GAME 31

KANSAS STATE (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) vs. 6/6 IOWA STATE (24-6, 13-4 Big 12)

Saturday, March 9, 2024 >> 1 p.m. CT >>  Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) >> Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION

ESPN / WatchESPN (link here)

• Mark Neely (play-by-play)
• Tim Welsh (analyst)
• Todd Jones (producer)

RADIO

K-State Sports Network

Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580

Satellite Radio: Ch. 387

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

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

LIVE STATS

kstatesports.com

kstate.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS

$30

kstatesports.com/tickets

COACHES

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

Record at K-State: 43-23/Second Year

Career Record: 45-23*/Second Year

1. Iowa State: 1-2 [1-0 at home]

Iowa State: T.J. Otzelberger [UW-Whitewater ‘01]

Record at Iowa State: 65-33/3rd Year

Career Record: 164-96/8th Year

1. K-State: 4-3 [2-1 on the road]

PROBABLE STARTERS

K-State (17-13, 7-10 Big 12)

G: #2 Tylor Perry

G: #4 Dai Dai Ames

G: #5 Cam Carter

W: #24 Arthur Kaluma

C: #20 Jerrell Colbert

6/6 Iowa State (24-6, 13-4 Big 12)

G: #3 Tamin Lipsey

G: #10 Keshon Gilbert

F: #0 Tre King

F: #12 Robert Jones

F: #22 Milan Momcilovic

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: K-State leads 145-93

Big 12 Era: Iowa State leads 30-28 [9-18 on the road]

At Home: K-State leads 84-29

At Bramlage Coliseum: K-State leads 24-11

Active Streak: Iowa State, 1

Last Meeting: L, 67-78 [1/24/24 in Ames, Iowa]

Jerome Tang vs. T.J. Otzelberger: 1-2 [1-0 at home]

K-STATE HOSTS 6/6 IOWA STATE IN HOME FINALE AT BRAMLAGE COLISEUM

Kansas State (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) concludes the regular season on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to No. 6/6 Iowa State (24-6, 13-4 Big 12) on Senior Day at 1 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. Both teams will have plenty at stake, as the Wildcats can clinch a bye to the second round of next week’s Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship with a win, while the Cyclones can earn a share of the regular-season title with a win and a loss by No. 1/1 Houston.

K-State will be either the No. 10 or No. 11 seed at the Championship, as the No. 11 seed will play the No. 14 seed (Oklahoma State or West Virginia) in the second game on Tuesday (March 12) at 2 p.m., CT, while the No. 10 seed will play the No. 7 seed on Wednesday (March 13) at 6 p.m., CT.

The program will recognize 5 seniors in a pregame ceremony on Saturday, including senior manager Kaden Griffin as well senior players Taymont Lindsey, Will McNair Jr., David N’Guessan and Tylor Perry. N’Guessan is in his second year with the program after transferring from Virginia Tech, while Lindsey, McNair and Perry are all in their first years.

KEY STORYLINES

• K-State could not end its road losing streak at No. 14/15 Kansas on Tuesday, as the Jayhawks used a stellar second-half effort to end a 2-game skid with a 90-68 victory. Kansas led by 8 points at the half then outscored K-State, 49-35, in the second half on 50 percent shooting to run its home winning streak in the series to 18 games. The Wildcats’ top-3 scorers – senior Tylor Perry, junior Cam Carter and junior Arthur Kaluma – combined for just 15 points.
• Despite the disappointing loss, K-State continues to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive with the Quad 1 opportunity against No. 6/6 Iowa State and the Big 12 Championship. Among the Wildcats’ 17 wins are 7 Quad 1 or 2 victories (Providence, Villanova, LSU, UCF, No. 9/9 Baylor, No. 4/4 Kansas and No. 25/21 BYU). The team is 7-4 in games decided by 5 points or less.
• K-State has been solid at home this season, posting a 14-3 overall record and a 13-3 mark at Bramlage Coliseum, including 6-2 in Big 12 play. All 3 of the Wildcats’ Top 25 wins have come at home this season, including No. 4/4 Kansas, No. 9/9 Baylor and No. 25/21 BYU.
• K-State has been the kings of overtime under head coach Jerome Tang, as the Wildcats have won 12 straight overtime games, including breaking the Division I single-season record with their seventh this season with a 94-90 comeback win over West Virginia on Feb. 26.
• Despite their struggles on Tuesday, Perry (15.5 ppg.), Carter (14.7 ppg.), and Kaluma (14.5 ppg.) give the Wildcats a strong 1-2-3 scoring punch, as they are responsible for 63 percent of the team’s scoring (44.7 out of 72.4 ppg.). K-State is the only Big 12 member to have 3 players rank in the league’s top-15 in scoring, as Perry ranks eighth, Carter ninth and Kaluma 11th. The trio have continued that scoring in Big 12 play, averaging a combined 43.3 points per game.
• K-State continues to struggle with turnovers, as the Wildcats rank 338th in Division I with 14.8 per game. In contrast, Iowa State ranks second nationally in turnovers forced (17.87).

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

• Clinch the No. 10 seed at next week’s Big 12 Championship.
• Snap a 2-game losing streak.
• Boost home record to 15-3 and 14-3 at Bramlage Coliseum.
• Be the 29th in the last 33 home games under Jerome Tang.
• Be the 1,739th in the program history, including 146th vs. ISU.

NOTES ON 6/6 IOWA STATE (24-6, 13-4 Big 12)

• Under National Coach of the Year candidate T.J. Otzelberger, No. 6/6 Iowa State has a 24-6 overall record, including a 13-4 mark in Big 12 play, after posting a fourth straight win on Wednesday against No. 20/23 BYU to finish the home schedule unbeaten. The Cyclones are 5-4 away from home, including 4-4 in Big 12 play.
• Iowa State is averaging 76.3 points on 46.4 percent shooting, including 34.9 percent from 3-point range, with 34.5 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 10.5 steals and 2.9 blocks per game, while allowing 62.0 points on 40.5 percent shooting, including 32.3 percent from 3-point range. The Cyclones are connecting on 69.2 percent from the free throw line.
• Iowa State is among the top defensive teams in the country, ranking second in turnover margin (+6.9) and turnovers forced (17.87), fifth in steals/game (10.5) and sixth in scoring defense (62.0 ppg.). The Cyclones also rank in top-35 in scoring margin (ninth/+14.4), field goal percentage defense (25th/40.5), assists (33rd/16.1) and assist/turnover ratio (35th/1.5).
• Four Cyclones (Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Curtis Jones) are averaging in double figures, while 2 others (Tre King and Robert Jones) are averaging better than 8.2 points per game. Gilbert is averaging a team-best 13.6 points on 44 percent shooting to go with 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Lipsey averages 12.5 points on 41.6 percent shooting, including 37 percent from 3-point range, to go with team-bests in assists (145) and steals (82). Momcilovic and Jones average 11.3 and 10.6 points, respectively, while combining for 104 made 3-pointers.
• Otzelberger has a 65-33 mark in his third season at ISU. He has guided the Cyclones to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. He has a 164-96 record as a head coach with stints at South Dakota State and UNLV.

SERIES HISTORY

• K-State holds a 145-93 advantage in the all-time series with Iowa State, including an 84-29 record at home and a 24-11 mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
• After winning the first meeting, Iowa State will be looking to sweep the series for the first time since 2020-21. The teams have split the last 10 games with K-State winning 3 times in the last 4 games at Bramlage Coliseum.

LAST 10 MEETINGS [5-5]

LAST MEETING:

23/18 IOWA STATE 78, K-STATE 67 [Jan. 24, 2024]

• No. 23/18 Iowa State used a 13-1 run with 4:09 remaining in a tie game to power past K-State and remain unbeaten at home with a 78-67 victory on in the last meeting on Jan. 24 before 14,267 fans at Hilton Coliseum.

LAST MEETING IN MANHATTAN:

12/14 K-STATE 61, 19/18 IOWA STATE 55 [Feb. 18, 2023]

• Senior Markquis Nowell scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to help No. 12/14 K-State rally from a halftime deficit to defeat No. 19/18 Iowa State, 61-55, in the last meeting at Bramlage Coliseum between the teams on Feb. 18, 2023.

LAST TIME OUT:

14/15 KANSAS 90, K-STATE 68

• No. 14/15 Kansas used a stellar second half performance to continue its winning streak against K-State at Allen Fieldhouse, as the Jayhawks earned a 90-68 win in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Tuesday night before a sellout crowd of 16,300 fans at Allen Fieldhouse.
• Kansas scored 49 points in the second half on 50 percent (16-of-32) from the field, including 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from 3-point range, as the Jayhawks ran their winning streak over the Wildcats at home to 18 games dating back to 2007. In addition to the strong shooting performance, Kansas was near perfect from the free throw line, converting on 28-of-31 attempts (90.3 percent).
• Kansas led by 8 points at the half before using its stellar second-half shooting effort to lead by as many as 28 points in the second half. The win extended the Jayhawks’ winning streak on Senior Night to 41 consecutive years.
• Four Jayhawks scored in double figures, including a game-high 19 points from senior Kevin McCullar Jr. playing in his final game at Allen Fieldhouse, while fellow senior Nicolas Timberlake added 18 points on 6-of-7 field goals, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Senior Hunter Dickinson collected a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 20 rebounds.
• K-State (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) was led by senior Will McNair Jr., who collected his first double-double as a Wildcat and third of his career with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Three other Wildcats – senior David N’Guessan, junior Arthur Kaluma and freshman Dai Dai Ames – each scored 10 points.
• K-State’s top-3 scorers – senior Tylor Perry, junior Cam Carter and Kaluma – combined for just 15 points on 4-of-24 shooting, including 2-of-14 from 3-point range. The trio entered the game averaging 45.7 points per game.
• K-State had a 10-5 lead at the first media timeout and despite several Kansas runs was within 24-22 with 7:50 to play before halftime. However, the Jayhawks used an 8-0 run out of the media timeout to build their first double-digit lead at 32-22. Although the Wildcats got to within 34-28 at the final media timeout, the home team entered the locker rooms up 41-33.
• Kansas scored the first 6 points to start the second half and never looked back. The Jayhawks never trailed by fewer than 11 points the rest of the way, building a 28-point lead with 4:04 to play after a Timberlake 3-pointer.
• K-State connected on 44.6 percent (25-of-56) from the field, including 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from 3-point range, but managed a season-low 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from the free throw line.
• The schools split their regular-season series for the second straight season. Kansas now leads the series, 205-96, including 53-17 at Allen Fieldhouse.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

• The loss continued the Wildcats’ struggles on the road, where they lost their eighth straight contest away from home to fall to 2-8 in true road games.
• The 90 points tied a season-high for points allowed, while the Jayhawks also had opponent season-highs for free throws (28), free throw percentage (90.3) and fast-break points (21).
• The 20 rebounds by Hunter Dickinson were the most by an opponent since Texas’ Dexter Pittman had 20 boards in the 2009 Big 12 Championship.
• The Wildcat bench scored a season-high 42 points, including 27 combined points by Will McNair Jr. (17 points) and David N’Guessan (10 points).
• The Wildcat freshmen trio Dai Dai Ames (10 points), R.J. Jones (9 points) and Macaleab Rich (6 points) combined for 25 points.

OVERTIME SUCCESS

• K-State moved to 12-0 in overtime games, including 7-0 this season, under head coach Jerome Tang after the 94-90 victory over West Virginia on Feb. 26. After watching a 25-point lead evaporate in the final 13:30, K-State willed itself to overtime with some clutch shooting and stellar defense in the final minute. The Wildcats trailed 79-75 with 1:02 to play before a layup from senior Will McNair Jr. and 2 free throws from senior Tylor Perry to tied it at 79-all with 15.4 seconds. Perry gave K-State the lead for good with a 3-pointer a minute into overtime, as he scored 9 of his season-high 29 points in the extra period.
• In addition to the win over West Virginia, K-State has overtime victories this season over Providence (73-70), Oral Roberts (88-78), North Alabama (75-74), Villanova (72-71), No. 9/9 Baylor (68-64) and No. 4/4 Kansas (75-70).
• K-State’s 12-game overtime winning streak is the second-longest such streak in Division I history since 1950 and the second-longest current streak behind Florida State (14; 2018-current) and right ahead of Winthrop (10; 2017-current).
• K-State’s 7 overtime wins are now the Division I single-season record, snapping a tie of 6 with Wake Forest (1983-84), Chattanooga (1988-89) and Lafayette (2007-08).  The 7 overtime wins also continue to break the school record of 5, set in 1992-93 and 2022-23, while it is the most overtime games in school history (5 total set in 1992-93 and 2022-23). The 6 overtime home wins are also the Division I mark, snapping a tie of 5 with Cincinnati in 1966-67.
• K-State has outscored its opponents, 91-63, in overtime, as the Wildcats have connected on 62.2 percent (23-of-37) from the field, including 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from 3-point range, and 80.9 percent (38-of-47) from free throw line.
• Tang is the first head coach in school history to win his first 12 overtime games, surpassing Dana Altman (1990-94), who was a perfect 7-0 in overtime games in his tenure. The 12 total overtime wins are the third-most by a head coach, trailing Tex Winter (15) and Jack Hartman (14).

BETTER DEFENSIVE EFFORT

• K-State has made strides on the defensive end during Big 12 play, allowing 71.5 points on a Big 12-best 40.4 percent (420-of-1040) shooting, including 29.4 percent (111-of-377) from 3-point range. The Wildcats have allowed fewer than 70 points in 6 Big 12 games, including 52 to UCF (1/6/24), 60 to Texas Tech (1/13/24), 64 to No. 9/9 Baylor (1/16/24) and 62 to Texas (2/19/24).
• Through 17 Big 12 games, K-State ranks among the top-4 in 4 defensive categories, including first in field goal percentage defense (40.4), 3-point field goal percentage defense (29.4) and defensive rebounds/game (26.41) and fourth in blocks/game (4.71). The Wildcats had been holding teams to 68.7 points in Big 12 play before allowing 90 to West Virginia and No. 14/15 Kansas.
• The 52 points allowed to UCF were the fewest allowed in a Big 12 opener since 2003. K-State held Texas Tech (60 points) and No. 9/9 Baylor (64 points) to nearly 20 points under their scoring average.

POINT OF EMPHASIS

• Ever since the loss to Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight, in which, K-State was out-rebounded 44-22, rebounding has been a point of emphasis by head coach Jerome Tang. So far that message has been received, as the Wildcats rank fourth in the Big 12 and 76th nationally in rebounds/game (37.63), including third in the league and 80th nationally in defensive rebounds/game (26.47).
• Last season, the team ranked 175th or worse in all 4 rebounding categories.
• K-State has out-rebounded its opponents 17 times in 30 games, while posting a +2.6 rebounding margin, which ranks 108th nationally.
• K-State has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in 10 games, including a season-best 63 in the win over Central Arkansas (11/22/23). The 63 rebounds were the most in a game in more than 25 seasons since corralling 64 vs. Kansas City on Dec. 3, 1997. Among those 63 boards were 26 on the offensive end, which were the most since grabbing 29 vs. North Florida on Nov. 18, 2012, while the 37 defensive rebounds were one shy of the top-10.

OFFENSE CREATING MORE 3-POINTERS

• Although the single-season mark for 3-point attempts seems to be safe, the Wildcats have still attempted 705 this season, which rank as the sixth-most in school history. The team set the record with 754 in 2021-22 while the 752 in 2022-23 were a close second on the list.
• K-State has connected on 225 3-pointers, which marks the seventh time in the last 8 seasons that the team has topped 200 or more triples. The Wildcats have double-digit 3-pointers in 5 games after their season-high 15 triples in the overtime win over West Virginia (2/26/24). Those 15 makes tied for the third-most in school history and are the most since hitting 16 at OSU on Feb. 2, 2019.
• Senior Tylor Perry is among the top 3-point shooters, as he ranks among the top-50 nationally in three 3-point categories, including 15th in attempts (248), 41st in total 3-pointers (83) and 45th in 3-point field goals/game (2.77). His 83 treys are the seventh-most in a single-season in school history.

MORE THAN JUST THE 3

• K-State has shown its offense is more than just the 3-pointer, as the team is averaging 31.6 points in the paint this season, including 29.1 points in Big 12 action. The Wildcats scored 50 or more points in the paint in back-to-back games vs. No. 12/11 Miami and Central Arkansas.
• K-State scored 56 points in the paint against the Hurricanes, which tied for the most in a single game in school history (stat kept since 2000-01), and the most since scoring 56 against South Dakota on Jan. 3, 2010.

CONVERTING FROM THE LINE

• K-State has taken advantage of its opportunities from the free throw line, averaging 15.6 makes per game while converting on 72.8 percent from the line. The Wildcats rank among top-80 in both makes (15.6/64th) and attempts (21.5/76th) per game, as the squad places third in the Big 12 in both categories.
• One of the major factors in K-State’s wins and losses has been its ability to get to the free throw line while preventing their opponent from getting to the line. The Wildcats average 17.8 makes on 24 attempts in their 17 wins, while they average just 12.8 makes on 18.2 attempts in their 13 losses. In contrast, their opponents average 11.4 makes on 16.5 attempts in the wins compared to 16.5 makes on 23.3 attempts in the losses.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

• K-State has posted a 181-56 (.764) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. During that span, the Wildcats have a 137-15 (.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 126-13 (.907) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
• At 10-3, K-State earned double-digit wins in non-conference play for the second straight season and the 14th time in the last 19 seasons (since 2006-07). The 10 wins marked the second-most in that span in the last 6 seasons.