Preview // K-State Hosts UAPB in Sunday Doubleheader

GAME 8
KANSAS STATE (5-2) vs. UAPB (1-6)
Sunday, December 1, 2024 >> 1 p.m., CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) >> Manhattan, Kan.

PROMOTION
Fort Riley Operation Santa / Doubleheader with the women's team

Fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys or gift cards. Fort Riley's Operation Santa Claus helps service members, and their families provide gifts to their children during the holiday season. All donations will go towards a Fort Riley Solider, especially to families under financial constraints and families of deployed, fallen or injured soldiers.

TICKETS
kstatesports.com/tickets
Starting at $21

TELEVISION
ESPN+ / WatchESPN (link here)

Ben Boyle (play-by-play)
Stan Weber (analyst)
Sophie Smith (sideline reporter)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Ch. 387
Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
Matt Walters (analyst)

LIVE STATS
kstate.statbroadcast.com

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College '07]
Record at K-State: 50-27/3rd Year
Career Record: 52-27*/3rd Year+
vs. UAPB: 0-0 [0-0 at home]

UAPB: Solomon Bozeman [Little Rock '11]
Record at UAPB: 31-70/4th Year
Career Record: 31-70/4th Year
vs. K-State: 0-0 [0-0 on the road]

LAST GAME STARTERS:
K-State (5-2)
G: #3 C.J. Jones
G: #11 Brendan Hausen
G: #2 Max Jones
W: #33 Coleman Hawkins
W: #1 David N'Guessan

UAPB (1-6)
G: #2 Zach Reinhart
G: #13 Raphael Dumon
G: #33 Quentin Bolton Jr.
G: #55 Caleb Jones
F: #9 Klemen Vuga

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 5-0
At Home: K-State leads 5-0
At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 5-0
Active Streak: K-State, 5
First Meeting: W, 69-63 [12/23/1996 in Manhattan]
Last Meeting: W, 62-51 [11/19/2019 in Manhattan]
Jerome Tang vs. Solomon Bozeman: 0-0

K-STATE HOSTS UAPB IN SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER
K-State plays its final home non-conference game at Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday afternoon, as the Wildcats host Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-7) at 1 p.m., CT. It will be the first game of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader at Bramlage Coliseum, as the No. 9-ranked women's team (6-1) plays Central Arkansas (4-1) at 3:30 p.m., CT. Fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys or gift cards to benefit Fort Riley Operation Santa. Single-game tickets start at $20.

This will be the sixth meeting between K-State and UAPB and the first since 2019. The Wildcats are 5-0 all-time against the Golden Lions, including a 62-51 win in the last meeting on Nov. 19, 2019. K-State is 20-1 all-time vs. teams from the SWAC, all coming at home.

LAST TIME OUT
Senior Coleman Hawkins collected his first double-double in a Wildcat uniform with game-highs in both points (19) and rebounds (10) to go with 5 assists, as K-State defeated Longwood, 80-64, in the third-place game of the Paradise Jam on Nov. 25. He is the first Wildcat with at least 19 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game since Cam Carter did it against Oral Roberts in 2023.

Hawkins, who also tallied 2 steals and 2 blocks, propelled a K-State offense that set season highs for field goal percentage (58.9) and 3-point field goal percentage (55.0) in ending the Paradise Jam on a winning note. He knocked down 5 of the Wildcats' 11 made 3-point field goals while connecting on 7-of-10 from the field. It marked his seventh career double-double.

Hawkins was joined in double figures by juniors Brendan Hausen (16 points) and Dug
McDaniel (11 points) and senior David N'Guessan (10 points), while sophomore Macaleab Rich added 8 points. Hawkins was named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team after averaging 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks per game in the 3-game tournament.

KEY STORYLINES

K-State went 2-1 at the Paradise Jam, defeating George Washington (83-71) and Longwood (80-64) in between a 67-65 loss to eventual tournament champion Liberty. The Wildcats averaged 76 points in 3-game tournament on 51.7 percent shooting, including 38.6 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 67.3 points on 41 percent shooting, including 31.7 percent from long range.
It's still a small sample size (7 games) but K-State seems to be a better scoring team, averaging 76.1 points on 47 percent shooting, including 34.7 percent from 3-point range with 8.3 makes per game. The Wildcats have already hit on better than 50 percent from the field as well as double-digit 3-pointers in 3 games. The team is 5-0 when scoring 70 or more points and 0-2 when they don't.
Newcomers have combined to score 408 (76.6 percent) of the team's 533 points, including 18 of the 25 double-digit scoring games. Senior returner David N'Guessan (21, 12, 16, 10, 17, 10 and 10 points) is the only Wildcat to score in double figures in the first 7 games, but the next 6 highest scorers are newcomers, including 5 double-digit scoring efforts by junior Brendan Hausen and 3 each by seniors Coleman Hawkins and Max Jones and junior Dug McDaniel.

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

Give the Wildcats a 6-0 record vs. UAPB.
Move the Wildcats to 21-1 vs. SWAC opponents at home.
Move coach Jerome Tang to 33-5 at Bramlage Coliseum.
Give the Wildcats an 187-57 non-conference mark since 2006.
Extend its home non-conference mark to 146-17 since 2006.

NOTES ON UAPB

Led by fourth-year coach Solomon Bozeman, UAPB (1-7) has lost 6 in a row - all on the road - since picking up its first win of the season - 99-57 over Champion Christian at home on Nov. 6. The Golden Lions have lost road games at Tulsa (80-103), South Florida (69-85), UIW (64-92), Texas Tech (64-98), Missouri (63-112) and Pacific (71-83).
UAPB is averaging 70.5 points on 44.3 percent shooting, including 30.6 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 92.4 points on 49.1 percent from the field, including 32.4 percent from 3-point range. The Golden Lions are hitting on 69.6 percent from the free throw line.
Three players are averaging in double figures led by 12.1 points per game from junior transfer Christian Moore, who is connecting on 40 percent from the field to go with a team-high 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Junior Dante Sawyer (12.0 ppg.) and senior Klemen Sawyer (11.1 ppg.) are also averaging in double figures with Sawyer connecting 55.1 percent from the field. Junior Robert Lewis is averaging a team-best 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, along with 7.2 points per game.
UAPB is led by Bozeman, who has a 31-70 record in his fourth season. The 2011 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year was an assistant coach at Abilene Christian, Little Rock and Oral Roberts before accepting the head coaching position at Pine Bluff in 2021.

LAST GAME OUT

UAPB saw its losing streak hit 6 games on Wednesday night, as Pacific rallied for an 83-71 victory after trailing 41-40 at the break. The Golden Lions connected on 49.1 percent from the field with 36 points in the paint.
Four players scored in double figures led by 16 points each from senior Klemen Vuga and junior Dante Sawyer.

SERIES HISTORY

K-State is 5-0 all-time against UAPB with home wins in 1996, 2002, 2004, 2009 and 2019.
K-State is 20-1 all-time against SWAC competition, all coming at home. The Wildcats already have a win over SWAC foe Mississippi Valley State, 74-56, in their last home game on Nov. 19.

ALL-TIME MEETINGS [5-0]

Date	Rank	Result	Score	Location
12/23/1996	--/--	W	69-63	Manhattan
12/4/2002	--/--	W	76-39	Manhattan
11/29/2004	--/--	W	76-42	Manhattan
12/21/2009	17/--	W	90-76	Manhattan
11/19/2019	--/--	W	62-51	Manhattan

LAST MEETING:
K-STATE 62, UAPB 51 [11/19/2019]

Senior Xavier Sneed scored 12 of his team-high 21 points after halftime, as K-State used a second-half rally to earn a 62-51 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the last meeting between the schools on Nov. 19, 2019.
Tied at 27-all at the half after allowing the Golden Lions to score 7 of the last 9 points of the first half, K-State took the lead for good from UAPB with an 11-2 run midway through the second half spurred by 5 consecutive points from Sneed for a 40-31 lead at the 11:13 mark. After the Lions clawed to 40-35 on back-to-back baskets, the Wildcats used a 19-7 run over the next 6 minutes to finally break free for a 59-42 advantage with 3:46 to play.
Sneed scored his team-high 21 points on 6-of-12 field goals, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range to go with 6 rebounds.

LAST TIME OUT:
K-STATE 80, LONGWOOD 64

Senior Coleman Hawkins collected his first double-double as a Wildcat with game-highs in points (19) and rebounds (10), as K-State defeated Longwood, 80-64, in the third-place game of the 25th annual Paradise Jam on Nov. 25 before 2,225 fans at the Elridge Wilburn Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
Hawkins, who also tallied 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, propelled a K-State offense that set season highs for field goal percentage (58.9) and 3-point field goal percentage (55.0) in ending the Paradise Jam on a winning note. He knocked down 5 of the Wildcats' 11 made 3-point field goals while connecting on 7-of-10 from the field. It marked his seventh career double-double.
Hawkins was joined in double digits by juniors Brendan Hausen (16 points) and Dug McDaniel (11 points) and senior David N'Guessan (10 points).
Hawkins was named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team after averaging 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks in 34.3 minutes in the 3-game tournament.
Longwood (6-2), which has been the best program in the Big South the past 3 seasons, with 67 wins and 2 NCAA Tournament appearances, gave K-State a battle for much of the first half before Hawkins' first 3-pointer helped ignite a 22-11 run that carried the Wildcats to a 44-36 halftime advantage.
The Lancers got to within 44-39 moments into the second half but an 8-2 run capped by a dunk from N'Guessan pushed the lead to double figures and forced a timeout with 16:19 to play. The advantage grew to 62-47 after a 3-pointer from junior C.J. Jones at the first media timeout.
A 6-0 run got Longwood to within 62-53 near the midway point of the second half, but a Hausen 3-pointer keyed a 16-4 K-State run that pushed the lead to its largest at 78-57 with just over 5 minutes to play. Sophomore Macaleab Rich had 8 points in the stretch as the Wildcats pounded the paint.
K-State connected on a season-best 58.9 percent (33-of-56) from the field, including 55 percent (11-of-20) from 3-point range, while scoring half of its points in the paint (40). The 11 triples were the second-most this season and the third time that the Wildcats have hit on double-digit 3-pointers.
Hawkins posted team-highs in points (19), rebounds (10) and blocks (2) while was second with 5 assists and 2 steals in 35 minutes of action. His 5 made 3-pointers were one shy of his career-high of 6 set while playing at Illinois in 2024. It marked his third double-digit scoring game this season and was the second time he pulled down double-digit rebounds in the past 4 games.
Hausen scored his 16 points on 6-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, marking his third straight double-digit scoring game and fifth this season. McDaniel posted his 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go with team-highs in both assists (6) and steals (4). N'Guessan managed double-digit points for the eighth straight game with 10 points on 5-of-7 field goals.
Defensively, K-State held Longwood to 41.4 percent (24-of-58) shooting from the field, including just 13.3 percent (2-of-15) from 3-point range.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

K-State is now 7-3 all-time in the Paradise Jam.
K-State now has an 185-117 overall record in-season tournament play.
It marked the third 80-point game of the season.
K-State is now 5-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
K-State's 11 3-point field goals were the second-most this season.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

K-State has posted a 186-58 (.764) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. During that span, the Wildcats have a 145-17 (.899) mark at home venues (includes games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play, including a 129-14 (.907) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State's 12-1 non-conference mark in 2022-23 was the best since the 2009-10 team went a program-best 13-1. Last season, the team went 10-3 in non-conference play, including 7-1 at Bramlage Coliseum.

Year	Overall	Home	Bramlage
2006-07	11-4	7-0	7-0
2007-08	10-4	8-1	7-1
2008-09	12-3	11-0	10-0
2009-10	13-1	9-0	8-0
2010-11	12-3	9-1	8-1
2011-12	11-1	7-0	6-0
2012-13	11-2	9-0	8-0
2013-14	10-3	7-1	7-1
2014-15	7-6	6-2	5-2
2015-16	11-2	8-0	8-0
2016-17	11-2	8-0	8-0
2017-18	11-2	8-1	8-0
2018-19	10-3	7-0	6-0
2019-20	7-6	6-2	6-1
2020-21	4-5	4-5	4-5
2021-22	8-5	6-1	6-1
2022-23	12-1	8-0	7-0
2023-24	10-3	8-1	7-1
2024-25	5-2	3-1	3-1
Total	186-58	145-17	129-14

'CATS PICKED 8TH IN BIG 12 POLL; HAWKINS NAMED CO-NEWCOMER

K-State was picked eighth in the new 16-team Big 12 preseason poll, while senior transfer Coleman Hawkins was named the league's co-Newcomer of the Year, alongside Baylor's Jeremy Roach.
Hawkins is the first Wildcat to be selected as the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and the fourth to be chosen for a preseason player honor, joining Michael Beasley (2007-08 Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year), Jacob Pullen (2010-11 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year) and Dean Wade (2018-19 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year).
Hawkins, who earned All-Big Ten honors at Illinois in 2023-24, was also selected to the preseason All-Big 12 Second Team by the league coaches, joining Baylor's Norchad Omier and Roach, Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert and Kansas' Dajuan Harris Jr.
Hawkins is also the first Wildcat to earn selection to one of the main preseason all-conference teams by the coaches since Barry Brown Jr. and Wade in 2018-19. He is one of eight players in school history to be chosen for preseason all-conference honors dating to Manny Dies in 1998-99. Others include Pullen and Curtis Kelly in 2010-11, Rodney McGruder in 2012-13 and Marcus Foster in 2014-15.
K-State received 133 points to place eighth in the poll, just two points behind seventh-place Texas Tech and 17 points ahead of ninth-place BYU.
Kansas was picked first with 215 points and nine first-place votes followed closely by Houston (211, five first-place votes), third-place Iowa State (194, one first-place vote), fourth-place Baylor (185) and fifth-place Arizona (179, one first-place vote).
Hawkins has also been named to the watch list for the Naismith Trophy as well as the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

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Players Mentioned

Cam Carter

Brendan Hausen

Coleman Hawkins

C.J. Jones

Max Jones

Dug McDaniel

David N'Guessan

Macaleab Rich

Kansas State University Athletics