K-State to Host TCU

TCU (14-7, 3-5 Big 12)

AT KANSAS STATE (15-6, 4-4 Big 12)

Wednesday, February 1, 2017 >> 6:30 p.m. >> Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) >> Manhattan, Kan.

COACHES

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

Overall: 407-215/19^th season

At K-State: 94-60/5^th season

TCU: 7-2 (4-0 at home)

TCU: Jamie Dixon (TCU ‘87)

Overall: 342-130/14th season

At TCU: 14-7/1st season

Kansas State: 1-0 (0-0 on the road)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (15-6, 4-4 Big 12)

G: #3 Kamau Stokes (11.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.)

G: #5 Barry Brown (12.9 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)

G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.4 ppg., 5.6 rpg.)

F: #32 Dean Wade (9.5 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)

F: #4 D.J. Johnson (11.9 ppg., 6.5 rpg.)

TCU (14-7, 3-5 Big 12)

G: #0 Jaylen Fisher (8.9 ppg., 4.4 apg.)

G: #25 Alex Robinson (11.3 ppg., 2.6 rpg.)

G: #34 Kenrich Williams (10.4 ppg., 9.4 rpg.)

F: #10 Vladimir Brodziansky (14.0 ppg., 6.1 rpg.)

F: #15 J.D. Miller (6.4 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: K-State leads 10-4 (series dates to 1947)

In Big 12 era: K-State leads 7-2 (4-0 at home)

In Manhattan: K-State leads 6-1 (W, 79-54, 3/2/2016)

Current Streak: K-State, 2

Last Meeting: K-State won 79-54 in Manhattan, Kan. (3/2/2016)

Weber vs. TCU: 7-2 (4-0 at home)

Weber vs. Dixon: 0-1 (0-0 at home)

GAME 22 – QUICK HITTERS

Kansas State (15-6, 4-4 Big 12) returns home on Wednesday, as the Wildcats play host to first-year head coach Jaime Dixon and his upstart TCU Horned Frogs (14-7, 3-3 Big 12) at 6:30 p.m. CT at Bramlage Coliseum.
Wednesday’s game marks the halfway point of the Big 12 slate, as the Wildcats will have played all nine league members. The team looks to go above .500 in league play at the midway point for the first time since 2015, while equaling their entire Big 12 win total (5) -from 2015-16.
K-State and TCU are among 8 Big 12 teams in the Top 50 of ESPN’s BPI rankings as well as 7 league schools in the Top 50 of the NCAA’s RPI ratings. The Wildcats rank 32nd in the BPI and 44th in the NCAA RPI.
The schools are two of the most improved Big 12 teams, as K-State is two wins shy of equaling its entire total (17) from 2015-16 while TCU has already improved their win total in both overall (12) and league play (2).
K-State leads the all-time series with TCU, 10-4, including a 7-2 mark in the Big 12 era. The Wildcats have 6 of the 7 meetings at home, including all 4 since the start of Big 12 play. Last season, the Cats swept the season series for the third time, including a 79-54 win at home on March 2, 2016.
K-State dropped its second straight game on the road on Saturday, as Tennessee jumped out to an early lead and never trailed in a 70-58 win in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The 58 points were a season-low for the Wildcats, as they converted on just 39.6 percent (19-of-48), including 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from 3-point range. The Vols scored nearly half of their 70 points in the paint (34) to go with an opponent-high 23 second-chance points.
Sophomore Barry Brown paced three Wildcats in double figures with a game-tying 17 points, of which 15 came in the second half on 6-of-11 field goals. He has netted double digits points in the second half of 4 of the last 5 games, in which he is averaging 11.8 points on 50 percent (20-of-40) shooting, including 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from 3-point range.
K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.3 spg./23rd) and turnovers forced (16.0/26th). The Wildcats have helped force double-digit turnovers in 19 games, including 10 or more steals 7 times, and have scored at least 12 points off those turnovers in 20 games.
The Wildcats have been outscored 174-135 in the first half of their last 4 games, as opponents are shooting 52.2 percent (59-of-113) from the field, including 55.1 percent (27-of-49) from long range. In contrast, they have a 163-129 edge after halftime on 50.4 percent (57-of-113) shooting.

THE OPPONENT: TCU (15-6, 4-4 Big 12)

TCU enters Wednesday’s game with a 14-7 overall record and a 3-5 mark in Big 12 play after dropping an 88-80 decision at home to Auburn in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge… The Horned Frogs have lost 4 in a row, including consecutive games on the road.
The Frogs are averaging 76 points on 46.2 percent shooting, including 32.7 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 37 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game… They are allowing foes 68.4 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting, including 34.4 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 68.3 percent from the free throw line.
TCU has 5 players averaging 8 or more points, including 3 in double figures, led by junior Vlad Brodziansky (14.0 ppg.)… He ranks 2nd in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (60.9), while he is 1st in blocked shots (2.5 bpg.)… Transfer Alex Robinson (11.3 ppg.) and junior Kenrich Williams (10.4 ppg.) also average double digits… Robinson is tops on the team in both assists (5.3 apg.) and steals (1.6 spg.), while Williams averages a team-best 9.4 rebounds per game.
TCU is led by first-year head coach Jaime Dixon, who led Pittsburgh to 11 NCAA Tournaments from 2003-16.

BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES

This will be the 15th meeting between the two schools with K-State holding a 10-4 advantage.
K-State leads the series, 7-2, in the Big 12 era, including a 7-1 mark in regular-season meetings.
K-State swept the series a season ago, winning 63-49 in Fort Worth on Feb. 16 before a 79-54 victory at home on March 2.
K-State is 6-1 all-time in Manhattan, including 4-0 in the Big 12 era.

LAST TIME VS. TCU

K-State won both meetings in 2016, including a 79-54 in the last visit to Bramlage Coliseum on March 2, 2016.
K-State shot a staggering 76.2 percent in the first half, including 66.7 percent from 3-point range, en route to a 79-54 win over TCU at home on March 2, 2016… For the game, the Wildcats shot 56.5 percent (26-of-46) from the field, including 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from 3-point range… Barry Brown led a balanced attack as he led four in double figures with 15 points.
The Wildcats won the first meeting of 2016 by a score of 63-49 on Feb. 16, as Justin Edwards paced three players in double figures with a game-high 17 points… Barry Brown (16) and Dean Wade (14) also registered double digits.
Among those returning, Brown averaged 15.5 points on 61.1 percent shooting, including 64.3 percent from 3-point range, in 2 starts against TCU, while Wade averaged 12 points on 57.1 percent shooting in 2 starts.

HOME SWEET HOME

K-State has a 150-28 (.843) record at Bramlage Coliseum over the past 10 seasons, including 65-23 (.739) mark in Big 12 play.
K-State has a 351-108 record (.765) at Bramlage Coliseum, which are the 2nd-most wins behind the 378 at Ahearn Field House.
The Wildcats have posted double-digit wins at Bramlage Coliseum for 16 consecutive seasons and 24 times in the 29-year history of the arena… The team is 11-1 in home venues this season, including 10-1 at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State is 34-55 (.382) all-time against Top 25 foes at Bramlage Coliseum, including 19-15 (.559) since 2008.
Head coach Bruce Weber is 66-13 (.835) at Bramlage Coliseum, including 30-10 (.750) vs. Big 12 opponents.

CATS EFFICIENT ON OFFENSE

K-State is averaging 75.0 points on 48.1 percent shooting (554-of-1151) and 37.6 percent from 3-point range (157-of-418), through the first 21 games with assists on 62 percent of its made field goals (341/554) and a +3.0 turnover margin.
The Wildcats may rank just 9th in the Big 12 in scoring offense, but they place in Top 5 in most offensive categories, including 3rd in turnover margin, 4th in field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage and assists and 5th in 3-point field goals made.
K-State’s 8 games of 80 or more points equals the entire total of such games from 2015-16 and are the most since the Wildcats scored 80 or more points 11 times in 2010-11… The 8 games are double the totals from 2013-14 (4) and 2014-15 (4).
The current 75.0 points per game scoring average is the highest since the 2009-10 team averaged 79.7 points per game, while the 48.1 field goal percentage is the highest since the 1987-88 team connected on 50.6 percent and the 37.6 3-point field goal percentage is the highest since the 1989-90 team connected on 39.0 percent from long range.
K-State has shot 50 percent or better 10 times this season, including on 5 occasions in Big 12 play… The Wildcats have shot 50 percent or better against Omaha (11/15), Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30), Saint Louis (12/3), Prairie View A&M (12/6), Kansas (1/3), Oklahoma (1/7), Texas Tech (1/10), Oklahoma State (1/18) and West Virginia (1/21).
K-State has connected on at least 50 percent of its field goals in at least one half of 17 games this season, including hitting the mark in both halves against Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30), Prairie View A&M (12/6), Oklahoma (1/7) and OSU (1/18).
K-State has totaled at least 15 assists in 14 of 20 games this season, including 20 or more 5 times… The Wildcats dished out 20 or more assists in 3 consecutive games (vs. Green Bay, Saint Louis and Prairie View A&M) for first time since 2010-11.

OFFENSIVE BALANCE HAS BEEN KEY

Four of 5 starters are averaging in double figures led by sophomore Barry Brown (12.9 ppg.), senior Wesley Iwundu (12.4 ppg.), senior D.J. Johnson (11.9 ppg.) and sophomore Kamau Stokes (11.5 ppg.), while 6 players are averaging 8 or more points… 6 different players have led the team in scoring, including a team-best 6 times by Brown.
K-State was the only Big 12 team to have all 5 starters averaging double figures until Wade dropped to 9.5 points per game.
All 5 starters scored in double figures vs. No. 7/8 West Virginia (1/21) for the 6th time under Bruce Weber, including the 4th time this season and 3rd time in Big 12 play, while a season-high 6 scored double digits in the win over Colorado State (12/17)… It marked the 3rd time under Weber that 6 players had double figures and the first time since Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014.
All 5 starters scored in double figures in consecutive Big 12 games at No. 3/2 Kansas (1/3) and Oklahoma (1/7) for the first time since at least the 2005-06 season… Starters connected on 52.2 percent in the games against the Jayhawks and Sooners.
K-State narrowly missed having all 5 starters in double figures at Texas Tech (1/10) and at Oklahoma State (1/18)… Brown and Iwundu each finished with 9 vs. the Red Raiders, while Wade was the only starter to not score double digits vs. the Cowboys.
At least 4 Wildcats have scored in double figures in 13 of 21 games, including at least 3 in 20 games… In all, 7 have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 6 having at least 10 double-digit scoring games led by Brown’s 17 games of 10 or more points.
Nine Wildcats are shooting 45 percent or better from the field, including 3 of 5 starters… The starters are shooting a combined 47.9 percent from the field (429-of-895), including 37.1 percent (108-of-291) from 3-point range, this season.
In all, starters are responsible for 77 percent of the team’s 1,576 points and 554 made field goals, 69 percent of the 157 made 3-pointers and 81.2 percent of the 341 assists… They also own 72 of the 83 double-digit scoring games.

Tom Gilbert – Associate Director for Athletic Communications – K-State Athletics