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Shockers Hammer Bradley

shockersLandry Shamet and Darral Willis Jr. each scored 15 points to lead Wichita State to a 100-66 thrashing of Bradley on Sunday in a game where 16 Shockers got playing time.

The game was never in doubt as Wichita State (12-3, 2-0) grabbed a 13-0 lead capped by back-to-back 3s by Markis McDuffie and Shamet.

A pair of Callum Barker free throws for Bradley made it 18-11 marking the last time the Braves would face a single-digit deficit. Austin Reaves’ 3 with 12:50 left before halftime made it 21-11 and the rout was on.

The Shockers proceeded to outscore Bradley 30-18 before halftime and led 51-29 at intermission.

Reaves finished with 14 points, shooting 4 for 4 from 3-point range. McDuffie scored 13 points and Rauno Nurger 10.

Darrell Brown led Bradley (6-9, 1-1) with 12 points and Nate Kennell had 10.

K-State Hands Number 12 West Virginia First Women’s Basketball Loss

PowerCatBreanna Lewis had 23 points and nine rebounds, Kindred Wesemann made four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, and Kansas State knocked off previously unbeaten No. 12 West Virginia 86-71 on Sunday.

West Virginia entered with the nation’s best field-goal percentage defense at 29 percent but Lewis was 10-of-15 shooting and the Wildcats made 54.7 percent overall.

Kansas State used a 13-2 run to build a 17-point lead with 4:09 left in the third quarter and the Wildcats’ lead didn’t drop below 14 the rest of the way.

Shaelyn Martin and Kaylee Page each added 10 points for Kansas State (11-3, 1-1 Big 12), which had a season-high point total in beating West Virginia for the second time in 10 tries.

Chania Ray made six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 23 points with seven assists for West Virginia (13-1, 1-1), which had its fifth-longest winning streak in program history snapped. Teana Muldrow added five 3s and 15 points and Tynice Martin hit three 3s and had 14 points and six assists. The Mountaineers hit 14 of 29 from distance.

Baylor Rolls Past Kansas in Big 12 Women’s Basketball

jayhawkNina Davis and Alexis Jones each scored 16 points and No. 3 Baylor overcame a sluggish start to beat Kansas 90-43 on Sunday.

The Lady Bears (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) shot 60 percent from the floor and limited Kansas to a 22.4 percent clip. Baylor also controlled the boards, 58-30.

The Jayhawks (6-7, 0-2) stayed in the game early, thanks in large part to Jessica Washington, who scored 11 of her 18 points in the first quarter. The Lady Bears turned the ball over six times in the opening quarter but still led 28-19 midway through the second.

It was all Baylor after that, as it outscored Kansas 41-7 over the next 11 minutes.

Beatrice Mompremier had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor, and Kalani Brown added 11 points.

Mason Leads Kansas to Win Over TCU

jayhawkFrank Mason the Third scored 22 points and 3rd ranked Kansas won its 12th consecutive game and 26th straight conference opener, beating TCU 86-80 to start Big 12 play Friday night. Senior Landen Lucas had 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds to help the Jayhawks win in Fort Worth.

Chiefs Update

chiefs logoThe Chiefs ruled Justin Houston out for Sunday’s game in San Diego with swelling in his surgically repaired left knee, throwing into question the four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher’s availability for the playoffs. The Chiefs also activated linebacker Justin March-Lillard from injured reserve and waived defensive lineman David King on Friday, though Chiefs coach Andy Reid said March-Lillard is unlikely to play this week.

Clutch Free Throws Help K-State Past Texas, 65-62

wade

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State knocked down 9-of-10 free throws in the final minute to hold off a furious Texas rally, 65-62, in the Big 12 opener for both schools on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 12,528 at Bramlage Coliseum.

 

Trailing 56-46 with 2:30 remaining, Texas (6-7, 0-1 Big 12) caught fire from the field, knocking down its final seven field goals to close with one possession twice in the final 7 seconds. However, K-State (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) was able to take advantage of its opportunities from the free throw line, as four different players combined to hit seven in row in the final minute before a miss by sophomore Barry Brown with 17 seconds remaining. Fellow sophomore Kamau Stokes connected on a pair of free throws to ice the game at 65-60 with 7 seconds.

 

The Wildcats, which had connected on 65.6 percent of its free throws entering the game, finished 26-of-33 (78.8 percent) from the line, including 11-of-14 (78.6) in the second half.

 

The victory pushed K-State’s winning streak to seven games, which is the longest win streak since a 10-game streak from Nov. 24, 2013 to Jan. 7, 2014, and helped the Wildcats end a four-game losing streak to the Longhorns (6-7, 0-1 Big 12) and a two-game skid in Big 12 openers. The 12-1 start is the best since the 2009-10 season.

 

The clutch shooting from the line masked a subpar offensive performance, as the Wildcats connected on a season-low 36.2 percent (17-of-47) from the field, including 25 percent (5-of-20) from 3-point range. The team did not make a field goal in the final 4:34, missing their final four shots.

 

Sophomore Dean Wade paced three Wildcats in double figures with 18 points, his second highest scoring total of the season, on 7-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Senior Wesley Iwundu matched a season high in scoring with 16 points, while Stokes added 15 points and a game-high 6 assists in 39 minutes of action.

 

Texas was led by freshman Jarret Allen, who posted a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

 

The Basics

  • Final Score: Kansas State 65, Texas 62
  • Records: Kansas State 12-1, 1-0 Big 12 // Texas 6-7, 0-1 Big 12
  • Attendance: 12,528
  • Next Game: Tuesday, Jan. 3 // at 3/3 Kansas // 8 p.m. CT // ESPN2

 

The Short Story

  • Kansas State won its seventh-straight game as it held off a late Texas rally to defeat the Longhorns, 65-62, in front of a sold-out crowd of 12,528 at Bramlage Coliseum on Friday.
  • The Wildcats was stellar from the free throw line, knocking down 9-of-10 in the final 59 seconds.
  • K-State improved to 12-1 on the season, their best start since the 2009-10 season.

Baylor Rolls Past Kansas State in Women’s Basketball

PowerCatKalani Brown had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help No. 3 Baylor open Big 12 Conference play Thursday night with an 87-57 victory over Kansas State.

The Lady Bears (12-1, 1-0) outrebounded Kansas State 56-28, and that turned into a 25-5 edge in second-chance points. Baylor also outscored the Wildcats 31-10 off the bench.

Brown had four blocks, and Alexis Prince and Nina Davis both added 14 points for Baylor. Nina Davis and Lauren Cox scored 12 apiece.

Alexis Jones, the Lady Bears’ leading scorer who missed the previous two games to rest, tied Kristy Wallace for the team lead in assists with eight.

Kindred Wesemann led Kansas State (10-3, 0-1) with 16 points.

K-State to Open Big 12 Play Against Texas

PowerCatGAME 13

TEXAS (6-6, 0-0 Big 12)

AT KANSAS STATE (11-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Friday, December 30, 2016 7 p.m. Bramlage Coliseum (12,528)  Manhattan, Kan.

 

COACHES

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

Overall: 403-210/19th season

At K-State: 90-55/5th season

  1. Texas: 4-6 (2-2 at home)

 

Texas: Shaka Smart (Kenyon College ‘00)

Overall: 189-75/8th season

At Texas: 26-19/2nd season

  1. Kansas State: 2-0 (1-0 on the road)

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State (11-1)

G: #3 Kamau Stokes (10.3 ppg., 4.3 apg.)

G: #5 Barry Brown (12.5 ppg., 2.7 rpg.)

G: #25 Wesley Iwundu (11.6 ppg., 5.3 rpg.)

F: #32 Dean Wade (9.0 ppg., 6.1 rpg.)

F: #4 D.J. Johnson (12.0 ppg., 7.1 rpg.)

 

Texas (6-6)

G: #0 Tevin Mack (14.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg.)

G: #1 Andrew Jones (9.6 ppg., 3.9 rpg.)

G: #12 Kerwin Roach, Jr. (11.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg.)

F: #31 Jarrett Allen (10.7 ppg., 6.9 rpg.)

F: #32 Shaquille Cleare (6.7 ppg., 4.9 rpg.)

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Overall: K-State leads 17-15 (series began in 1971)

In Big 12 era: Texas leads 15-11 (5-7 on the road)

In Manhattan: K-State leads 9-5 (last meeting – 2/22/2016)

Current Streak: Texas, 4

Last Meeting: Texas, 71-70, in Manhattan, Kan., on 2/22/2016

Weber vs. Texas: 4-6 (2-2 at home)

Weber vs. Smart: 0-2 (0-1 at home)

 

GAME 13 – QUICK HITTERS

  • Kansas State (11-1) opens Big 12 play on Friday night, as the Wildcats play host to Texas (6-6) for the first time in a league opener at Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m. CT. The game will air nationally on ESPNews with Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Stephen Howard (analyst) on the call.
  • Friday’s conference opener will be the earliest in school history in the modern era and just the second-ever in December. K-State played at Kansas in a Missouri Valley Conference game on Dec. 16, 1927. The earliest league opener prior to that came on Jan. 2 in 1945, 1946, 1999 and 2016.
  • K-State is 50-53 all-time in conference openers dating back to Missouri Valley play in 1914, including 7-13 in the Big 12 era. The Wildcats are 35-19 when opening league at home, including 5-3 in the Big 12 era.
  • K-State has lost its last 2 Big 12 openers, including in double-overtime a year ago to No. 19 West Virginia at home, 87-83. The last Wildcat win in a Big 12 home came at home over Oklahoma State, 74-71, on Jan. 4, 2014.
  • K-State leads the series with Texas, 17-15, however, the Longhorns hold a 15-11 advantage in the Big 12 era. Texas has won 4 straight in the series, which is the longest streak since K-State won the first 5 meetings.
  • K-State enters Friday’s game off to its best start (11-1) under head coach Bruce Weber and the best since also starting 11-1 during the 2011-12 season. The Wildcats have won 6 in a row, which is the longest winning streak since a 10-game streak from Nov. 24, 2013 to Jan. 7, 2014.
  • During its current win streak, K-State is averaging 77.3 points on 49.7 percent shooting, including 38.8 percent from 3-point range, with 4 players averaging in double figures led by senior D.J. Johnson’s 13.0 points per game. Opponents are averaging 58.2 points on 37 percent shooting.
  • K-State has won 9 straight at home venues (including 8 in a row at Bramlage Coliseum) dating back to last season with the last loss coming to Texas, 71-70, on Feb. 22, 2016. The Wildcats went unbeaten at home (8-0) in non-conference play for the second consecutive season.
  • K-State has won its 8 home games by an average of 18.5 points per game, while averaging 75.5 points on 49.4 percent shooting and holding opponents to just 57 points on 36.4 percent shooting. Sophomore Barry Brown (13.6 ppg.) is one of 4 players averaging in double figures at home.
  • K-State is among the national leaders in defense, ranking 8th in scoring defense (58.5), 9th in field goal percentage defense (37.0), 34th in steals (8.3) and 39th in turnovers forced (16.0).
  • K-State has 5 players averaging in double figures led by Brown’s 12.5 points per game, who has double-digits in 10 of the first 12 games.

 

THE OPPONENT: TEXAS (6-6)

  • Texas enters Friday’s game with a 6-6 record after dropping a 63-58 decision to Kent State at home… The Longhorns opened the year with 3 straight wins before winning just 3 times in the last 9 games… The team is 0-4 away from home this season.
  • The Longhorns are averaging 70.2 points on 43.1 percent shooting, including 28.9 percent from 3-point range, with 36.5 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 6.1 steals and 5.2 blocks per game… They are allowing opponents 65.6 points per game on 39.6 percent shooting, including 29.5 percent from beyond the arc… The team is shooting 66.4 percent from the free throw line.
  • Texas is one of the youngest teams in the country with 2 true freshman and 2 sophomore starters to go with senior Shaquille Cleare… Sophomore Tevin Mack (14.7 ppg.) is one of 3 Longhorns averaging in double figures, along with fellow sophomore Kerwin Roach, Jr. (11.0 ppg.) and freshman Jarrett Allen (10.7 ppg.)… Mack is shooting 45.5 percent, including 40.6 percent from long range, to go with a team-best 26 3-point field goals… Roach leads in assists (2.9 apg.) and steals (1.5 spg.), while Allen is tops in rebounding (6.9 rpg.) while connecting on a team-best 57 percent… Freshman Andrew Jones averages 9.6 points.
  • Texas is led by 2nd-year head coach Shaka Smart, who has a 26-19 record… He has an 189-75 overall record in his 8th season as a head coach, which includes a stint at VCU where he led the Rams to 5 NCAA Tournaments and the 2011 Final Four.

 

BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES

  • This will be the 33rd meeting between the two schools with K-State leading 17-15 in a series that dates to 1971.
  • Texas owns a 15-11 edge in the Big 12 era vs. K-State with the Longhorns sweeping the series in 2015 and 2016… Texas has won 5 of the last 6 games, including 4 in a row… The 4-game winning streak is the longest since K-State won 5 from 1971-84.
  • K-State is 9-5 at home vs. Texas in the series, including 7-5 in the Big 12 era… The Wildcats had won 4 in a row over the Longhorns at Bramlage Coliseum before losing the last 2 at home… The last win came on Feb. 8, 2014 by a score of 74-57.
  • Head coach Bruce Weber is 4-6 all-time vs. Texas, including 4-5 in his tenure at K-State.

 

LAST SEASON VS. TEXAS

  • K-State lost both meetings with Texas in 2016, losing 60-57 in Austin on Jan. 5 and 71-70 in Manhattan on Feb. 22.
  • Isaiah Taylor and Javan Felix keyed a late Texas run in the first meeting, as the Longhorns used a 14-4 spurt to earn a 60-57 win at home… The duo scored 13 of the team’s final 16 points… Barry Brown led the Wildcats with 15 points.
  • A K-State comeback fell inches short as Dean Wade missed a game-winning 3-pointer, as Texas held on 71-70 in the second meeting… After a 3-pointer by Brown cut the lead to 71-70 with 20 seconds left, Javan Felix missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 with 14 seconds to set up the final sequence… Justin Edwards scored a game-high 20 points, while D.J. Johnson added 16.
  • Justin Edwards led 4 Wildcats in double figures in the 2 meetings with Texas with team-high averages of 16.5 points and 9 rebounds… D.J. Johnson (11.0 ppg.), Wesley Iwundu (10.0 ppg.) and Barry Brown (10.0 ppg.) also averaged double figures.

 

CONFERENCE OPENERS

  • K-State is 50-53 in conference openers dating back to Missouri Valley play in 1914, including 35-19 in openers at home… The Big 12 is the fifth league following the MVC (1914-28), Big Six (1929-47), Big Seven (1948-58) and Big Eight (1959-96).
  • Friday’s game is the earliest league opener in school history in the modern era and just the second in the month of December… The last time the Wildcats played a conference game in December was on Dec. 16, 1927 when playing at Kansas in a Missouri Valley Conference game… The previous earliest league opener came on Jan. 2 in 1945, 1946, 1999 and 2016.
  • K-State is 7-13 in Big 12 openers, including a 5-3 mark in those openers at home… The Wildcats have lost their last 2 league openers at Oklahoma State in 2015 and at home to No. 19 West Virginia in double-overtime in 2016… The last win at home against OSU, 74-71, on Jan. 4, 2014… The game marks just the 5th time K-State has opened Big 12 play at home since 2009.
  • Friday’s game will be the 1st time that K-State and Texas have met in a conference opener.

 

HOME SWEET HOME

  • K-State has a 147-28 (.840) record at Bramlage Coliseum over the past 10 seasons, including 62-23 (.729) mark in Big 12 play.
  • K-State has a 348-108 record (.763) at Bramlage Coliseum, which are the 2nd-most wins behind the 378 at Ahearn Field House.
  • The Wildcats need 3 more wins to post double-digit wins at Bramlage Coliseum for the 16th consecutive season, including the 24th time of its 29 seasons in the arena… The Wildcats are 7-0 this season with 8 consecutive wins dating back to last season.
  • K-State has 4 wins over the No. 1 team in Bramlage Coliseum, including Missouri, 65-58, on Feb. 8, 1990, Texas, 71-62, on Jan. 18, 2010, Kansas, 84-68, on Feb. 14, 2011 and Oklahoma, 80-69, on Feb. 6, 2016.
  • K-State is now 33-54 (.379) all-time against Top 25 foes at Bramlage Coliseum, including 18-14 (.563) since 2008.
  • Head coach Bruce Weber is 63-12 (.840) at Bramlage Coliseum, including 27-9 (.750) vs. Big 12 opponents.

 

OFF TO A GOOD START ON OFFENSE

  • K-State is averaging 76.4 points on 49.0 percent shooting and 38.8 percent from 3-point range, through the first 12 games with assists on 61.5 percent of its made field goals (203/330).
  • The 76.4 scoring average is the highest in non-conference play since the 2011-12 team averaged 77.2 points, while the 49 percent field goal average and 38.8 percent 3-point field goal average are the highest in more than a decade in non-conference play… The 95 3-pointers are the most in non-conference play since posting 107 in 2010-11, while the 203 assists are the most since 2012-13.
  • The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 9 of the first 12 games, including 80 or more points 6 times… The 9 games of 70 or more points are the most in a non-conference play under head coach Bruce Weber and the most since since posting 10 in 2011-12, while the 6 games of 80 or more points are the most under Weber and the most since totaling 7 in 2010-11.
  • K-State has shot better than 43 percent in each game, including 50 percent or higher 5 times (vs. Omaha (11/15), Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30), Saint Louis (12/3) and Prairie View A&M (12/6)… The Wildcats shot a season-best 58.3 percent (28-of-48) against Hampton, including 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from 3-point range.
  • K-State has connected on at least 50 percent of its field goals in at least one half of 11 of 12 games this season, including hitting the mark in both halves against Hampton (11/20), Green Bay (11/30) and Prairie View A&M (12/6).
  • K-State is averaging 32.3 points in the paint, 21.0 bench points, 18.9 points off of turnovers, 12.3 second-chance points and 12.2 fast-break points… The 146 fast-break points (12.2 ppg.) is an improvement of 5.2 ppg. from 2015-16 (7.1 ppg.).

 

IMPROVEMENT FROM LONG RANGE

  • One of the focal points for K-State in the offseason was to make improvement from 3-point range, where the Wildcats finished 10th in the Big 12 in both 3-point field goal percentage (30.0) and 3-point field goals made per game (5.30).
  • K-State is shooting 38.8 percent (95-of-245) from 3-point range and is averaging 7.9 3-point field goals per game.
  • K-State ranks 58th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage… The team is 4th in both percentage and makes in the Big 12.
  • K-State has at least 7 3-pointers in 9 games, including double digits vs. Western Illinois (11/11), Hampton (11/15) and Prairie View A&M (12/6)… The Wildcats are 55-17 under Bruce Weber when connecting on at least 6 treys, including 9-0 this season.
  • The Wildcats knocked down 10-of-14 3-point field goals in the opener with Western Illinois (11/11), including all 7 treys in the second half… The 71.4 3-point percentage was the highest of Bruce Weber era and the 3rd-most makes.
  • K-State posted 12 triples vs. Hampton (11/20), which were the most since also hitting 12 vs. Tulane on Dec. 28, 2013.
  • 11 Wildcats have at least one 3-pointer this season, including a team-best 22-of-54 start by Kamau Stokes… Stokes has at least 1 3-pointer in 10 of 12 games, including at least 2 in 8 games… Five players have 10 or more 3-pointers.
  • Seven Wildcats had at least one 3-pointer at Colorado State (12/17) for the 2nd time this season and the 1st time since Green Bay (11/30)… Before this season, the last time 7 Wildcats had a 3-pointer in a game was against Iowa State on Feb. 12, 2011.
  • K-State has made at least one 3-pointer in 284 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2008-09 season.

 

OFFENSIVE BALANCE HAS BEEN KEY

  • Five players are averaging in double figures, including 4 starters, led by Barry Brown (12.5 ppg.) and D.J. Johnson (12.0 ppg.), while the other starter (Dean Wade) is averaging 9 points per game… 5 of the top 8 scorers are shooting 50 percent or better from the field… 6 different players have led the team in scoring, including 3 times each by Brown and Johnson.
  • At least 4 Wildcats have scored in double figures in 7 of 12 games, including at least 3 in 11 games… In all, 7 have at least 1 double-digit scoring game with 6 having at least 6 double-digit scoring games led by Brown’s 10 games of 10 or more points.
  • Six Wildcats scored in double figures in the win over Colorado State (12/17), including all 5 starters… It marked the 2nd time under Bruce Weber that 6 players registered double figures and the first time since Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014… It marked the 3rd time all 5 starters scored in double digits under Weber and the first since a win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 23, 2016.
  • Eight Wildcats are shooting 50 percent or better from the field, including 2 of 5 starters… The starters are shooting a combined 48.3 percent from the field (239-of-495), including 37.8 percent (59-of-156) from 3-point range.
  • Five Wildcats have led the team in assists, including 7 times by Stokes and 5 by Iwundu… Both rank in the Big 12’s Top 15 in both assists (Stokes – 9th, Iwundu – 15th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (Stokes – 11th, Iwundu – 15th).

 

THE WINNING STREAK BY THE NUMBERS

  • K-State is averaging 77.3 points during its 6-game winning streak on 49.7 percent shooting (168-of-338), including 38.8 percent (50-of-129) from 3-point range, and 70.3 percent (78-of-111) from the free throw line.
  • Six Wildcats are averaging 9.7 points or more, including 4 in double figures, led by senior D.J. Johnson (13.0 ppg)… Johnson is shooting 77.8 percent (35-of-45) from the field, while averaging a team-best 7.3 rebounds per outing.
  • Two others – Dean Wade and Xavier Sneed – are connecting on better than 50 percent from the field… Wade is averaging 11.5 points on 53.7 percent (22-of-41) shooting, including 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from 3-point range, and 6.7 rebounds, while Sneed is averaging 11 points on 51.1 percent (23-of-45) shooting, including 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from long range.
  • Barry Brown (10.8 ppg.) and Kamau Stokes (9.7 ppg.) have combined for 20 of the team’s 50 3-pointers.
  • On the defensive end, the Wildcats are holding opponents to just 58.2 points on 37 percent shooting, including 32.6 percent from 3-point range… The team has forced 93 turnovers during the streak, averaging 19.5 points off of turnovers.

 

GETTING DEFENSIVE

  • K-State has put up some impressive defensive numbers under head coach Bruce Weber, leading the Big 12 in scoring defense twice in the past 5 seasons (60.4 ppg. in 2012-13; 65.4 ppg. in 2013-14).
  • Since Weber’s arrival at K-State in 2012-13 (spanning 145 games), the Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense at 63.9 points per game (9,262)… The next closest team in that span is Baylor (64.9 ppg.) followed by Oklahoma State (65.3 ppg.).
  • K-State ranks 8th nationally in scoring defense (58.5), 9th in FG percentage defense (37.0), 34th in steals (8.3) and 39th in turnovers forced (16.0)… The Wildcats are 2nd in the Big 12 in scoring defense and FG percentage defense.
  • K-State has held its first 12 opponents to an average of 58.5 points on 37 percent shooting, including 33.8 percent from 3-point range, with just 138 assists on 246 made field goals… The Wildcats also hold a +4.1 rebounding margin (36.8-32.7).
  • Five opponents have been held to 55 points or less, while 9 of 12 foes have been held to 40 percent shooting or less.
  • 55 opponents have been held to 60 points or less in Weber’s tenure with the Wildcats boasting a 49-6 mark in those contests (losses to Kansas in 2012, Northern Colorado & Kentucky in 2013, Texas Southern & Georgia in 2014 and Texas & OSU in 2016).
  • K-State held Robert Morris to just 40 points on 22.8 percent shooting (13-of-57)… It was the fewest points allowed and the lowest field goal percentage since Long Beach State scored 38 points on just 19.6 percent (11-of-56) on Nov. 24, 2013.
  • K-State is 79-23 under Bruce Weber when holding an opponent to 69 points or less and 11-32 when allowing 70 or more

 

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TURNOVERS

  • K-State ranks among the national leaders in steals (8.3 apg./34th) and turnovers forced (16.0/39th).
  • K-State has scored at least 15 points off turnovers in each of the first 12 games, including a season-high 26 vs. Omaha (11/15)… Five times the team has scored 20 or more points off turnovers, including on 4 occasions during the 6-game winning streak.
  • The Wildcats have also forced 20 or more turnovers in 3 games, including a season-high 25 vs. Robert Morris (11/22).
  • K-State has scored more than 2,000 points (2,147) off of turnovers under Bruce Weber, an average of 14.8 points per game.
  • The current 8.3 steals per game average is on pace to be the 3rd-best average in school history and the highest since 1990-91.

 

PLAYING HARD IS A SKILL

  • One of the things that K-State has prided itself in under head coach Bruce Weber has been its ability to play harder than its opponents… Nothing is more valuable to Weber in this regard as the Wayne McClain Play Hart Chart, which is named in honor of the longtime Illinois high school coach and Wildcats’ former director of development who passed away on Oct. 15, 2014.
  • The chart, which is kept for both teams by graduate assistants and team managers, is a point system based on the elements of playing hard, including deflections/blocks, steals, dives, loose balls, offensive rebounds and charges (+2).
  • K-State has won the Play Hard Chart in 10 of 12 games by a combined score of 505-364.

Ertz, Cats Cap Off Sweep of Texas with Bowl Win

texas-bowl-champions

 

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) – Kansas State was unbeatable against teams from Texas in the regular season, and that didn’t change on Wednesday night in the Texas Bowl.

 

Jesse Ertz threw for 195 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in Kansas State’s 33-28 victory over Texas A&M. He had 67 yards rushing to give him 1,012 this season.

 

The victory improved the Wildcats to 5-0 against teams from the Lone Star State this season after they downed Texas Tech, Texas, Baylor and TCU earlier this year.

 

“I think that’s a really cool thing to accomplish,” said Ertz, who was named MVP. “It gives the fans some bragging rights.”

 

Ertz had a 79-yard touchdown pass and scoring runs of 1 and 5 yards to help give Kansas State its fourth-straight win and first bowl victory since the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

 

“They’re a good defensive football team and we didn’t do anything we hadn’t done all year, but we may have done some things a little better,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said.

 

The Wildcats (9-4) led 33-21 after Ertz bulled into the end zone on a 1-yard run with nine minutes left. Ertz set up the score with a 20-yard run two plays earlier.

 

“It was a case tonight where either we stopped (Ertz) or gave up the home run,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Consistency level was an issue. We gave up the three big plays in the first half and couldn’t get enough stops.”

 

The Aggies (8-5) cut it to 33-28 on Josh Reynolds’ 15-yard TD reception about a minute later.

 

Texas A&M attempted to convert a fourth-and-8 with about two minutes left, but Trevor Knight’s pass was short, to give Kansas State the ball back and allow the Wildcats to run out the clock.

 

Texas A&M got to 23-21 when Reynolds made a 4-yard touchdown catch with about seven minutes left in the third quarter. A 25-yard field goal by Ian Patterson extended Kansas State’s lead to 26-21 with about three minutes remaining in the quarter. A highlight of that drive came on a 36-yard run by Justin Silmon.

 

The Aggies took a 7-0 lead when Keith Ford scored on a 7-yard run on their first possession.

 

Kansas State tied it when Ertz connected with Byron Pringle and he dashed down the field for a 79-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter.

 

The Wildcats took the lead when Ertz stiff-armed Justin Evans on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. But Myles Garrett blocked the extra point to make it 13-7.

 

A 3-yard reception by Ricky Seals-Jones put A&M back on top 14-13 soon after that. But Kansas State regained the lead with a 40-yard field goal before pushing the lead to 23-14 on a 52-yard run by Dominique Heath just before halftime.

 

HANDLING GARRETT: Kansas State did a good job of neutralizing Texas A&M star defensive end Myles Garrett . The junior, who is expected to declare for the draft and many believe could be the top overall pick in April, blocked an extra point in the second quarter. But he was unable to do much else while facing near-constant double teams and finished with one tackle.

 

“(Left tackle) Scott Frantz we had lined up against him,” Snyder said. “He’s a newcomer for us, and that probably gave him a great deal of confidence. He played well against him. He probably played as well as anyone who played against him this year.”

 

NO GATORADE FOR SNYDER: Snyder got a bucket of confetti dumped on his head near the end of the game. The 79-year-old coach said that was a nice way to celebrate and that his players knew better than to douse him with Gatorade. “I think they realized that we could go back to the hotel and celebrate or we can go back to the hotel and run (laps) around the hotel all night,” he joked.

 

www.k-statesports.com

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RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

Kansas State Wins in the Texas Bowl

bowl-logoHOUSTON (AP) — Jesse Ertz threw for 195 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in Kansas State’s 33-28 victory over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night.

Ertz had a 79-yard touchdown pass and scoring runs of 1 and 5 yards to help give Kansas State its fourth straight win and first bowl victory since the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

The Wildcats (9-4) led by five when Ertz bulled into the end zone on a 1-yard run that made it 33-21 with nine minutes left. Ertz set up the score with a 20-yard run two plays earlier.

The Aggies (8-5) cut it to 33-28 on Josh Reynolds’ 15-yard TD reception about a minute later.

Texas A&M attempted to convert a fourth-and-8 with about two minutes left, but Trevor Knight’s pass was short, to give Kansas State the ball back and allow the Wildcats to run out the clock.

Reynolds had a Texas A&M bowl-record 12 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns and Knight threw for 310 yards with three touchdowns and one interception as A&M dropped its second straight bowl game.

Kansas State did a good job of neutralizing Texas A&M star defensive end Myles Garrett. The junior, who is expected to declare for the draft and many believe could be the top overall pick in April, blocked an extra point in the second quarter. But he was unable to do much else while facing near-constant double teams and he finished with one tackle.

Texas A&M got to 23-21 when Reynolds made a 4-yard touchdown catch with about seven minutes left in the third quarter. A 25-yard field goal by Ian Patterson extended Kansas State’s lead to 26-21 with about three minutes remaining in the quarter. A highlight of that drive came on a 36-yard run John Silmon.

The Aggies took a 7-0 lead when Keith Ford scored on a 7-yard run on their first possession.

Kansas State tied it when Ertz connected with Byron Pringle and he dashed down the field for a 79-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter.

The Wildcats took the lead when Ertz stiff-armed Justin Evans on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. But Garrett blocked the extra point to make it 13-7.

A 3-yard reception by Ricky Seals-Jones put A&M back on top 14-13 soon after that. But Kansas State regained the lead with a 40-yard field goal before pushing the lead to 23-14 on a 52-yard run by Dominique Heath just before halftime.

THAT’S A NO NO: Kansas State’s cornerback Donnie Starks received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the end of the first half when he threw Reynolds to the ground and then squatted over him and pressed his crotch to the receiver’s chest. Reynolds then punched at the crotch of Starks, but he was not penalized. The penalty was enforced on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Reynolds got a bit of revenge for the play when he caught his touchdown pass in the third quarter over Starks and stared him down after making the grab.

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