MANHATTAN, Kan.— No. 7/6 K-State (18-4, 6-3 Big 12) begins a 2-game homestand on Saturday, as the Wildcats welcome Big 12-leading and No. 10/9 Texas (18-4, 7-2 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum for a 3 p.m., CT tipoff on ESPN2. The schools will be playing for just the second time as Top 10 foes, including the first time since No. 10 K-State knocked off No. 1 Texas, 71-62, on Jan. 19, 2010. The two teams played in one of the wildest games of the 2022-23 season with the Wildcats setting multiple school records, including the scoring mark, in a 116-103 win over the Longhorns on Jan. 3. K-State has not swept the regular-season series from Texas since 2018, which is also the last time the Wildcats have won at home against the Longhorns.
KEY STORYLINES
- K-State's frustrations with Allen Fieldhouse continued Tuesday, as the Wildcats lost 90-78 to No. 8/8 Kansas for the 17th consecutive season in the venerable arena. Despite a combined 45-point effort from senior Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, the Wildcats could not overcome their worst shooting night of the season (33.9 percent). The Jayhawks used a 13-3 run to take control of the game over a pivotal stretch late in the first half en route to a 49-37 lead at the half then had an answer for any Wildcat rally in the second half to split the season series.
- K-State is off to its best start (18-4) since also opening the 1972-73 season with a similar 18-4 mark, while the team is sitting in a 4-way tie for second place at 6-3 at the midway point of the Big 12 schedule after picked last in most preseason polls. Among the 12 wins in the last 15 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 78.3 points in this 15-game span with 7 players averaging 6 or more points, including 3 in double figures.
- K-State's 18-4 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 18-4 start also ranks among the very best by all first-year coaches in Division I, just ahead of Xavier's Sean Miller (18-5), Missouri's Dennis Gates (17-5) and Seattle's Chris Victor (16-7).
- Seniors Keyontae Johnson (18.2 ppg.) and Markquis Nowell (17.1 ppg.) have been one of the most prolific tandems in the country, as they combine to average 35.3 points per game on 46.1 percent (248-of-538) shooting, including 38.3 percent (77-of-201) from 3-point range, and 81.3 percent (205-of-252) from the free throw line. 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 (8.0 apg.) and total assists (177), while he is 39th in assist/turnover ratio (2.53). His 177 assists are second on the single-season list, 9 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 243 career steals are first among active Division I players.
- The Wildcats have quite the dynamic 1-2-3 scoring punch with Johnson (18.2 ppg.) and Nowell (17.1 ppg.) and junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin (10.5 ppg.) combining to average 45.8 points per game on 46 percent (337-of-733) 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. (46.3 ppg.).
NOTES ON 10/9 TEXAS
- No. 10/9 Texas (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) enters Saturday's game with wins in 3 of its last 4 outings, including a 76-71 win over No. 11/11 Baylor at home on Monday. The Longhorns have lost just twice since its setback to K-State on Jan. 3, falling 78-67 at Iowa State on Jan. 17 and at No. 4/4 Tennessee, 82-71, on Jan. 28.
- Texas is averaging a Big 12-best 79.9 points on 48.1 percent shooting, including 33.3 percent from 3-point range, with 35.3 rebounds, 16.6 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game, while allowing 67.7 points on 42.1 percent shooting, including 32.8 percent from 3-point range. The Longhorns are connecting on 74.6 percent from the free throw line.
- Texas ranks among the top-30 nationally in 8 categories, including 16th in turnover margin (+4.1), 17th in scoring margin (+12.2), assists/game (16.6), bench points (28.8) and 25th in scoring offense. The Longhorns led the Big 12 in scoring offense, scoring margin and assist/turnover ratio.
- Four players are averaging in double figures led by senior Marcus Carr, who is averaging 16.7 points on 45.3 percent shooting. Sixth Man of the Year candidate Sir'Jabari Rice is second in scoring at 11 points per game on 46.3 percent shooting, while graduate Timmy Allen (10.8 ppg.) and transfer Tyrese Hunter (10.3 ppg.) also average double figures. Allen leads the way in rebounding (5.2 rpg.), while Carr is tops in assists (89) and steals (38).
- Texas is led by interim head coach Rodney Terry, who has guided the Longhorns to an 11-3 mark since taking over for head coach Chris Beard, who was fired on Jan. 4. Terry, who has had coaching stints at Fresno State and UTEP, has a 174-159 mark in his 11th season as head coach.
SERIES HISTORY
- K-State holds a 24-21 lead in the all-time series which dates to 1971, while Texas has a 21-19 advantage in the Big 12 era, including 20-18 in the regular season. The Wildcats own an 11-9 edge in games played at home, while the Longhorns have won each of the last 4 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- K-State's last win at home in the series came on Feb. 21, 2018 (58-48).