GAME 29
KANSAS STATE (17-11, 6-9 Big 12)
AT OKLAHOMA (9-18, 3-12 Big 12)
Saturday, February 25, 2017 >> 5 p.m. >> Lloyd Noble Center (11,562) >> Norman, Okla.
TICKETS
SoonerSports.com
(800) 456.4668
outickets@ou.edu
$10-$32 (public)
COACHES
Kansas State: Bruce Weber (Wis.-Milwaukee ’78)
Overall: 409-220/19th season
At K-State: 96-65/5th season
vs. Oklahoma: 7-2 (2-2 on the road)
Oklahoma: Lon Kruger (Kansas State ‘75)
Overall: 599-379/31st season
At Oklahoma State: 120-75/6th season
vs. Kansas State: 6-8 (4-2 at home)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State (17-11, 6-9 Big 12)
G: #3 Kamau Stokes (12.2 ppg., 4.2 apg.)
G: #5 Barry Brown (12.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg.)
G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (12.9 ppg., 6.3 rpg.)
F: #32 Dean Wade (9.6 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)
F: #4 D.J. Johnson (11.2 ppg., 5.9 rpg.)
Oklahoma (9-18, 3-12 Big 12)
G: #0 Darrion Strong-Moore (3.8 ppg., 1.0 rpg.)
G: #1 Rashard Odomes (10.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg.)
G: #20 Kameron McGusty (10.6 ppg., 2.0 rpg.)
F: #11 Kristian Doolittle (8.6 ppg., 6.4 rpg.)
F: #12 Khadeem Lattin (7.6 ppg., 5.9 rpg.)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Oklahoma leads 106-98 (series began in 1920)
In Big 12 era: Oklahoma leads 14-13 (8-4 at home)
In Norman: Oklahoma leads 59-36 (last meeting – 1/9/2016)
Current Streak: K-State, 2
Last Meeting: K-State, 75-64, in Manhattan, Kan., on 1/7/2017
Weber vs. Oklahoma: 7-2 (2-2 on the road)
Weber vs. Kruger: 8-2 (2-2 on the road)
GAME 29 – QUICK HITTERS
· Kansas State (17-11, 6-9 Big 12) begins a two-game road swing to wrap up the regular season on Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to Norman, Okla., to face former player and coach Lon Kruger and his Oklahoma Sooners (9-18, 3-12 Big 12) at 5 p.m., CT on ESPNU.
· Kruger will be going for win 600 on Saturday against his alma mater, where he earned 81 of his victories as head coach from 1986-90. A two-time Big Eight Player of the Year (1973 & 1974) during his playing career for legendary coach Jack Hartman from 1971-74, he also served as an assistant coach to Hartman from 1977-82 before taking over as head coach.
· With 3 games left, K-State continues to jockey for Big 12 Championship seeding and postseason opportunities, as the Wildcats are one of 8 Big 12 schools with at least 17 wins. The team has equaled its win total from 2015-16, while surpassing the win total in Big 12 play from a season ago.
· K-State will try to continue its recent success on the road, as the team has 6 victories away from home, including 5 true road wins and 3 Big 12 road wins, which are the most in all 3 categories since the 2012-13 season. The Wildcats’ lone 2 wins in February have come on the road.
· Oklahoma leads the all-time series with K-State, 106-98, including 59-36 at home. The Wildcats are looking to sweep the season series for the third time in 5 seasons after earning a 75-64 win at home on Jan. 7.
· K-State saw its losing streak at home hit 4 games on Wednesday night, as red-hot Oklahoma State used a key run midway through the second half to post an 80-68 victory and even the season series. The Wildcats shot 36.7 percent (18-of-49), including just 30.4 percent (7-of-23) after halftime.
· Senior Wesley Iwundu continued his stellar play against the Cowboys, scoring a game-tying 21 points to go with a team-high 9 rebounds. He has led the Wildcats in scoring in 3 of the last 4 games, while he has been rebounding leader in 6 straight games. He paces the team in both scoring and rebounding in both overall and Big 12-only games.
· Defense has been a key element in the Wildcats’ success, as the team is 12-0 when holding an opponent to 65 points or less, including 4-0 in Big 12 play. K-State is holding foes to 61 points in its 17 wins on 39.2 percent shooting, including 67.3 points in its 6 Big 12 victories.
· In contrast, K-State is allowing 77.6 points on 48.2 percent shooting in its 11 losses, including 79.4 points on 48.8 percent shooting in the 9 Big 12 setbacks. The team is 9th in FG percentage defense in Big 12 play.
THE OPPONENT: OKLAHOMA (9-18, 3-12 BIG 12)
· Oklahoma enters Saturday’s game with a 9-18 record after losing at Baylor, 60-54, on Tuesday… The Sooners have lost 9 of their last 10 games since an overtime win at West Virginia on Jan. 18… The team is 6-8 at home, including 2-5 in Big 12 play.
· The youthful Sooners are averaging 73.4 points on 42.5 percent shooting, including 35.6 percent from 3-point range, on the season with 37.9 rebounds, 11 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.7 blocks per game… They are allowing opponent 75 points per game on 43 percent shooting, including 36.5 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 71.8 percent from the free throw line.
· Oklahoma has 3 players averaging in double figures, but lost to senior guard and leading scorer Jordan Woodard (14.6 ppg.) to season-ending injury on Feb. 11… Freshman Kameron McGusty (10.6 ppg.) and sophomore Rashard Odomes (10.5 ppg.) pace five other players averaging 7.6 points or more… Freshman Kristian Doolittle (6.4 rpg.) and junior Khadeem Lattin (5.9 rpg.) mind the glass, while Lattin adds a team-best 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.
· Oklahoma is led by 6th-year head coach Lon Kruger, who has a 120-75 record in his tenure… He has a 599-379 record in his 31st season as a head coach, which includes stints at Pan American (1982-86), Kansas State (1986-90), Florida (1991-96), Illinois (1996-2000), UNLV (2004-11) and now Oklahoma… He is the only coach to take 5 different teams to the NCAA Tournament.
BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES
· This will be the 205th meeting between the two schools with Oklahoma leading the series, 106-98… The schools have met at least once every season since 1927, while the series dates to 1920… It is the 5th-most played rivalry in school history.
· Oklahoma is 1 of only 3 Big 12 schools (Kansas and West Virginia) to hold a series advantage over K-State.
· Oklahoma owns a 61-27 record at home against K-State, including an 86-76 win in the last meeting on Jan. 9, 2016.
· K-State has won 11 of the last 16 meetings since dropping 8 in a row from 2000-06.