Kansas State 3/2 7:00 ESPN+

[Lobot]

Everybody cross your fingers for a good streaming feed for K-State this weekend. This is the beginnning of a 3 game stretch where everything is winnable and we can't afford to lay an egg. It's a bit weird to be facing an opponent in conference for the first time with a week left in the season but here we are.

K-State is a bit hard to figure out. They come in at 17-11 overall and 7-8 in conference which is two games ahead of us in the standings. They've won two in a row but only three out of their last ten. Two of those wins were over ranked teams in Kansas and BYU. You don't want to go to overtime with them. They've won twelve straight OT games and seven of them were THIS SEASON, which is an NCAA D1 record.

The Wildcats have some height, a good scoring lead guard in 5'11 Tylor Perry, a good shooting guard in Cam Carter and a rebounder in Arthur Kuluma. Kuluma is the conference newcomer of the week after transferring in from Creighton after last year. Those three guys carry almost the entire offensive load.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...tats/_/id/2306

[Carthage World]

The closest comparison I can find to Kansas St is UCF as both teams have sub-150 ranked offenses per KenPom (KSU is #151) but both teams have top 20 defenses (KSU is #19).

KSU leads the conference in fouls/game (19) and is the only team that has turned the ball over more than us through Big 12 play (14.4/game). They've been the conference's best team on the defensive glass so far where they've limited opponents to 11 offensive boards/game.

They've only won one Big 12 road game this season, which was their very first one at WVU 81-67, but they've been competitive in their last three only losing by 3 at Ok St, by 6 at BYU, and by 6 at Texas.

[leo from jersey]

Before this game is played and since we look to the past here are some CWM quotes from his radio show:
CWM says it’s important for them to relax during the season, and that their mental health is of great importance.
it was important for them to add playmaking ability and perimeter coverage to the rotation which is why he went with Day Day and Jizzle together. -- still is- go and buy a floor leader.

[sedz]

Kansas St brings the fourth best defense in the Big12 into Fifth Third, and the #1 defense in shooting efficiency. They are allowing just a 45% effective field goal percentage (46% from two and only 28% from three). But they are bottom three in conference in defensive rebounding and creating turnovers. So we should be able to put up more shots than them. The Wildcats are average in size, mostly running a 5,11, 6'3, 6'7, 6'9, 6'11 lineup. And it's a pretty short rotation as the guards/wings average 35 mpg. The best shot blocker is 6'10 sophomore Jerrell Colbert, but he only plays 11 mpg due to poor offense and a tendency to foul (8 fouls per 40 minutes).

Offensively, they are second worst in the conference and outside the top 150 nationally. The Wildcats turn it over on 22% of possessions, ranking last in conference and #350 nationally. This is one of the worst jump shooting teams we will face all year. On the season they are making only 32% from both three and midrange. They are getting only 0.64 points per possession out of a midrange shot. Needless to say, they are most efficient at the rim (where they make 64%) and the free throw line. The backcourt players all shoot 79% or higher from the line. PG Tylor Perry gets to the stripe more than 5 times per game and makes over 91%. Big men McNair, Colbert, and N'Guessan are bad foul shooters though, each converting 52% or under. Perry and 6'7 wing Kaluma are the only real perimeter threats to worry about. The bigs don't shoot it, and 6'3 guard Cam Carter only makes 32%. Perry puts up 8 threes per game (he just made 6 of 11 against WVU) and Carter/Kaluma shoot 5 each.

For us on defense, the key is protecting the paint. We need to turn them into a jump shooting team and protect the rim without fouling their guards. That means our guards shouldn't get handsy and try to block shots. Let our bigs deter shots inside. WVU put them on the foul line 35 times, BYU 31 times, and Kansas 26 times. Those are KSU's only 3 wins in the last 10 games. This is a game where the two big lineup can work well. On the perimeter we should be extending pressure looking to turn them over, inviting their guards to drive into our shot blockers or ideally to pull up for a midrange jumper. It's ok to foul their big men rather than give up something easy. 6'9 PF N'Guessan is the best offensive rebounder, so Vik and Dan need to body him up on every shot.

Offensively, the big lineup can also let us crash the boards and get second opportunities. KSU doesn't turn you over, so we don't need extra ballhandlers out there. Opponents are rebounding a third of their misses in conference, and we should be able to do even better than that.

Torvik projects a 69-65 win with a 70% chance of victory.

[GoBearcats31]

Eric Rothman/Jess Settles on the call - same duo as the Iowa State game.


From UC: Cincinnati leads the all-time series 7-1, with the first seven of those coming from 1958-68 and the other a 75-61 win in the 2017 NCAA First Round.


Kansas State has played itself onto the bubble but needs to keep winning, and with tough games at Kansas and home versus Iowa State still to come, I am sure they will be locked in.

"We have to be more desperate than they are. This is the biggest game of the year and not just because it is the next one. This one's huge. We might as well call this an NCAA Tournament game." - Jerome Tang

[sedz]

a 75-61 win in the 2017 NCAA First Round.

The only season in recent memory when we had a truly good offense. We scored 1.29 points per possession in that game. Our high in conference play this year is 1.14. At 52% effective field goals that season, it was the only time we've sniffed top 100 shooting since Huggins.

[leo from jersey]

The only season in recent memory when we had a truly good offense. We scored 1.29 points per possession in that game. Our high in conference play this year is 1.14. At 52% effective field goals that season, it was the only time we've sniffed top 100 shooting since Huggins.

Was that the game Troy Caupain scored 23 points with 7 rebounds? I couldn't find his assists or Turnovers, but he was a favorite.

[GoBearcats31]

Was that the game Troy Caupain scored 23 points with 7 rebounds? I couldn't find his assists or Turnovers, but he was a favorite.

Yes https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/400946448

[sedz]

Was that the game Troy Caupain scored 23 points with 7 rebounds? I couldn't find his assists or Turnovers, but he was a favorite.

Yep, Troy had 23 and 7 with 2 assists and 2 turnovers. Evans led in box plus minus with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. Almost had a Wemby 5x5.

[leeraymond]

Eric Rothman/Jess Settles on the call - same duo as the Iowa State game.


From UC: Cincinnati leads the all-time series 7-1, with the first seven of those coming from 1958-68 and the other a 75-61 win in the 2017 NCAA First Round.


Kansas State has played itself onto the bubble but needs to keep winning, and with tough games at Kansas and home versus Iowa State still to come, I am sure they will be locked in.

"We have to be more desperate than they are. This is the biggest game of the year and not just because it is the next one. This one's huge. We might as well call this an NCAA Tournament game." - Jerome Tang

Wow! Jerome Tang said that. I hope that Miller read that quotation. Tang is going to have his team very ready to play domination basketball. I hope that Miller is MORE DESPERATE to WIN than Jerome Tang.

[Rufus]

desperate enough to use the word "friggin" again. If that's what it takes to get these guys heads out of their behinds.

[longtimefan]

The only season in recent memory when we had a truly good offense. We scored 1.29 points per possession in that game. Our high in conference play this year is 1.14. At 52% effective field goals that season, it was the only time we've sniffed top 100 shooting since Huggins.

I still have that game on my DVR.

[GoBearcats31]

6.5 point favorite - that is a surprise

[Lobot]

Media folks reporting that Skillings is a no go and isn’t dressed.

[longtimefan]

Well, that stinks. Does anybody know if he’s injured, or in the doghouse? Edit, Dan Hoard says he’s injured.