Preview and Prediction: Kansas State (5-9, 1-5) vs Oklahoma (7-4, 3-3)

Lon Kruger's Oklahoma Sooners are off to a 3-3 start in Big 12 play, with a 7-4 record overall.

The Sooners' best win is over West Virginia, plus they already have the season sweep over TCU. Oklahoma's Big 12 losses are to Baylor, Kansas and Texas Tech, in addition to a non-conference loss to Xavier.

The Sooners played their last two games without two of their top seven players, as Brady Manek and Jalen Hill were both in Covid-19 protocols. They also had their Saturday game vs Oklahoma State postponed due to Covid-19.

Their offensive strength is taking care of the ball and the Sooners lead the Big 12 in turnover rate allowed at 15.1 percent.

Oklahoma is fairly average at everything else, featuring an offensive efficiency of 1.05 (sixth) and an effective field goal percentage of 48.8 (seventh), while making 48.9 percent of their twos (eighth) and 32.4 percent of their threes (seventh).

The Sooners only rebound 29.0 percent of their misses (seventh) and don't get to the free throw line often, with a rate of 26.2 percent (eighth), but they do make 76.8 percent of their free throws (second).

Oklahoma's defense has been solid in Big 12 play, ranking third in the league at 1.00 points per possession allowed (third).

They are one of the league's best defensive rebounding teams, only allowing opponents to rebound 27.0 percent of their misses (second).

They are solid at forcing turnovers (19.8 percent, fourth) and not sending teams to the free throw line (26.0 percent free throw rate, fourth).

The Sooners allow opponents to make 48.3 percent of their two-point attempts (sixth) and 37.2 percent of their shots from beyond the arc (ninth) for an eFG% (effective field goal percentage) allowed of 51.2 percent (sixth).

There isn't a single stat where Kansas State has a legitimate advantage going into this game using Big 12 stats, though the Sooners don't have huge advantages in most, either.

It seems like a game where K-State could stick around a bit if they can hit some shots against a defense that isn't dominant, and if they can take advantage of a Sooner offense that hasn't been great at making shots.

Oklahoma's best player has been Wichita State transfer Austin Reaves and he has continued to show the ability to score at a high rate in his second year. Reaves leads the team with 15.8 points per game, along with 5.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds.

However, his 3PT% (three-point percentage) has dipped to 26.1 percent.

Brady Manek is still in Norman with really good stretch-4 skills and is expected to return after missing two games under Covid-19 protocols.

Manek's scoring and rebounding are down slightly this year to 13.4 points per game and 4.4 rebounds, but he is hitting 41.2 percent from three-point land, the best shooting of his career.

De'Vion Harmon has shown improvement in his second year at Oklahoma, scoring 11.6 points per game to go with 2.3 assists while hitting 37.1 percent from three.

Junior college transfer Alondes Williams is another second year player averaging 8.0 points per game and 3.9 rebounds, but he is only making 16.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Kur Kuath is another JuCo transfer in his third season (medical redshirted his first year at Oklahoma) and has been solid at the '5' spot with 7.5 points per game to go with 5.0 rebounds.

North Texas transfer Umoja Gibson has provided solid depth on the perimeter with 8.9 points per game, while making 44.8 percent from three.

Cal St-Northridge transfer Elijah Harkless provides perimeter depth and had two starts while Manek was unavailable.

In the frontcourt, second year player Jalen Hill has been solid with 3.7 points per game and 3.7 rebounds, along with another second year big, Victor Iwuakor, and his 6.2 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Oklahoma's only contributing freshman is three-star recruit Trey Phipps who plays sparingly on the perimeter.

The Sooners are a solid team, but a better matchup for Kansas State and it seems like a game where the Wildcats can be more competitive.

I don't think K-State will have enough offense to grab the road win, but I expect this game to be competitive for most of the way, before Oklahoma pulls away late.

Sooners 68 - Cats 61

Kansas State is on a four game losing streak and now head to Norman to face a really quality Oklahoma team. The Sooners, like many other Big 12 squads, had one of their two games postponed last week.

They did, however, play TCU. Without Brady Manek, they throttled them by almost 40 points. Manek will be back for the matchup with the Wildcats. But they've already proved they can handle the bottom of the Big 12 without their best player.

K-State is in desperate need of at least playing a more competitive contest.

Last time out the Wildcats were handled rather easily in Austin and both teams were missing key pieces. The young unit should be eager to get that loss out of their minds and, at the very least, keep the game tonight interesting in Norman.

Ultimately, the poor defense will catch up to Kansas State, like it has many times this season, and the Sooners will pull away.

The top seven teams in the Big 12 will be licking their chops to try to dismantle the Wildcats. The goal will be to stay competitive enough to keep the team believing that they can win some games in the future.

Kaosi Ezeagu (knee): questionable

DaJuan Gordon (ankle): probable

Luke Kasubke (foot): healthy

Montavious Murphy (knee): out indefinitely

Nijel Pack (COVID-19/contact tracing): doubtful

INJURIES, YOUTH DEFINE SEASON SO FAR FOR K-STATE

Very few teams in the country have had to deal with the mixture of injuries, COVID-19 protocols and youth quite like K-State has in 2020-21.

Already one of the country’s most inexperienced teams with just 4 returning lettermen and 11 total underclassmen, the Wildcats have seen 7 different players miss at least 1 game this season, while only 2 players (senior Mike McGuirl and sophomore DaJuan Gordon) are currently active who started the season opener with Drake on Nov. 25.

K-State is one of just 6 schools nationally (Duke, Kentucky, James Madison, North Carolina and Washington State) to start at least 3 true freshmen in one game this season, while the 31 combined starts by Wildcat true freshmen are second only to Kentucky’s 39.

GAMES MISSED IN 2020-21 [44]

Luke Kasubke - 13 (made his season debut at Texas)

Kaosi Ezeagu - 10 (has not played since 12/5/20)

Montavious Murphy - 10 (expected to miss rest of season)

Carlton Linguard, Jr. - 4 (missed first 4 games but back now)

Antonio Gordon - 4 (returned to action at Texas)

Nijel Pack - 2 (has not played since 1/5/21)

Seryee Lewis - 1 (returned to action at Texas)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (5-9, 1-5 Big 12) concludes its 2-game road trip on Tuesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Norman, Okla., to take on Oklahoma (7-4, 3-3 Big 12) at 5:30 p.m., CT at the Lloyd Noble Center. K-State is looking for its first road win in the series since a 74-61 win on Jan. 16, 2019, its only win in the last 5 visits to Norman. Tuesday’s game will air on the FOX Sports Oklahoma (along with FOX Sports Kansas City) with Chad McKee (play-by-play) and Bryndon Manzer (analyst) on the call. The game will also air on the entire FOX Sports Kansas City footprint.

K-State will once again meet lettermen and former head coach Lon Kruger, who is entering his 10th season at Oklahoma. Kruger is one of 10 Wildcats to have their jerseys raised to the rafters, as the Silver Lake, Kansas, native was a 2-time Big Eight Player of the Year (1973, 1974) and 2-time Academic All-American for K-State from 1971-74. Kruger led the Wildcats to 61-22 (.735) record during his playing career, which included 2 Big Eight titles and pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. He later served as assistant (1978-82) for Hartman before succeeding him as head coach in 1986 where he became the first head coach in school history to lead the Wildcats to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, posting an 81-46 (.638) record.

K-State is coming off an 82-67 loss at No. 4/4 Texas on Saturday, as the Wildcats couldn’t overcome a poor start in falling for the fourth consecutive time in January. The Longhorns connected on 57.1 percent in the first half, including 46.7 percent from 3-point range, while holding the Wildcats to a season-low 30 percent, including 33.3 percent from long range, to build a 20-point lead at the break. K-State finally go some offensive rhythm going in the second half, connecting on 57.1 percent from the field to outscore Texas, 43-38. Freshman big man Davion Bradford led four players in double figures with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting with team-high 7 rebounds, while junior Rudi Williams added 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

The game at No. 4/4 Texas was the first for K-State in a week since taking a pause to activities due to a limited number of players caused by both injuries and COVID-19 protocols, which forced a postponement of the Iowa State home game on Jan. 13. The Wildcats got some good news with the return of sophomore forward Antonio Gordon, who started in place of the injured DaJuan Gordon after missing 4 straight games, and got the season debut of freshman guard Luke Kasubke, who had missed the first 13 games due to a foot injury. In all, seven players have missed at least one game this season, including season-opening starters Kaosi Ezeagu, Montavious Murphy and Nijel Pack.

K-State will be playing in just its fourth road contest and up until Saturday’s loss at No. 4/4 Texas had played well in those previous 2 matchups, knocking off Iowa State, 74-65, on Dec. 15 to snap a 9-game road Big 12 losing streak before the 82-71 loss at No. 18/19 Texas Tech on Jan. 5.

K-State has started 3 true freshmen (Bradford, Selton Miguel and Pack) in 7 of 14 games, including 4 of 6 Big 12 games, while at least 2 true freshmen have started each of the last 9 games. The Wildcats are one of 6 teams (Kentucky, Duke, James Madison, North Carolina and Washington State) to start at least 3 true freshmen in at least one game, while the 31 combined starts by true freshmen rank second only to Kentucky’s 39.

NOTES ON OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma (7-4, 3-3 Big 12) has now played since an 82-46 win over TCU on Jan. 12 after seeing its rivalry game with Oklahoma State on Saturday get postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the OSU program. The win over the Horned Frogs snapped a 2-game skid by the Sooners, as four players scored in double figures led by sophomore De’Vion Harmon’s game-high 22 points, while senior Austin Reaves added 11 points and 7 assists.

Oklahoma is averaging 77.8 points on 44.8 percent shooting, including 34.3 percent from 3-point range, with 37.5 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.6 blocks per game, while allowing 68.4 points on 41.8 percent shooting, including 37.7 percent from 3-point range. The team has connected on a Big 12-best 79.3 percent from the free throw line.

The Big 12’s second-best scoring offense team has seven players averaging 6 or more points, including 15.8 points per game from Reaves, who is hitting on 44.8 percent from the field with team-bests in both rebounding (5.4 rpg.) and assists (5.2 apg.) in 31.0 minutes per game. Fellow senior Brady Manek is averaging 13.2 points on 45.1 percent shooting, including 41.2 percent from 3-point range, with 4.4 rebounds, while Harmon is averaging 11.6 points on 46.5 percent shooting with 2.8 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game.

Oklahoma is led by 10th-year head coach Lon Kruger, who has a 186-121 (.606) record, which includes 6 NCAA Tournaments and the 2016 Final Four . He is 665-425 (.611) in his 35th season as a head coach, which includes an 81-46 (.638) mark and 4 NCAA Tournaments at K-State from 1986-90.

SERIES HISTORY

K-State and Oklahoma will meet for the 212th time in their histories with the Sooners holding a 109-102 advantage in a series that dates to 1920. The Sooners are 64-28 at home, including a 26-11 mark at the Lloyd Noble Center with 4 wins in the last 5 meetings.

K-State has won 8 of the last 12 meetings with Oklahoma, which includes a split of the series a season ago with the Sooners winning 66-61 at home in the first conference game on Jan. 4, 2020 before the Wildcats earned a 61-53 victory at home on Jan. 29.

Head coach Bruce Weber is 11-5 all-time against Oklahoma, including a 3-5 mark on the road, while he is 11-5 against head coach Lon Kruger. Kruger is 9-11 all-time against his alma mater, including 7-3 at home.

TELEVISION

FOX Sports Oklahoma / FOX Sports Kansas City

Chad McKee (play-by-play)

Bryndon Manzer (analyst)

Theron Smith (producer)

RADIO

K-State Sports Network

Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580

XM 382 // Internet 972

Online: TuneIn.com [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)

Matt Walters (analyst)

LIVE STATS

www.kstatesports.com

UP NEXT: 14/15 WEST VIRGINIA (9-4, 2-3 Big 12)

K-State is expected to return home from its 2-game road swing on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to No. 14/15 West Virginia (9-4, 2-3 Big 12) at 3 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. This will be the first meeting between the schools this season after they split their 2 matchups in 2019-20. The Wildcats knocked off the Mountaineers, 84-68, at home on Jan. 18, 2020 before dropping a 66-57 decision in Morgantown on Feb. 1.