GAME 20
5/5 KANSAS STATE (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) AT 12/13 IOWA STATE (14-4, 5-2 Big 12)
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 >> 8:05 p.m. CT >> Hilton Coliseum (14,384) >> Ames, Iowa

TELEVISION
ESPNU / WatchESPN (link here)

  • Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play)
  • Chris Spatola (analyst)
  • Kevin Clark (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Sirius XM 85 or 199
Online: Varsity Network [free]/ www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

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

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
isu.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS
www.cyclones.com

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College ’07]
Record at K-State: 17-2/1st Year
Career Record: 19-2/1st Year+
vs. Iowa State: 0-0 [0-0 at K-State]

Iowa State: T.J. Otzelberger [UW-Whitewater ’01]
Record at Iowa State: 36-17/2nd Year
Career Record: 135-80/7th Year
vs. K-State: 1-1 [1-1 at Iowa State]

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads 144-91
Big 12 Era: Iowa State leads 28-27
In Ames: K-State leads 54-51
At Hilton Coliseum: Iowa State leads 28-23
Active Streak: Iowa State, 1
Tang vs. Iowa State: 0-0 [0-0 at K-State]
Tang vs. T.J. Otzelberger: 0-0 [0-0 at home]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (Based off the last game)
5/5 Kansas State (16-2, 6-1 Big 12)
G: #1 Markquis Nowell
G: #5 Cam Carter
F: #11 Keyontae Johnson
F: #35 Nae’Qwan Tomlin
C: #23 Abayomi Iyiola

12/13 Iowa State (14-4, 5-2 Big 12)
G: #3 Tamin Lipsey
G: #2 Caleb Grill
G: #22 Gabe Kalscheur
F: #13 Jaren Holmes
F: #21 Osun Osunniyi

OPENING TIP
No. 5/5 K-State (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) heads north for a Top 25 road matchup with No. 12/13 Iowa State (14-4, 5-2 Big 12) before an expected sellout crowd at Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday night at 8 p.m., CT tip on ESPNU. The Wildcats have won 11 of their last 12 games, as they responded to their first Big 12 loss at No. 17/17 TCU on Jan. 14 with a pair of home wins last week, including 83-82 in overtime over No. 2/2 Kansas and 68-58 over Texas Tech. K-State, which jumped into the AP Top 5 for the first time in more than a decade (No. 5/Dec. 6, 2010) on Monday, will face a Top 25 Iowa State squad for just the fourth time (1957, 2014, 2019) in series history and the first time as Top 15 opponents.

KEY STORYLINES

  • K-State once again showed its ability to win in multiple ways, using a late 14-2 run to pull away from Texas Tech, 68-58, on Saturday before a sold-out crowd at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats broke a 50-all tie late in second half with 10 consecutive points over near 6-minute stretch then had senior Markquis Nowell seal it with 6 straight free throws. The Red Raiders were held to a season-low 32.4 percent (23-of-71) from the field, including 24.1 percent (7-of-29) from 3-point range, while made just 5 of 12 attempts from the free throw line.
  • K-State is off to its best start (17-2) since also opening the 1961-62 season with a similar 17-2 mark, while the squad is 6-1 in Big 12 play for just the second time, including the first time since 2007-08. Among the 11 wins in the last 12 outings is a 9-game streak from Dec. 3, 2022 to Jan. 10, 2023, which was the longest by the Wildcats since a 10-game winning streak in 2013-14. The team has averaged 79.8 points per game in the last 12 games on 46.9 percent (335-of-715) shooting with 5 players averaging 8 or more points, including 3 in double figures.
  • K-State’s 17-2 start under head coach Jerome Tang is the best by a first-year coach in school history, just ahead of the 15-2 record by Zora G. Clevenger (1916-17). Tang’s 17-2 start also ranks among the very best by all first-year coaches in Division I, ahead of Xavier’s Sean Miller (16-4) and Missouri’s Dennis Gates and Duke’s Jon Scheyer (14-5).
  • Seniors Keyontae Johnson (18.5 ppg.) and Markquis Nowell (16.7 ppg.) have been one of the most prolific tandems in the country, as they combine to average 35.2 points per game on 48.1 percent (215-of-447) shooting, including 37.9 percent (66-of-174) from 3-point range, and 82 percent (173-of-211) from the free throw line. The tandem, who were named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List, made the game-winning play in the win over Kansas, as Nowell’s lob pass to Johnson for a dunk with 25 seconds left in overtime clinched the victory. Johnson was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for fourth time on Monday.
  • Nowell continues to be one of the leaders nationally in assists. He ranks second nationally in assists per game (8.2 apg.) and third in assists (156), while he is 21st in assist/turnover ratio (2.79) with 156 assists to 56 turnovers. He is one of 2 active Division I player with at least 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals, while his 236 career steals are first among active players.
  • The Wildcats have quite the dynamic 1-2-3 scoring punch with Johnson (18.5 ppg.) and Nowell (16.7 ppg.) and junior Nae’Qwan Tomlin (10.7 ppg.) combining to average 45.9 points per game on 47.3 percent (294-of-621) shooting. They are the third-best scoring trio in the Big 12 after Baylor’s Adam Flagler, Keyonte George and L.J. Cryer (47.1 ppg.) and Kansas’ Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick and K.J. Adams, Jr. (46.3 ppg.).

NOTES ON 12/13 IOWA STATE

  • No. 12/13 Iowa State (14-4, 5-2 Big 12) has won 7 of its last 9 games with its 2 losses coming on the road by one possession at No. 2/2 Kansas (60-62) on Jan. 14 and at Oklahoma State (59-61) on Saturday. The Cyclones are a perfect 10-0 at Hilton Coliseum this season, winning those 10 games by an average of 24.4 points per game.
  • Iowa State is averaging 70.6 points on 45.8 percent shooting, including 35.5 percent from 3-point range, with 33.7 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 9.8 steals and 3.1 blocks per game, while allowing a Big 12-best 58.6 points on 40.4 percent shooting, including 35.5 percent from 3-point range. The Cyclones are connecting on 66.9 percent from the free throw line.
  • Iowa State is among the best defensive teams in the country, ranking in the top-10 in 4 categories, including fourth in turnover margin (+6.5), fifth in turnovers forced/game (18.9), eighth in scoring defense (58.6) and ninth in steals/game (9.8). They lead the Big 12 in all 4 categories, while they are second in field goal percentage defense (40.4).
  • Three players (Jaren Holmes, Gabe Kalscheur and Caleb Grill) are averaging in double figures, while two others averaging better than 8 points per game. Holmes and Kalscheur are averaging 12.9 and 12.8 points per game, while Grill is averaging 10.3 points per outing. The trio have combined for 95 of the Cyclones’ 122 made 3-pointers. Tamin Lipsey leads the team in assists (4.8 apg.), while Aljaz Kunc is tops in rebounding (5.9 rpg.).
  • Iowa State is led by second-year head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who has a 36-17 record. He guided the Cyclones to 22 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2021-22. Overall, he is 135-80 in his seventh season as a head coach.

SERIES HISTORY

  • K-State holds a 144-91 advantage in the all-time series with Iowa State, including a 54-51 mark in Ames. The Cyclones have a slight 28-27 edge in the Big 12 era, including a 16-10 mark at Hilton Coliseum that span.
  • K-State has won 6 of the last 10 meetings in the series, including wins in Ames in 2020 and 2022. Last season, the teams each won on the other’s home court, as the Wildcats won 75-69 in overtime on Feb. 12 in Ames before the Cyclones earned a 74-73 win on Feb. 26 in Manhattan.

LAST 10 MEETINGS [6-4]
Date                    Rank     Result   Score                  Location
2/17/2018          —/—     W          78-66                  Manhattan
1/12/2019          —/20    W          58-57                  Ames
2/16/2019          18/23    L             64-78                  Manhattan
3/15/2019          15/—    L             59-63                  Kansas City
2/8/2020            —/—     L             63-73                  Ames
3/7/2020            —/—     W          79-63                  Manhattan
12/15/2020        —/—     W          74-65                  Ames
3/6/2021            —/—     W          61-56                  Manhattan
2/12/2022          —/—     W          75-69 [OT]          Ames
2/26/2022          —/—     L             73-74                  Manhattan

LAST MEETING: IOWA STATE 74, K-STATE 73

  • K-State nearly rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit, closing to within 72-70 and possession with 16 seconds to play, but Iowa State was able to hold on in the final seconds to pick up a 74-73 victory in the last meeting between the schools on Feb. 26, 2022, at Bramlage Coliseum.
  • Down 70-58 with 2:14 to play, K-State nearly made a remarkable rally behind their defensive pressure and clutch free throw shooting by Markquis Nowell, who converted on 10 consecutive attempts to close to within 72-70 with 49 seconds. However, ISU was able to force a turnover with 4 seconds.
  • Sophomore Nijel Pack led three Wildcats in double digits with 32 points.

LAST TIME OUT: 13/15 K-STATE 68, TEXAS TECH 58

  • No. 13/15 Kansas State used a 14-2 run late in the second half to break a 50-all tie and pull away from Texas Tech, 68-58, on Saturday afternoon before a sold-out crowd of 11,000 at Bramlage Coliseum.
  • Senior Markquis Nowell led all scorers with a game-high 23 points to go with a season-high 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, as K-State continued its strong start to the season. The Wildcats are off to their best start in more than 60 years, while they moved to 6-1 in Big 12 play for the first time since 2007-08.
  • With the score knotted at 50-all, K-State took control of the game with its late 14-2 run. Senior Abayomi Iyiola started a run of 10 straight points with a free throw just after the third media timeout with 7:27 to play, which was followed by a 3-pointer from senior Keyontae Johnson, layups by senior Desi Sills and junior Ismael Massoud and a pair of free throws from Johnson that gave the Wildcats a 60-50 lead with just under 3 to play.
  • Although Texas Tech broke the 10-0 run with a bucket from senior Fardaws Aimaq with under 2 minutes remaining, the Red Raiders could get no closer than the rest of the way, as Nowell sealed it with 6 consecutive free throws.
  • Nowell was joined in double figures by Johnson, who pulled down his third double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, and Massoud, who added 12 points on 5-of-6 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Iyiola added 7 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
  • The Red Raiders (10-9, 0-7 Big 12), who entered the game 30th nationally in field goal percentage at 48.1 percent shooting, were held to a season-low 32.4 percent (23-of-71) shooting from the field, including 24.1 percent (7-of-29) from 3-point range, while they made just 5 of 12 free throw attempts. Freshman Pop Isaacs and senior De’Vion Harmon led the way with 13 points each.
  • Texas Tech led 33-28 at the half on the strength of a 14-2 run, which was highlighted by a 3-pointer by Isaacs at the buzzer. The Raiders extended their lead to 45-37 with just over 13 minutes to play on a 10-2 run, but the Wildcats were able to answer with an 11-0 run to regain the lead at 48-45 near the midway point of the half before the game was tied up at 50 with 8:46 to play.
  • After shooting just 34.6 percent (9-of-26) from the field in the first half, K-State connected on 52.4 percent (11-of-21) after halftime. For the game, the Wildcats shot 42.6 percent (20-of-47) from the field, including 32 percent (8-of-25) from 3-point range, while making 74.1 percent (20-of-27) from the free throw line. They had 15 assists to 20 made field goals.
  • K-State wore its two-tone lavender uniforms in the contest, which harken back to the days of legendary coach Jack Hartman.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

  • K-State is now 11-0 in home games, including 10-0 at Bramlage Coliseum… It is the best start to a season since going 10-0 to open the 2016-17 season.
  • K-State is now 26-21 all-time vs. Texas Tech, including 18-5 at home and 14-5 at Bramlage Coliseum… The Wildcats have now won 2 of the last 3 meetings with the Red Raiders, including the last 2 at home.
  • K-State took advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line, knocking down 20 of 27 attempts, while Texas Tech made just 5 of 12 attempts.
  • K-State connected on 8 3-pointers, including 4 players hitting on at least one.
  • K-State got 16 points from its bench, including 12 from junior Ish Massoud.
  • K-State is now 6-2 this season when trailing at the half.

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 17-2 start under Jerome Tang is the best by a first-year coach in school history, ahead of Zora G. Clevenger, who went 15-2 in 1916-17. The start is the best by any current first-year Division I coach, ahead of Xavier’s Sean Miller (16-4) and Missouri’s Dennis Gates and Duke’s Jon Scheyer (14-5).
  • 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 19-2.

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 1,712-1,215 (.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 77.9 points this season on 46.4 percent (520-of-1120) shooting, including 35.2 percent (138-of-392) from 3-point range, while hitting on 74.4 percent (302-of-406) from the free throw line. The Wildcats lead the Big 12 in assists (18.1 apg.) and free throw percentage, while they are third in scoring offense and fourth in 3-point field goals made/game (7.26).
  • K-State has scored 80 or more points 8 times, including 5 games of 90 or more points highlighted by the school-record 116-point effort in the win at No. 6/6 Texas (1/3/23), which was the first 100-point game since 2011. It is the most games of 80 or more points since posting 11 in 2017-18 and most games of 90 or more points since also totaling 5 in 2009-10.
  • The 93 points vs. UTRGV (11/7/22) were the fourth-most in a season opener in the last 25 seasons and the most since scoring 98 vs. Southern Utah to open the 2014-15 season. The Wildcats also topped the 90-point barrier in a 96-87 overtime win over Nevada (11/22/22) at the Cayman Islands Classic, while the squad fell 2 points short of their first 100-point game since 2010-11, totaling 98 vs. UIW (12/11/22) behind a school-record first 7 double-digit scorers.
  • Twice this season the Wildcats have had 2 players (Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson) score 25 or more points in the same game, which hadn’t happened since 2010. Nowell (29) and Johnson (28) combined for 57 points in the overtime win over Nevada (11/22/22) before they went for 64 in the win at No. 6/6 Texas (1/3/23), which ties for the fourth-most by a duo in school history and the most since Michael Beasley and Bill Walker at Baylor in 2008.
  • K-State has connected on better than 50 percent of its field goals in 6 games, including back-to-back vs. Rhode Island (11/21/22) and Nevada (11/22/22) and ACU (12/6/22) and UIW (12/11/22). The team hit on a season-best 60 percent (36-of-60) vs. Texas (1/3/23), which included a season-high 13 3-pointers, and a school-record performance from the free throw line of 93.9 percent (31-of-33).
  • A key to the K-State offense this season has been its ability to score in paint, as the Wildcats are averaging 36.2 points in the paint. The team has scored 30 or more points in the paint 14 times in 19 games, including 7 games of 40 or more points and one game of 50 points (a season-high 52 vs. ACU (12/6/22).

DISHING THE ROCK

  • K-State ranks among the best in the country in sharing the basketball, as the Wildcats rank seventh nationally and first in the Big 12 with 18.1 assists per game. Among the 344 assists are 7 players with double-digit totals, including senior Markquis Nowell, who ranks third nationally with 156 total assists. He is also second in assists/game at 8.2 per game. He has posted double-digit assists in 6 games, including a career-high 14 at No. 19/17 Baylor.
  • The Wildcats also rank in the top-10 with a 66.2 assist percentage according to KenPom, which calculates assists (344) to made field goals (520). Only Lafayette (69.2), Xavier (68.2), Virginia (67.4), Tennessee (66.9) and Arizona (66.6) have a better percentage nationally.
  • Although Nowell gets all the attention for his playmaking ability, the rest of the team has shared the ball, as the Wildcats have had 3 or more players dish out at least 2 assists in 15 of 19 games. The team had 7 players with 2 or more assists vs. UTRGV (11/7/22), while 6 vs. Nebraska (12/17/22) and Baylor (1/3/23) and 5 vs. UIW (12/11/22), Texas (1/3/23), TCU (1/14/23) and Texas Tech (1/21/23).

TEAM FULL OF SCORERS

  • K-State is one of just 3 schools to have at least four 1,000-point scorers on its roster, as Wildcats Tykei Greene (1,175 points), Keyontae Johnson (1,140 points), Markquis Nowell (1,626 points) and Desi Sills (1,282 points) have all reached the milestone in their Division I careers. Only Johnson, who did it against Radford (12/21/22), and Nowell have reached the mark while at K-State.
  • K-State has now six 1,000-point scorers if you count senior walk-on Nate Awbrey, who scored 1,032 points in his 4-year career at Manhattan Christian College, and junior Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who scored more than 1,000 points in his junior college career at Monroe (2019-20) and Chipola Colleges (2020-22).
  • UAB has five 1,000-point scorers followed by K-State and Notre Dame (4), while 10 others have 3 such scorers, including Drake, Gonzaga, Indiana, Iowa State, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Southern Utah, Texas and Virginia.

BENCH PRODUCTION

  • K-State is getting solid production from its bench through the first 19 games, as the Wildcats are averaging 17.7 points per game.
  • The Wildcats got 41 points from its bench in the opener vs. UTRGV (11/7/22) with 3 reserves (Abayomi Iyiola (12), Massoud (10) and Sills (10) all posting double-digit points. As a group, the bench connected on 14-of-29 from the field, including a collective 11-of-17 effort by Iyiola, Massoud and Sills.
  • Senior Desi Sills has been particularly impactful from the bench, scoring in double figures 8 times, including season-high 24-point performance in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas (1/17/23). He also had a 16-point effort in the win over LSU (11/23/22) at the Cayman Islands Classic Championship game and 17 points (all in second half) in the loss at Butler (11/30/22).

FORCING TURNOVERS

  • K-State’s defense has forced 297 turnovers through the first 19 games, which includes 147 steals, while averaging 16.6 points per game off those miscues. The team ranks 36th in non-steal turnover percentage (11.0) by KenPom.
  • The 15.6 turnovers forced per game ranks 43rd nationally, while it places fifth in the Big 12 behind Iowa State, Texas, TCU and Texas Tech. K-State ranks sixth in steals (7.74) and turnover margin (+1.79), while senior Markquis Nowell places 16th nationally and second in the Big 12 in steals (2.32 spg.).
  • K-State has scored 20 or more points off turnovers 6 times with a season-high 31 points off 26 UTRGV (11/7/22) turnovers in the opener. The Wildcats scored 20+ points off miscues in back-to-back games vs. Kansas City (11/17/22; 26 points) and Rhode Island (11/21/22; 21 points) as well as ACU (12/6/22; 23 points), UIW (12/11/22; 28 points) and West Virginia (12/31/22; 22 points).

JOHNSON MAKES RETURN TO COURT

  • Junior Keyontae Johnson made his triumphant return to basketball court on Nov. 7 in the season opener with UTRGV after a 2-year absence after suffering a medical emergency against Florida State on Dec. 12, 2020. He finished the night with 13 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in a team-high 26 minutes.
  • Johnson was named the March Madness National Player of the Week and the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 14, as he averaged 14.5 points on 47.6 percent (10-of-21) shooting, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from 3-point range, to go with 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the Wildcats’ first 2 wins.
  • Johnson helped the Wildcats win the Cayman Islands Classic and was named to the All-Tournament team, as he averaged a team-best 19.3 points on 53.6 percent (15-of-28) shooting, including 50 percent (4-of-8) from 3-point range, to go with a team-best 6.0 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.
  • Johnson earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors for the second time this season on Dec. 19 after his impressive performance in K-State’s win over Nebraska, as he posted game-highs in both points (23) and rebounds (11) to go with his career-tying 4 steals. It was his seventh career double-double with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, while it was his 11th career 20-point game.
  • Johnson was selected for the Newcomer award for the third time on Jan. 9 after posting consecutive 20-point games in wins at No. 6/6 Texas and No. 19/17 Baylor while adding a game-high 9 rebounds in each contest. He continued his impressive play with the game-winning dunk to cap a 24-point effort in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas before logging his third double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds vs. Texas Tech to earn Newcomer honors for fourth time on Jan. 23.
  • Johnson has scored in double figures in all 19 games, leading the Wildcats and ranking third in the Big 12 in scoring (18.5 ppg.). He is second in the league in field goal percentage (54.8), while he is in the top-10 in 5 other categories, including fourth in rebounding and minutes (33.7 mpg.), fifth in defensive rebounds (5.32) and eighth in offensive rebounds (2.05).

NOWELL STILL RUNNING THE SHOW

  • On a team with 13 new players and a new coaching staff, fifth-year senior Markquis Nowell once again has demonstrated he is still the guy running the show for the Wildcats, as he leads the team in both assists (8.2 apg.) and steals (2.3 spg.) while averaging the second-most points (16.7 ppg.). He recently was named to the Sporting News’ Midseason All-America Second Team as well as to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List.
  • Nowell was recognized for his MVP performance in helping the Wildcats win the Cayman Islands Classic, as he was selected as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week on Nov. 28. He averaged 18.7 points, 9.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 33.6 minutes per game. It was his first weekly honor in the Big 12 and his fourth overall after winning it 3 times in the Sun Belt.
  • In wins vs. Rhode Island and Nevada, Nowell became the first Wildcat to record double-digit assists in consecutive games, while he became the second player in school history and the first since 1989 to post a 25-point/10-assist game with his 29-point, 11-assist effort in the overtime win over the Wolf Pack.
  • Nowell was part of the first Wildcat duo since 2010 to each collect at least 25 points in a game, as he and fellow senior Keyontae Johnson combined for 57 points in the overtime win over Nevada. He capped the tournament with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting in the title game win over LSU, as he helped the Wildcats rally from an 11-point second-half deficit.
  • Nowell enjoyed a special performance in the historic win at No. 6/6 Texas, scoring a career-best 36 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range, to go with a perfect 12-of-12 effort from the free throw line. It was the seventh-most points by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game and the most since Barry Brown, Jr., scored 38 points vs. Oklahoma State on Jan. 10, 2018.
  • Nowell capped his impressive week with the school’s first 30-point, 10-assist game in the win at No. 19/17 Baylor, scoring 32 points while dishing a career-best 14 assists. He became the first Wildcat since Michael Beasley in 2008 with consecutive 30-point games, while his 14 assists tied the record for most in a conference game in school history. In addition to his second Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 9, he was named the NCAA March Madness, ESPN, Naismith Trophy and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week.

AN INSTANT IMPACT

  • Junior transfer Nae’Qwan Tomlin has given K-State another scoring threat in the post, as the junior college All-American ranks third on the team in scoring (10.7 ppg.) while connecting 45.4 percent (79-of-174) from the field to go with 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks in 28.6 minutes per game. He ranks in the Big 12’s top-10 in rebounding (10th) and blocks (5th).
  • Tomlin was selected as the Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 26 after his near double-double in the win over Radford on Dec. 21. He led four Wildcats in double figures with a season-high 26 points, as he hit on 11-of-18 field goals, which included 4 dunks, a 3-pointer and 3 free throws, to go with 9 rebounds.
  • Tomlin saw his streak of double-digit scoring games end at 7 games after scoring 9 points in the win at No. 19/17 Baylor. The streak began with 14 points vs. Wichita State and was highlighted by 15-point efforts vs. UIW and Nebraska and a career-best 26 points vs. Radford. In that 7-game stretch, he averaged 14.9 points on 55.4 percent (41-of-74) shooting to go with 6.3 rebounds.
  • Tomlin has grabbed 10 rebounds twice in the last 3 games, while posting his first career double-double (15 pts/10 rebs) in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas.
  • Tomlin scored more than 1,000 points in his junior college career at both Monroe College (2019-20) and Chipola College (2020-21) while connecting on 54.2 percent from the field. He averaged a team-leading 13.8 points on 52.4 percent shooting with 5.9 rebounds during his All-American season at Chipola, as he guided the school to the semifinals of the NJCAA National Tournament.

STARTER OFF THE BENCH

  • Senior Desi Sills has provided a spark for the Wildcats off the bench, as he is averaging 9.1 points on 46.7 percent (63-of-135) shooting with 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.3 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures 8 times, including a season-high 24 points in the win over No. 2/2 Kansas.
  • Sills scored in double figures in 2 of the first 3 games, including 10 in his first game as a Wildcat vs. UTRGV. He scored 16 points vs. LSU in the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic, hitting on 6-of-9 field goals, before his 17-point effort at Butler, which all came in the second half. He has 8 or more points in 7 of the last 11, including 14 vs. UIW and 11 vs. Oklahoma State.
  • Although Sills went scoreless in the win over Wichita State, he had the play of the game with his block of Shammah Scott’s breakaway layup with 1:42 to play with the Wildcats trailing 50-49.

UP NEXT: FLORIDA (14-3, 5-1 Big 12)  

  • K-State returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to Florida (11-8, 4-3 SEC) in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at 5 p.m., CT on ESPN2. The game is sold out.

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