GAME 23
1/2 OKLAHOMA (19-2, 7-2 Big 12)
AT KANSAS STATE (13-9, 2-7 Big 12)
Saturday, February 6, 2016 >> 5:05 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 388-202/18th season
At K-State: 75-47/4th season
- Oklahoma: 5-2
Oklahoma: Lon Kruger (Kansas State ’75)
Overall: 580-355/29th season
At Oklahoma: 101-51/5th season
- Kansas State: 5-6
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (13-9, 2-7 Big 12)
G: #1 Carlbe Ervin II (3.0 ppg., 1.6 rpg.)
G: #14 Justin Edwards (11.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.4 ppg., 4.9 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.9 ppg., 5.7 rpg.)
F: #41 Stephen Hurt (7.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg.)
1/2 Oklahoma (19-2, 7-2 Big 12)
G: #10 Jordan Woodard (14.4 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)
G: #11 Isaiah Cousins (13.3 ppg., 4.6 rpg.)
G: #24 Buddy Hield (25.8 ppg., 5.7 rpg.)
F: #00 Ryan Spangler (11.0 ppg., 9.8 rpg.)
F: #12 Khadeem Lattin (6.2 ppg., 6.2 rpg.)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Oklahoma leads 106-96 (series began in 1920)
In Big 12 era: Oklahoma leads 14-11 (5-7 on the road)
In Manhattan: K-State leads 58-36 (last meeting – 2/14/2015)
Current Streak: Oklahoma, 1
Last Meeting: Oklahoma, 86-76, in Norman, Okla., on 1/9/2016
Weber vs. Oklahoma: Weber leads 5-2 (3-0 at home)
Weber vs. Kruger: Weber leads 6-2 (3-0 at home)
QUICK HITTERS
- Kansas State (13-9, 2-7 Big 12) continues Big 12 play on Saturday night, as the Wildcats welcome all-time great Lon Kruger and his top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (19-2, 7-2 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum for a 5 p.m. CT tip. Jason Benetti and Reid Gettys will call the action on ESPNU.
- Kruger was both a player and coach at K-State, earning Big Eight Player of the Year honors (1973 & 1974) during his playing career for legendary coach Jack Hartman from 1971-74 before serving as an assistant coach to Hartman from 1977-82 and head coach from 1986-90.
- Interestingly enough, Kruger was K-State’s head coach when they last faced a No. 1 Oklahoma team at Bramlage Coliseum, as the Wildcats lost 90-82 on Feb. 1, 1989. It was also the first No. 1 team to ever visit the arena.
- Saturday’s game will be the 7th against an AP No. 1 team at Bramlage Coliseum and the first since beating top-ranked Kansas, 84-68, on Feb. 14, 2011. The list includes Oklahoma in 1989, Missouri in 1990, Kansas in 1993, 1997 and 2011 and Texas in 2010. Overall, the Wildcats are 4-13 vs. No. 1 with 3 of the 4 wins coming at Bramlage Coliseum (Missouri, 65-58, in Feb. 8, 1990, Texas, 71-62, in Jan. 18, 2010 and Kansas, 84-68, in 2011).
- K-State has faced Oklahoma 3 times as No. 1, losing 90-82 at home on Feb. 1, 1989, 86-82 in Norman on Feb. 22, 1989 and 86-76 earlier this year on Jan. 9 in Norman when the Sooners were No. 1 in the Coaches’ poll.
- The game is the second of 3 consecutive vs. Top 15 opponents, which continues Wednesday at home vs. No. 15/13 Baylor. It marks the first time since Feb. 13-21, 2012 that the Wildcats have played 3 straight Top 15 foes.
- K-State is 10-2 at Bramlage Coliseum this season (11-2 at home overall) with its only losses coming to No. 19/17 West Virginia and No. 17/18 Iowa State. Overall, the team is 32-51 (.386) against ranked teams in the arena’s history with 29 coming vs. ranked Big 12 foes and a 17-11 mark since 2008.
- Eight of K-State’s 9 losses this season have come to Top 25 opponents, including 6 in Big 12 play. This includes 2 double-overtime setbacks to No. 19/17 West Virginia (83-87) at home and at No. 13/15 Baylor (72-79) as well as Wednesday’s 77-59 defeat at 7/6 Kansas. All 9 losses have come to teams with a combined record of 138-32 (.812).
- K-State boasts the nation’s No. 19 strength of schedule, which should improve with 6 games remaining vs. teams with an RPI of 43 or better.
- The schools will play for the 203rd time with the Sooners holding a 106-96 advantage. The Wildcats have won 5 of the last 7 meetings, including a sweep in 2015, since the Sooners last swept the season series in 2012.
- K-State has 6 players with at least 8 double-digit scoring games, as the team is 8-2 this season when 4 or more players register double figures.
- Freshmen have led the Wildcats in scoring 12 times (including 6 of 9 Big 12 games) with a combined 28 double-figure scoring games. They have also paced the team in rebounding and assists 8 times each.
–www.kstatesports.com–
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TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics