MANHATTAN, Kan. – With the K-State men’s basketball season tipping off at the end of the week, K-State Athletics, the K-State student athletic advisory team and the K-State Student Governing Association (SGA) today issued information on the men’s basketball early entry rewards program for K-State student pass holders.

 

The program is intended to encourage student attendance at all home games, while creating a priority entry system for selected men’s games at Bramlage Coliseum.

“K-State Student Governing Association recognizes the importance of an enthusiastic student section to support our Wildcats throughout another exciting K-State basketball season, said SGA president Jessica Van Ranken. “K-State is a winning institution inside the classroom and on the court, and SGA is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with university stakeholders in K-State Athletics to ensure that students continue to experience the best fan experience in the Big 12 Conference. We are proud of the student support for our wildcats, and glad that the Early Entry Points procedure provides a fair and reasonable method for students to enjoying cheering on our student athletes without having to miss class during the day to wait in line.”

K-State student pass holders will earn early entry points for attending men’s basketball games. Early entry points are then used to determine the entry times for the Big Monday matchup against KU on February 6, and can also be implemented for other marquee games if student attendance is anticipated to exceed the number of available seats.

For the February 6 game, students will be segmented into four early-entry tiers. The points required to be within each tier will be:

• Tier 1: 14 to 12 points
• Tier 2: 11 to 9 points
• Tier 3: 8 to 6 points
• Tier 4: 5 to 0 points

The exact early entry times will be determined at a later date and will depend on the number of students per tier. Students will be required to be in-line at Bramlage Coliseum approximately 30 minutes prior to their entry time.

The first opportunity for men’s basketball pass holders to earn a point is Friday when the Wildcats play the first of two exhibition games at 7 p.m., against Pittsburg State.

The final game to earn an early entry point for the KU game will be Wednesday, February 1 vs. TCU.

Students may also receive a bonus point for purchasing a student ticket for the Wildcat Classic game vs. Washington State at the Sprint Center on Saturday, December 10. An allotment of $10 student tickets for the Wildcat Classic will go on sale beginning with the ICAT pass holders Monday, November 7, GA Combo pass holders Tuesday, November 8 and all K-State students Wednesday, November 9 at the Bramlage Coliseum Ticket Office beginning at 8:30 a.m. All purchases must be done in-person with a valid student ID. Starting on November 9, tickets will be available online to students.

Students will also have the chance to donate their student pass to Fort Riley soldiers and families for the Thanksgiving and winter break games. Students who choose to donate their student pass for the break games will earn one early entry point for each of the two breaks. The deadline to donate a student pass for the two Thanksgiving break games will be Friday, November 11, while the deadline for the four winter break games will be Friday, December 16.

• Sunday, November 20 – Hampton
• Tuesday, November 22 – Robert Morris
• Wednesday, December 21 – Gardner-Webb
• Friday, December 30 – Texas
• Saturday, January 7 – Oklahoma
• Saturday, January 14 – Baylor

Students who choose to donate their student pass for the break games will earn a total of one early entry point for Thanksgiving break and one early entry point for winter break. Students who choose to donate their student pass will not have access to attend the games listed above. All student pass donations will occur online and information on how to donate student passes will be sent via email after the beginning of the season.

In the event that a K-State Football bowl game conflicts with a men’s basketball home game, students who have purchased a bowl game ticket through the K-State Ticket Office will have the option to donate their basketball pass to a Fort Riley soldier to receive one point. Details on how to donate will be released if necessary.

For more information on the men’s basketball student early entry program visit www.kstatesports.com/earlyentry.

Students are also reminded of the following game-day policies:

• Every game included in your student pass package will be counted toward your point total.  Students will earn one point for attending each men’s basketball game.
• Only one pass per student may be scanned.  Students attempting to scan multiple passes may be ejected from the game and lose any early entry points earned.
• To receive a point, student pass holders must be in Bramlage Coliseum no later than 15 minutes after tipoff.
• Every three games, students will receive an email with their current point total. For early entry games, each tier for ICAT and GA members will enter Bramlage Coliseum at the same time.
• For all home games, students will enter Bramlage Coliseum at the southeast Entry.
• Student seating is first-come, first-served in Bramlage Coliseum for all games and is based on availability and demand.  Due to increased ticket sales, possession of a student pass does not guarantee entry into the arena.  It is suggested that students arrive early for high-demand games.
• Students are not allowed to “camp” for home games. Students may begin lining up for home contests no earlier than 6 a.m. on the day of the game.
• K-State Athletics may utilize the early-entry points program for other home contests if attendance beyond capacity is expected. Students will be notified via email no less than 5 days prior to each game that early-entry procedures will be in effect.
• Students are required to present their student pass card and show a valid K-State student ID for admittance.
• General admission pass-holders will be allowed to fill any open seats in the ICAT section 30 minutes prior to tipoff.
• Students are encouraged to stay for the entire game. Students found scanning their pass for an extra point, but not actually attending the game, may be disqualified from the early entry program at the discretion of K-State Athletics and SGA.

Questions regarding the student early entry program may be directed to Austin Anderson in the Fan Experience and Sales office at (785) 532.5379 or via email at students@kstatesports.com.

–www.kstatesports.com–

Arguably one of the most competitive college conferences in basketball, the Big 12 Conference hosted a Men’s Basketball Media Day on Tuesday, October 25th.

The event which brought every men’s basketball head coach in the conference and a couple of their key players to the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO was highlighted by an optimism for the season.

Despite being ranked #9 in the conference by his peers, KSU Head Coach Bruce Weber said that his team is competitive and motivated.

“The big thing we’ve talked about is that they’re competitive…they have a good culture as far as getting along and enjoying each other, the intensity at practice is there and that’s all we’ve been asking for; if we keep sharing the basketball with our versatility we can attack people in a lot of different ways and if that stays there and they focus on winning – a lot of good things will happen,” said Weber.

Equally optimistic about his young team is Oklahoma Head Coach Lon Kruger.

“We’ll have a much different looking roster because we were a veteran group last year, we’ll be very young this year – but still we’ll try to accomplish [offensively and defensively] similar type things, we’ll push the tempo offensively and try to dictate attack on both ends of the floor; but certainly, with a much younger group this year we have to grow quickly and mature in an effort to compete in the Big 12,” said Kruger.

Being the youngest coach in the conference isn’t a setback to Texas Head Coach Shaka Smith who said that he respects the wisdom of the more tenured coaches in the conference.

“I try to coach with enthusiasm and energy – I don’t have the same wisdom as some of these guys who have coached 1000 games – but hopefully I can build great relationships with [the players] and relate to them and hope to be the best…when you go through the process of helping [an athlete] grow you learn a little bit about how to help the next guy even if he’s a little bit different,” said Smith who said that his goal for his team is to “grow and get better each week.”

West Virginia Head Coach Bob Huggins said that he has his recruiting challenges but is confident in the program he’s built.

“It’s perception, it’s not so much being able to recruit them – once we get them there [for a visit] they love it, it’s just the perception you have to overcome to get them there…it’d be really neat to win a national championship and get on a bus and go to all these places in West Virginia that nobody has ever heard of and have it on the radio [saying] ‘everybody who wants to touch the trophy in 20 minutes they’re going to be on the square in Jane Lib,” said Huggins.

Kansas Head Coach Bill Self said that he really likes the mix of veteran and young players on his team this year.

“I love having Landon, Devonte and Frank back…and then you throw in talented freshman that can certainly have an impact on our sport – not only in our league, but nationally…your foundation is your upperclassmen, but your most talented guys a lot of times are your youngest kids and I think we have that this year,” said Self.

Quotes as part of the press conference for the Media Day Event can be found at https://www.big12sports.com/.

 

Kansas State plays at Iowa State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

Bill Snyder met with the media on Tuesday.

Head Coach Bill Snyder

On close games with Iowa State…

“In some cases, we have been fortunate. In all cases, we have been fortunate to have a lot of good young guys who do not give in and understand that it is a 60-minute ballgame. Iowa State has always been a really good football team. They have played well against virtually everyone that they line up and play against.”

 

On early success and late struggles against Texas…

“They hung on, that is the best way we can put it. Once again, no one gave in or let up in an emotional way. I think that part was still there. It just boils down to execution and doing things right. We gave up a long touchdown pass that we should not have, but if we do what we are supposed to do, that does not happen. We had three turnovers in the second half. In the first half of the ballgame, we had five possessions and in four of them, we had 10 or more snaps; so, lengthy drives. In the second half, offensively we had four possessions, which we had a fumble, interception, fumble and a three-and-out. If we don’t beat ourselves, it really is not as close of a ballgame.”

 

On Byron Pringle’s development over the season…

“I think he has learned at some point in time during the season that it is about more than just being able to line up, run fast and catch the football. There are a lot of nuances to his position, like there is at any position. When he finally realized that, he became invested in those things, and that has allowed him to improve his performance level.”

 

On the in-season development of the offensive line…

“I think the biggest thing is that they have invested in themselves. They are here all the time, working extremely hard and trying diligently to try and improve upon their capabilities and correct the mistakes they make. It is not rocket science, it is just normal progression for you, me or anybody else in whatever we do. If we eliminate the mistakes, correct them and improve on what we do, we will probably perform better. I think that is the reality of what has taken place. (Abdul) Beecham has done a nice job since he has jumped in. But as I said before, moving Dalton (Risner) was not a stroke of genius. I have said that we want to put the best five players on the field, where Reid Najvar was among the five as we initiated the season, and consequently, we couldn’t play with two centers.”

 

On the play of Elijah Lee…

“I think he is playing well. I attribute it to his experience on the practice field and on the game field. He is mentally into it, and consequently because of his experience, he is able to process the information and make decisions quicker than he did a year ago. I think the more he has gained the experience, it has allowed him to have a comfort level on the field. Sometimes, when you are trying to do that, you are within yourself. Now, he is able to expand his leadership capabilities, and have a positive influence on others.”

 

On if success has translated into confidence in the running game…

“It depends on what you are referring to as success. We ran the ball well in the first half of the ballgame and a few snaps in the second half. We were more dominant in the running game in the first half of the ballgame. The confidence is developed through doing it consistently throughout, and we are still in the process of being able to do that. I think that during the initial course of the ballgame, it is a positive thing to put the clock on our side. It doesn’t happen without your offensive linemen, and they have to make positive things happen, which they did. I think anyone who plays well enhances their level of confidence. I tend to believe that you know exactly what you are capable of, if you invest yourself in hard work and execution, you have every right to be confident in your capabilities.”

 

On the offensive line’s development under Charlie Dickey…

“First, as I have had said so many times, all of our offensive linemen play multiple positions. That is just the nature of where we are, and we have to do that in order to have the kind of depth that we need. What Coach Dickey does is he just does a great job of coaching young guys. He teaches basics and is firm about it fundamentally. Our guys just get better and better because he teaches well and is demanding, and he makes him work hard. When I say work hard, that is his expectation and they want to live up to that expectation.”

Sophomore Tight End Dayton Valentine

On playing a complete game…

“It is one of the big things, to always come out strong. That is going to be key for us this week going to a tough place to play in Iowa State. Last week, coming out strong was really good for our team and then we were a little disappointed to come out the second half and not start the same way. That is one of the things we are focusing on this week in practice – to start the second half of practice like the second half of a game. It is always big to get a win over a Big 12 opponent, and Texas is a solid team in the Big 12, so to get a win like that in front of our home fans is huge to start the second half of our season.”

 

On the size of Iowa State…

“As a kid from a 4A school in Kansas, you have not seen linebackers that can run sideline to sideline like their guys can, so it is definitely a bit of a change. I think it is fun to go out there and play against great athletes like that every week.”

 

On the toughness of Iowa State…

“Watching film, those guys lay it all on the line. They are tough and they give it everything that they have. I think that is something that our program kind of takes pride in as well. It is definitely going to be a battle come this Saturday.”

 

Senior Quarterback Joe Hubener

On motivation to run against Iowa State…

“It is a huge motivation. Just based off last week’s performance, that shows what the offensive line is capable of doing. If they can get some blocks up front, we have some guys that can carry the ball and get some yardage out of it. Those guys love run blocking, so I am sure that is huge motivation for them this week.”

 

On the offensive line…

“They have done really well. Obviously, they are a young group of guys and they have all really stepped up and shown what they are capable of. All of those guys are hard workers. You can see it in practice; that they are willing to put in the work to be effective.”

 

On preparing as the backup quarterback…

“Of course that is a tough situation and you have got to just prepare for it. You have to be ready to go with the mindset in practice. You have to practice like you are the guy whether you are or not.”

 

Redshirt Freshman Running Back Alex Barnes

On the opportunity of getting the first road win…

“Every week our goal is to get a win. Getting a road win at Iowa State will be tough. It is pretty hostile up there, from what I am told, so it would be big for us.”

 

On the rushing attack against Iowa State…

“It will be really big, just controlling the clock and keeping our defense off the field by managing the game would be really huge for us. We have four running backs that can get the job done and the offensive line is balling out right now.”

 

On multiple running backs in offense…

“We stay warm and stretch on the sideline. We are still in the game, getting the play calls, looking at signals and keeping up with what we are doing with the game plan, so it is not a really big deal for us.”

 

Freshman Defensive End Kyle Ball

On his first game…

“It was a lot of fun, especially for my first game against Texas. That was my first play going in and getting that sack; it was all a blur and after that I kind of calmed down. That first play, it was just loud because it was 3rd-and-long, it was just a blur. As soon as I saw the snap, I just shot off the ball and got in the backfield and got the sack. It was awesome.”

 

On getting the chance to play…

“Since I greyshirted (last year), it has been like a whole year, the whole process of the offseason, going through the summer stuff and the winter stuff, so I have not had an actual season until now. It was a long wait and it finally paid off.”

 

On preparation for this season…

“I came here last spring, so we did all of the offseason workouts and all of the summer workouts again, and I was just kind of pushing myself. I put on a lot of weight, I put on like 20 pounds since the first time I got here and just worked really hard to try and get stronger and get ready for the season.”

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

Game 8
Kansas State at Iowa State
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016

Kickoff: 11 a.m.

Location: Ames, Iowa

Stadium: Jack Trice Stadium (61,500)

Series: Iowa State Leads, 46-49-4

TV: FSN

Mark Followill (Play-by-Play)

Ben Leber (Analyst)

Lesley McCaslin (Sidelines)

Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com

Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)

Stan Weber (Analyst)

Matt Walters (Sidelines)

Sirius Satellite Radio Ch. 108, XM Satellite Radio Ch. 200

Twitter Updates: @kstatesports, @kstate_gameday, @KStateFB

 

WILDCATS HEAD BACK ON THE ROAD TO FACE CYCLONES
Kansas State, following a 24-21 home win over Texas last weekend, will head back on the road in Big 12 play as the Wildcats head to Ames, Iowa, to face the Iowa State Cyclones. Saturday’sgame, which kicks off at 11 a.m. from Jack Trice Stadium, will be televised on FSN with Mark Followill (Play-by-Play), Ben Leber (Analyst) and Lesley McCaslin (Sidelines) calling the action. The contest can also be heard across the K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) on the call, as well as SiriusXM channel 108/200. Live stats are available at k-statesports.com, while Twitter updates (@ kstate_gameday, @KStateFB) will all be a part of the coverage.
A LOOK AT K-STATE

• K-State continues to rank among the best defenses in the league as it currently leads the Big 12 and ranks third nationally in rushing defense (94.9 ypg), while the Wildcats are third in the league in total defense (343.6 ypg).
• Nine players on defense have recorded 20 or more tackles, led by Elijah Lee’s 58 stops, while Jordan Willis currently leads the league in sacks (8.0) and TFLs (11.5).
• K-State has held each of its first seven opponents below their season average in points.
• K-State scored in all three phases of the game vs. Texas Tech and is a perfect 18-0 under Bill Snyder when scoring on offense, defense and special teams.
• K-State had its nation-leading red zone scoring streak snapped at 56 straight trips after a fumble just inches from the goal line against Texas. The Cats still lead the nation in red zone offense (.970).
• K-State has had 22 of its 36 scoring drives this season span seven plays or longer, including eight that lasted at least 10 plays. Also, K-State’s first-half time of possession against Texas of23:18 was the third-most in a half this season among all FBS schools.

A LOOK AT IOWA STATE

• Coming off a bye week, Iowa State enters this week’s contest with a 1-6 record overall and an 0-4 record in Big 12 play.
• Despite their 0-4 conference record, the Cyclones have held halftime leads in three of those contests.
• Quarterbacks Joel Lanning and Jacob Park have thrown for 1,665 yards and 13 scores while completing 58-percent of their passes.
• Mike Warren is averaging 70.9 yards per game on the ground, while Allen Lazard has 34 catches and four TDs.
• On defense, Willie Harvey has a team-best 46 tackles, while Jhaustin Thomas leads the squad with 3.0 sacks.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES

• Iowa State leads the all-time series, 49-46-4, but K-State is 22-4 against the Cyclones since 1990.
• Kansas State has won eight straight in the series, including the last two in Ames. However, those two games at Iowa State have been narrow wins with the total margin of victory being 10 points.
• Bill Snyder has 20 wins in 24 tries against Iowa State, the most wins by a current FBS head coach over one opponent.

  SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS

• Kansas State is in rare company in college football as the Wildcats rank in the top 20 in wins among FBS programs over the last 21-plus seasons.
• Since 1995, K-State has picked up 178 victories, which ranks 19th in the nation.
• The Cats are only one win away from 16th and five victories away from the top 15.
• Among current Big 12 teams, only Oklahoma (5th; 201), Texas (11th; 194) and TCU (15th; 183) rank higher.

 

THE CENTURY MARK

• With its 44-38 win over Texas Tech, K-State became just the third Big 12 program to reach 100 league wins since the conference began in 1996.
• The Wildcats, who have 101 Big 12 wins, are joined Texas (116) and Oklahoma (124) in the century club.

 

300 AT ONE

• K-State’s game against Texas Tech was the 300th game under the direction of head coach Bill Snyder.
• Snyder became just the seventh person all-time to coach 300 games on one FBS school. Among the seven, six – Joe Paterno (Penn State), Bobby Bowden (Florida State), LaVell Edwards (BYU), Chris Ault (Nevada), Tom Osborne (Nebraska) and Snyder – are in the College Football Hall of Fame.

 

SNYDER IN ELITE COMPANY

• Head coach Bill Snyder currently has 197 career victories, 158 more than any other coach in school history.
• Snyder ranks first in the FBS in wins among active coaches at current schools, second in total victories among active coaches overall and 27th in all-time wins.
• He is three wins away from becoming the 25th coach in FBS history with 200 career wins.
• Snyder, who has 114 conference wins, is one of four coaches with 100 Big 8/12 victories (Tom Osborne [153], Bob Stoops [113], Barry Switzer [100]).

 

CLEAN IT UP

• K-State led the Big 12 and ranked 16th nationally last year with only 39.3 penalty yards per game, while the Cats were second in the league with 4.38 penalties per game.
• Penalties were more frequent early in the year, but the Wildcats cleaned up down the stretch. In the final eight games of the regular season, K-State had just 32 (4.0 per game) penalties to jump back to No. 1 in the Big 12.
• With 13 underclassmen starters in the first seven games of 2016, the Wildcats have been flagged more than usual as they are committing 7.0 penalties per game for an average of just over 51 yards.
• K-State has ranked first or second in the conference in fewest penalty yards per game each of the previous five years. The Wildcats led the league in 2014, 2013 and 2011, while they ranked second in 2012 and 2010.
• The Cats have work to do to get back into the top two in the conference as they currently rank third in the Big 12.

 

YOUTH IS SERVED

• The season-opening depth chart featured 24 combined underclassmen (Fr. or So.; does not count special teams), including 17 on offense. It was the most on the initial depth chart of a year since at least 1988.
• K-State started 11 underclassmen – including four freshmen – in the opener at No. 8/7 Stanford. It was the most for either category since at least 1997.
• The previous high of underclassmen starting during that stretch was nine in 2005.
• The four freshmen starters at Stanford marked the second-straight year the Wildcats started at least three freshmen in a season opener.
• K-State had no more than two freshmen starters in a season opener in any of the previous 18 years, while the Wildcats had started a combined total of eight freshmen in season openers from 1998-2014.

 

DRAWING FIRST BLOOD

• Since 1990, K-State is 158-30 (.840) when scoring first.
• K-State, 3-1 this year when scoring first, will be looking to bounce back from a 3-2 record in 2015 when getting on the board first, defeating South Dakota, Louisiana Tech and Kansas, but losing to Oklahoma State and Arkansas.
• In 2014, the Cats held a perfect 7-0 record when scoring the game’s first points.

  ROAD SCORING STREAK

• Jesse Ertz’s touchdown run in the second quarter at Oklahoma extended K-State’s consecutive road scoring streak to 91 games.
• The last time the Wildcats have not scored in a road game was in 1996 at Colorado.

 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

RED ZONE ALERT

• Kansas State has been one of the best red zone teams over the past few years, including a perfect mark over the final seven games of the 2015 season.
• Over the last 14 games dating back to 2015, K-State has converted on 57 of 58 red zone attempts with 39 touchdowns, but it had its nation-leading scoring streak stopped at 56 straight trips against Texas.
• In their 47 wins over the last six seasons, the Cats are 222-for-243 (.914) in red zone chances with 162 touchdowns, while four of their non-scoring trips have come via kneel downs to close out victories.

 

QUICK OUT OF THE GATE

• Kansas State has started games on the right side of the scoreboard this season, outscoring opponents 63-31 in the opening 15 minutes.
• That mark improves to 155-76 through the first two quarters and 171-96 after three, but opponents have gotten the best of K-State in the final quarter to the tune of 51-41.

 

LONG DRIVES

• In the era of quick strike offenses in college football, K-State remains a team that likes to possess the ball.
• Of K-State’s 33 scoring drives this season, 22 have been seven plays or longer including eight of 10-plus plays.
• Nine scoring drives have taken five minutes or longer with a 17-play, 8:32 drive at Oklahoma being the longest.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State’s November 5, home contest against Oklahoma State will be played at either 2:30 p.m., or 6 p.m., and be televised by ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. Time and television designations will be announced at the conclusion of games this weekend either late Saturday night or Sunday morning.

 

The home team has won each of the last four meetings between the Wildcats and Cowboys as K-State won in Manhattan 44-30 during the 2012 season and 48-14 two years ago. Oklahoma State holds a 24-38 all-time lead in the series, but the Wildcats are 11-6 against the Cowboys under head coach Bill Snyder, including a 7-1 mark in Manhattan.

 

Fewer than 50 adjacent seats remain for the game against the Cowboys as tickets start at $49.75 with a Wildcat 4-Pack. To order tickets, fans can contact the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum.

 

Big 12 TV Selections for Weekend of Saturday, November 5

Oklahoma at Iowa State                6:30 p.m.             ESPN (Thursday, November 3)

Texas at Texas Tech                         11 a.m.                 FS1

TCU at Baylor                                     2:30 p.m.             FOX

Oklahoma State at K-State           2:30 or 6 p.m.    ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Kansas at West Virginia                  2:30 or 6 p.m.    ABC, ESPN or ESPN2