Preview // K-State Opens Homestand with BYU on Saturday

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GAME 27
KANSAS STATE (15-11, 5-8 Big 12) vs. 25/21 BYU (19-7, 7-6 Big 12)
Saturday, February 24, 2024 >> 1 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) >> Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION
Big 12 Now / WatchESPN (link here)

Pete Sousa (play-by-play)
King McClure (analyst)
Alex Wheat (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Ch. 386
Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

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

LIVE STATS
kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS
kstatesports.com/tickets
$30

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College '07]
Record at K-State: 41-21/Second Year
Career Record: 43-21*/Second Year
vs. BYU: 0-1 [0-0 at home]

BYU: Mark Pope [Kentucky '96]
Record at BYU: 106-48/5th Year
Career Record: 183-104/9th Year
vs. K-State: 1-0 [0-0 on the road]

PROBABLE STARTERS
K-State (15-11, 5-8 Big 12)
G: #2 Tylor Perry
G: #4 Dai Dai Ames
G: #5 Cam Carter
W: #24 Arthur Kaluma
C: #20 Jerrell Colbert

25/21 BYU (19-7, 7-6 Big 12)
G: #30 Dallin Hall
G: #21 Trevin Knell
F: #20 Spencer Johnson
F: #50 Aly Khalifa
C: #0 Noah Waterman

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tied 4-4
Big 12 Era: BYU leads 1-0
At Home: K-State leads 1-0
At Bramlage Coliseum: First meeting
Active Streak: BYU, 1
Last Meeting: L, 66-72 [2/10/2024 in Provo, Utah]
Jerome Tang vs. Mark Pope: 0-1

K-STATE OPEN HOMESTAND WITH BYU ON SATURDAY
Kansas State (15-11, 5-8 Big 12) returns to Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday, as the Wildcats play host to No. 25/21 BYU (19-7, 7-6 Big 12) at 1 p.m., CT on Big 12 Now. It will be the second meeting between the schools this season, including the second as conference opponents, after the Cougars held on for a 72-66 win at home on Feb. 10. This will be just the second all-time meeting in Manhattan following a 95-85 win at Ahearn Field House on Dec. 15, 1973.

K-State will be looking to bounce back at home after dropping a heartbreaker to TCU, 75-72, on Feb. 17. The Wildcats have not lost consecutive home games since 2022. Overall, the team has defended its home court this season, posting a 12-3 overall record and an 11-3 mark at Bramlage Coliseum with Top-10 wins over No. 4/4 Kansas and No. 9/9 Baylor.

KEY STORYLINES

K-State has lost 7 of its last 8 games after starting the year at 14-4 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play. Among the Wildcats' 15 wins are 6 Quad 1 or 2 victories (Villanova, Providence, LSU, UCF, No. 9/9 Baylor and No. 4/4 Kansas). The team has a 6-3 record in games decided by 5 points or less which includes the overtime wins over Providence, Villanova, Baylor and Kansas.
On a night when neither team shot 40 percent from the field, it was Texas which found a way to win a defensive slugfest over K-State, 62-56, on Monday. The Wildcats cut a 12-point deficit to 56-52 with 50 seconds to play but could not get any closer as senior Dylan Disu scored 6 of his game-high 20 points in the last 36 seconds. The team has now lost 3 in a row.
If not for the last-second shot by TCU, K-State might've had another opportunity in overtime, where the Wildcats are 11-0 under head coach Jerome Tang, including an NCAA-record tying 6-0 after a win over No. 4/4 Kansas on Feb. 5. The 11-game overtime streak ties for the second-longest since 1950, while the 6 overtime wins tie the Division I single-season record.
K-State's frustrations from the 3-point line continued in the loss to Texas, as the Wildcats were shot just 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from beyond the arc, including 1-of-10 in the first half. The team has made just 21.1 percent (12-of-57) of its 3-point attempts in the last 3 games and is on pace to post the fourth-lowest percentage (30.3) since the 3-point line was introduced in 1986-87. The Wildcats rank 318th nationally and last in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage.
K-State has remained competitive in Big 12 play due to its ability to hold teams to a field goal percentage of 40.2, which ranks 22nd nationally. In Big 12 play, the Wildcats rank first in both field goal percentage defense (39.5) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.0).
The Wildcats have a strong scoring trio of junior Cam Carter (15.2 ppg.), senior Tylor Perry (15.1 ppg.) and junior Arthur Kaluma (14.5 ppg.), who are responsible for 62 percent of the team's scoring (44.8 out of 71.3 ppg.). K-State is the only Big 12 member to have 3 players rank in the league's top-10 in scoring, as Carter ranks seventh, Perry eighth and Kaluma 10th. The trio have continued that scoring in Big 12 play, averaging a combined 42.8 points per game.

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

Snap a 3-game overall losing streak.
Boost home record to 13-3 and 12-3 at Bramlage Coliseum.
Be the 27th in the last 31 home games under Jerome Tang.
Be the 13th in the last 16 Big 12 home games under Tang.
Be the 1,737th in the program history, including 5th vs. BYU.

NOTES ON 25/21 BYU (19-7, 7-6 Big 12)

Under fifth-year head coach Mark Pope, No. 21/19 BYU is off to a 19-7 record, including a 7-6 mark in its inaugural Big 12 campaign after Tuesday's 78-71 win over No. 11/11 Baylor at home. The Cougars are 5-5 away from home this season, including 2-5 in true road games (2-4 on the road in Big 12 play).
BYU is averaging 83.2 points on 46.9 percent shooting, including 35.6 percent from 3-point range, with 40.1 rebounds, 19.2 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.8 blocks per game, while allowing 68.7 points on 42.5 percent shooting, including 30.4 percent from 3-point range. The Cougars are connecting on 73.8 percent from the free throw line.
The Cougars boast one of the top offenses, ranking in top 20 in nine categories, including second in 3-point field goal attempts/game (32.5), third in both 3-pointers/game (11.6) and assists (19.2 apg.). They are also fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.78), ninth in bench points/game (31.81), 19th in rebounds/game (40.08) and 19th in scoring offense (83.2 ppg.).
The Cougars are a balanced scoring team with 5 players averaging between 13.9 and 10.2 points per game. Senior Jaxson Robinson averages a team-leading 13.9 points per game on 42.8 percent shooting with a team-high 62 3-pointers on 36.7 percent shooting. Junior Trevin Knell averages 11.6 points on 47.3 percent shooting, including 58 3-pointers on 40.8 percent shooting. Seniors Spencer Johnson (10.5 ppg.) and Noah Waterman (10.4 ppg.) and junior Fousseyni Traore (10.2 ppg.) are all averaging better than 10 points. Waterman averages a team-best 5.8 rebounds, while sophomore Dallin Hall averages a team-high 4.9 assists per game.
Pope has a 183-104 record in his ninth season as a head coach, including a 106-48 mark at BYU. He previously was the head coach at Utah Valley (2015-19), where he led the school to 3 postseason appearances. As a player for Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino, he helped lead Kentucky to the 1996 NCAA title, averaging 7.6 points in 20.3 minutes per game.

SERIES HISTORY

The series is tied at 4-apiece after BYU's 72-66 win at home on Feb. 10, which was the first meeting between the schools since 2010. The series dates all the way back to the 1951 NCAA Tournament with half of the matchups (4) coming on neutral courts.
This will be just the fifth meeting between the schools on one of their campuses and the first in Manhattan since a 95-85 win by the Wildcats at Ahearn Field House on Dec. 15, 1973.

ALL-TIME MEETINGS [4-4]

Date	Rank	Result	Score	Location
3/23/1951	4/11	W	64-54	Kansas City+
12/15/1958	3/—	L	68-77	Provo
12/18/1959	—/—	W	86-55	Lawrence, Kan.
12/3/1971	—/19	L	72-78	Provo
12/15/1973	15/—	W	95-85	Manhattan
11/23/2002	—/—	L	64-73	St. Thomas, V.I.
3/20/2010	7/14	W	84-72	Oklahoma City+
2/10/2024	—/21	L	66-72	Provo

+NCAA Tournament Game

LAST MEETING:
21/19 BYU 72, K-STATE 66 [2/10/2024]

K-State used a 16-2 run to close to within a single possession with just over a minute to play, but No. 21/19 BYU was able to hold on in the final seconds to post a 72-66 win on Feb. 10 before 17,446 fans at the Marriott Center.

LAST MEETING IN MANHATTAN:
K-STATE 95, BYU 85 [12/15/1973]

Five Wildcats scored in double figures, including 25 points from Larry Williams and 20 points from Lon Kruger, as K-State earned a 95-85 win over BYU in the last meeting in Manhattan on Dec. 15, 1973.

LAST TIME OUT:
TEXAS 62, K-STATE 56

Senior Dylan Disu led all scorers with a game-high 20 points, including 6 big points in the final 36 seconds, as Texas held off a late K-State rally to post a 62-56 win on Monday night before 10,905 fans at the Moody Center.
On a night when it could never get in rhythm offensively, K-State (15-11, 5-8 Big 12) was able to rally from a 12-point deficit with 3:21 to play behind a 10-2 run that closed the deficit to 56-52 with 50 seconds left. The run included a rare 4-point play from junior Arthur Kaluma, along with baskets from seniors Will McNair Jr. and Tylor Perry and a pair of free throws from junior Cam Carter.
Missed free throws gave the Wildcats a chance to close to within a possession, but Perry's driving layup missed, and Disu grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 36 seconds. He nailed both free throws to extend the lead to 58-52. After a missed layup by senior David N'Guessan, Disu snagged yet another rebound before being fouled, making both attempts for a 60-52 advantage with 30 seconds. He capped his night with a dunk in the last 15 seconds.
The loss was the seventh in the last 8 outings for K-State, including the third in a row since defeating No. 4/4 Kansas in overtime on Feb. 5. It also continued its struggles on the road where the Wildcats have lost 6 in a row after starting the season with back-to-back road wins at LSU and West Virginia.
Kaluma paced three Wildcats in double figures with 17 points to go with a team-tying 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a block, while Perry and N'Guessan added 13 and 12 points, respectively. N'Guessan, who has scored in double figures in consecutive Big 12 games, also posted 7 rebounds. Perry finished with game-highs in both assists (4) and steals (3).
Neither team shot 40 percent from the field, as the squads combined to go 8-of-38 from 3-point range. Texas finished the night shooting 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the field, including 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from long range, while K-State connected on 35.7 percent (20-of-56) of its field goals, including 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from 3-point range.
The teams shot an identical 10-of-31 from the field in the first half, including a combined 3-of-22 from 3-point range, as Texas held a 27-22 lead at the break.
A 3-pointer by Perry and layup by N'Guessan got K-State to within 33-31 early in the second half, forcing a timeout by head coach Rodney Terry with 14:15 to play. Texas responded with 7 straight points to push its advantage to 40-31 at the media timeout with just under 12 minutes remaining.
The lead grew to double figures, including 54-42 after a Flagrant 2 foul was called on freshman Dai Dai Ames attempting to block a dunk by Chendall Weaver with 3:21 to play. Ames was ejected on the play.
This will be the last regular season meeting as conference opponents with Texas departing for the SEC in 2024-25. They are not scheduled to meet again this season after playing home-and-home every year since 2012-13.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

K-State still leads the all-time series with Texas, 24-23, while the Longhorns finished 23-19 in the Big 12 era after winning 8 of the last 11 meetings.
K-State is now 3-8 away from home, including a 2-6 mark in true road games.
28 of K-State's 56 points came in the paint.
Texas held a 42-39 rebounding advantage, including 10 offensive boards that led to a 13-11 edge in second-chance points.
K-State turned the ball over 13 times compared to 9 for Texas, however, the points off turnovers were tied at 13 apiece.

OVERTIME SUCCESS

K-State moved to 11-0 in overtime games, including 6-0 this season, under head coach Jerome Tang after Monday's 75-70 victory over No. 4/4 Kansas. In a game that included 12 lead changes and 15 ties, the Wildcats received a big effort from senior Tylor Perry, who scored 21 of his season-high 26 points in the second half and overtime, to rally from an 11-point second-half deficit, in defeating the Jayhawks for the second consecutive season at home in overtime.
In addition to the win over No. 4/4 Kansas, K-State has overtime victories this season over Providence (73-70), Oral Roberts (88-78), North Alabama (75-74), Villanova (72-71) and No. 9/9 Baylor (68-64).
K-State's 11-game overtime winning streak ties for the second-longest such streak in Division I history since 1950 with UMass (1991-97) and Loyola (Md.) (2011-15) and the second-longest current streak behind Florida State (14; 2018-current) and right ahead of Winthrop (10; 2017-current).
K-State's 6 overtime wins this season tie the Division I single-season record, along with Wake Forest (6-1) in 1984, Chattanooga (6-0) in 1989 and Lafayette (6-1) in 2008. The 6 overtime wins also break the school record, set in 1992-93 and tied in 2022-23, while it is the most overtime games. The 5 overtime home wins also tie the Division I mark, set by Cincinnati (5-0) in 1966-67. In addition, the 3 consecutive overtime games (ORU, North Alabama and Villanova) marked the first such occurrence since winning 3 straight overtime games from Feb. 3-15, 1964.
K-State has outscored its opponents, 76-52, in overtime, as the Wildcats have connected on 60.6 percent (20-of-33) from the field, including 54.6 percent (6-of-11) from 3-point range, and 82.8 percent (30-of-37) from free throw line.
Tang is the first head coach in school history to win his first 11 overtime games, surpassing Dana Altman (1990-94), who was a perfect 7-0 in overtime games in his tenure. The 11 total overtime wins are the third-most by a head coach, trailing Tex Winter (15) and Jack Hartman (14).

BETTER DEFENSIVE EFFORT

After allowing 75 points or more 4 times in the first 9 games, K-State has made strides on the defensive end during Big 12 play, allowing 68.3 points on 39.5 percent (302-of-764) shooting, including 28 percent (78-of-279) from 3-point range. The Wildcats have allowed fewer than 70 points in 6 Big 12 games, including 52 to UCF (1/6/24), 60 to Texas Tech (1/13/24), 64 to No. 9/9 Baylor (1/16/24) and 62 to Texas (2/19/24).
Through 13 Big 12 games, K-State ranks among the top-4 in 4 defensive categories, including first in field goal percentage defense (39.5) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.0), second in blocked shots (4.62 bpg.) and defensive rebounds/game (25.85) and third in scoring defense (68.31).
The 52 points allowed to UCF were the fewest allowed in a Big 12 opener since 2003. K-State held Texas Tech (60 points) and No. 9/9 Baylor (64 points) to nearly 20 points under their scoring average.

POINT OF EMPHASIS

Ever since the loss to Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight, in which, K-State was out-rebounded 44-22, rebounding has been a point of emphasis by head coach Jerome Tang. So far that message has been received, as the Wildcats rank fifth in the Big 12 and 82nd nationally in rebounds/game (37.73), including sixth in the league and 90th nationally in offensive rebounds/game (11.54).

Last season, the team ranked 175th or worse in all 4 rebounding categories.

K-State has out-rebounded its opponents 15 times in 26 games, while posting a +2.9 rebounding margin, which ranks 97th nationally.
K-State has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in 9 games, including a season-best 63 in the win over Central Arkansas (11/22/23). The 63 rebounds were the most in a game in more than 25 seasons since corralling 64 vs. Kansas City on Dec. 3, 1997. Among those 63 boards were 26 on the offensive end, which were the most since grabbing 29 vs. North Florida on Nov. 18, 2012, while the 37 defensive rebounds were one shy of the top-10.

OFFENSE CREATING MORE 3-POINTERS

K-State is on pace to break the single-season mark for 3-point attempts for the second time in 3 seasons, as the Wildcats have already attempted 614 shots from beyond the arc. The team set the record with 754 in 2021-22 while the 752 in 2022-23 were a close second on the list. So far, the Wildcats are averaging 23.6 attempts per game, which ranks third in the Big 12.
K-State has connected on 186 3-pointers, which are the fifth-most through the first 26 games. Four times the Wildcats have recorded double-digit 3-point makes, including a season-high 14 triples in the win over South Dakota State (11/13/23). Those 14 makes tied for the fifth-most in school history and were the most since hitting 16 at Oklahoma State on Feb. 2, 2019.
Senior Tylor Perry is among the top 3-point shooters, as he ranks among the top-80 nationally in three 3-point categories, including 14th in attempts (217), 78th in total 3-pointers (67) and 80th in 3-point field goals/game (2.58).

MORE THAN JUST THE 3

K-State has shown its offense is more than just the 3-pointer, as the team is averaging 31.9 points in the paint this season, including 29.2 points in Big 12 action. The Wildcats scored 50 or more points in the paint in back-to-back games vs. No. 12/11 Miami and Central Arkansas.
K-State scored 56 points in the paint against the Hurricanes, which tied for the most in a single game in school history (stat kept since 2000-01), and the most since scoring 56 against South Dakota on Jan. 3, 2010.

CONVERTING FROM THE LINE

K-State has taken advantage of its opportunities from the free throw line, averaging 15 makes per game while converting on 73.3 percent from the line. The Wildcats rank among top-125 nationally in both makes (15.0) and attempts (20.5) per game, as the squad places seventh in the Big 12 in both categories.
One of the major factors in K-State's wins and losses has been its ability to get to the free throw line while preventing their opponent from getting to the line. The Wildcats average 17.0 makes on 22.8 attempts in their 15 wins, while they average just 12.3 makes on 17.3 attempts in their 11 losses. In contrast, their opponents average 11.1 makes on 15.9 attempts in the wins compared to 16.5 makes on 24.0 attempts in the losses.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

K-State has posted a 181-56 (.764) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. During that span, the Wildcats have a 137-15 (.901) 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 126-13 (.907) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
At 10-3, K-State earned double-digit wins in non-conference play for the second straight season and the 14th time in the last 19 seasons (since 2006-07). The 10 wins marked the second-most in that span in the last 6 seasons.

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
Total	180-56	137-15	126-13

1700 WINS AND COUNTING

K-State's overtime 96-87 win over Nevada on Nov. 22, 2022, 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 1,736-1,233 (.585) all-time record as a program, which includes 32 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.

LATE GAME PERRY

Senior Tylor Perry has become the very definition of a clutch player, as his heroics against North Alabama (12/2/23) and Villanova (12/5/23) lifted the Wildcats to victory in overtime. Perry's step back 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds in the overtime win over Villanova came on the heels of a similar step back triple that forced overtime vs. North Alabama with 8 seconds left in regulation.
Dating back to his days at North Texas, Perry has now made seven shots to either win a game or send a game into overtime in his Division I career.
Perry's late game heroics go beyond the last 3 seasons. As a senior in high school, he sank a buzzer beater to send his Spiro High School team to the semifinals of the state tournament.

PERRY MORE THAN JUST A SCORER

Senior Tylor Perry has proven to be more than just a scorer, as he leads the Wildcats in assists (4.6 apg.) while he is second in scoring (15.1 ppg.) and steals (1.3 spg.) and fifth in rebounds (3.0 rpg.). Perry ranks in the Big 12's top-10 in scoring (8th), assists (7th), free throw percentage (2nd) and 3-pointers (3rd).
Perry has scored in double figures in 19 games, including 8 times in Big 12 play. Among those 19 double-digit scoring games is a team-best 8 20-point games, which includes 22 vs. USC (11/6/23) and SDSU (11/13/23), 24 vs. Providence (11/17/23), 20 vs. ORU (11/28/23), 25 vs. UCF (1/6/24), 23 vs. No. 23/24 Oklahoma (1/30/24), 26 vs. No. 4/4 Kansas (2/5/24) and 24 vs. TCU (2/17/24).
Perry ranks the Big 12's top 15 in 7 categories, including tops in minutes (36.63), second in free throw percentage (91.6), third in 3-point field goals (2.58), seventh in assists (4.6 apg.), eighth in scoring (15.1 ppg.), 10th in both 3-point field goal percentage (30.9) and 13th in assist/turnover ratio (1.72).
Perry recently eclipsed 2,000 career points in his college career, which includes stints at Coffeyville Community College (2019-21) and North Texas (2021-23). He currently has 1,436 points at the Division I level.
In addition to leading the team in scoring in 13 games, Perry has led the way in assists in 18 games, while he has been the leader in steals in 8 games. He has dished out a season-high 6 assists on 8 occasions, while he has collected a season-best 4 steals 3 times this season.

EXCELLING FROM THE FREE THROW LINE

Senior Tylor Perry ranks among the best from the free throw line, hitting on 91.6 percent (120-of-131). He ranks ninth nationally and second in the Big 12. He made 34 straight free throws before missing in overtime vs. Oral Roberts.
Twice this season Perry has knocked 10 or more free throws highlighted by a 14-of-14 performance to cap a 24-point effort in the win over Providence (11/17/23). The perfect performance from the line tied for the third-best in school history and the best since Michael Beasley went 15-of-15 at Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008. Only Beasley and Steve Henson, who went a school-best 17-of-17 from the stripe at Iowa State on Feb. 24, 1988, have enjoyed a better performance from the free throw line.

BUCKET GETTER

Head coach Jerome Tang has said that he wants guard Cam Carter to be a bucket getter and that's what the junior has delivered in the first 26 games, averaging a team-best 15.2 points per game. He also leads in field goals (140) and attempts (348), while he is second in double-digit scoring games (21), 20-point games (4), 3-pointers (47) and attempts (153). He has double figures in 17 of the last 20 games, including in 10 of 13 Big 12 games.
After recording his first 20-point game vs. South Dakota State (11/13/23) with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-20 field goals, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, Carter took it to another level vs. No. 12/11 Miami (11/19/23).
Carter scored a career-best 28 points vs. the Hurricanes, including 24 in the second half when the Wildcats cut a 24-point deficit to just 7 points in the last 45 seconds. He finished the game 12-of-22 from the field (10-of-16 in the second half) with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block in 38 minutes.
Carter added a third 20-point game in his return to his home state of Louisiana, as he poured in a game-high 21 points in the win at LSU (12/9/23). He posted a fourth 20-point game with a game-high 23 points at West Virginia (1/9/24) on 6-of-14 field goals and 10-of-10 free throws.
In addition to scoring in double figures in 21 games, Carter tallied his second career double-double in the win over No. 4/4 Kansas (2/5/24), posting 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting with a career-best 11 rebounds in nearly 45 minutes.
Carter ranks in the Big 12's top 15 in 3 categories, including second in minutes (35.9), seventh in scoring (15.2 ppg.) and 12th in steals (1.50 spg.).

FINDING A RHYTHM

Junior Arthur Kaluma is starting to find a rhythm after a slow start to the season, becoming a double-double threat nearly every night. He has scored in double figures in a team-best 22 games, all coming in the last 24 games played, while totaling a team-best 4 double-doubles. He is third in scoring at 14.5 points per game, while averaging a team-best rebounds at 7.1 per game.
Kaluma was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year on Jan. 22 after averaging 17.5 points on 52.4 percent shooting (11-of-21) shooting, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from 3-point range, to go with 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks in 38.5 minutes per game in home victories over No. 9/9 Baylor (1/16/24) and Oklahoma State (1/20/24). He connected on the game-winning 4-point play with 20 seconds left in the overtime win over the Bears to highlight a double-double effort (12 points, 10 rebounds), while he registered his eighth 20-point game vs. the Cowboys.
Kaluma was named one of five national players of the week by the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy as well as Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 11 after averaging a double-double in wins over Villanova (12/5/23) and LSU (12/9/23). He averaged 21.5 points on 76.2 percent (16-of-21) shooting, including 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from 3-point range, to go with 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 39.6 minutes per game. He is just the third Wildcat to earn the weekly award from the USBWA, while it was the first of Kaluma's career.
Kaluma scored a game and season-high 26 points in the win over Villanova, knocking down 10-of-13 field goals, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free throw line to go with 9 rebounds and 4 assists in a season-best 44 minutes. The 26 points were one shy of his career-high of 27 he had against BYU while playing at Creighton in 2022.
Kaluma continued his impressive play in the overtime win over Baylor, recording his seventh career double-double, including his fourth as a Wildcat, with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes. He connected on the game-deciding 4-point play with 20 seconds left in overtime.
The weekly honors came on the heels of being named to the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship All-Tournament Team after averaging 18.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in games against Providence (11/17/23) and No. 12/11 Miami (11/19/23). After scoring 18 in the OT win over Providence, including a pivotal 3-pointer, he had his first double-double as a Wildcat and fourth in his career with 18 points and 12 rebounds against the Hurricanes.
Kaluma is one of 3 players (Kansas' Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr.) in the Big 12 to rank in the top-10 in both scoring and rebounding.

ATTACKING THE GLASS

Senior David N'Guessan has been impressive so far on the glass, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in rebounding at 7.1 boards per game. He also ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds (2.77 orpg.). He has a team-best double-digit rebounds in 5 games, including a career-best 14 boards vs. UCF (1/6/24).
N'Guessan has twice posted double-doubles, including the first of his career in the opener vs. No. 21/22 USC (11/6/23) with 10 points and 10 rebounds. He pulled down a second double-double vs. Central Arkansas (11/22/23) with 11 points and 11 rebounds. He nearly had double-doubles vs. Wichita State (13 points, 9 rebounds) and Chicago State (12 points and 9 rebounds).
N'Guessan has increased his scoring output while continuing his impressive play on the glass, posting double-digit points on 9 occasions, including 12 points in consecutive games vs. TCU (2/17/24) and Texas (2/19/24).
N'Guessan gained valuable experience this past summer training with the Dutch National Team, as the Orange Lions competed in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Istanbul, Turkiye August 13-16. He averaged 9 points on 55.6 percent shooting with 6.3 rebounds in the 3-game tournament.

BIG MAN OFF TO SOLID START

Senior Will McNair is off to solid start to the season, averaging 7.3 points on 60.7 percent shooting to go along with 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through 25 games with 19 starts in 23.2 minutes per game. K-State lost for the first time when he scores in double figures after his 12-point effort at OSU (2/3/24).
McNair came off the bench to score 8 points vs. USC (11/6/23) then started the next 19 games before coming off the bench in the last 5 games. He has scored in double figures 8 times, including a season-best 13 points at LSU (12/9/23). He missed double-doubles at West Virginia (1/9/24) and at Oklahoma State (2/3/24) by one rebound. He posted a season-high 10 rebounds in the loss at No. 21/19 BYU (2/10/24).

BOOST FROM THE BENCH

Redshirt freshman Dorian Finister has become a spark off the bench for the Wildcats, as he is averaging 15.7 minutes in 12 of the last 14 games with 16.3 minutes of action in Big 12 play. He is averaging 3.5 points on 37.8 percent shooting with 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in Big 12 play.
After not playing for 5 games, Finister made his impact felt on the defensive end in wins over Wichita State (12/21/23) and Chicago State (1/2/24) before starting to make an impact on offense. He has scored in 7 of the 9 Big 12 games, including back-to-back 6-point efforts vs. UCF (1/6/24) and West Virginia (1/9/24). He has also twice grabbed a career-best 6 rebounds in Big 12 play.

LINDSEY EARNS SCHOLARSHIP

Senior walk-on Taymont Lindsey was rewarded with a scholarship for the rest of the season on Feb. 8. The 5-foot-8, 170-pound guard saw his first action as a Wildcat in the 77-52 win over UCF in the Big 12 opener on Jan. 6. He missed the first 11 games rehabbing an injury.
Lindsey joined the Wildcats in August after spending four seasons (2019-23) at Manhattan Christian College, where he helped the Thunder to an 86-40 record and consecutive NCCAA Final Four appearances in 2022 and 2023.

FRESHMEN SHOWING PROMISE

Three-man freshman class of Dai Dai Ames, R.J. Jones and Macaleab Rich have all shown promise after being pressed into early action. The trio were part of a consensus top-35 recruiting class.
Ames has already scored in double figures in 5 games, including a season-best 14 points vs. UCA (11/22/23). Jones has played in 21 games, averaging 9.1 minutes per game. He ranks fourth in 3-pointers (12), including a big triple in the overtime win over Baylor (1/16/24). Rich has played in 13 games, logging a near double-double vs. UCA (11/22/23) with 13 points and 8 rebounds.

KALUMA, PERRY NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

Junior Arthur Kaluma and fifth-year senior Tylor Perry were each chosen as Honorable Mention selections to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by the league coaches when the league office announced its annual preseason teams.
Kaluma and Perry are the first Wildcats named to the Preseason All-Big 12 since Barry Brown Jr. and Dean Wade in 2018-19.
A 6-foot-7, 225-pound wing, Kaluma transferred to K-State after an impressive 2-year stint (2021-23) at Creighton, where he helped the Bluejays to 47 wins, including 26 in BIG EAST play, a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2022, 2023) and the school's first trip to the Elite Eight in 2022-23.
A 5-foot-11, 182-pound guard, Perry came to K-State after a decorated 2-year career (2021-23) at North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to 56 total wins, including a school-record 31 in 2022-23, the 2023 NIT Championship and 2022 C-USA regular-season title. In addition to being the 2023 C-USA Player of the Year and NIT Most Outstanding Player, he was twice named to the C-USA First Team (2022, 2023) while was the league's Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.

KALUMA NAMED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST FOR JULIUS ERVING AWARD

Kaluma was also one of 20 players named to the preseason Watch List for the 2024 Julius Erving Award, which annually recognizes the nation's top small forward, by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
This is the second time that Kaluma has been named to a preseason Watch List after he was chosen to the Watch List for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award in 2022-23 while playing at Creighton.

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TRIP
'CATS SPENT 10 DAYS IN AUGUST IN ISRAEL, ABU DHABI, U.A.E.

K-State got a jump start on its preparations for the 2023-24 season with a historic 10-day trip to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates [UAE] from August 9-20.
During the Israeli portion of the trip, the team enjoyed walking tours of the Old City Jerusalem, the City of David, Bethlehem and Old City Jaffa, visits to the Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Center – as well as the Western Wall and the Dead Sea. While in Abu Dhabi, they visited the Abraham Peace Accords House and the Grand Mosque.
The Wildcats played 3 games on the tour, defeating the Israeli Select Team, 94-87, on August 15 in Tel Aviv before an 83-81 setback to Team Mexico on August 17 and a 112-72 win over Al-Sharjah on August 18, both in Abu Dhabi. Senior Tylor Perry paced 4 Wildcats in double figures on the tour, averaging 22.7 points on 56.8 percent shooting.
K-State, along with the University of Arizona, are the first college teams to ever take a foreign tour to Abu Dhabi.
The exhibition tour was generously sponsored by Athletes for Israel and its Founder Daniel Posner as well as the Abu Dhabi Tourism Board. In their efforts to combat antisemitism and racism, Athletes For Israel brings athletes to Israel so they can experience the Holy Land and develop a connection with its history, culture, innovation and people.
For more information on the organization and its mission, visit athletesforisrael.org.

UP NEXT: WEST VIRGINIA (9-17, 4-9 Big 12)

K-State makes a quick turnaround to play host to West Virginia (9-17, 4-9 Big 12) on Monday night at 6 p.m., CT on ESPN2. Tickets are still available at kstatesports.com/tickets.

Preview // K-State Opens Homestand with BYU on Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dai Dai Ames

Cam Carter

Jerrell Colbert

Dorian Finister

R.J. Jones

Arthur Kaluma

Taymont Lindsey

Will McNair Jr.

David N'Guessan

Tylor Perry

Macaleab Rich

Kansas State University Athletics

Preview // K-State Opens Homestand with BYU on Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dai Dai Ames

Cam Carter

Jerrell Colbert

Dorian Finister

R.J. Jones

Arthur Kaluma

Taymont Lindsey

Will McNair Jr.

David N'Guessan

Tylor Perry

Macaleab Rich

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