DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE
The Kansas State defense was pretty good for most of the night against Albany. The held the Great Danes to only 43 points and 31 percent shooting for the game. Not only that, Albany only shot 5.6 percent from beyond the arc.
You're reading that correctly. Albany was 1 for 18 from distance. That's an historic number for the Wildcats. It's the second lowest percentage they've allowed from the three-point line for one game in school history.
Defense has always been an emphasis in Manhattan under Bruce Weber, and Nijel Pack echoed that. They've locked in on that side of the floor even more at practice recently, and it showed itself on Wednesday evening.
It was probably a product of realizing that they surrendered too many looks against North Dakota.
Weber knows that they were playing their best basketball at the end of the season last year, and much of that was due to the intensity that picked up on the defensive end and understanding the rules and principles more and more.
But they have other wrinkles to deploy this season. Markquis Nowell is more dynamic in that he can apply more ball pressure. Selton Miguel is even better on the ball and Mark Smith and Mike McGuirl and can unload a bit more physicality.
Weber kept deflecting credit, giving a shout-out to assistant Chris Lowery and how he has always taken a lot of pride in their defensive acumen.
It was a learning lesson in Kansas City. Play defense, play hard or lose.
A DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Mark Smith and Selton Miguel became the first Wildcat teammates to post a double-double in the same game since DJ Johnson and Wesley Iwundu did so in 2014.
It was particularly comforting for Miguel because he was coming off an injury he sustained against Arkansas that kept him sidelined against North Dakota and it was an answer to Weber's urges all summer for him to crash the boards.
His head coach was very satisfied with his performance.
When Smith arrived on campus, Weber was a bit surprised by his strength and athleticism and even called him a 'man-child'. While he believes that Smith "overdoes" it sometimes and they have to cut him back, they'll trade one bad play for 10 rebounds.
MASSOUD'S STRUGGLES
The struggles continued once more for Ismael Massoud on Wednesday night against Albany. After scoring just two points against North Dakota, he followed it up with another two-point outing against the Great Danes.
His one make was actually poor shot selection as well, but it did jumpstart the Wildcats in the first half.
Weber believes he needs to work harder for open looks because the opponent knows he can shoot it well. That is something that KSO has stressed as well. His aggressiveness and assertiveness on the offensive end needs an uptick.
A few examples his head coach mentioned were running to screen and running out of screens to break free.
The lone positive has been his activity level on the glass.
ANOTHER TEST SUNDAY
K-State faces Wichita State on Sunday at Intrust Bank Arena after the Shockers collected back-to-back road wins against Missouri and Oklahoma State. That'll be followed by a home tilt with Marquette on the following Wednesday.
Pack called the game on Sunday a chance to redeem themselves from the Hall of Fame Classic against the Razorbacks and Illinois and an opportunity to rid the bad taste from their mouths after that 0-2 trip.
Like the Wildcats, Wichita State grinds games out and did that very thing over Mike Boynton and the Cowboys on Wednesday.
It's a great challenge for the Wildcats and we'll find out very soon if they have made the necessary progress since the tournament in Kansas City.
Weber also made note that playing the Shockers was his idea and he called them to schedule it, and it was initially to help raise money for those that had suffered loss for any reason due to the pandemic.
He believes the game between the two programs is good for college basketball.