Kansas at Kansas State
No. 16/16 Kansas (19-5, 8-1 Big 12) continues its rival road swing at Kansas State (17-7, 6-4) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on ABC. The Jayhawks are coming off a 62-60 loss at No. 17 Missouri on ESPN Big Monday. The loss snapped a Kansas 12-game conference win streak. Kansas State defeated Texas Tech, 85-73, on Wednesday and has won six straight heading into Saturday.
Denver's Thoughts...
First off, how did we manage to get the two teams that hate us most on the road in the same week? Tough draw if you ask me especially for a young team. While the first test wasn't failed, it certainly wasn't passed either. Up next game two against the Wildcats. Kansas jumped out early in the last one and managed that lead to a 16 point win in Allen Fieldhouse. Since then though a new Kansas State team has emerged. After an 0-4 start they now sit 6-4, a bubble watch team with something to prove and impressive wins over the Tigers and Texas in Austin. My take is this, once again we're walking into a buzz saw and once again the Morris' effectiveness will determine how we fare. Strong showing from the two and we can pull it out, right the ship and make a final push toward the conference title. If they struggle, we're in a tough spot it's an uphill climb. However, I have predicted a 13-3 conference record I'll stand by that and this is one that could be a loss. That said I'm picking us to win this one and end the K-State 6 game streak and beginning potentially a new streak in Bramlage.
Final Score Prediction: Kansas 71 Kansas State 67
Team Per Game Stat Comparison
At a glance KU's defense hasn't let down too often if at all this year. For this game hit your shots and limit second chances for the Wilcats.
| PPG | FG% | FT% | 3P% | RPG | ORPG | DRPG | APG | TPG | SPG | BPG | FPG | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
KU | 77.2 | 48.2 | 72.7 | 37.1 | 41.9 | 12.3 | 26.8 | 16.3 | 14.8 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 19.5 |
 |
KSU | 76.9 | 44.2 | 64.7 | 36.3 | 43.0 | 15.9 | 23.5 | 14.6 | 13.8 | 7.2 | 3.1 | 20.8 |
|
KU Opponents | 64.7 | 38.1 | 71.6 | 32.0 | 34.5 | 11.4 | 20.2 | 12.3 | 14.3 | 7.1 | 3.3 | 20.2 |
|
KSU Opponents | 65.4 | 40.9 | 69.9 | 34.6 | 36.5 | 10.7 | 22.2 | 12.0 | 17.7 | 5.9 | 2.6 | 21.5 |
more notes, stats and preview after the jump...
Rank and Records
| Rank and Records | KU | KSU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RPI | #17 | #66 | |
| Strength of Schedule | #32 | #87 | |
| Overall | 19-5 | 17-7 | |
| Conference | 8-1 | 6-4 | |
| Home | 14-1 | 13-2 | |
| Away | 4-3 | 4-3 | |
| Top 25 | 1-2 | 1-1 | |
| RPI Top 50 | 6-3 | 3-2 |
About Kansas
Kansas looks to rebound from its first conference loss of the season at Missouri, 62-60, on Monday. The Jayhawks, 19-5 overall (8-1 Big 12), have won eight of their last nine and four of their last five true road games, all against Big 12 foes. The Jayhawks are averaging 77.2 points per game and giving up 64.7 for a +12.5 scoring margin. KU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.1 percent, rebound defense at 31.6 and rebound margin at +7.5. KU at 50.1 and Oklahoma at 50.8 are the only two league teams to shoot better than 50 percent in league play. Conversely, the Jayhawks also lead the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense in league games at 37.5 percent.
About Kansas State
Like Missouri on Monday, Kansas’ next opponent, Kansas State, is one of the hottest teams in the nation bringing a six-game winning streak into Saturday’s contest. The Wildcats opened Big 12 play 0-4 yet currently have moved up to fourth in the Big 12 standings with a 5-4 conference record. The Wildcats are 13-2 at home this season, 4-3 away and 0-2 in neutral contests. Kansas State is scoring 76.9 points per game and giving up 65.4 for a +11.5 scoring margin. The Wildcats average 6.9 three-pointers per game and have a +3.8 turnover margin. K-State is balanced as six Wildcats average between 9.0 points and 14.3 points per outing and no player averages more than 30 minutes per game.
A Kansas Win Would…
Improve Kansas to 20-5 on the season and be Kansas’ 20th straight 20-win season dating back to 1989-90…
Make KU 9-1 in Big 12 play for first time since the 2004-05 team also opened league play 9-1…
Give Kansas its third straight win against Kansas State…
Make the all-time series with Kansas State 177-90, including 72-44 in games played in Manhattan, 20-1 in Bramlage Coliseum and 24-2 in the Big 12 era…
Improve Bill Self to 162-37 while at KU, 369-142 overall and 12-2 against Kansas State, 11-2 while at Kansas…
Make Kansas 1,963-790 all-time.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
A look at my favorite players in the series feel free to add your own in the comments
Michael Beasley...Made it matter again, got to give him that.
Manny Dies
Pervis Pasco...one of the greatest WTF moments in K-State basketball
Askia Jones
2008-09 Kansas Roster (*last game starters)
No. Pos. Name Cl.-Exp. Ht. Wt. Hometown (Previous School)
2 G Conner Teahan So.-1L 6-5 215 Leawood, Kan. (Rockhurst HS)
*4 G Sherron Collins Jr.-2L 5-11 200 Chicago, Ill. (Crane HS)
10 G Brennan Bechard Sr-2L (TR) 6-0 185 Lawrence, Kan. (Lawrence HS/Barton Co. [Kan.] CC)
11 F Quintrell Thomas Fr.-HS 6-7 240 Newark, N.J. (Saint Patrick HS)
*12 G Brady Morningstar So.-1L(RS) 6-3 180 Lawrence, Kan. (Free State HS/New Hampton Prep)
14 G Tyrel Reed So.-1L 6-3 185 Burlington, Kan. (Burlington HS)
*15 G Tyshawn Taylor Fr.-HS 6-3 180 Hoboken, N.J. (St. Anthony HS)
21 F Markieff Morris Fr.-HS 6-9 232 Philadelphia, Pa. (Prep Charter HS/APEX Academy [N.J.])
*22 F Marcus Morris Fr.-HS 6-8 225 Philadelphia, Pa. (Prep Charter HS/APEX Academy [N.J.])
23 G Mario Little Jr.-TR 6-5 210 Chicago, Ill. (Washington HS/Chipola [Fla.] CC)
24 G Travis Releford Fr.-HS 6-5 200 Kansas City, Mo. (Bishop Miege HS)
32 G Tyrone Appleton Jr.-TR 6-2 203 Gary, Ind. (Harmony Prep/Midland [Texas] College)
40 G Jordan Juenemann Fr.-HS 6-4 195 Hays, Kan. (Hays HS)
41 G Chase Buford So.-1L 6-3 210 San Antonio, Texas (Alamo Heights HS)
*45 C Cole Aldrich So.-1L 6-11 245 Bloomington, Minn. (Jefferson HS)
54 C Matt Kleinmann Sr-3L (RS) 6-10 250 Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley West HS)
C Jeff Withey Fr-HS (RS) 6-10 225 San Diego, Calif. (Horizon HS)
Head Coach: Bill Self (Oklahoma State, 1985)
Assistant Coaches: Joe Dooley (George Washington, 1988); Kurtis Townsend (Western Kentucky, 1982); Danny
Manning (Kansas, 1991)
Kansas State Wildcats (*last game starters)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl-Exp Hometown (Previous School)
*0 Jacob Pullen G 6-0 200 So. Maywood, Ill. (Proviso East)
1 Fred Brown G 6-2 190 So. West Palm Beach, Fla. (Dwyer)
3 Anthony Downing G 5-11 160 Fr. Atchison, Kan. (Atchison)
13 Justin Werner G 6-3 190 Fr. Topeka, Kan. (Washburn Rural)
*15 Luis Colon C 6-10 265 Jr. Carolina, Puerto Rico (Krop (Miami, Fla.))
*21 Denis Clemente G 6-1 175 Jr. Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Univ. of Miami)
*23 Dominique Sutton F 6-5 210 So. Durham, N.C. (The Patterson School)
24 Curtis Kelly F 6-8 250 Jr. Queens, N.Y. (Univ. of Connecticut)
25 Buchi Awaji G 6-3 185 Jr. Los Angeles, Calif. (Citrus College)
31 Chris Merriewether G 6-3 210 Jr. Jacksonville, Fla. (Arlington Country Day)
32 Jamar Samuels F 6-7 215 RS-Fr. Washington, D.C. (The Patterson School)
33 Victor Ojeleye F 6-6 225 Fr. Ottawa, Kan. (The Patterson School)
40 Ron Anderson F 6-8 255 So. Upper Marlboro, Md. (McCallie (Tenn.) School)
*42 Darren Kent F 6-11 230 Sr. Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview)
54 Abdul Herrera C 6-10 265 Jr. Miami, Fla. (Hutchinson (Kan.) CC)
Head Coach: Frank Martin (Florida International, 1993)
Associate Head Coach: Delonte Hill (Charlotte, 2001)
Assistant Coaches: Matt Figger (Eastern Kentucky, 1995); Brad Underwood (Kansas State, 1986)
Remaining Games
February
14 *at Kansas State (ABC) ..... 2:30 p.m.
18 *IOWA STATE (B12) ............. 7 p.m.
21 *NEBRASKA (B12) ............... 3 p.m.
23 *at Oklahoma (ESPN) ............ 8 p.m.
March
1 *MISSOURI (CBS) ................ 1 p.m.
4 *at Texas Tech (ESPN2) .... 8:30 p.m.
7 *TEXAS (CBS) ...................... 3 p.m.
11-14 ~Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship