GAME 26

17/17 OKLAHOMA (17-7, 8-4 Big 12)

at KANSAS STATE (12-13, 5-7 Big 12)

Saturday, February 14, 2015 >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528)  >> 7 p.m. CT

COACHES

Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)

Overall: 372-189 (17^th year)

at K-State: 59-34 (3^rd year)

1. Oklahoma: 4-1

 

Oklahoma: Lon Kruger (Kansas State ’75)

Overall: 554-349 (28th year)

At Oklahoma: 75-45 (4^th year)

1. K-State: 5-5

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (12-13, 5-7 Big 12)

G – #1 Jevon Thomas (5.0 ppg., 3.4 apg.)

G – #23 Nigel Johnson (4.6 ppg., 1.4 rpg.)

G – #25 Wesley Iwundu (5.6 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)

F – #11 Nino Williams (11.5 ppg., 4.9 rpg.)

F – #42 Thomas Gipson (11.1 ppg., 4.8 rpg.)

 

17/17 Oklahoma (17-7, 8-4 Big 12)

G – #10 Jordan Woodard (8.8 ppg., 4.2 apg.)

G – #11 Isaiah Cousins (12.2 ppg., 5.1 rpg.)

G – #24 Buddy Hield (17.6 ppg., 5.5 rpg.)

F – #00 Ryan Spangler (10.9 ppg., 8.0 rpg.)

F – #35 Tashawn Thomas (11.0 ppg., 6.2 rpg.)

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: Oklahoma leads 105-95 (13-10 in Big 12 era)

In Manhattan: K-State leads 57-36 (W, 72-66, 1/14/2014)

In Norman: Oklahoma leads 60-27 (W, 66-63 [OT], 1/10/2015)

Last Meeting: K-State, 66-63 [OT], 1/10/2015 (Norman, Okla.)

Weber vs. Oklahoma: 4-1 (2-0 at home)

Kruger vs. K-State: 5-5 (2-2 on the road)

Weber vs. Kruger: Weber leads 5-1 (2-0 at home)

 

LAST GAME SUMMARY

21/20 West Virginia 76, K-State 72

Game 25  *  WVU Coliseum  *  February 11, 2015

• Kansas State could not maintain its lead late, as No. 21/20 West Virginia surged to a 76-72 win on Wednesday night before 8,762 fans at the WVU Coliseum. Leading 69-67 after a 3-point play by Nino Williams with 2:25 to play, K-State saw its advantage evaporate down the stretch as West Virginia clinched the season sweep by scoring nine of the game’s final 12 points. The loss marred a terrific offensive effort by the Wildcats, who connected on better than 50 percent in each half for the first time since UMKC on Nov. 17 and finished a stellar 56.8 percent (25-of-44) from the field with four players in double figures. Williams tied his career-high with 22 points on 7-of-11 field goals, while Justin Edwards and sophomore Nigel Johnson each added 14 points. Johnson, who earned his 3rd career start, also chipped in 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in a career-best 33 minutes.

 

GAME 26 – QUICK HITTERS

• Kansas State (12-13, 5-7 Big 12) returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday, as the Wildcats play host to No. 17/17 Oklahoma (17-7, 8-4 Big 12) at 7 p.m. CT. The game will air nationally on ESPN2 with Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Stephen Howard (analyst) on the call.
• Fans are encouraged to bring paper towels, trash bags and cleaning supplies to Saturday’s game to support the 4th annual “Tipoff for TP” event, which benefits the Manhattan Emergency Shelter.
• The nationally-ranked Sooners will be the Wildcats’ 9th opponent in the last 11 games to be either ranked or receiving votes. The team is 2-6 vs. the Top 25 this season, including 1-2 record at home.
• K-State saw its skid reach 5 games on Wednesday, as the Wildcats could not maintain their lead late in a 76-72 setback at No. 21/20 West Virginia. Despite trailing 69-67 with 2:25 to play, the Mountaineers were able to clinch the season series by scoring 9 of the game’s final 12 points. The team’s 47 bench points were the most by an opponent since February 2002.
• The loss overshadowed a terrific offensive effort, as K-State connected on better than 50 percent in each half and finished a stellar 56.8 percent (25-of-44) from the field with 4 players in double figures vs. West Virginia. It was the 1st loss (8-1) when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
• The 72 points vs. the Mountaineers were the most in Big 12 play and the most in any game since Savannah State (73) on Dec. 14, 2014.
• Senior Nino Williams tallied his 5th career 20-point game, including his 4th this season, by tying his career-high with 22 points vs. West Virginia.  He has led in scoring a team-best 9 times, including 5 times in Big 12 play.
• K-State was again without leading scorer Marcus Foster and reserve  Malek Harris, who were suspended Feb. 4 for violation of team rules.
• K-State has lost 6 of its last 7 games since a 4-game winning streak from Jan. 7-17, including 5 in a row for the first time in the Bruce Weber era.  It is the longest skid since dropping 5 in a row from Feb. 5-19, 2005.
• With its 12-13 record, K-State is below .500 for the first time in more than a decade since also being 12-13 on Jan. 28, 2004. The Wildcats have not been 2 games below .500 since finishing 2002-03 at 13-17.
• The Wildcats are 10-4 at home this season, including 4-2 in Big 12 play. The team has lost back-to-back games at Bramlage Coliseum (West Virginia and Texas) and are looking to avoid a 3-game losing streak at home for the first time since a 3-game skid from Feb. 5-19, 2005.

 

THE OPPONENT: 17/17 OKLAHOMA (17-7, 8-4 big 12)

• Oklahoma enters Saturday’s game with a 17-7 record after winning its 5th in a row with a 94-83 victory over No. 14/14 Iowa State at home on Monday night… The Sooners are 6-6 away from home this season, including 4-4 in true road contests.
• The Sooners are averaging 73.1 points on 45.2 percent shooting, including 35.3 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 38.8 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 7.0 steals and 5.6 blocks per game… They are allowing opponent 61.6 points per game on 37.5 percent shooting, including 30.4 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 72.4 percent from the free throw line.
• Oklahoma has 4 players averaging in double figures (Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins, TaShawn Thomas and Ryan Spangler)… Hield averages a Big 12-best 17.6 points per game  on 44.6 percent shooting, including 19.5 points on 48.8 percent shooting in Big 12 play… Cousins is averaging 12.2 points on 44.8 percent shooting to go with 5.1 rebounds, while transfer Thomas has made an immediate impact with averages of 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game… Spangler leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage (60.6) and is 3rd in rebounding (8.0 rpg.), while sophomore Jordan Woodard ranks 4th in the Big 12 in assists (4.2 apg.).
• Oklahoma is led by 4th-year head coach Lon Kruger, who has a 75-45 record in his tenure… He has a 554-349 record in his 29th season as a head coach, which includes stints at Pan American (1982-86), Kansas State (1986-90), Florida (1991-96), Illinois (1996-2000), UNLV (2004-11) and now Oklahoma… He is the only coach to take 5 different teams to the NCAA Tournament.

 

K-STATE/OKLAHOMA CONNECTIONS

• Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger has a long history with Kansas State as a player (1971-74), assistant coach (1977-82) and head coach (1986-90)… He was a two-time Big Eight Player of the Year (1973 and 1974) and is a member of the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame. He had his jersey retired in 2006… He served as an assistant to his college coach, Jack Hartman, before succeeding him in 1986 and became the first head coach to lead the Wildcats to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Kruger is not the only Oklahoma staffer with Kansas State connections as assistant coach Steve Henson was a four-year player for the Wildcats from 1986-90 and director of operations Mike Shepherd is a former student manager for K-State and a 1992 graduate… Henson, who was inducted into the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012, is the school’s all-time leader in assists (582), free throw percentage (90.0) and minutes played (4,474) and played a school-record 127 consecutive games.