GAME 18

13/15 KANSAS STATE (15-2, 4-1 Big 12) vs. 2/2 KANSAS (16-1, 5-0 Big 12)

DILLONS SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN

Tuesday, January 17, 2023 >> 6:02 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,000) >> Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION

ESPN / WatchESPN (link here)

• Jon Sciambi (play-by-play)
• Fran Fraschilla (analyst)
• Kris Budden (sideline reporter)
• Scott Gustafson (producer)

RADIO

K-State Sports Network

Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580

Satellite Radio: Sirius XM 84/84

Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)

LIVE STATS

www.kstatesports.com

kstate.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS

Sold out

COACHES

K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College ‘07]

Record at K-State: 15-2/1st Year

Career Record: 17-2/1st Year+

1. Kansas: 0-0 [0-0 at K-State]

Kansas: Bill Self [Oklahoma State ‘85]

Record at Kansas: 572-125/20th Year

Career Record: 779-230/30th Year

1. K-State: 39-6 [38-6 at Kansas]

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Kansas leads 203-94

Big 12 Era: Kansas leads 56-6

In Manhattan: K-State leads 81-48

At Bramlage Coliseum: Kansas leads 29-5

Active Streak: Kansas, 7

Tang vs. Kansas: 0-0 [0-0 at K-State]

Tang vs. Bill Self : 0-0 [0-0 at home]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (Based off the last game)

13/15 Kansas State (15-2, 4-1 Big 12)

G: #1 Markquis Nowell

G: #5 Cam Carter

F: #11 Keyontae Johnson

F: #35 Nae’Qwan Tomlin

C: #23 Abayomi Iyiola

2/2 Kansas (16-1, 5-0 Big 12)

G: #3 Dajuan Harris, Jr.

G: #4 Gradey Dick

G: #15 Kevin McCullar, Jr.

F: #10 Jalen Wilson

F: #24 KJ Adams, Jr.

OPENING TIP

No. 13/15 K-State (15-2, 4-1 Big 12) renews one of the oldest rivalries in college basketball on Tuesday night when the Wildcats welcome defending national champion and No. 2/2 Kansas (16-1, 5-0 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at 6 p.m., CT on ESPN. It is the sixth-most played rivalry (297) in Division I men’s basketball history with the teams meeting at least once every year since 1907. The Jayhawks, who riding a 10-game winning streak, have won 9 of the last 10 matchups, including each of the last 7, with the last Wildcat win coming at home in 2019. It is the series’ first Top 15 matchup since No. 4 Kansas defeated No. 10 K-State, 83-62, at home on Feb. 11, 2013.

KEY STORYLINES

• K-State saw its 9-game winning streak end at No. 17/17 TCU on Saturday, as the Horned Frogs turned defense into offense, forcing the Wildcats into a near season-high 20 turnovers while scoring 26 points off those miscues in an 82-68 victory. Despite the loss, the Wildcats are still off to their best start (15-2) in more than a decade (2012-13), while they are 9-0 in home games, including 8-0 at Bramlage Coliseum, for their best home start since 2012-13.
• K-State’s 15-2 start under head coach Jerome Tang ties for the best by a first-year coach in school history, equaling the 15-2 starts by Zora G. Clevenger (1916-17) and Bruce Weber (2012-13). Tang’s 15-2 start also ranks among the very best by all first-year coaches in Division I, just ahead of Missouri’s Dennis Gates (13-4).
• The 9-game winning streak was the longest by K-State in nearly a decade (since 2013-14) and tied for the third-longest streak (joining Kansas and Providence) among Power 6 Conference schools, trailing UCLA (12) and Xavier (11). The Wildcats averaged 82 points per game during the streak on 48.3 percent (262-of-543) shooting with 4 players averaging in double figures.
• Senior Keyontae Johnson (18 points) and Markquis Nowell (16) combined for nearly half of the Wildcats’ points in the loss at No. 17/17 TCU, as the duo are combining to average 45.4 points in Big 12 play. Last week, the tandem became the first Wildcats to sweep the Big 12 weekly honors, as Nowell was named the Player of the Week for the second time and Johnson earned his third Newcomer of the Week nod. The tandem combined to score 120 points in the wins at No. 6/6 Texas and No. 19/17 Baylor on 59.4 percent (38-of-64) shooting, which is the most points by 2 Wildcats over a 2-game span in the last 50 seasons.
• Nowell continues to be one of the leaders nationally in assists. He ranks second nationally in both assists per game (8.5 apg.) and total assists (144), while he is 20th in assist/turnover ratio (2.88) with 144 assists to 50 turnovers. He is one of 2 active Division I player with at least 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals, while his 230 career steals are first among active players.
• The Wildcats have quite the dynamic 1-2-3 scoring punch with Johnson (18.4 ppg.) and Nowell (17.1 ppg.) and junior Nae’Qwan Tomlin (10.9 ppg.) combining to average 46.4 points per game on 48.1 percent (270-of-561) shooting. They are the second-best scoring trio in the Big 12 after Baylor’s Adam Flagler, Keyonte George and L.J. Cryer (47.6 ppg.) and just ahead of Kansas’ Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick and Kevin McCullar (45.2 ppg.).

NOTES ON 2/2 KANSAS

• No. 2/2 Kansas (16-1, 5-0 Big 12) enters Tuesday’s game with fifth-longest winning streak in the nation after earning a 62-60 win over No. 14/14 Iowa State on Saturday afternoon at home. The Jayhawks have some of the most impressive wins in the country, tying No. 3/3 Purdue for the most Quad 1 victories (6). The team’s lone loss came to No. 5/5 Tennessee at neutral site at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• Kansas is averaging 76.9 points on 47.1 percent shooting, including 37.6 percent from 3-point range, with 37.6 rebounds, 17.4 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.1 blocks per game, while allowing 65.2 points on 40.0 percent shooting, including 31.0 percent from 3-point range. The Jayhawks are connecting on 70.9 percent from the free throw line.
• Kansas is one of the best at distributing the ball (15th in assists) and taking care of it (23rd in assist/turnover ratio), while the Jayhawks lead the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage and defensive rebounds (26.8) and are second in 3-pointers/game (7.8), assists, assist/turnover ratio and steals.
• Four players are averaging in double figures led by the Big 12’s leading scorer – junior Jalen Wilson – who is averaging 19.8 points per game to go with a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game. Freshman phenom Gradey Dick is averaging 14.6 points, while senior Kevin McCullar Jr. (10.8 ppg.) and sophomore KJ Adams, Jr. (10.7) are also averaging double digits.
• Kansas is led by Hall of Fame head coach Bill Self, who has a 572-125 record in his 20th season. Overall, he has a 779-230 record in his 30th season as a head coach. He is 39-6 all-time vs. K-State, including 15-5 on the road.

SERIES HISTORY

• Kansas holds a 203-94 advantage in the series vs. K-State, including an 81-48 mark in Manhattan. The Jayhawks are 56-6 in the Big 12 era (46-6 in regular season) with a 29-5 mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
• Kansas has won 9 of the last 10 meetings, including each of the last 7 dating to February 2019. Last season, the Jayhawks swept the season series with a 78-75 come-from-behind win in Manhattan on Jan. 22, 2022 (rallying from 17 points down) before posting just the second 100-point game in the series with an 102-83 victory at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 22, 2022.

LAST 10 MEETINGS [1-9]

Date                    Rank     Result   Score                   Location

1/29/2018          —/7      L             56-70                   Manhattan

3/9/2018            —/9      L             67-83                   Kansas City

2/5/2019            —/13    W          74-67                   Manhattan

2/25/2019          16/15    L             49-64                   Lawrence

1/21/2020          —/3      L             61-80                   Lawrence

2/29/2020          —/1      L             58-62                   Manhattan

2/2/2021            —/23    L             51-74                   Lawrence

2/17/2021          —/23    L             41-59                   Manhattan

1/22/2022          —/7      L             75-78                   Manhattan

2/2/2022            —/5      L             83-102                Lawrence

LAST MEETING: 5/5 KANSAS 102, K-STATE 83

• No. 5/5 Kansas connected on better than 60 percent from the field in both halves, as the Jayhawks captured the 297th edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown with an 102-83 win in the last meeting between the schools on Feb. 22, 2022 at Allen Fieldhouse.
• Kansas was simply spectacular on offense, connecting on 64.1 percent (41-of-64) from the field, including 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from 3-point range en route to posting just the second 100-point game in the series. The field goal percentage is the ninth-highest by an opponent in school history and the highest by an opponent since 2008.
• Markquis Nowell led 5 Wildcats in double figures with 20 points.

LAST TIME OUT: 17/17 TCU 82, 11/13 K-STATE 68

• No. 11/13 K-State saw its 9-game winning streak end on Saturday afternoon, as No. 17/17 TCU used its stellar defensive pressure to harass the Wildcats into 20 turnovers, which the Horned Frogs converted into 26 points, en route to an 82-68 win before 5,884 fans at Schollmaier Arena.
• TCU, which took control with a 10-0 run midway through the first half, led by 14 points at the half and by as many as 25 in the second half before K-State was able to cut the deficit to 12 on two occasions late. However, the Wildcats could go no closer, as they lost for the first time in nearly 7 weeks.
• Senior Keyontae Johnson led three players in double figures with a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds in 38 minutes, while senior Markquis Nowell finished with 16 points but with his second-fewest assists (4) on the season to go with 2 rebounds and 2 steals in nearly 38 minutes. Senior Tykei Greene provided a spark in the second half with a season-high 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Junior Nae’Qwan Tomlin grabbed a season-best 10 boards and dished out a season-high 5 assists to go with his 8 points.
• Four Horned Frogs scored in double figures led by senior Emanuel Miller’s game-high 23 points, while sophomore Eddie Lampkin was a force in the paint with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Mike Miles, Jr., notched a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 11 assists.
• A motivated TCU team, which lost on a last-second shot to No. 25/25 Iowa State at home on Jan. 7 before losing an 18-point lead at No. 10/10 Texas on Wednesday, showed why they are the nation’s top-ranked transition team (21.4 points per game), using its 15 steals to post a 32-13 advantage in fast-break points. The 32 fast-break points are the most allowed to an opponent since the stat has been kept starting in 2000-01.
• Neither team was particularly sharp to start, as the game was knotted at 6-all at the first media timeout at the 15:31 mark. K-State was able to use a 5-0 spurt, which included the game’s first 3-pointer from senior Desi Sills, to jump out to an 11-6 lead. However, TCU got things turned around on the defense end, as the Horned Frogs used turnovers to take a 18-13 lead at the midway point.
• TCU led by 14 at the break then scored 12 of the first 16 points to start the second half to build a 55-33 lead and force Jerome Tang to call a timeout with 13:30 to play. The lead grew to 25 with nearly 11 minutes remaining before Nowell started a 12-3 run that cut the deficit to 74-61 with 3:10 left. He twice got the Wildcats to within 11 but could get no closer.
• The Horned Frogs were efficient on the offensive end, connecting on 46.5 percent (33-of-71) from the field, while recording an opponent season-high 54 points in the paint. They had 22 assists, including a game-high 11 from Miles, with just 10 turnovers. They also were called for just 8 personal fouls.
• The Wildcats finished at 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the field, including 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from 3-point range, while making 6 of its their 7 free throws.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

• The loss ended K-State’s 9-game winning streak, which was the longest since a 10-game streak from Nov. 24, 2013, to Jan. 7, 2014.
• Despite the loss, the 15-2 record is the best since opening the 2012-13 season with a 15-2 mark… The 4-1 Big 12 start is the best since 2014-15.
• K-State is now 272-109 as a ranked team, including 7-6 as the No. 11 team.
• K-State still leads the all-time series with TCU, 20-11, including 17-9 in the Big 12 era… The Wildcats are 8-4 all-time in Fort Worth and had won 3 of the last 4 meetings, including the last 2, before the loss.

TANG DEBUTS AS HEAD COACH

• First-year head coach Jerome Tang enjoyed a successful a debut, as the Wildcats posted a 93-59 win against UTRGV on Nov. 7, becoming the 24th man and the first full-time black head coach in school history. He followed with his first road victory at Cal to start his tenure off with a 2-0 record. He is the sixth minority men’s head coach in K-State Athletics history, including the third in men’s basketball following interim head coach Darryl Winston (1984-85) and former full-time head coach Frank Martin (2007-12).
• K-State’s 15-2 start under Jerome Tang ties for the best by a first-year coach in school history with Zora G. Clevenger (1916-17) and Bruce Weber (2012-13) each starting at 15-2. The start is also the best by any current first-year Division I coach, ahead of Missouri’s Dennis Gates (13-4).
• This is not Tang’s first time being a head coach, as he served as athletics director and head coach at Heritage Christian Academy in Cleveland, Texas from 1993-2003, leading the school to 5 TAPPS Division A State Championships.
• In addition, Tang twice served as interim head coach in his 19 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at Baylor, leading the Bears to 4-0 record. He helped Baylor to wins over Texas (86-79 in OT) and at Texas Tech (82-48) during the 2012-13 season, while he guided the squad to wins over Louisiana (112-82) and Washington (86-52) to open the 2020-21 season. Tang is only credited with the wins in 2013, moving his college head coaching record to 17-2.

A TEAM OF WINNERS

• Head coach Jerome Tang has remarked on a number of occasions that he recruited a team ‘full of winners’ as exemplified by the number of championships that the collective group has won.
• There are a combined 8 state championships among the 15 players on the roster, including 2 each won by seniors Desi Sills and Abayomi Iyiola and true freshmen Taj Manning. In addition, sophomore Jerrell Colbert and true freshman Dorian Finister also won state titles during their senior seasons.
• In addition to the high school success, a number of players have been a part of winning college programs, including Sills and Iyiola being members of Arkansas’ Elite Eight team in 2021 and senior Keyontae Johnson (Florida) and junior David N’Guessan (Virginia Tech) being a part of 2 NCAA Tournaments.
• This championship mentality stretches to the staff, as associate head coach Urlic Maligi has been part of 5 NCAA Tournament and 5 conference title teams in his career. Assistant coach Jareem Dowling has been involved with teams that have won 4 conference titles and earned 4 postseason trips, while assistant coach Rodney Perry is coming off a 2021-22 year in which he led Link Academy to a national runner-up finish at the GEICO National Tournament before helping MOKAN Elite to its third Nike Peach Jam title.

1700 WINS AND COUNTING

• K-State’s overtime 96-87 win over Nevada in the semifinals of the Cayman Islands Classic represented the 1,700th win in school history. The Wildcats are the 43rd Division I team to eclipse 1,700 wins, including the sixth Big 12 school.
• The Wildcats have a 1,710-1,215 (.586) all-time record as a program, which includes 31 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

• K-State has posted a 170-53 (.762) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. During that span, the Wildcats have a 128-14 (.901) mark at home venues (includes games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play, including a 118-12 (.908) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
• The Nebraska win on Dec. 17 also gave K-State double-digit non-conference victories for the first time since going 10-3 in 2018-19.  The Wildcats collected their 11th non-conference victory vs. Radford on Dec. 21, giving them their most since also winning 11 in 2017-18. The team earned 10 or more non-conference wins in 12 of 13 seasons from 2006-07 to 2018-19, but they had managed just a 19-16 record in non-conference action from 2019-22.
• K-State’s current 11-1 non-conference mark is the best since opening the 2016-17 season with a similar 11-1 record. The Wildcats won a program-best 13 non-conference games in 2009-10, while they won 12 in 2008-09 and 2010-11.

POTENT OFFENSIVE ATTACK

• K-State is averaging 78.2 points this season on 46.9 percent (475-of-1013) shooting, including 35.1 percent (123-of-350) from 3-point range, while hitting on 74 percent (256-of-346) from the free throw line. The Wildcats lead the Big 12 in assists (18.7 apg.) and free throw percentage, while they are third in scoring offense and fourth in 3-point field goals made/game (7.24).