Dec 29, 2020

MBB Game Preview: K-State returns from break to host Omaha

Posted Dec 29, 2020 12:09 PM

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State (4-5, 1-1 Big 12) returns to the court on Tuesday night after an 8-day layoff, as the Wildcats play host to Summit League foe Omaha (2-7) at 7 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State has won 3 of its last 4 games after starting the season 1-4. Tuesday’s game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Ben Boyle (play-by-play) and Stan Weber (analyst) on the call. KHMY My 93.1 locally in Hutchinson will carry the game with Wyatt Thompson on the call.

OPENING TIP

  1. K-State is 3-4 in non-conference play with just 2 remaining scheduled to play in 2020-21, which includes Tuesday’s game with Omaha and the Big 12/SEC Challenge contest against Texas A&M (5-1) on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. The Wildcats have won 2 in a row in non-conference play against Milwaukee (76-75) and Jacksonville (70-46) after starting the season at 1-4. K-State has won its 2 previous meeting with Omaha, while the team is 47-0 all-time against Summit League foes at home.
  2. K-State is coming off its best all-around performance of the season in the 70-46 win over Jacksonville on Dec. 21, as the Wildcats were efficient on offense with its 27 made field goals coming on a season-high 23 assists, while holding the Dolphins to opponent season-lows for points, field goals made (16) and attempted (47) and field goal percentage (34.0) in posting its largest win of the season. Freshman Nijel Pack led 3 players in double figures with a game-high 16 points, while sophomore DaJuan Gordon collected his second double-double in the last 3 games with 13 points to go with a career-best 12 rebounds and a team-high 3 steals. Senior Mike McGuirl totaled his team-leading fifth double-digit scoring game with 12 points to go with a game-high 7 assists. He now has 21 assists (5.3 apg.) in the last 4 games.
  3. The Wildcats knocked down double-digit 3-pointers for the second time in 4 games in the win over Jacksonville, posting a season-high 11 triples. Pack tied his season-high with 4 treys - all coming in the first half - while Gordon and senior Mike McGuirl each posted 3 each. Four players (McGuirl, Miguel, Pack and junior Rudi Williams) have 6 triples each in the last 4 games, while Gordon has four.
  4. Since switching to the 4-guard lineup against Milwaukee on Dec. 11, K-State is averaging 72.2 points on 47.7 percent shooting (106-of-222), including 60.5 percent (75-of-124) from inside the 3-point line. Seven different Wildcats are averaging better than 7.5 points in the 4-game span, including double-digit scorers in true freshmen Selton Miguel (11.5 ppg.) and Nijel Pack (10.0 ppg.). Sophomore DaJuan Gordon is averaging a near double-double with 9.5 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds, while freshman Davion Bradford is averaging 9.5 points on 70 percent shooting (14-of-20). In all, underclassmen have combined for 219 of the team’s 289 points on 49.4 percent (82-of-166) shooting in the last 4 games.
  5. K-State continued its youth movement vs. Jacksonville, as the Wildcats started 3 true freshmen (Bradford, Miguel and Pack) for the fourth consecutive game, which includes both Big 12 games. K-State is one of 2 schools (Kentucky) nationally to start at least 3 true freshmen in at least one game, while the 18 combined starts by true freshmen rank second to Kentucky’s 25. The next closest schools - Auburn and Troy - have 11 combined starts each.

NOTES ON OMAHA

  1. Omaha (2-7) should enter Tuesday’s game well rested after last playing a game at Wyoming on Dec. 17. The Mavericks played all 9 of their games in a 23-day span since the season opened on Nov. 25. The team has played back-to-back days twice, including a 91-49 loss at Colorado on Dec. 16 and an 82-78 setback at Wyoming on Dec. 17. Overall, the squad has lost 3 in a row with its wins against Middle Tennessee State (60-59) and SIUE (65-63).
  2. The Mavericks are averaging 62.1 points per game on 38.2 percent shooting, including 26.8 percent from 3-point range, with 35.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per game, while allowing opponents to average 79.2 points on 45.9 percent shooting, including 40.1 percent from long range. The team is connecting on 68.6 percent from the free throw line.
  3. Three players are averaging in double figures led by junior guard Marlon Ruffin’s 11.4 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting and a near perfect free throw percentage of 91.7 percent. Fellow junior Wanjang Tut averages 10.2 points on 52 percent shooting, while Wichita native and senior Matt Pile is averaging a near double-double with 10.1 points on 50.0 percent shooting with a team-high 9.0 rebounds per game. He recently became the Mavericks’ 42nd 1,000-point scorer in the loss at Wyoming on Dec. 17. Senior Ayo Akinwole is the team’s leader in assists with 22 on the season to go with a team-best 11 3-pointers on 39.3 percent shooting.
  4. Omaha is in its 108th season of basketball, but just its 10th at the Division I level. The Mavericks have posted a 135-154 record since making the move to Division I in 2011-12, which includes 16 or more wins 5 times in the last 7 seasons, including a 21-win season in 2018-19.
  5. Head coach Derrin Hansen is in his 16th season at Omaha with a 245-222 record, which includes 8 winning seasons and 3 20-win seasons.

SERIES HISTORY

  1. K-State and Omaha will meet for the third time on Tuesday in a series that dates to 2014. The Wildcats won both meetings with the Mavericks, posting an 84-66 win on Dec. 2, 2014 and 81-68 on Nov. 15, 2016.
  2. Led by then sophomore Barry Brown, Jr., four Wildcats scored in double figures in the last meeting with Omaha on Nov. 15, 2016, as Brown scored 15 points on 5-of-11 field goals, while senior Wesley Iwundu and fellow sophomore Kamau Stokes each added 14 points.
  3. Head coach Bruce Weber is 2-0 in his career vs. Omaha, coaching K-State during the wins in 2014 and 2016.
  4. K-State is 54-3 all-time against teams from the Summit League, including a 47-0 mark in games played at home. The Wildcats have already defeated one Summit League foe this season, posting a 62-58 win over Kansas City on Nov. 30 for their first win of the season.

HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

  1. K-State has posted a 390-130 (.750) all-time record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 390 wins are the most at a home venue for the Wildcats, surpassing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88). It is the school’s third home venue.
  2. K-State has registered a 190-50 (.792) record at home over the past 15 seasons, including an 82-40 (.678) mark in Big 12 play. The 190 wins rank fourth among all Big 12 schools in that span, while the 82 league victories at home are among the top in the Big 12. In all, the program has double-digit victories in 26 of its 32 seasons in the arena.
  3. K-State has a 251-72 (.777) record at home, including a 147-15 (.907) mark in non-conference action, since the 2001-02 season for an average of just over 13 home wins (13.1) per season in that span.
  4. Head coach Bruce Weber has tallied a 105-34 (.755) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State in 2012-13 with just 10 non-conference home losses. The 34 losses (25 of which have come in Big 12 play) have come by a grand total of 334 points or just 9.8 points per game.

NON-CONFERENCE HISTORY

  1. K-State has a 114-12 (.905) record at home venues (includes home games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play dating back to the 2006-07 season, including a 105-10 (.913) mark at Bramlage Coliseum
  2. Despite seeing their 33-game winning streak end at Bramlage Coliseum with a loss to Marquette on Dec. 7, 2019, the Wildcats have still won 101 of their last 111 non-conference home games.
  3. K-State has posted a 150-46 (.765) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. Prior to last season, the team had posted double-digit non-conference wins in 12 of the last 13 seasons.

LAST TIME OUT: K-STATE 70, JACKSONVILLE 46

  1. Freshman Nijel Pack paced 3 Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 16 points, as K-State put together a complete team effort in posting a 70-46 win over Jacksonville on Dec. 21 in front of a limited capacity crowd of 504 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
  2. The Wildcats won their third game in the last 4 outings with a solid effort on both ends of the court, as the offense was efficient in producing a season-high 23 assists on 27 made field goals with 6 players scoring at least 6 points, while the defense held Jacksonville (6-4) to an opponent-low 46 points on 34 percent shooting (16-of-47), including 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from 3-point range, with 17 turnovers.
  3. K-State has now held 27 opponents under 50 points in head coach Bruce Weber’s tenure with the Wildcats boasting a 26-1 record in those games. The team held Jacksonville to opponent season lows for points (46), field goals made (16) and attempted (47) and field goal percentage (34.0).
  4. Pack was joined in double figures by sophomore DaJuan Gordon, who earned his second double-double in the last 3 games with 13 points and a career-best 12 rebounds to go with 3 steals, and senior Mike McGuirl, who added 12 points and dished out a game-high 7 assists. Three others (Selton Miguel, Carlton Linguard, Jr., and Seryee Lewis) all added at least 6 points in the Wildcats’ largest win of the season.
  5. The Wildcats connected on 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field, including 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from 3-point range, in the first half to build as much as a 20-point lead. A key 13-0 run midway through the first half flipped a narrow 11-10 lead into a 24-10 advantage with just 9 to play. Seven different players had at least one made field goal, while 5 had at least one assist.
  6. Pack scored 12 of his game-high 16 points in the first half, as the freshman point guard connected on 4-of-6 field goals, including a season-best 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Gordon had a near double-double at the half, grabbing 10 rebounds to equal the entire total for Jacksonville, while posting 8 points.
  7. The second half proved much the same, as the Wildcats built as much as a 30-point lead late in the second half, as 11 available players saw action in the final contest before the team took an 8-day break from competition. 

UP NEXT: TCU (6-2, 1-1 Big 12)

  1. K-State will return to Big 12 play on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to TCU (6-2, 1-1 Big 12) at 1 p.m., CT on ESPNU. The Horned Frogs will host Prairie View A&M on Wednesday at 7 p.m., CT. TCU won both regular season matchups in 2019-20 before K-State prevented the season sweep with a 53-49 win in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.

NOTES ON OMAHA

  1. Omaha (2-7) should enter Tuesday’s game well rested after last playing a game at Wyoming on Dec. 17. The Mavericks played all 9 of their games in a 23-day span since the season opened on Nov. 25. The team has played back-to-back days twice, including a 91-49 loss at Colorado on Dec. 16 and an 82-78 setback at Wyoming on Dec. 17. Overall, the squad has lost 3 in a row with its wins against Middle Tennessee State (60-59) and SIUE (65-63).
  2. The Mavericks are averaging 62.1 points per game on 38.2 percent shooting, including 26.8 percent from 3-point range, with 35.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per game, while allowing opponents to average 79.2 points on 45.9 percent shooting, including 40.1 percent from long range. The team is connecting on 68.6 percent from the free throw line.
  3. Three players are averaging in double figures led by junior guard Marlon Ruffin’s 11.4 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting and a near perfect free throw percentage of 91.7 percent. Fellow junior Wanjang Tut averages 10.2 points on 52 percent shooting, while Wichita native and senior Matt Pile is averaging a near double-double with 10.1 points on 50.0 percent shooting with a team-high 9.0 rebounds per game. He recently became the Mavericks’ 42nd 1,000-point scorer in the loss at Wyoming on Dec. 17. Senior Ayo Akinwole is the team’s leader in assists with 22 on the season to go with a team-best 11 3-pointers on 39.3 percent shooting.
  4. Omaha is in its 108th season of basketball, but just its 10th at the Division I level. The Mavericks have posted a 135-154 record since making the move to Division I in 2011-12, which includes 16 or more wins 5 times in the last 7 seasons, including a 21-win season in 2018-19.
  5. Head coach Derrin Hansen is in his 16th season at Omaha with a 245-222 record, which includes 8 winning seasons and 3 20-win seasons.

SERIES HISTORY

  1. K-State and Omaha will meet for the third time on Tuesday in a series that dates to 2014. The Wildcats won both meetings with the Mavericks, posting an 84-66 win on Dec. 2, 2014 and 81-68 on Nov. 15, 2016.
  2. Led by then sophomore Barry Brown, Jr., four Wildcats scored in double figures in the last meeting with Omaha on Nov. 15, 2016, as Brown scored 15 points on 5-of-11 field goals, while senior Wesley Iwundu and fellow sophomore Kamau Stokes each added 14 points.
  3. Head coach Bruce Weber is 2-0 in his career vs. Omaha, coaching K-State during the wins in 2014 and 2016.
  4. K-State is 54-3 all-time against teams from the Summit League, including a 47-0 mark in games played at home. The Wildcats have already defeated one Summit League foe this season, posting a 62-58 win over Kansas City on Nov. 30 for their first win of the season.

HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

  1. K-State has posted a 390-130 (.750) all-time record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 390 wins are the most at a home venue for the Wildcats, surpassing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88). It is the school’s third home venue.
  2. K-State has registered a 190-50 (.792) record at home over the past 15 seasons, including an 82-40 (.678) mark in Big 12 play. The 190 wins rank fourth among all Big 12 schools in that span, while the 82 league victories at home are among the top in the Big 12. In all, the program has double-digit victories in 26 of its 32 seasons in the arena.
  3. K-State has a 251-72 (.777) record at home, including a 147-15 (.907) mark in non-conference action, since the 2001-02 season for an average of just over 13 home wins (13.1) per season in that span.
  4. Head coach Bruce Weber has tallied a 105-34 (.755) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State in 2012-13 with just 10 non-conference home losses. The 34 losses (25 of which have come in Big 12 play) have come by a grand total of 334 points or just 9.8 points per game.

NON-CONFERENCE HISTORY

  1. K-State has a 114-12 (.905) record at home venues (includes home games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play dating back to the 2006-07 season, including a 105-10 (.913) mark at Bramlage Coliseum
  2. Despite seeing their 33-game winning streak end at Bramlage Coliseum with a loss to Marquette on Dec. 7, 2019, the Wildcats have still won 101 of their last 111 non-conference home games.
  3. K-State has posted a 150-46 (.765) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. Prior to last season, the team had posted double-digit non-conference wins in 12 of the last 13 seasons.

LAST TIME OUT: K-STATE 70, JACKSONVILLE 46

  1. Freshman Nijel Pack paced 3 Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 16 points, as K-State put together a complete team effort in posting a 70-46 win over Jacksonville on Dec. 21 in front of a limited capacity crowd of 504 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
  2. The Wildcats won their third game in the last 4 outings with a solid effort on both ends of the court, as the offense was efficient in producing a season-high 23 assists on 27 made field goals with 6 players scoring at least 6 points, while the defense held Jacksonville (6-4) to an opponent-low 46 points on 34 percent shooting (16-of-47), including 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from 3-point range, with 17 turnovers.
  3. K-State has now held 27 opponents under 50 points in head coach Bruce Weber’s tenure with the Wildcats boasting a 26-1 record in those games. The team held Jacksonville to opponent season lows for points (46), field goals made (16) and attempted (47) and field goal percentage (34.0).
  4. Pack was joined in double figures by sophomore DaJuan Gordon, who earned his second double-double in the last 3 games with 13 points and a career-best 12 rebounds to go with 3 steals, and senior Mike McGuirl, who added 12 points and dished out a game-high 7 assists. Three others (Selton Miguel, Carlton Linguard, Jr., and Seryee Lewis) all added at least 6 points in the Wildcats’ largest win of the season.
  5. The Wildcats connected on 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field, including 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from 3-point range, in the first half to build as much as a 20-point lead. A key 13-0 run midway through the first half flipped a narrow 11-10 lead into a 24-10 advantage with just 9 to play. Seven different players had at least one made field goal, while 5 had at least one assist.
  6. Pack scored 12 of his game-high 16 points in the first half, as the freshman point guard connected on 4-of-6 field goals, including a season-best 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Gordon had a near double-double at the half, grabbing 10 rebounds to equal the entire total for Jacksonville, while posting 8 points.
  7. The second half proved much the same, as the Wildcats built as much as a 30-point lead late in the second half, as 11 available players saw action in the final contest before the team took an 8-day break from competition. 

UP NEXT: TCU (6-2, 1-1 Big 12)

  1. K-State will return to Big 12 play on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to TCU (6-2, 1-1 Big 12) at 1 p.m., CT on ESPNU. The Horned Frogs will host Prairie View A&M on Wednesday at 7 p.m., CT. TCU won both regular season matchups in 2019-20 before K-State prevented the season sweep with a 53-49 win in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
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