 56-51 win over Georgia at home on Jan. 27, 2018. The team also finished its non-conference season at 12-1, which is the best mark since going 13-1 in 2009-10.
After allowing 80 points on 57 percent shooting in the loss to No. 12/12 Iowa State on Tuesday, K-State set the tone for the game in the first half, playing its best defensive half of the season, as the Wildcats allowed just 16 points to the Gators (12-9) on just 20.7 percent (6-of-29) shooting.
K-State, which never trailed in the contest, took advantage of its top-notch defensive effort to build as much as a 21-point advantage in the first half, as the Wildcats ended the half with an 11-0 run. Although Florida opened the second half with a 10-0 run that cut the deficit to 37-26, the lead never dipped below double figures, as K-State put the game away with an 11-1 run that pushed its lead to a game-high 23 points with 5 minutes remaining.
The 50 points tied for an opponent-low, also done in wins over Wichita State and UIW, while it was the lowest field goal percentage by opponent this season.
It was a special night for senior Keyontae Johnson, who recorded his third consecutive double-double, against his former team. He played his first 3 years for the Gators before a medical emergency on Dec. 12, 2020, sidelined him for much of his junior (2020-21) and all of his senior season (2021-22).
Johnson finished with a game-tying 13 points and game-best 11 rebounds for his 18th career double-double and his fifth of the season. He was among 3 Wildcats in double figures, along with senior Markquis Nowell (13 points) and junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin (11 points). In all, five players had at least 9 points.
Nowell flirted with the school's first triple-double, as he collected 13 points, a career-tying 9 rebounds and a game-high 8 assists in 33 minutes. Tomlin added 11 points and 6 rebounds. Sophomore Cam Carter had all-around solid night with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in nearly 30 minutes.
The return of junior David N'Guessan provided a big boost for the Wildcats, as he returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the Radford game on Dec. 22, 2022. He finished the night with 9 points on 4-of-5 shooting to go with 2 seals and a rebound in 19 minutes.
K-State connected on 37.7 percent (23-of-61) for the game, including 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from 3-point range, while making 66.7 percent (14-of-21) from the free throw line. The Wildcats were able to survive a poor second half, as they hit on just 31 percent (9-of-29), including 22.2 percent (2-of-9).

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

K-State, which helped the Big 12 win the final SEC/Big 12 Challenge, 7-3, finishes with a 4-6 mark in the series, including a 4-1 mark in home games.
K-State now leads the all-time series with Florida, 2-1, in the first matchup on either teams' home court.
K-State is now 12-0 in home games, including 11-0 at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State had 10 steals, which marked the sixth time with double-digit steals.
K-State is now 11-1 this season when leading at the half.

TANG DEBUTS AS HEAD COACH

First-year head coach Jerome Tang enjoyed a successful a debut, as the Wildcats posted a 93-59 win against UTRGV on Nov. 7, becoming the 24th man and the first full-time black head coach in school history. He followed with his first road victory at Cal to start his tenure off with a 2-0 record. He is the sixth minority men's head coach in K-State Athletics history, including the third in men's basketball following interim head coach Darryl Winston (1984-85) and former full-time head coach Frank Martin (2007-12).
K-State's 18-3 start under Jerome Tang is the second-best by a first-year coach in school history, just behind Zora G. Clevenger, who went 15-2 in 1916-17. The start is the best by any current first-year Division I coach, ahead of Xavier's Sean Miller (17-5) and Missouri's Dennis Gates (16-5).
This is not Tang's first time being a head coach, as he served as athletics director and head coach at Heritage Christian Academy in Cleveland, Texas from 1993-2003, leading the school to 5 TAPPS Division A State Championships.
In addition, Tang twice served as interim head coach in his 19 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at Baylor, leading the Bears to 4-0 record. He helped Baylor to wins over Texas (86-79 in OT) and at Texas Tech (82-48) during the 2012-13 season, while he guided the squad to wins over Louisiana (112-82) and Washington (86-52) to open the 2020-21 season. Tang is only credited with the wins in 2013, moving his college head coaching record to 20-3.

A TEAM OF WINNERS

Head coach Jerome Tang has remarked on a number of occasions that he recruited a team 'full of winners' as exemplified by the number of championships that the collective group has won.
There are a combined 8 state championships among the 15 players on the roster, including 2 each won by seniors Desi Sills and Abayomi Iyiola and true freshmen Taj Manning. In addition, sophomore Jerrell Colbert and true freshman Dorian Finister also won state titles during their senior seasons.
In addition to the high school success, a number of players have been a part of winning college programs, including Sills and Iyiola being members of Arkansas' Elite Eight team in 2021 and senior Keyontae Johnson (Florida) and junior David N'Guessan (Virginia Tech) being a part of 2 NCAA Tournaments.
This championship mentality stretches to the staff, as associate head coach Urlic Maligi has been part of 5 NCAA Tournament and 5 conference title teams in his career. Assistant coach Jareem Dowling has been involved with teams that have won 4 conference titles and earned 4 postseason trips, while assistant coach Rodney Perry is coming off a 2021-22 year in which he led Link Academy to a national runner-up finish at the GEICO National Tournament before helping MOKAN Elite to its third Nike Peach Jam title.

1700 WINS AND COUNTING

K-State's overtime 96-87 win over Nevada in the semifinals of the Cayman Islands Classic represented the 1,700th win in school history. The Wildcats are the 43rd Division I team to eclipse 1,700 wins, including the sixth Big 12 school.
The Wildcats have a 1,713-1,216 (.586) all-time record as a program, which includes 31 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.

1,000-WIN CLUB

K-State is one of 11 Division I schools whose men's and women's basketball teams have both won more than 1,000 games. The women's team earned their program's 1,000^th win on Nov. 11, 2022, in a 77-63 victory over Wisconsin.
Joining K-State is this unique club is Baylor, Georgia, Maryland, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, UConn and Western Kentucky.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

With the 64-50 win over Florida in the final SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday night, K-State completed its non-conference schedule with a 12-1 mark, including a perfect 8-0 in home games (Nebraska was played at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City is considered a home game).
The 12-1 record is the best non-conference record since the Wildcats won a program-best 13 non-conference games in 2009-10. The teams also won 12 non-conference games in both 2008-09 (12-3) and 2010-11 (12-3). K-State had won just 19 non-conference games, including 16 at home, in the 3 seasons (2019-20 to 2021-22) before this season.
K-State has posted a 171-53 (.762) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07. During that span, the Wildcats have a 129-14 (.901) mark at home venues (includes games at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City in non-conference play, including a 119-12 (.908) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

K-State enjoyed a special night on offense in its 116-103 win over No. 6/6 Texas, as the Wildcats not only broke the school record for points but also tied the Big 12 record in handing the Longhorns their first loss in the brand-new Moody Center on Jan. 3.
The 116 points eclipsed the previous school-record mark of 115, which first came vs. Delaware State on Dec. 7, 1991, then again vs. Fresno State in the NIT on March 24, 1994. It was also the most-ever in a road game, surpassing the 108 at Iowa State on Jan. 29, 1975, while it was most in a conference game, topping the 114 scored vs. Nebraska at home on Jan. 10, 1987, and the most in a Big 12 game, surpassing the 111 vs. Missouri at home on Jan. 3, 1998.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, K-State's 116 points in the win at No. 6/6 Texas marked the most by an unranked team in a win over a top-10 opponent since Missouri scored 119 against Iowa State in 1988.
All 5 starters scored in double figures, including a career-best 36 points from senior Markquis Nowell and a career-tying 28 by senior Keyontae Johnson. The 64 combined points tied for the fourth-most by a duo in school history and most since 2008, while it marked just the 16th time (including the second time this season) that tandem has each had at least 25 points in a game. Nowell's 36 points are the seventh-most points by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game and the most since Barry Brown, Jr., scored 38 points vs. Oklahoma State on Jan. 10, 2018.
As a team, the Wildcats connected on 61 percent (36-of-59) from the field, including 56.5 percent (13-of-23) from 3-point range, and set a school-record by hitting on 93.9 percent (31-of-33) from the free throw line. It marked the first time the team has shot better than 60 percent against a Big 12 opponent since 2018, while the 13 treys tied for the sixth-most made in a conference game.

POTENT OFFENSIVE ATTACK

K-State is averaging 77.1 points this season on 46.2 percent (568-of-1229) shooting, including 35.5 percent (151-of-425) from 3-point range, while hitting on 73.7 percent (333-of-452) from the free throw line. The Wildcats lead the Big 12 in assists (17.7 apg.), while they are fourth in scoring offense, 3-point field goal percentage, 3-point field goals/game (7.2) and free throw percentage.
The current scoring average (77.1 ppg.) is on pace to be the fifth-best in school history and the highest since the 2009-10 team averaged 79.7 points per game. The 46.2 field goal percentage is on pace to be the seventh-best in the shot clock era (1985-86) and the highest since 2017-18 (46.3 percent).
K-State has scored 80 or more points 8 times, including 5 games of 90 or more points highlighted by the school-record 116-point effort in the win at No. 6/6 Texas (1/3/23), which was the first 100-point game since 2011. It is the most games of 80 or more points since posting 11 in 2017-18 and most games of 90 or more points since also totaling 5 in 2009-10.
The 93 points vs. UTRGV (11/7/22) were the fourth-most in a season opener in the last 25 seasons and the most since scoring 98 vs. Southern Utah to open the 2014-15 season. The Wildcats also topped the 90-point barrier in a 96-87 overtime win over Nevada (11/22/22) at the Cayman Islands Classic, while the squad fell 2 points short of their first 100-point game since 2010-11, totaling 98 vs. UIW (12/11/22) behind a school-record first 7 double-digit scorers.
Twice this season the Wildcats have had 2 players (Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson) score 25 or more points in the same game, which hadn't happened since 2010. Nowell (29) and Johnson (28) combined for 57 points in the overtime win over Nevada (11/22/22) before they went for 64 in the win at No. 6/6 Texas (1/3/23), which ties for the fourth-most by a duo in school history and the most since Michael Beasley and Bill Walker at Baylor in 2008.
K-State has connected on better than 50 percent of its field goals in 7 games, including back-to-back vs. Rhode Island (11/21/22) and Nevada (11/22/22) and ACU (12/6/22) and UIW (12/11/22). The team hit on a season-best 60 percent (36-of-60) vs. Texas (1/3/23), which included a season-high 13 3-pointers, and a school-record performance from the free throw line of 93.9 percent (31-of-33).
A key to the K-State offense this season has been its ability to score in paint, as the Wildcats are averaging 36.2 points in the paint. The team has scored 30 or more points in the paint 15 times in 21 games, including 7 games of 40 or more points and one game of 50 points (a season-high 52 vs. ACU (12/6/22).

DISHING THE ROCK

K-State ranks among the best in the country in sharing the basketball, as the Wildcats rank eighth nationally and first in the Big 12 with 17.9 assists per game. Among the 372 assists are 7 players with double-digit totals, including senior Markquis Nowell, who ranks second nationally in assists/game (8.2) and third in total assists (173). He has dished out double-digit assists in 6 games, including a career-high 14 at No. 19/17 Baylor.
The Wildcats also rank in the top-10 with a 65.5 assist percentage according to KenPom, which calculates assists (372) to made field goals (568). Only Lafayette (69.0), Virginia (67.4), Tennessee (67.0), Xavier (67.0) and Arizona (66.3) have a better percentage nationally.
Although Nowell gets all the attention for his playmaking ability, the rest of the team has shared the ball, as the Wildcats have had 3 or more players dish out at least 2 assists in 16 of 21 games. The team had 7 players with 2 or more assists vs. UTRGV (11/7/22), while 6 vs. Nebraska (12/17/22) and Baylor (1/3/23) and 5 vs. UIW (12/11/22), Texas (1/3/23), TCU (1/14/23) and Texas Tech (1/21/23).

TEAM FULL OF SCORERS

K-State is one of just 15 schools to have at least four 1,000-point scorers on its roster, as Wildcats Tykei Greene (1,177 points), Keyontae Johnson (1,168 points), Markquis Nowell (1,662 points) and Desi Sills (1,283 points) have all reached the milestone in their Division I careers. Only Johnson, who did it against Radford (12/21/22), and Nowell have reached the mark while at K-State.
K-State has now six 1,000-point scorers if you count senior walk-on Nate Awbrey, who scored 1,032 points in his 4-year career at Manhattan Christian College, and junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who scored more than 1,000 points in his junior college career at Monroe (2019-20) and Chipola Colleges (2020-22).
Missouri has 6 1,000-point scorers followed by Notre Dame, Penn State, San Diego and UAB with 5, while Alabama, Iowa State, K-State, Miami, UNC, Ohio State, Southern Utah, Texas, Xavier and Youngstown State have 4 such scorers.

BENCH PRODUCTION

K-State is getting solid production from its bench through the first 21 games, as the Wildcats are averaging 17.8 points per game.
The Wildcats got 41 points from its bench in the opener vs. UTRGV (11/7/22) with 3 reserves (Abayomi Iyiola (12), Massoud (10) and Sills (10) all posting double-digit points. As a group, the bench connected on 14-of-29 from the field, including a collective 11-of-17 effort by Iyiola, Massoud and Sills.
Senior Desi Sills has been particularly impactful from the bench, scoring in double figures 8 times, including season-high 24-point performance in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas (1/17/23). Junior Ismael Massoud has also proved a spark of the bench, registering 4 double-digit scoring games, while averaging 8.1 points on 47.6 percent shooting in Big 12 play with 3 double figure games.

FORCING TURNOVERS

K-State's defense has forced 324 turnovers through the first 21 games, which includes 166 steals, while averaging 17 points per game off those miscues. The team ranks 61st in non-steal turnover percentage (10.5) by KenPom.
The 15.4 turnovers forced per game ranks 40th nationally, while it places fourth in the Big 12 behind Iowa State, TCU and Texas. K-State ranks sixth in steals (7.90) and seventh in turnover margin (+1.67), while senior Markquis Nowell places 15th nationally and second in the Big 12 in steals (2.33 spg.).
K-State has scored 20 or more points off turnovers 6 times with a season-high 31 points off 26 UTRGV (11/7/22) turnovers in the opener. The Wildcats scored 20+ points off miscues in back-to-back games vs. Kansas City (11/17/22; 26 points) and Rhode Island (11/21/22; 21 points) as well as ACU (12/6/22; 23 points), UIW (12/11/22; 28 points) and West Virginia (12/31/22; 22 points).

JOHNSON MAKES RETURN TO COURT

Junior Keyontae Johnson made his triumphant return to basketball court on Nov. 7 in the season opener with UTRGV after a 2-year absence after suffering a medical emergency against Florida State on Dec. 12, 2020. He finished the night with 13 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in a team-high 26 minutes.
Johnson continued his impressive play with a near double-double in the win at Cal, scoring a team-high 16 points while grabbing a game-high 9 rebounds to go with 2 steals, 1 assist and 1 block in a game-high 33 minutes.
Johnson was named the March Madness National Player of the Week and the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 14, as he averaged 14.5 points on 47.6 percent (10-of-21) shooting, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from 3-point range, to go with 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the Wildcats' first 2 wins.
Johnson helped the Wildcats win the Cayman Islands Classic and was named to the All-Tournament team, as he averaged a team-best 19.3 points on 53.6 percent (15-of-28) shooting, including 50 percent (4-of-8) from 3-point range, to go with a team-best 6.0 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.
Johnson was selected for the Newcomer award for the third time on Jan. 9 after posting consecutive 20-point games in wins at No. 6/6 Texas and No. 19/17 Baylor while adding a game-high 9 rebounds in each contest. He continued his impressive play with the game-winning dunk to cap a 24-point effort in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas before logging his third double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds vs. Texas Tech to earn Newcomer honors for fourth time on Jan. 23.
Johnson has scored in double figures in all 21 games, leading the Wildcats and ranking third in the Big 12 in scoring (18.1 ppg.). He is third in the league in field goal percentage (53.1), while he is in the top-10 in 5 other categories, including third in rebounding and minutes (33.7 mpg.), fifth in defensive rebounds (5.71) and ninth in offensive rebounds (1.95).

NOWELL STILL RUNNING THE SHOW

On a team with 13 new players and a new coaching staff, fifth-year senior Markquis Nowell once again has demonstrated he is still the guy running the show for the Wildcats, as he leads the team in both assists (8.2 apg.) and steals (2.3 spg.) while averaging the second-most points (16.9 ppg.). He recently was named to the Sporting News' Midseason All-America Second Team as well as to the Oscar Robertson Trophy and Wooden Award Midseason Watch Lists.
Nowell ranks second nationally in both total assists (173) and assists/game (8.2 apg.), while he is in the top-35 in four other categories, including 14th in steals/game (2.4), 15th in total steals (49), 18th in free throws made (105) and 32nd in assists/turnover ratio (2.8). He is one of 2 Division I players (Tennessee State's Junior Clay) with at least 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals. He also ranks first among all active Division I players with 241 career steals.
Nowell was recognized for his MVP performance in helping the Wildcats win the Cayman Islands Classic, as he was selected as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week on Nov. 28. He averaged 18.7 points, 9.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 33.6 minutes per game. It was his first weekly honor in the Big 12 and his fourth overall after winning it 3 times in the Sun Belt.
In the wins vs. Rhode Island and Nevada, Nowell became the first Wildcat to record double-digit assists in consecutive games, while he became the second player in school history and the first since 1989 to post a 25-point/10-assist game with his 29-point, 11-assist effort in the 96-87 overtime win over the Wolf Pack. His 12 assists vs. the Rams tied for the fourth-most in school history and the most since Steve Henson collected 12 vs. OSU on Feb. 25, 1989.
Nowell was part of the first Wildcat duo since 2010 to each collect at least 25 points in a game, as he and fellow senior Keyontae Johnson combined for 57 points in the win over Nevada. He capped the tournament with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting in the title game win over LSU, as he helped the Wildcats rally from an 11-point second-half deficit.
Nowell matched his season-high (12) in assists in the win over ACU, while he earned his 12th career double-double, including his seventh as a Wildcat, with 23 points and 10 assists in the win over No. 24/24 West Virginia. It was just the sixth 20-point/10-assist double-double in school history, including the second such game by Nowell this season. It was his fifth double-digit assist game.
Nowell enjoyed a special performance in the historic win at No. 6/6 Texas, scoring a career-best 36 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range, to go with a perfect 12-of-12 effort from the free throw line. It was the seventh-most points by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game and the most since Barry Brown, Jr., scored 38 points vs. Oklahoma State on Jan. 10, 2018.
Nowell was part of the first Wildcat duo since 2010 to each collect at least 25 points in a game, as he and fellow senior Keyontae Johnson combined for 57 points in the win over Nevada. He capped the tournament with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting in the title game win over LSU, as he helped the Wildcats rally from an 11-point second-half deficit.
Nowell enjoyed a special performance in the historic win at No. 6/6 Texas, scoring a career-best 36 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range, to go with a perfect 12-of-12 effort from the free throw line. It was the seventh-most points by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game and the most since Barry Brown, Jr., scored 38 points vs. Oklahoma State on Jan. 10, 2018.
Nowell capped his impressive week with the school's first 30-point, 10-assist game in the win at No. 19/17 Baylor, scoring 32 points while dishing a career-best 14 assists. He became the first Wildcat since Michael Beasley in 2008 with consecutive 30-point games, while his 14 assists tied the record for most in a conference game in school history. In addition to his second Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 9, he was named the NCAA March Madness, ESPN, Naismith Trophy and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week.
Nowell nearly posted the school's first triple-double in the win over Florida on Saturday, scoring 13 points on 4-of-9 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with a career-tying 9 rebounds and a game-high 8 assists. He has 5 double-doubles (points/assists) this season and 13 in his career.

AN INSTANT IMPACT

Junior transfer Nae'Qwan Tomlin has given K-State another scoring threat in the post, as the junior college All-American ranks third on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg.) while connecting 45.2 percent (85-of-188) from the field to go with 5.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 28.6 minutes per game. He ranks in the Big 12's top-15 in rebounding (11th) and blocks (9th).
Tomlin was selected as the Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 27 after his near double-double performance in the win over Radford on Dec. 21. He led four Wildcats in double figures with a season-high 26 points, as he hit on 11-of-18 field goals, which included 4 dunks, a 3-pointer and all 3 free throws attempted, to go with a season-tying 9 rebounds in 33 minutes.
Tomlin saw his streak of double-digit scoring games end at 7 games after scoring 9 points in the win at No. 19/17 Baylor. The streak began with 14 points vs. Wichita State and was highlighted by 15-point efforts vs. UIW and Nebraska and a career-best 26 points vs. Radford. In that 7-game stretch, he averaged 14.9 points on 55.4 percent (41-of-74) shooting to go with 6.3 rebounds.
Tomlin has grabbed 10 rebounds twice in the last 5 games, while posting his first career double-double (15 points/10 rebounds) in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas. He has scored in double figures in 3 games in Big 12 play.
Tomlin scored more than 1,000 points in his junior college career at both Monroe College (2019-20) and Chipola College (2020-21) while connecting on 54.2 percent from the field. He averaged a team-leading 13.8 points on 52.4 percent shooting with 5.9 rebounds during his All-American season at Chipola, as he guided the school to the semifinals of the NJCAA National Tournament.

SILLS OFF THE BENCH

Senior Desi Sills has provided a spark for the Wildcats off the bench, as he is averaging 8.2 points on 44.1 percent (63-of-143) shooting with 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.7 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures 8 times, including a season-high 24 points in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas.
Sills scored in double figures in 2 of the first 3 games, including 10 in his first game as a Wildcat vs. UTRGV. He scored 16 points vs. LSU in the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic, hitting on 6-of-9 field goals, before his 17-point effort at Butler, which all came in the second half. He has 8 or more points in 7 of the last 13, including 14 vs. UIW and 11 vs. Oklahoma State.
Although Sills went scoreless in the win over Wichita State (12/6/22), he had the play of the game with his block of Shammah Scott's breakaway layup with 1:42 to play with the Wildcats trailing 50-49.

UP NEXT: 10/9 TEXAS (17-4, 6-2 Big 12)

K-State begins a 2-game homestand on Saturday, as the Wildcats play host to xx/xx Texas (17-4, 6-2 Big 12) at 3 p.m., CT before an expected sold-out crowd of Bramlage Coliseum.

Game Preview // 7/6 K-State, 8/8 KU Face Off in Sunflower Showdown

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Players Mentioned

Nate Awbrey

Cam Carter

Jerrell Colbert

Tykei Greene

Abayomi Iyiola

Keyontae Johnson

Taj Manning

Ismael Massoud

David N'Guessan

Markquis Nowell

Desi Sills

Nae'Qwan Tomlin

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // 7/6 K-State, 8/8 KU Face Off in Sunflower Showdown

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Nate Awbrey

Cam Carter

Jerrell Colbert

Tykei Greene

Abayomi Iyiola

Keyontae Johnson

Taj Manning

Ismael Massoud

David N'Guessan

Markquis Nowell

Desi Sills

Nae'Qwan Tomlin

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