Game Preview // K-State Hosts 24/25 TCU on Throwback Saturday

GAME #19
KANSAS STATE (13-5, 3-3 Big 12) vs. 24/25 TCU (14-4, 2-4 Big 12)
Saturday, January 20, 2018 >> 3 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION
ESPNU // WatchESPN // ESPN3

Mitch Holthus (play-by-play)
Reid Gettys (analyst)
Steve Kurtenbach (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 132 // XM 200 // Internet 954

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com [media only]

TICKETS
www.kstatesports.com/tickets
(800) 221.CATS [2287]
Single Game: $25 (bench & GA)/$50 (chairback)
Throwback Bundle: $30 (includes jersey T-shirt)
Wildcat 4 Pack: $75 (4 GA tickets)

COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee '78)
Overall: 426-228/20^th season
At K-State: 113-73/6^th season
vs. TCU: 8-3 (4-1 at home)

TCU: Jamie Dixon (TCU '87)
Career Record: 366-142/15^th Year
Record at TCU: 38-19/2^nd Year
vs. Kansas State: 2-1 (1-0 on the road)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (13-5, 3-3 Big 12)
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #5 Barry Brown, Jr.
G: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #32 Dean Wade
F: #14 Makol Mawien

24/25 TCU (14-4, 2-4 Big 12)
G: #25 Alex Robinson
G: #1 Desmond Bane
G: #34 Kenrich Williams
F: #10 Vlad Brodziansky
F: #15 J.D. Miller

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 11-5
Big 12 era: K-State leads 8-3
In Manhattan: K-State leads 6-2
In Fort Worth: K-State leads 5-1
Active Streak: K-State, 1
Weber vs. TCU: 8-3 (4-1 at home)
Dixon vs. K-State: 2-1 (1-0 on the road)
Weber vs. Dixon: 1-2 (0-1 at home)

OPENING TIP

Kansas State (13-5, 3-3 Big 12) will conclude a two-game homestand on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to their second consecutive ranked opponent with a visit from No. 24/25 TCU (14-4, 2-4 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum at 3 p.m. CT. The Horned Frogs' four Big 12 losses have come by 11 points, including two overtime setbacks to Top 10 Oklahoma. The game will air nationally on ESPNU and the WatchESPN?app with Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Reid Gettys (analyst) on the call.
K-State is currently in the midst of playing four home games in a five-game stretch, including back-to-back Big 12 home games for the first time since 2016, after navigating four road games in a six-game stretch to start conference play. The contest against No. 24/25 TCU will mark the third of three consecutive games against Top 25 opponents, which started at No. 12/12 Kansas Jan. 13 and continued in Tuesday's 87-69 win over No. 4/6 Oklahoma. It marks the first time since February 2017 that the Wildcats have played three straight ranked foes.
Saturday's contest will be Throwback Day at Bramlage Coliseum, as K-State will wear special two-tone lavender throwback uniforms, which were worn from 1973 to 1982 and made famous by the Purple Pop-Gun tandem of Mike Evans and Chuckie Williams during the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons and commemorated by Rolando Blackman on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the 1981 upset of No. 1 Oregon State in the NCAA?Tournament. Overall, the Wildcats posted an 186-81 (.697) record during the period of the uniform (1973-82), including an 85-41 mark in Big Eight play, winning the 1977 Big Eight regular-season title and the 1977 and 1980 Big Eight Tournament crowns to go with five NCAA?Tournament appearances.
Paced by 20-point efforts from juniors Barry Brown, Jr. (24 points), and Dean Wade (21 points), K-State put together one of its most complete performances of the season in an 87-69 win over No. 4/6 Oklahoma on Tuesday night. The Wildcats have now defeated at least one Top 25 opponent in a school-record 12 consecutive seasons, including a school-best eight straight seasons with a victory over a Top 10 opponent. K-State has now beaten a ranked Oklahoma squad four times in the last six games at home, including twice when ranked in the Top 5.
K-State and TCU will meet for the 17th time on the hardwood with the Wildcats holding a 11-5 overall lead, including an 8-3 mark in the Big 12 era. Since dropping the first five Big 12 meetings, the Frogs have split the last six matchups with the Wildcats, including an 86-80 overtime win in their last visit to Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 1, 2017. This will be K-State's first meeting with a ranked TCU squad.
K-State is 35-57 (.380) all-time against Top 25 teams at Bramlage Coliseum, which includes 17 Top 10 victories. The school is 32-54 (.372) against ranked Big 12 teams (since 1997), including a 20-17 (.540) mark since 2008. The Wildcats are looking for consecutive home Top 25 victories for the first time since February 2015.

NOTES ON 24/25 TCU

No. 24/25 TCU enters Saturday's game with a 14-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in Big 12 play after snapping a three-game skid with an impressive 96-73 win over Iowa State at home on Wednesday. The Horned Frogs connected on 60.3 percent from the field, including 48 percent from 3-point range, while dishing out 29 assists on 38 made field goals, including 12 from long range. Seniors Vlad Brodziansky and J.D. Miller each collected 20-point efforts to pace four players in double figures, while junior Alex Robinson dished out a school-record 17 assists. Senior Kenrich Williams also tallied a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
K-State will face a Top 10 scoring offense for the third consecutive game, as TCU ranks fifth nationally with a scoring average of 88.6 points per game on 50.8 percent shooting, including 41.4 percent from 3-point range, and 71.8 percent from the free throw line. The Horned Frogs rank in the Top 5 in six offensive categories, including second in assists (20.4 apg.), third in assist-turnover ratio (1.68), fifth in total assists (367), 10th in field goal percentage and 11th in 3-point field goal percentage. The team averages 9.3 3-point goals per game with six players registering double-digit treys led by sophomore Desmond Bane's team-high 37. Defensively, TCU allows 77.8 points per game on 46.1 percent shooting, including 36.8 percent from 3-point range, while averaging 37.3 rebounds, 7.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per game.
The Horned Frogs are one of the most balanced teams in the country with five players averaging in double figures led by Preseason First Team All-Big 12 selection Vlad Brodziansky, who is averaging 15.4 points on 61.9 percent shooting, including 42.4 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Fellow senior Kenrich Williams nearly averages a double-double with 14.9 points on 50.3 percent shooting to go with a team-high 9.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals per outing. Sophomore Jaylen Fisher (12.3 ppg.), sophomore Desmond Bane (11.9 ppg.) and senior J.D. Miller (10.8 ppg.) also average double figures. Fisher and junior Alex Robinson both average a team-best 5.7 assists per game, while freshman Kouat Noi (9.4 ppg.) and Robinson (7.4) average better than 7 points per game.
TCU is led by head coach Jamie Dixon, who has a 38-19 (.667) record in his second season at his alma mater. Overall, he is 366-142 (.720) in his 15th season as a head coach, which includes a 13-year stint at Pittsburgh (2003-16) where he led the Panthers to 11 NCAA?Tournaments.

K-STATE/TCU CONNECTIONS

K-State's Makol Mawien and TCU's Shawn Olden both played at New Mexico Junior College during the 2016-17 season, where the duo helped the Thunderbirds to a 19-11 overall record. Mawien averaged 8.7 points on 49.2 percent shooting, including 41.2 percent from 3-point range, with 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in averaging 14.8 minutes per game, while Olden averaged 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
K-State associate head coach Chris Lowery and TCU head coach?Jamie Dixon worked together at USA?Basketball, where Lowery served as an assistant to Dixon for the U-19 team who won gold at the 2009 World Championships and included Gordon Heyward and Klay Thompson.

SERIES HISTORY

This will be 17th meeting between Kansas State and TCU on the hardwood, including the 12th in the Big 12 era, with the Wildcats holding an 11-5 advantage in a series that dates to 1947. Among the five meetings between the schools prior to the start of the Big 12 era was a 77-72 win by the Horned Frogs?in the 1968 NCAA?Tournament. K-State won the first five matchups in Big 12 play by average of 11.8 points per game, but TCU?has split the last six meetings in the series, including an 86-80 overtime win at Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 1, 2017.
TCU used a 7-1 run to start overtime to help propel the Horned Frogs to an 86-80 win over K-State in the teams' last meeting at Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 1, 2017. TCU rallied from a 70-65 deficit with 2:19 remaining to force overtime then took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by guard Kenrich Williams with 3:56 to play. K-State closed to within 83-80 on a free throw by guard Wesley Iwundu with 25 seconds remaining, but guard Alex Robinson hit two free throws with just 15 seconds left to close the game out.
A clutch 3-pointer by forward Dean Wade and six consecutive free throws helped K-State hold off a late TCU rally, 75-74, in the teams' latest meeting at Schollmaier Arena on March 1, 2017. Clinging to a 66-65 lead with less than 2 minutes to play, the Wildcats got a huge play from Wade with the shot clock winding down, as he canned his fourth triple with 1:22 remaining. Wade finished with a then career-tying 20 points.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 8-3 all-time against TCU, including 4-1 at home.

HISTORY AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

K-State has posted a 361-114 (.760) all-time record at Bramlage Coliseum since its opening during the 1988-89 season. The 360 victories are the second-most at a home venue for the Wildcats, trailing the 378 wins at Ahearn Field House (1950-88).
K-State has collected a 160-34 (.825) record at home over the past 12 seasons, including a 68-29 (.701) mark in Big 12 play. The 160 wins rank fourth among Big 12 schools in that span, while the 68 league victories at home are only surpassed by Kansas and Texas. In all, the school has earned double-digit wins in 24 of its 29 seasons in the arena, including a current streak of 16 straight seasons.
The Wildcats are 35-57 (.380) all-time at Bramlage Coliseum against ranked teams, including 32-54 (.372) against ranked Big 12 opponents. The team is 20-17 (.541) against ranked opponents at home since 2008, which included a stretch of 10 wins in 13 matchups from 2013 to 2015. Since a double-overtime loss to No. 19 West Virginia on Jan. 2, 2016, K-State has won just three of its last 11 meetings with ranked opponents at home.
Head coach Bruce Weber has a 76-18 (.809) record at Bramlage Coliseum since taking over at K-State with the 18 losses (15 in Big 12 play) coming by 107 points or 5.9 points per game. Among the 76 victories are 13 over ranked teams, including five against teams ranked in the Top 10 (No. 6 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Kansas in 2014, No. 8 Kansas in 2015, No. 1 Oklahoma in 2016, No. 7 West Virginia in 2017 and No. 4 Oklahoma in 2018).

LAST TIME OUT: K-STATE 87, 4/6 OKLAHOMA 69

Paced by 20-point efforts from juniors Barry Brown, Jr., and Dean Wade, K-State put together one of its most complete performances of the season with an 87-69 win over No. 4/6 Oklahoma in front of a season-crowd of 10,744 fans at Bramlage Coliseum on Tuesday night. Four Wildcats reached double figures for the third consecutive game, including a game-high 24 points from Brown and 21 from Wade. Redshirt freshman guard Cartier Diarra posted double digit points for the third consecutive start with 16 points, while sophomore Xavier Sneed added 13 points.
K-State has now defeated at least one Top 25 opponent in a school-record 12 consecutive seasons, including a school-best eight straight seasons with a victory over a Top 10 opponent. The win was the 23rd over a Top 5 team in school history, including the fourth under head coach Bruce Weber. It was the third win over the AP's No. 4 team and the first since defeating No. 4 N.C. State on Dec. 19, 1958, snapping a 14-game losing streak to No. 4. The Wildcats have beaten a ranked Sooner team four times in the last six games at home, including twice when they were ranked in the Top 5.
K-State scored 87 points on 56.5 percent shooting (35-of-62), including 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from 3-point range, and went a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. It marked the ninth time scoring 80 or more point this season as well as the ninth time connecting on 50 percent or better from the field. The Wildcats connected on 73.1 percent (19-of-26) after halftime, which was the highest in a half since shooting 76.2 percent (16-of-21) against Texas on Feb. 18, 2017. It was the first time going perfect from the free throw line since also 8-of-8 vs. Texas Tech on Feb. 15, 2006.
K-State held Oklahoma to a season-low 69 points on 41.9 percent shooting (26-of-62), including 28 percent (7-of-25) from 3-point range, while scoring 19 points off of 20 Sooner turnovers. Freshman phenom Trae Young, who leads the nation in both scoring (30.3 ppg.) and assists (10.0 apg.), was held to 20 points on 8-of-21 field goals, including 2-of-10 from 3-point range, to go with a Big 12-record 12 turnovers.

OFFENSE OFF TO A GOOD START

K-State is averaging 76.9 points on 48.6 percent shooting, including 37 percent from 3-point range, to go with a solid 74 percent clip from the free throw line through 18 games. The Wildcats' offensive numbers are slightly better since the start of Big 12 play with the team averaging 77.2 points on 49.2 percent shooting, including 42 percent from 3-point range, and 74.4 percent from the free throw line in Big 12 play. The squad has scored 80 or more points nine times, including a pair of 90-point efforts against Arizona State (11/23) and Iowa State (12/29), and have eclipsed the 75-point barrier nine times in the last 15 games. It is the most 90-point and 80-point games in the first 17 games since 2009-10 (which had 13 80-point and 4 90-point games), while the 1,384 points are the most points through 18 games since scoring 1,483 (82.4 ppg.) in the same span to start the 2009-10 season.
The Wildcats scored a season-best 91 points at Iowa State (12/29) on 55.2 percent shooting (32-of-58), including 50 percent (13-of-26) from 3-point range. It was the most points in a Big 12 opener since scoring 97 at home against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000, while it was the most in a Big 12 opener on the road since scoring 92 at Colorado on Jan. 21, 1987. The 91 points were the most in a Big 12 road game overall since scoring 96 at Oklahoma State on Jan. 18, 2017. The Wildcats connected on 50 percent or better in both halves for the sixth time this season. The 13 3-point field goals tied for the ninth-most makes in school history and most in a Big 12 game since hitting 14 against the Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 5, 2011.
K-State also posted 90 points vs. Arizona State (11/23), which tied for the fourth-most points ever scored in a loss and the most since a 112-95 loss at No. 4 Oklahoma on Feb. 13, 1988. The 84 points at Vanderbilt (12/3) were the most in a non-conference road game since also scoring 84 at Saint Louis on Dec. 3, 2016. The squad also has 80-point efforts vs. American (11/10), NAU?(11/20), USC?Upstate (12/5), SE Missouri State (12/16), Oklahoma State (1/10) and Oklahoma (1/16). The 87 points against the Sooners were the most in a Big 12 home game since scoring 89 vs. OSU on Jan. 23, 2016. The Wildcats put up 53 points in the second half against the Cowboys and tied for the most in any half this season (SE?Missouri and Iowa State).
K-State has connected on better than 50 percent from the field in nine games, including a season-best 62.5 percent (35-of-56) in the win over SE?Missouri State (12/16). The team has hit on 50 percent or better in both halves in six games (American, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, USC?Upstate, SE Missouri State and Iowa State). The Wildcats tied a season-high for both field goals made (35) and attempted (62) against Oklahoma (1/16), while they registered season-highs for assists (25), points in the paint (44) and dunks (7) vs. SE?Missouri State (12/16). It was the most assists in a game since dishing out 25 at Baylor on Feb. 15, 2014, while it was the most points in the paint since posting 46 in a win over Iowa State on Feb. 28, 2015.

TRIPLE SCORING THREAT

Even without junior Kamau Stokes, K-State still has a trio of scoring threats in juniors Barry Brown, Jr. (17.0 ppg.) and Dean Wade (15.3 ppg.) and sophomore Xavier Sneed (11.6 ppg.). They rank fifth, 14th and 26th in scoring in the Big 12, as the three are averaging 43.9 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from long range, and 77.6 percent from the free throw line. Since the injury to Stokes, the trio have averaged 51.5 points per game on 50 percent shooting, including 38.1 percent from long range, and 81.4 percent from the free throw line.
The trio of Brown, Wade and Sneed have all scored in double figures in 11 career games, including seven this season. The three have combined for 50 or more points three times this season, including 51 against No. 6/5 West Virginia (1/1) on 50 percent shooting, 59 against Oklahoma State (1/10) on 55.2 percent shooting and 58 against No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16) on 57.5 percent shooting (23-of-40). They combined for 48 points against No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13) on 46.2 percent shooting. They have combined for 40 double-digit scoring games, including Brown's team-high 15 this season.
Brown is averaging 22.2 points on 51.7 percent shooting (45-of-87) and 72.3 percent (34-of-47) from the free throw line, through the first six Big 12 games. His scoring average ranks second in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma's Trae Young (30.8 ppg.). His 133 points are the second-most by a Wildcat though the first six Big 12 games since 2007-08, trailing the 157 scored by Michael Beasley in 2008. Brown's career-best 38 points vs. Oklahoma State (1/10) were the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 against Wisconsin on March 19, 2011 and the most in a home game since Pullen's 38 against Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011. It was also the fifth-most by a junior in school history. Brown leads the Wildcats with 11 career 20-point games, including a team-best seven this season (with five in the last seven outings.
Wade is not far behind Brown in Big 12 games, averaging 19.7 points on 62 percent shooting (44-of-71), including 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from 3-point range, and 82.6 percent (19-of-23) from the free throw line to go with 6.7 rebounds through the first six league contests. The average ranks fourth in the league, while Wade is second in 3-point field goal percentage, third in field goal percentage, eighth in free throw percentage and 11th in rebounding. His 118 points are the fourth-most by a Wildcat through the first six Big 12 games. He scored a game-high 22 points against No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13), his third consecutive 20-point game against the Jayhawks, while he added 21 points against No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16).
Brown (22.2 ppg.) and Wade (19.7 ppg.) have combined to score 251 points on 53.9 percent shooting through the first six Big 12 games, which is the most points by a duo since Michael Beasley (26.2 ppg.) and Bill Walker (17.0 ppg.) combined for 259 points in the first six league games in 2008.
Sneed is starting to heat back up with four double-figure scoring games in the last five outings and has registered double-digit points 11 times this season, including three 20-point games (Vanderbilt, SE Missouri State and West Virginia). He is now the leader in 3-point field goals with Stokes out with 32, which includes a career-best 6-of-9 effort in the setback to the Mountaineers on New Year's Day. He collected his first career double-double in the win over Oklahoma State (1/10) with a career-best 12 rebounds to go with 11 points.

DIARRA FILLING IN NICELY

Redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra has played well since having to take over for Kamau Stokes, who was injured 15 minutes into the first half against Texas Tech (1/6) and has missed the last three games. Stokes' return is undetermined at this point.
Diarra, who was averaging 3.9 points on 44.2 percent shooting in the 14 games prior to the Texas Tech game, has averaged 15.5 points on 61.1 percent shooting (22-of-36), including 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from 3-point range, and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the free throw line in 34.2 minutes per game in the last four games. Since earning his first career start against Oklahoma State (1/10), he is averaging 17.0 points on 61.3 percent shooting (19-of-31), including 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from long range, and 85.7 percent from the line.
Diarra, who leads the Big 12 in 3-point shooting in league play at 66.7 percent (10-of-15) and is tied with Xavier Sneed for 22nd in scoring at 11.7 points per game, has tallied double-digit points in four consecutive games (had just two before being inserted into the lineup), which includes 17 points vs. Oklahoma State (1/10), a season-best 18-point effort at No. 12/12 Kansas (1/13) and 16 against No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16). He has knocked down at least two 3-pointers in each of the last four games, including three against the Jayhawks.

IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT, PART 1

In the Big 12 opener at Iowa State, Dean Wade (34), Kamau Stokes (23) and Barry Brown, Jr. (21) combined for 78 of the team's 91 points on 62.8 percent shooting (27-of-43), including 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from 3-point range. It marked just the second time that the Wildcats had a 30-point scorer and two 20-point scorers in the same game since Chuckie Williams (34), Daryl Winston (23) and Mike Evans (20) accomplished the feat in a 108-93 victory at Iowa State on Jan. 29, 1975. It was also the most combined points for three players in a game since Michael Beasley (44), Bill Walker (31) and Clent Stewart (5) combined for 80 points in a loss a Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008. In addition, it was the first time K-State had three 20-point scorers (Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente and Curtis Kelly) since the 2010 NCAA West Regional Semifinal against Xavier on March 25, 2010.
Wade became the first 30-point scorer since Marcus Foster also scored 34 vs. Texas on Feb. 8, 2014, while it was the most points by in a Big 12 road game since Clemente scored 44 at Texas on Jan. 31, 2009 and most in a Big 12 opener since Beasley had 32 at Oklahoma on Jan. 12, 2008.

IMPRESSIVE SCORING FEAT, PART 2

Barry Brown, Jr., enjoyed a special night with a career-high 38 points in the Wildcats' 86-82 win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 10. The 38-point scoring output by Brown was the most by a Wildcat since Jacob Pullen also scored 38 points against Wisconsin in the NCAA?Tournament on March 19, 2011, while it was most in a Big 12 home game since Pullen's 38 against top-ranked Kansas on Feb. 14, 2011. Brown, who scored 20 or more points in the fourth time in a five-game stretch, connected on 12-of-17 from the field to go with an 11-of-16 effort from the free throw line. He scored 26 of his 38 points after halftime on 8-of-10 field goals and 9-of-13 free throw line. He also added 6 steals, which were the most by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game.
The Wildcats' leader with 15 double-figure scoring games, Brown paces the team with 11 career 20-point games, which includes seven this season. Brown scored a then career-best 27 points in a loss to Arizona State (11/26) and also has 20-point efforts against Northern Arizona (11/20), Washington State (12/20), Iowa State (12/29), Texas Tech (1/6) and No. 4/6 Oklahoma (1/16) to go with the 38-point effort vs. Oklahoma State (1/10).

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

K-State has been solid taking care of the basketball this season, averaging a Big 12-low 11.1 turnovers per game. The average ranks 22nd nationally, while the 200 total turnovers ranks 21st in the nation. In contrast, the Wildcats have also forced their opponents into 15.2 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the league. The team ranks 16th nationally and third in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+4.1).
K-State has posted 12 turnovers or less in 14 of 18 games, including single-digit turnovers on five occasions (UC Irvine, George Washington, Oral Roberts, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma State). The team is averaging just 10.5 turnovers over the last 13 games (136). Since turning over the ball a season-high 17 vs. American (11/10), the Wildcats have averaged just 10.8 turnovers in the last 17 games, including eight games of 10 turnovers or less.
K-State is averaging 15.4 assists per game on 27.3 made field goals per game, which ranks seventh in the Big 12. However, when comparing it to the low turnover average, the team ranks 30th nationally and third in the league in assist turnover ratio at 1.39. They have dished out 20 or more assists four times, including a season-best 25 against SE?Missouri State (12/16) and 22 against American (11/10) and Northern Arizona (11/20).

SUCCESS BEYOND THE ARC

K-State has been successful to start the season from 3-point range, averaging 8.1 treys per game on 37 percent shooting (146-of-395). Junior Kamau Stokes is one of five players with double-digit 3-point field goals, as he leads all players with 33 treys on 41.3 percent shooting (33-of-80) this season. Xavier Sneed is second in 3-point field goals with 32 on a 36 percent clip, while Barry Brown, Jr. (23), Dean Wade (19), Cartier Diarra (18), Brian Patrick (10) and Amaad Wainright (8) all have more than eight 3-point makes. Wade (ISU) and Sneed (West Virginia) both hit a career-high 6 treys recently, while Brown had a career-best 4 against Arizona State (11/23) and Diarra had 4 vs. American (11/10).
K-State has hit on six or more 3-pointers in 13 of 18 games this season, including double-digits against American (12), Arizona State (15), USC Upstate (12), SE?Missouri?State (11), Iowa State (13) and West Virginia (10). The 15 makes against the Sun Devils tied for the second-most in school history and were the most since also converting on 15 3-pointers against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000. Overall, the Wildcats hit on 46.9 percent from beyond the arc against ASU with the 32 attempts the third-most ever in a game and the most since attempting a school-record 37 at Texas on Feb. 12, 2005.

DEFENSIVE PROWESS

K-State has been solid on the defensive end to start the season, allowing 66.5 points while holding its opposition to 41.8 percent shooting, including 32.7 percent from 3-point range. The team ranks among the Top 35 in turnover margin (16th), steals per game (26th) and scoring defense (53rd), while they are third in the Big 12 in turnover margin and fourth in scoring defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense and steals.
The Wildcats have held six of the 18 opponents to 45, 51, 49, 58, 59 and 49 points, respectively, as they have now held 64 opponents to 60 points or less under head coach Bruce Weber's direction with the squad boasting a 57-7 (.891) record in those contests. The squad has held 17 opponents to 50 points or less under Weber (16-1 record), which includes a Weber era-best 26 points allowed to Alabama-Huntsville on Nov. 13, 2012.
K-State has held all but two opponents (Vanderbilt and Oklahoma State) to below its scoring average and has held its opponents to an average of 11 points below its season scoring average. The Wildcats held UMKC (11/14)?to 32.5 points under its scoring average, while UC?Irvine (11/17) and USC?Upstate (12/5) were held to 27 and 26 points, respectively, below its average. The nation's top-ranked scoring team -- Oklahoma (93.6 ppg.) -- was held to a season-low 69 points on 41.9 percent shooting, including 28 percent from 3-point range, and were forced into a season-worst 20 turnovers.
K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in his tenure (60.4 ppg., in 2012-13 and 65.4 ppg., in 2013-14). Since his arrival in 2012-13, the Wildcats are allowing opponents just 64.5 points per game (11,997 points). K-State has a 94-26 (.783) record when holding a foe to 69 points or less since 2012-13 and a 19-47 (.288) mark when allowing an opponent to score 70 or more.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

K-State enjoyed quite the memorable night on defensive end against Northern?Arizona (11/20), as the Wildcats tied the school record with 19 steals while forcing 31 total turnovers and enjoying a 38-15 edge in points off turnovers in the convincing 80-58 win. The 19 steals tied the school mark set against Tulane on Jan. 10, 1976 at Ahearn Field House. The 31 turnovers tied for the fifth most and were the most since also forcing 31 against Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2008. The 38 points off of turnovers were the fourth-most and the most since totaling 39 against Washington State on Dec. 5, 2009.
In all, five different Wildcats had at least two steals, including a career-best 6 by Barry?Brown, Jr., and 5 by Dean?Wade. The 6 steals by Brown tied nine other players for the eighth-most steals in a game. He now has 150 in his career, which ranks third on the all-time list. Kamau Stokes also had 3 steals, while sophomore Xavier Sneed and redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra had 2 each.

ONE OF THE YOUNGEST TEAMS

K-State is one of 15 schools nationally (Auburn, American, Bowling Green, UC Irvine, The Citadel, Holy Cross, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Marquette, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Toledo and Wofford) to have one or fewer seniors on its roster in 2017-18, while the Wildcats' nine freshmen (true and redshirt) and sophomores ranks nine nationally and are only surpassed by the 12 at Auburn and Kentucky, 11 by UC Irvine, 10 each by American, The Citadel, Tennessee, Toledo and Wofford.

K-STATE WELCOMES SHAUN WILLIAMS

Head coach Bruce Weber announced the signing of Shaun Williams (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) on the first day of the National Signing Period on Nov. 8.
A 6-foot-3, 170-pound guard, Williams led Hazelwood Central in 12 categories en route to helping the Hawks to a 17-11 record and a trip to the Class 5, District 3 Championship Game. He averaged a team-best 18.6 points on 47.4 percent shooting (155-of-237), including 35.2 percent (38-of-108) from 3-point range, to go with 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He connected on a team-best 83.8 percent (98-of-117) from the free throw line. He was a First Team Class 5 All-State selection by the Missouri Basketball?Coaches Association as a junior.

UP NEXT: AT BAYLOR (12-6, 2-4 Big 12)

K-State continues Big 12 play on Monday night when the Wildcats travel to Waco, Texas to take on Baylor (12-6, 2-4 Big 12) at 8 p.m., CT on ESPNU.

Game Preview // K-State Hosts 24/25 TCU on Throwback Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

Makol Mawien

Brian Patrick

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Amaad Wainright

Kansas State University Athletics

Game Preview // K-State Hosts 24/25 TCU on Throwback Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Barry Brown, Jr.

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

Makol Mawien

Brian Patrick

Xavier Sneed

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Amaad Wainright

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