How about a Top 25 match-up inside of Bramlage Coliseum with the first-place team in the league (Kansas State) facing one of the four Big 12 teams two games back of the Wildcats in the loss column in Iowa State?
That's what we get today in Manhattan, as the Wildcats look to win their 10th straight Big 12 game and strengthen their lead at the top of the conference. Follow along all day, and through the game, at the KSO GameCenter.
THREE KEYS (and a pick)
1. Clean the glass
It's pretty easy to make the case Iowa State is the worst rebounding team in the Big 12, and it's a big reason why K-State was able to win in Ames earlier this year. The Wildcats won the battle of the boards 39-31 and had 13 offensive rebounds in the one-point win. K-State struggled on the glass in Austin against Texas' length, but there shouldn't be a similar problem this Saturday at home.
2. Close out on threes
Iowa State shoots (and makes) a bunch of threes. The Cyclones don't, however, shoot it at a particularly efficient rate. K-State can bait ISU into deep, guarded threes, low-percentage shots the Cyclones will willingly take. K-State has to be sound in its rotations and work inside, but if the Wildcats are able to do those things I can see ISU forcing a bunch of tough shots from deep.
3. Get Wade going
Dean Wade returned against Iowa State and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds in Ames, but he clearly wasn't back to full strength in the Wildcats' narrow victory. The 6-foot-10 senior has typically lit up ISU, and it would be nice to see him do so again early this Saturday by feeding him the ball early and often.
PREDICTION: This is going to be a challenging game for K-State. Iowa State desperately wants revenge for an earlier setback in Ames and to earn a key win for its own Big 12 title hopes. It will be close throughout, but the Wildcats are simply the better team and are playing at home. By the time the three-minute mark arrives the game will no longer be in doubt, and K-State will be well on its way to its 10th straight Big 12 win.
K-State 72, Iowa State 63
OFFICIAL PREVIEW: Provided by the KSU Sports Information Department
GAME 25
18/18 KANSAS STATE (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) vs. 23/22 IOWA STATE (18-6, 7-4 Big 12)
Saturday, February 16, 2019 >> 3:05 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.
TELEVISION
ESPN2 / ESPN3
Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play)Robbie Hummel (analyst)Brian Boyle (producer)
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)Stan Weber (analyst)
Listen Online: TuneIn.com [free] // www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]
Satellite Radio: Sirius 135 / XM 199 / Internet 953
LIVE STATS
kstate.statbroadcast.com [media only]
TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $35 (bench & GA)/$75 (chairback)
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 457-240/21st season
At K-State: 144-85/7th season
vs. Iowa State: 6-8 (4-2 at home)
Iowa State: Steve Prohm (Alabama ’97)
Overall: 182-76/8th season
At Iowa State: 78-47/4th season
vs. Kansas State: 4-3 (2-1 on the road)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (19-5, 9-2 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien
Iowa State (18-6, 7-4 Big 12)
G: #1 Nick Weiler-Babb
G: #3 Marial Shayok
G: #11 Talen Horton-Tucker
G: #22 Tyrese Haliburton
F: #12 Michael Jacobson
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 140-87
Current Streak: K-State, 3
In Manhattan: K-State leads 81-27
At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 21-9
Last Meeting: W, 58-57, 1/12/19
Weber vs. Prohm: 3-4 (1-2 at home)
OPENING TIP
No. 18/18 Kansas State (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats face No. 23/22 Iowa State (18-6, 7-4 Big 12) in a battle of Big 12 title contenders.
The team will meet as ranked foes for just the third time in the 228-game series, including the first time since 2014. The Wildcats jumped into the Top 25 on Monday for the first time since a 6-week stay ended on Dec. 10, 2018, while the Cyclones have been ranked for most of the season, including each of the last 4 weeks.
Saturday’s game will tip at 3:05 p.m., CT on ESPN2 with Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) on the call.
K-State enters Saturday’s game in first place in the Big 12, just a game and a half ahead of the second-place duo of No. 15/15 Texas Tech (20-5, 8-4 Big 12) and No. 14/14 Kansas (19-6, 8-4 Big 12) and two games ahead of fourth-place tandem of No. 23/22 Iowa State and Baylor (16-8, 7-4 Big 12).
Seven Big 12 schools have at least 5 league wins with between 6 and 7 games left in the regular season. K-State’s current 9-game conference winning streak is the longest by a Wildcat team in the Big 12 era and the longest regular-season conference winning streak in 45 seasons since the Wildcats won 11 consecutive league games from Jan. 14 to Feb. 26, 1974. K-State is the 13th Big 12 team to win 9 straight league games since the league’s inception in 1997, including the 10th to do it within the regular season.
K-State played perhaps its best offensive game of the season in Tuesday’s 71-64 win at Texas, as all five players scored in double figures en route to the team shooting 54.9 percent (28-of-51) from the field, including 50 percent or better in each half. Down 39-31 with 1:37 remaining before halftime, the Wildcats combined for a 23-8 run between the two halves, including a 19-8 run to start the second half, to earn its third consecutive win over Texas at the Frank Erwin Center and even the season series at 1-1 after losing the Big 12 opener, 67-47, to the Longhorns on Jan. 2. Senior Barry Brown, Jr., and junior Xavier Sneed each scored a team-tying 16 points, as the Wildcats moved to 9-1 this season when four or more players register double digits.
Iowa State has had a week off since dropping a 92-83 decision at home to TCU, which ended the Cyclones’ 4-game winning streak. The Cyclones have the Big 12’s top offense, leading the league in scoring offense (79.0 ppg.), field goal percentage (48.1), free throw percentage (73.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4). The team has balance with 4 players averaging in double figures led by Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Marial Shayok, who ranks second in the league in scoring at 19.3 points per game.
K-State and Iowa State will meet for the 228th time in its respective histories on Saturday with the Wildcats holding a 140-87 advantage in a series that dates to 1909. The series has been one of the most competitive since the start of Big 12 play with the Cyclones holding a 24-23 edge.
K-State won the first meeting, 58-57, in dramatic fashion on Jan. 12 at Hilton Coliseum with Barry Brown, Jr.’s driving lay-up with 4 seconds left. K-State, which has relied on its defense most of the season, has shown some offensive improvement in the last 4 games, averaging 72.5 points on 47.4 percent shooting (102-of-215), including 44.8 percent (43-of-96) from 3-point range, with 70 assists on 102 made field goals.
NOTES ON 23/22 IOWA STATE
No. 23/22 Iowa State (18-6, 7-4 Big 12) is coming off a 92-83 loss to TCU at home last Saturday, which snapped the Cyclones’ 4-game winning streak. Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Marial Shayok paced 4 players in double figures with game-high 24 points in the loss to the Horned Frogs, which was just the second at Hilton Coliseum this season.
The squad is 4-3 away from home this season, including 3-2 in Big 12 play, which includes a 68-64 victory over Texas Tech that ended the Red Raiders’ homecourt winning streak. Iowa State is averaging a Big 12-best 79 points on 48.1 percent shooting, including 36.0 percent from 3-point range, to go with 35.6 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.6 blocks per game, while allowing 66.8 points on 41.5 percent shooting, including 32.5 percent from 3-point range. The team is connecting on 73.7 percent from the free throw line. Iowa State is averaging 73.2 points in Big 12 play on 44.7 percent shooting, including 36 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 68.3 points on 43.1 percent shooting, including 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
One of the most balanced teams in the Big 12, the Cyclones are led by Shayok, who paces four players in double figures at 19.3 points on 50 percent shooting, including 37.7 percent from 3-point range, to go with 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals. Sophomore Lindell Wigginton is averaging 12.6 points off the bench, while newcomers Michael Jacobson (12.2 ppg.) and Talen Horton-Tucker (12.0 ppg.) also average double figures.
Iowa State is led by fourth-year head coach Steve Prohm, who has posted a 78-47 (.624) record, which includes 2 trips to the NCAA Tournament. He is 182-76 (.705) in his eighth season as a head coach.
