8/8 KANSAS (22-5, 11-3 Big 12)

 

at KANSAS STATE (13-15, 6-9 Big 12)

Monday, February 23, 2015 >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528)  >> 8 p.m. CT

 

COACHES

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

Overall: 373-191 (17^th year)

at K-State: 60-36 (3^rd year)

1. Kansas: 1-6

 

Kansas: Bill Self (Oklahoma State ’85)

Overall: 554-179 (22nd year)

At Kansas: 347-74 (12th year)

1. K-State: 20-4

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (13-15, 6-9 Big 12)

G – #1 Jevon Thomas (4.8 ppg., 3.1 apg.)

G – #5 Tre Harris (4.2 ppg., 0.9 rpg.)

G – #25 Wesley Iwundu (5.5 ppg., 3.4 rpg.)

F – #11 Nino Williams (11.4 ppg., 5.2 rpg.)

F – #42 Thomas Gipson (11.0 ppg., 4.8 rpg.)

 

8/8 Kansas (22-5, 11-3 Big 12)

G – #0 Frank Mason III (12.4 ppg., 4.4 apg.)

G – #1 Wayne Selden, Jr. (9.7 ppg., 2.7 rpg.)

G – #12 Kelly Oubre, Jr. (8.4 ppg., 4.8 rpg.)

F – #2 Cliff Alexander (7.4 ppg., 5.3 rpg.)

F – #34 Perry Ellis (13.7 ppg., 6.9 rpg.)

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: Kansas leads 188-92 (40-4 in Big 12 era)

In Manhattan: Kansas leads 75-46 (W, 85-82 [OT], 2/10/2014)

In Lawrence: Kansas leads 86-35 (W, 68-57, 1/31/2015)

Last Meeting: Kansas, 68-57, 1/31/2015 (Lawrence, Kan.)

Weber vs. Kansas: 1-6 (1-1 at home)

Self vs. K-State: 20-4 (8-3 on the road)

Weber vs. Self: Self leads 7-2 (1-2 on the road)

 

LAST GAME SUMMARY

20/20 Baylor 69, K-State 42

Game 28  * Ferrell Center  *  February 21, 2015

• No. 20/20 Baylor used a balanced scoring effort led by junior Rico Gathers’ double-double to post a 69-42 win over Kansas State in front of 8,046 at the Ferrell Center on Saturday. Baylor connected 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the field, including 54.5 percent (12-of-22) in the second half, and saw five players score in double figures led by junior Taurean Prince’s 14 points. Gathers, who is one of 17 players to average a double-double, tallied 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Prince also added a game-high 5 assists and 5 steals in 25 minutes of action. K-State’s offensive struggles continued against Baylor’s lengthy zone defense, as the Wildcats scored a season-low 42 points on 38.3 percent (18-of-47) shooting, including 6.3 percent (1-of-16) from 3-point range. It was the fewest points since the team also scored 42 against Nebraska on Jan. 11, 2006.

 

GAME 29 – QUICK HITTERS

• Kansas State (13-15, 6-9 Big 12) returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Monday night, as the Wildcats plays No. 8/8 Kansas (22-5, 11-3 Big 12) in the Dillon Sunflower Showdown at 8 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN with Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call.
• Monday’s match-up will be the third game in a 6-day span for K-State, which lost road tilts at TCU and Baylor to begin the stretch. The Wildcats are 11-4 at home this season, including 5-2 in Big 12 play.
• The Sunflower Showdown is the 8th-most continuously played rivalry (109) in college basketball dating back to 1907 and the oldest among Big 12 schools, while the 280 meetings ties for the 6th-most played.
• Kansas leads the all-time series, 188-92, including 75-46 on the road. The Jayhawks have won 40 of 44 match-ups in the Big 12 era, including 15 of 18 in Bramlage Coliseum during that span. The Wildcats have won 3 of the last 7 meetings at home, including an 85-82 overtime win in 2014.
• K-State will play its 11th game vs. a Top 25 opponent on Monday, which will tie the 2009-10 team for the second-most in school history. With a match-up vs. nationally-ranked Iowa State on Saturday, the Wildcats will tie the 2010-11 team (12) for the most games against Top 25 opponents.
• K-State’s 9 wins vs. Top 25 teams the past 2 seasons tie 5 others (Baylor, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Wisconsin) for the 5th-most nationally, trailing Iowa State (15), Kansas (14), Oklahoma (10) and Connecticut (10).
• K-State has won 12 of its last 17 home games vs. ranked opponents, including 7 of the last 9, dating back to 2010. Overall, the Wildcats are 30-49 vs. Top 25 foes at Bramlage Coliseum, including 15-9 since 2008.
• K-State dropped to 2-11 on the road this season, as No. 20/20 Baylor used a balanced scoring effort to post a 69-42 win on Saturday. The 42 points were the fewest since also scoring 42 vs. Nebraska on Jan. 11, 2006. The team connected on just 6.3 percent (1-of-16) from 3-point range.
• Since an impressive offensive outing at West Virginia on Feb. 11, in which, K-State scored 72 points on 56.8 percent (25-of-44) shooting, the team is averaging 52 points in the last 3 games on 33.1 percent (50-of-151) shooting, including 23.8 percent (10-of-42) from 3-point range.
• With its 13-15 record, K-State is 2 games below .500 for the first time since finishing 2002-03 at 13-17. The program has posted 8 consecutive 20-win seasons and 8 straight postseason appearances (6 NCAAs, 2 NITs).

 

THE OPPONENT: 8/8 KANSAS (22-5, 11-3 big 12)

• No. 8/8 Kansas enters Monday’s game with a 22-5 record after moving to 14-0 at home with an 81-72 victory over TCU. The Jayhawks, who lead the Big 12 by 1 game over Iowa State, are 8-5 away from home this season, including 5-4 in true road tilts.
• The Jayhawks are averaging 72.1 points on 44.9 percent shooting, including 40.9 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 38 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game… They are allowing opponent 64.4 points per game on 39.6 percent shooting, including 32 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 70.6 percent from the free throw line.
• Kansas ranks 4th in the Big 12 in scoring offense, 8th in scoring defense, 1st in 3-point field goal percentage.
• Kansas ranks 1st in Big 12-only games in scoring margin (+8.6), 3-point field goal percentage (42.4), assists (15.4) and field goal percentage defense (37.5)… The team is 2nd in scoring offense (73.0) and 4th in scoring defense (64.4).
• Kansas has one of the most diverse offenses in the Big 12 with 7 players averaging more 5 points per game led by junior Perry Ellis’ 13.7 points per game… Ellis is also 1st on the team in rebounding (6.9 rpg.), field goals made (132) and attempted (282), free throws made (91) and attempted (131)… Sophomore Frank Mason III also averages in double figures at 12.4 points to go with team-highs in assists (4.4 apg.) and steals (1.3 spg.)… Sophomore Wayne Selden, Jr., is 3rd in scoring at 9.7 points per game to go with a team-best 45 3-point field goals, while freshmen sensations Kelly Oubre, Jr. (8.4 ppg.) and Cliff Alexander (7.4 ppg.) also average better than 7 points per game… Alexander is tops in blocks (1.3 bpg.) and 2nd in rebounding (5.3 rpg.).
• Kansas is led by 12th-year head coach Bill Self, who has a 347-74 record in his tenure… He has a 554-179 record in his 22nd season as a head coach, which includes stints at Oral Roberts (1993-97), Tulsa (1997-2000) and Illinois (2000-03).

 

BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES

• This will be the 281st meeting between the two schools with Kansas leading the series, 188-92, including an 75-46 mark at home… The two schools have met at least once every season since 1921, while the series dates to 1907… It ranks as the eighth-longest continuously played rivalry in the country, while it ties for the sixth-most games played.
• Kansas holds a 40-4 mark in the Big 12 era and have won 14 of the last 16 meetings, including 7 of the last 8.