GARDNER-WEBB (7-5, 0-0 Big South)

AT KANSAS STATE (10-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Wednesday, December 21, 2016  7 p.m. Bramlage Coliseum (12,528)

 

 

 COACHES

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

Overall: 402-210/19^th season

At K-State: 89-55/5^th season

1. Gardner-Webb: First meeting

 

Gardner-Webb: Tim Craft (Florida ‘00)

Overall: 62-51/5th season

At Gardner-Webb: 62-51/5th season

1. Kansas State: First meeting

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (10-1)

G: #3 Kamau Stokes (9.6 ppg., 4.3 apg.)

G: #5 Barry Brown (13.3 ppg., 2.5 rpg.)

G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.0 ppg., 5.6 rpg.)

F: #32 Dean Wade (9.1 ppg., 5.9 rpg.)

F: #4 D.J. Johnson (11.6 ppg., 7.1 rpg.)

 

Gardner-Webb (7-5)

G: #0 Jamaal Robateau (7.8 ppg., 2.5 rpg.)

G: #3 LaQuincy Rideau (12.8 ppg., 4.9 apg.)

G: #5 Liam O’Reilly (7.9 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)

F: #20 Tyrell Nelson (13.6 ppg., 6.3 rpg.)

C: #31 L’Hassane Niangane (2.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: K-State leads 3-0 (series dates to 2001)

1. Big South: K-State leads 8-1 (8-1 at home)

In Manhattan: K-State leads 3-0

Current Streak: K-State, 3

Last Meeting: K-State won 107-48 in Manhattan, Kan. (12/14/2008)

Weber vs. Gardner-Webb: First meeting

Weber vs. Craft: First meeting

 

GAME 12 – QUICK HITTERS

• Kansas State (10-1) concludes the home portion of its non-conference schedule on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats play host to Big South foe Gardner-Webb (7-5) at 7 p.m. CT at Bramlage Coliseum. The squad will have 9 days before opening Big 12 at home against Texas (5-5) on Dec. 30.
• K-State is riding a 5-game win streak for the second time this season and a win on Wednesday would give the team its longest winning streak since winning 10 in a row from Nov. 24, 2013 to Jan. 7, 2014.
• During its current win streak, K-State is averaging 79.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting, including 42.6 percent from 3-point range, with 5 players averaging in double figures led by senior D.J. Johnson’s 12.4 points per game. Opponents are averaging 59 points on 36.9 percent shooting.
• The Wildcats have won 16 consecutive non-conference games at home venues (which includes victories over Colorado State in Wichita in 2015 and Washington State in Kansas City in 2016), including 14 in a row at Bramlage Coliseum with an average margin of victory of 18.1 points. The last non-conference loss came to Georgia on Dec. 31, 2014.
• K-State has an 86-5 (.945) record at home in non-conference play dating back to 2006-07, including a 31-3 (.912) mark under Bruce Weber. The squad has won 75 of its last 78 non-conference home games.
• The Wildcats have won their 7 home games by an average of 19.3 points per game, while averaging 76.7 points on 50.3 percent shooting, including 45.0 percent from 3-point range. Sophomore Barry Brown is averaging 15 points on 52.6 percent shooting, including 50 percent from long range.
• This will be the fourth meeting between K-State and Gardner-Webb and the first since a 107-48 win by the Wildcats at home on Dec. 14, 2008. The team is 3-0 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 75-57 win at home on Dec. 1, 2001 and a 68-65 win at home on Nov. 29, 2003.
• K-State is coming off an 89-70 win over Colorado State in the Duel in Denver on Saturday at the Pepsi Center, in which, 6 players scored in double figures, including all 5 starters, for the second time under Bruce Weber and the first time since a win over Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014.
• Johnson led the way with his third career double-double, including his second this season, with game-highs in both scoring (19) and rebounding (10). He has tallied at least 10 rebounds in 3 of the last 4 games.
• K-State has four players averaging in double figures led by Brown’s 13.3 points per game, who has double-digits in 10 of the first 11 games.

 

THE OPPONENT: GARDNER-WEBB (7-5)

• Gardner-Webb enters Wednesday’s game with a 7-5 record, including consecutive wins against Warren Wilson (95-45) and at Nebraska (70-62)… The Runnin’ Bulldogs have won 7 of their last 9 games since opening the year with losses at SMU (44-72), at Pittsburgh (80-99) and on a neutral court against Eastern Michigan (68-76)… The team is 2-3 on the road this season.
• In addition to Nebraska, Gardner-Webb has notable recent road wins at Clemson and Purdue in 2014 under coach Tim Craft.
• The Bulldogs are averaging 77.9 points on 48.4 percent shooting, including 37.1 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 39.1 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game… They are allowing opponent 67.9 points per game on 39.9  percent shooting, including 33.6 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 57.2 percent from the free throw line.
• Gardner-Webb has 7 players averaging 6 or more points this season, including 3 averaging in double figures led by senior forward Tyrell Nelson, who leads the way in both scoring (13.6 ppg.) and rebounding (6.3 rpg.)… Nelson is also connecting on a team-best 58 percent from the field, including 60 percent from 3-point range… Sophomore guard David Efianayi also averages double figures at 13.5 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting, while sophomore guard LaQuincy Rideau averages 12.8 points on 46.9 percent shooting to go with 5.4 rebounds and team-bests in assists (4.9 apg.) and steals (2.8 spg.).
• Gardner-Webb is led by 5th-year head coach Tim Craft, who has a 62-51 record during his tenure.

 

BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES

• Wednesday’s game will mark the fourth meeting between K-State and Gardner-Webb.
• The Wildcats have won all 3 previous meetings at home, including 75-57 on Dec. 1, 2001, 68-65 on Nov. 29, 2003 and 107-48 in the latest meeting on Dec. 14, 2008.
• K-State is 8-1 all-time against the Big South with all 9 previous matchups coming in Manhattan… The Wildcats have won 8 straight meetings against Big South competitive with the last loss coming to Campbell in 1905… This will be the 1st meeting with a Big South foe since defeating Charleston Southern, 72-67, on Nov. 11, 2012.

 

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS

• K-State has an 86-5 record at home in non-conference play dating back to 2006-07, including a 31-3 mark under head coach Bruce Weber… The Wildcats has won 75 of their last 78 non-conference home games at Bramlage Coliseum.
• K-State has won 16 consecutive games played at home venues against non-conference opponents (61-56 win over Colorado State at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita), including 14 straight at Bramlage Coliseum… The Wildcats’ last loss to a non-conference team at home came against Georgia, 50-46, on Dec. 31, 2014… The team is 15-2 at home in December under Bruce Weber.
• K-State is looking to go unbeaten at home in non-conference games for the second straight year after going 9-0 in 2015-16.