Feb 05, 2024

🏀 MBB: K-State hosts Kansas in Dillons Sunflower Showdown

Posted Feb 05, 2024 11:13 AM
K-State men's basketball head coach Jerome Tang. Photo by Lathe Cobb/K-State Sports
K-State men's basketball head coach Jerome Tang. Photo by Lathe Cobb/K-State Sports

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State (14-8, 4-5 Big 12) renews one of the oldest rivalries in college basketball on Monday when the Wildcats welcome No. 8/9 Kansas (18-4, 6-3 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at 8 p.m., CT on ESPN. It will be the 300th meeting between the schools in the sixth-most played rivalry in Division I men's basketball history. The teams have met every year since 1907, making it the second-longest active rivalry in Division I history.Kansas' 204 wins in the series are the most by one opponent in NCAA history with 57 coming in the Big 12 era (1997-present), including 47 in the regular season. Six of K-State's 7 wins since 2006 have come at Bramlage Coliseum, including an 83-82 overtime win in head coach Jerome Tang's first season. The Wildcats have not won consecutive games since 2014 and 2015.

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KEY STORYLINES

  1. K-State has lost 4 consecutive games for the first time in head coach Jerome Tang's tenure with 3 of the 4 losses coming against ranked opponents (No. 23/18 Iowa State, No. 4/4 Houston and No. 23/24 Oklahoma). The 73-53 loss to the Sooners on Jan. 30 was just the third under Tang at Bramlage Coliseum, including the second Big 12 home setback. Among the Wildcats' 14 wins are 5 Quad 1 or 2 victories (Villanova, Providence, LSU, UCF and Baylor).
  2. The Wildcats hope Saturday's 72 point outburst at Oklahoma State is a sign the offense is getting back to normal after scoring 52 at No. 4/4 Houston and 53 vs. 23/24 Oklahoma. The team shot 46.8 percent from the field, including 56.3 percent in the second half at OSU.
  3. K-State has also had a strong presence at the rim, racking up 98 blocked shots through the first 22 games, which is just 2 shy of the 100 posted in 2022-23.
  4. Despite the 75-72 loss at Oklahoma State, K-State has shown the ability to win close games, posting a 5-2 mark in games decided by 4 points or less which includes wins over Providence, Villanova and No. 9/9 Baylor. The Wildcats are also 10-0 under Tang in overtime games, including 5-0 this season (Providence, ORU, North Alabama, Villanova and Baylor).
  5. The Wildcats have a strong scoring trio of junior Cam Carter (15.8 ppg.), senior Tylor Perry (14.6 ppg.) and junior Arthur Kaluma (14.4 ppg.), who are responsible for 62 percent of the team's scoring (44.8 out of 72.0 ppg.). K-State is the only Big 12 member to have 3 players rank in the league's top-15 in scoring, as Carter ranks seventh, Perry ninth and Kaluma 11th. The trio have continued that scoring in Big 12 play, averaging a combined 42.2 points per game.
  6. Turnovers continue to be a challenge for the Wildcats, as they rank 337th nationally and last in the Big 12 with 14.9 turnovers/game. During the team's 4-game skid, they have averaged 16.0 turnovers/game while yielding 19.3 points/game off those miscues.
  7. Fouling has also been an issue for K-State in the last 4 games, as the team has averaged 22.5 personal fouls per game, leading to 88 points for their opponents. In that span, opponents have 88 makes on 130 attempts compared to just 44 makes for the Wildcats on 67 attempts.

A K-STATE WIN WOULD


  1. Snap a 4-game losing streak.
  2. Give it 2 in a row at home vs. Kansas.
  3. Be the 26th in the last 29 home games under Jerome Tang.
  4. Be the 12th in the last 14 Big 12 home games under Tang.
  5. Be the 1,736th in the program history, including 96th vs. KU.

NOTES ON 8/9 KANSAS (18-4, 6-3 Big 12)

  1. Under Hall of Fame head coach Bill Self, Kansas is off to an 18-4 record, including a tie for first in the Big 12 with a 6-3 mark after sweeping both games at home last week against Oklahoma State (83-54) and No. 4/4 Houston (78-65). The Jayhawks are 2-3 on the road this season, including 1-3 in Big 12 play.
  2. Kansas is averaging 79.1 points on 51.5 percent shooting, including 36.5 percent from 3-point range, with 37.3 rebounds, 20.7 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.1 blocks per game, while allowing 67.5 points on 39.4 percent shooting, including 32 percent from 3-point range. The Jayhawks are connecting on 73.8 percent from the free throw line.
  3. Kansas ranks among the top-20 in several statistical categories, including first in assists, second in field goal percentage, ninth in effective field goal percentage (57.1), 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.72), 14th in field goal percentage defense (39.4) and 17th in defensive rebounds (28.91).
  4. Three Jayhawks (Kevin McCullar Jr., Hunter Dickinson and K.J. Adams Jr.) are averaging in double figures led by McCullar, who is averaging 19.7 points on 48 percent shooting, including a team-best 33 3-pointers on 35.9 percent shooting. He is also second in rebounding (6.4 rpg.) assists (4.6 apg.) and steals (1.4 spg.). Dickinson is averaging a double-double with 18.8 points and a Big 12-best 11.1 rebounds per game. Adams is averaging 12.6 points on 63.9 percent shooting. Senior Dajuan Harris Jr. has a Big 12-best 146 assists to go with his 7.4 points per game.  
  5. Self has an 809-241 record in his 31st season as a head coach, including a 602-136 mark at Kansas. He is 40-7 vs. K-State, including 15-6 on the road.

SERIES HISTORY

  1. Kansas holds a 204-95 advantage in the series vs. K-State, including an 81-49 mark in Manhattan. The Jayhawks are 57-7 in the Big 12 era (47-7 in regular season) with a 29-6 mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
  2. Six of the seven wins in the Big 12 era have come at Bramlage Coliseum, including an 83-82 overtime win in the last meeting on Jan. 17, 2023. The Wildcats have not back-to-back home games since 2014 and 2015.
  1. No. 7/6 K-State could not overcome an off-night offensively, as the Wildcats shot a season-low 33.9 percent in falling 90-78 to No. 8/8 Kansas in last meeting on Jan. 31, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse. The tandem of Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell combined for 45 points.

LAST MEETING IN MANHATTAN:13/15 K-STATE 83, 5/5 KANSAS 82 [OT]

  1. 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 last meeting at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 17, 2003. Johnson led the way with 24 points.

LAST TIME OUT:OKLAHOMA STATE 75, K-STATE 72

  1. K-State had two chances to tie the game with 12 seconds, including senior Tylor Perry's 3-point attempt with 1.5 seconds, as Oklahoma State held off a late Wildcat rally to post a 75-72 win on Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 7,623 fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
  2. K-State (14-8, 4-5 Big 12) nearly rallied from an 8-point deficit with just over 3 minutes to play in the closing minutes before neither last-second chance shot would fall. Perry, who scored all 19 of his game-high points in the second half, led four Wildcats in double figures, including 5 3-pointers, while junior Cam Carter added 17 points to go with team-highs in assists (5) and steals (3).
  3. Oklahoma State (10-12, 2-7 Big 12), which missed just 4 free throws, nearly gave K-State the opening it would need to tie the game, as the Cowboys made just 3 of their last 6 free throws in the last 90 seconds. After sophomore Quion Williams went 1-of-2 from the line, senior Will McNair connected on a layup to close the deficit to 73-70 with 1:01 to play. After junior Javon Small went 1-of-2 from the line, Perry's driving layup with 15 seconds closed the gap to 74-72.
  4. Following freshman Jamyron Keller's 1-of-2 effort from line and a timeout by OSU head coach Mike Boynton Jr., the Wildcats had two cracks to tie it with 12 seconds left, as Carter's 3-pointer missed with 5 seconds left followed by Perry's attempt with 1.5 seconds left. 
  5. The game seemed to flip at halftime, as the teams combined to score 56 points in the first half on 33.9 percent shooting, while they combined for 91 points in the second half on 57.6 percent shooting.
  6. Leading 29-27 at the break, it was OSU which took control of the game with a strong start to the second half as the Cowboys got hot from 3-point range to score 18 of the first 29 points to push ahead 47-38 with 14:20 left. The Wildcats cut the deficit to 59-55 on a McNair layup with 6:23 to play, but the Cowboys responded with 5 of the next 14 points to go up 68-60 with 3:18 to play.
  7. K-State lost for the fourth time when shooting better than its opponent, as the Wildcats finished the game at 46.8 percent (29-of-52) from the field, including 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from 3-point range. After hitting on 36.7 percent (11-of-30) in the first half, they made 56.3 percent (18-of-32) after halftime, including 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from long range.
  8. Perry and Carter were joined in double figures by junior Arthur Kaluma (14 points) and McNair (12 points). McNair had a near double-double with a team-high 9 rebounds. It marked the first time (7-1) this season that K-State lost when McNair registered double figures.
  9. Oklahoma State finished the afternoon at 44.1 percent (25-of-59) from the field, including 34.6 percent (9-of-26) from 3-point range, and made 14 of 18 attempts (77.8 percent) from the line. Five Cowboys scored in double figures, including 18 points from Small and 17 points from Williams.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

  1. The win allowed the Cowboys to snap a 3-game losing streak to the Wildcats and even the season series at 1-each after the 70-66 win by K-State at home on Jan. 20... K-State still leads the all-time series, 86-59.
  2. K-State is now 2-4 on the road, including 1-3 in Big 12 play.
  3. K-State won the rebounding battle, 36-31, for the 13th time, including 12 offensive rebounds that the Wildcats converted into 20 second-chance points.
  4. The specialty stats were nearly even with both scoring 32 points in the paint and getting 20 points from their benches... K-State held a 20-11 advantage in second-chance points, while OSU held a 16-13 edge in points off turnovers.

BETTER DEFENSIVE EFFORT

  1. 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 67.7 points on 38.9 percent (202-of-519) shooting, including 28.2 percent (58-of-206) from 3-point range. The Wildcats didn't allow 70 points in the first 5 Big 12 games in starting 4-1 before allowing 70 or more in the last 4 losses.
  2. Through 9 Big 12 games, K-State ranks among the top-4 in 4 defensive categories, including first in field goal percentage defense (38.9), second in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.2) and blocked shots (4.67 bpg.) and fourth in scoring defense (67.67).
  3. 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

  1. 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 sixth in the Big 12 and 94th nationally in rebounds/game (37.73), including seventh in the league and 70th nationally in offensive rebounds/game (12.18).
  2. K-State has out-rebounded its opponents 13 times in 22 games, while posting a +3.0 rebounding margin, which ranks 105th nationally.
  3. K-State has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in 7 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.

CONVERTING FROM THE LINE

  1. K-State has taken advantage of its opportunities from the free throw line, averaging 14.8 makes per game while converting on 72.6 percent from the line. The Wildcats rank among top-125 nationally in both makes (14.8) and attempts (20.4) per game, as the squad places seventh in the Big 12 in both categories.
  2. 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 16.9 makes on 22.6 attempts in their 14 wins, while they average just 11.1 makes on 16.6 attempts in their 8 losses. In contrast, their opponents average 11.1 makes on 15.9 attempts in the wins compared to 16.8 makes on 23.6 attempts in the losses.

OVERTIME SUCCESS

  1. K-State moved to 10-0 in overtime games, including 5-0 this season, under head coach Jerome Tang after Tuesday's dramatic come-from-behind 68-64 victory over No. 9/9 Baylor. The Wildcats scored the last 9 points in the overtime period, including the game-clinching 4-point play from junior Arthur Kaluma with 20 seconds left, to earn the victory. This came after the squad rallied from a 6-point deficit with 1:53 to play to force the extra period.
  2. K-State has outscored its opponents, 65-46, in the overtime period, as the Wildcats have connected on 62.1 percent (18-of-29) from the field, including 50 percent (5-of-10) from 3-point range, and 82.8 percent (24-of-29) from the line. 
  3. K-State's 5 overtime wins this season tie the school record for the second consecutive season and the third time overall (1992-93 and 2022-23). The 5 overtimes also tie for the most in a single season. The 3 consecutive overtime games (Oral Roberts, North Alabama and Villanova) earlier this year marked the first such occurrence since winning 3 straight overtime games in Feb. 3-15, 1964.
  4. Tang is the first head coach in school history to win his first 10 overtime games, surpassing Dana Altman (1990-94), who was a perfect 7-0 in overtime games in his tenure. The 10 total overtime wins are the third-most by a head coach, trailing Tex Winter (15) and Jack Hartman (14).

OFFENSE CREATING MORE 3-POINTERS

  1. 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 531 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 24.1 attempts per game, which ranks third in the Big 12.
  2. K-State has connected on 165 3-pointers, which are the second-most through the first 22 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.
  3. Senior Tylor Perry is among the top 3-point shooters, as he ranks among the top-70 nationally in three 3-point categories, including 13th in attempts (184), 63rd in total 3-pointers (59) and 66th in 3-point field goals/game (2.68).

MORE THAN JUST THE 3

  1. K-State has shown its offense is more than just the 3-pointer, as the team is averaging 31.6 points in the paint this season, including 27.7 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.
  2. 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.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

YearOverallHomeBramlage2006-0711-47-07-02007-0810-48-17-12008-0912-311-010-02009-1013-19-08-02010-1112-39-18-12011-1211-17-06-02012-1311-29-08-02013-1410-37-17-12014-157-66-25-22015-1611-28-08-02016-1711-28-08-02017-1811-28-18-02018-1910-37-06-02019-207-66-26-12020-214-54-54-52021-228-56-16-12022-2312-18-07-02023-2410-38-17-1Total180-56137-15126-13 1700 WINS AND COUNTING

  1. 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.
  2. The Wildcats have 1,735-1,231 (.585) all-time record as a program, which includes 32 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.

LATE GAME PERRY

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. Senior Tylor Perry has proven to be more than just a scorer, as he leads the Wildcats in assists (4.8 apg.) while he is second in scoring (14.6 ppg.) and steals (1.3 spg.) and fifth in rebounds (3.0 rpg.). Perry ranks in the Big 12's top-10 in scoring (9th), assists (6th) and 3-point field goals (3rd). 
  2. Perry has scored in double figures in 16 of the first 22 games, including in 11 of the last 16 games. Among those 16 double-digit scoring games is a team-best 6 20-point games, which includes 22 vs. USC (11/6/23) and South Dakota State (11/13/23), 24 vs. Providence (11/17/23), 20 vs. Oral Roberts (11/28/23), 25 vs. UCF (1/6/24) and 23 vs. No. 23/24 Oklahoma (1/30/24).
  3. Perry ranks the Big 12's top 15 in 7 categories, including tops in minutes (36.01), second in free throw percentage (90.6), fourth in 3-point field goals (2.68), sixth in assists (4.8 apg.), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.96), ninth in scoring (14.6 ppg.) and 14th in 3-point field goal percentage (32.1).
  4. 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 1,364 points at the Division I level.
  5. In addition to leading the team in scoring in 11 games, Perry has led the way in assists in 15 games, while he has been the leader in steals in 6 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

  1. Senior Tylor Perry ranks among the best from the free throw line, hitting on 90.6 percent (96-of-106). He ranks 13th nationally and first in the Big 12. He made 34 straight free throws before missing in overtime vs. Oral Roberts.
  2. 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

  1. 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 22 games, averaging a team-best 15.8 points per game. He also leads in double-digit scoring games (19), field goals (125) and attempts (301), while he is second to Tylor Perry in 20-point games (4), 3-pointers (44) and attempts (136). He has double figures in 15 of the last 16 games, including in 8 of 9 Big 12 games.
  2. 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).
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. In addition to scoring in double figures in his team-best 18 games, Carter notched his first career double-double vs. Oral Roberts (11/28/23), posting 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting with a career-best 10 rebounds, 5 assists and team-high 3 steals.
  6. Carter ranks in the Big 12's top 10 in 3 categories, including second in minutes (35.7), seventh in scoring (15.8 ppg.) and ninth in steals (1.68 spg.).

FINDING A RHYTHM

  1. 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 18 games, all coming in the last 20 games played, while totaling a team-best 4 double-doubles. He is third in scoring at 14.4 points per game, while averaging a team-best rebounds at 7.1 per game.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Kaluma is one of 3 players (Kansas' Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr.) in the Big 12 to rank in the top-15 in both scoring and rebounding.

ATTACKING THE GLASS

  1. Senior David N'Guessan has been impressive so far on the glass, ranking eighth in the Big 12 in rebounding at 6.8 boards per game. He ranks fourth in the league in offensive rebounds (2.91 orpg.), while he is 15th in defensive rebounds (3.86 drpg.). He has a team-best double-digit rebounds in 5 games, including a career-best 14 boards vs. UCF (1/6/24).
  2. 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).
  3. N'Guessan has increased his scoring output while continuing his impressive play on the glass, posting double-digit points on 7 occasions, including a season-high 17 points in the win at West Virginia (1/9/24).
  4. 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

  1. Senior Will McNair is off to solid start to the season, averaging 7.5 points on 61.4 percent shooting to go along with 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks through 21 games with 19 starts in 22.4 minutes per game. K-State lost for the first time when he scored in double figures after his 12-point effort at Oklahoma State (2/3/24).
  2. McNair came off the bench to score 8 points vs. USC (11/6/23) then has earned starts in 16 of the last 18 games. He has double figures in 7 of those 19 starts, including a season-best 13 points at LSU (12/9/23). He had a terrific all-around effort in the loss at Texas Tech (1/13/24), nearly posting a double-double with 9 points and 9 rebounds to go with a career-best 5 blocks.

BOOST FROM THE BENCH

  1. Redshirt freshman Dorian Finister is starting to become a spark off the bench for the Wildcats, as he is averaging 15.8 minutes in the last 11 games with 16.9 minutes of action so far in Big 12 play. He is averaging 3.8 points on 38.9 percent shooting with 3.4 rebounds and 1.30 assists in Big 12 play.
  2. 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.

FRESHMEN SHOWING PROMISE

  1. 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.
  2. 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 20 games, averaging 9.3 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

  1. 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.
  2. Kaluma and Perry are the first Wildcats named to the Preseason All-Big 12 since Barry Brown Jr. and Dean Wade in 2018-19.
  3. 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.
  4. 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 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. K-State, along with the University of Arizona, are the first college teams to ever take a foreign tour to Abu Dhabi. 
  5. 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.
  6. For more information on the organization and its mission, visit athletesforisrael.org.

UP NEXT: AT 22/21 BYU (16-5, 4-4 Big 12)

  1. K-State makes its first trip to Provo, Utah in the new Big 12 on Saturday, as the Wildcats play at No. 22/21 BYU (16-5, 4-4 Big 12) at the Marriott Center at 9 p.m., CT on ESPN2 or ESPNU.
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