It's time for a full preview and prediction for tonight's Big 12 game between Oklahoma State and Kansas State.

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 >> 8:05 p.m., CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION

ESPNU / WatchESPN

Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play)Bryndon Manzer (analyst)Paul Ervin (producer)

RADIO

K-State Sports Network

Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580

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

Satellite Radio: XM 375 / Internet 375

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)Stan Weber (analyst)

TICKETS

www.kstatesports.com/tickets

(800) 221.CATS [2287]

Gameday: $20 (bench & GA)/$40 (chairback)

Wildcat 4-Pack: $70 ($17.50 each)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (9-14)

G: #2 Cartier Diarra

G: #3 DaJuan Gordon

G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed

F: #23 Montavious Murphy

F: #14 Makol Mawien

Oklahoma State (11-12)

G: #13 Isaac Likekele

G: #1 Jonathan Laurent

G/F: #20 Keylan Boone

F: #12 Cameron McGriff

F: #14 Yor Anei

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (9-14, 2-8 Big 12) returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Tuesday, as the Wildcats play host to Oklahoma State (11-12, 1-9 Big 12) on a night that the athletics department will celebrate its Diversity and Inclusion initative. The Cowboys will mark the second consecutive Big 12 opponent that the Wildcats will face for the first time in 2020. The game will tip at 8:05 p.m., CT on ESPNU with Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play) and Bryndon Manzer (analyst) on the call.

-Credit to K-State Athletics Communications for Game Notes

Mike Boynton's Cowboys had a solid non conference schedule this year with a 10-3 record and only losses to top 50 level Kenpom teams, plus nice wins over Houston, Syracuse, and Yale. However, they started Big 12 play 0-8 but have rebounded with a win over TCU and a competitive loss on the road at Baylor.

Once again, K-State faces the worst defense in the Big 12, as OSU passed ISU for that spot over the weekend. OSU's best defensive trait is on the defensive boards, but they are also bottom of the league on twos, threes, and (no surprise) eFG%. The Pokes are only slightly better at forcing tunrovers and free throw rate.

On the offensive end, they are best at taking care of the ball and decent on the boards. This is a dreadful shooting team, last in the league on twos (only 42%), threes (only 28%) and they also aren't very good at getting to the FT line, though they are decent on the offensive glass.

It is no surprise with a team struggling, but Boynton has used eight different starting line ups and a bunch of different personnel groups this season. OSU was perhaps the most experienced team in the league this season, but they also don't have a consensus top 100 recruit on their roster. It is also no surprise that no player in the top eight has an efficiency of 1.01 or better.

Cameron McGriff has been a fixture at OSU and is their best scorer and rebounder with one of their best efficiencies at 1.01. Isaac Likekele is their only other double digit scorer, but at a brutal 0.83 offensive rating, especially since he has the highest usage on the team. Thomas Dziagwa is a big time shooter, taking nearly 7 threes per game and hitting 38%. Lindy Waters is another shooter but is at only 28% and coming off an injury while not starting the past game. Jonathan Laurent starts on the wing and is a two-time transfer, first from Rutgers to UMass, then to OSU. He is even with McGriff in efficiency, but only a 28% shooter from three on over three per game. Yor Anei is the fifth starter, but at a really low efficiency of only 0.74 while regressing as a rebounder. Avery Anderson is a solid freshman guard, but missed the Baylor game with injury. Kaleb Boone has the best efficiency on the team off the bench as a reserve post, while his brother, Keylan, is solid at 1.05. Chris Harris and Dee Mitchell are a couple more reserve guards.

1. Don't let the boards get away from you: OSU's best aspect on both offense and defense is rebounding, and K-State needs to at least stay even here. Especially don't let OSU get a massive night on the offensive glass to extend possessions.

2. Efficiency on offense (again): I put this is as a key in Ames last Saturday because K-State was facing the worst defense in the league but only produced and efficiency of 0.89. Hopefully coming back to the Octagon of Doom will get this team going in a second straight game against the worst defense in the league. This team needs to see another on of those 50% eFG% and 1.10 efficiency nights on offense.

3. Cut the turnovers: K-State really struggled in Ames, especially early, and finished over 22% in TO rate. The Cats need to get that number down under 18% and finish possessions with shots or FTs.

I picked K-State to win at Iowa State last Saturday, only the second time (Oklahoma in Manhattan) I picked the Wildcats to win in Big 12 play this season. I was encouraged by how K-State had played against the likes of Baylor, West Virginia (twice), Oklahoma and Alabama in a recent stretch, and I thought the Wildcats could turn that good play against quality competition into a win against a pretty average ISU team.

Not only did that not happen, K-State fell down by as many as 21 almost immediately against an ISU team that entered the contest with an identical record. The Wildcats would rally but couldn't complete the comeback, even with ISU finishing the game without its best player available.

Now I see Oklahoma State as the team with a hint of momentum going against a K-State team facing the pressure of a virtual must-win at home. I either see a comfortable (10-plus points) K-State win, or a close loss, and the gut has me picking the Pokes.

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