K-State vs. Colorado State

GAME 11

KANSAS STATE (9-1, 0-0 Big 12)

AT COLORADO STATE (8-2, 0-0 MWC)

Duel in Denver

Saturday, December 17, 2016 2:05 p.m. Pepsi Center (18,007) Denver, Colo.

TELEVISION

CBS Sports Network

Jason Horowitz (play-by-play)
Doug Gottlieb (analyst)
Bruce Clark (producer)

COACHES

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

Overall: 401-210/19^th season

At K-State: 88-55/5^th season

Colorado State: 2-1

Colorado State: Larry Eustachy (Long Beach State ‘79)

Overall: 497-308/26th season

At Colorado State: 95-50/5th season

Kansas State: 6-6

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (9-1)

G: #3 Kamau Stokes (9.6 ppg., 3.9 apg.)

G: #5 Barry Brown (13.2 ppg., 2.6 rpg.)

G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.1 ppg., 5.8 rpg.)

F: #32 Dean Wade (9.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg.)

F: #4 D.J. Johnson (10.9 ppg., 6.8 rpg.)

Colorado State (8-2)

G: #11 Prentiss Nixon (10.0 ppg., 2.2 rpg.)

G: #22 J.D. Paige (11.3 ppg., 3.6 apg.)

F: #2 Emmanuel Omogbo (12.0 ppg., 11.1 rpg.)

F: #10 Che Bob (9.6 ppg., 5.2 rpg.)

C: #32 Nico Carvacho (6.8 ppg., 5.1 rpg.)

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: K-State leads 8-5 (series dates to 1937)

Mountain West: K-State leads 34-18 (7-13 on the road)

In Denver: First meeting (CSU is 5-0 at home venues)

Current Streak: K-State, 1

Last Meeting: K-State won 61-56 in Wichita, Kan. (12/19/2015)

Weber vs. Colorado State: Weber leads 2-1 (0-1 on the road)

Weber vs. Eustachy: Weber leads 2-1 (0-0 on the road)

GAME 11 – QUICK HITTERS

Kansas State (9-1) travels to Denver, Colo., Saturday to take on Colorado State (8-2) in the Duel in Denver at 2 p.m., CT at the Pepsi Center. The game is the second of a two-game series, which began last year with K-State earning a 61-56 win at Wichita’s INTRUST Bank Arena on Dec. 19, 2015.
Much like last year counted as a home game for K-State in Wichita, the match-up will count as a home game for Colorado State. The Wildcats are 2-1 away from home this season, including a 1-1 record at the Barclays Center Classic Nov. 25-26 and a true road win at Saint Louis on Dec. 3.
This will be the 14th meeting between K-State and Colorado State and the first in the state of Colorado since an 84-83 loss to the Rams on Dec. 2, 2006. The Wildcats are 0-5 in games played in the state (all in Fort Collins).
K-State has had its longest stretch between games, as the Wildcats last played in a 70-56 win over Washington State on Dec. 10 in the 8th Wildcat Classic at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. The victory was the fourth in a row for K-State and moved the squad to 7-0 at home venues.
The Wildcats rallied from a dismal first half, in which, they shot 35.5 percent (11-of-31), including 22.2 percent (2-of-9) from 3-point range, to earn the win. The team connected on 51.6 percent (16-of-31) of its field goals after halftime, including 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from long range.
K-State has now connected on 50 percent or better from the field in at least one half of every game this season, including both halves against Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30) and Prairie View A&M (12/6).
WSU jumped to a 9-0 lead and knocked in 8 of its first 12 shot attempts before K-State clamped down defensively. From there, the Cougars shot just 27 percent (12-of-45) from the field, as the Wildcats held their 54th opponent to 60 points or less under head coach Bruce Weber.
Defensively, the Wildcats are among the national leaders, ranking 6th in scoring defense (57.8), 11th in field goal percentage defense (36.6), 36th in steals (8.4) and 39th in turnovers forced (16.3).
Senior Wesley Iwundu led four players in double figures against the Cougars with all-around effort that included 15 points on 6-of-14 field goals to go with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. It marked the seventh time in 10 games that four players registered double figures.
K-State has four players averaging in double figures led by sophomore Barry Brown’s 13.2 points per game, while nine are shooting 50 percent or better from the field led by senior D.J. Johnson’s 61.4 percentage.

THE OPPONENT: COLORADO STATE (58-2)

Colorado State enters Saturday’s game with an 8-2 record, including wins in 6 of the last 7 outings… The Rams’ 2 losses have come at Stanford (49-56) and at home to Wichita State (67-82) in the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge… The team is 7-1 in home this season… The squad also has a road win at Pac-12 foe Colorado (72-58) on Nov. 30.
The Rams are averaging 73.3 points on 43.5 percent shooting, including 30.2 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 40.3 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.6 blocks per game… They are allowing opponent 64.7 points per game on 37.9 percent shooting, including 30.2 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 76.3 percent from the free throw line.
CSU ranks 7th nationally in free throws made (219), 11th in attempts (287) and 28th in percentage (76.3).
The Rams also among the best rebounding teams, ranking 35th (28.8) in defensive boards and 30th in margin (+7.4).
Colorado State is a balanced scoring team with 4 players averaging in double figures led by senior Gian Clavell’s 15 points per game on 41.7 percent shooting… Senior Emmanuel Omogbo is averaging a double-double with 12 points and 11.1 rebounds per game… Omogbo ranks 12th nationally in rebounds and 7th in defensive rebounds (8.5)… Sophomores J.D. Paige (11.3 ppg.) and Prentiss Nixon (10.0 ppg.) both average double figures, while junior Che Bob is at 9.6 points per game… Paige is top on the team in both assists (3.6 apg.) and steals (1.2 spg.)… Bob ranks 1st in blocked shots (1.1 bpg.).
CSU returns 5 lettermen, including 1 starter, from a team that posted an 18-16 record in 2015-16.
CSU is led by 5th-year coach Larry Eustachy, who has a 95-50 record during his tenure with 2 postseason trips… He has a 497-308 record in his 26th season as a head coach, which includes stints at Idaho, Utah State, Iowa State and Southern Miss.