Preview: K-State to Face #12 Miami in Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship

GAME 5
KANSAS STATE (3-1) vs 12/11 MIAMI (4-0)
Sunday, November 19, 2023 >> 1:30 p.m. CT >> Baha Mar Convention Center (2,000) >> Nassau, The Bahamas
Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship (website)

TELEVISION
CBS Sports Network / Paramount Plus (link here)

• Chris Sylvester (play-by-play)
• Kyle Macy (analyst)
• Sam Hyman (sideline reporter)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Ch. 392
Online: Varsity Network [free]/ www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

• Brian Smoller (play-by-play)
• Ben Boyle (analyst)

LIVE STATS
kstatesports.com
kstate.statbroadcast.com

TICKETS
bahamarhoops.ticketsocket.com
Tournament Pass: $180
Single Day: $100

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College ’07]
Record at K-State: 29-11/Second Year
Career Record: 31-11/Second Year+
vs. Miami: 0-0 [0-0 at neutral sites]

Miami: Jim Larranaga [Providence ’71]
Record at Miami: 259-149/13th Year
Career Record: 729-483/40th Year
vs. K-State: 1-0 [1-0 at neutral sites]

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: First meeting
At Neutral Sites: First meeting
In Nassau, The Bahamas: First meeting
Active Streak: n/a
First Meeting: n/a
Last Meeting: n/a
Jerome Tang vs. Jim Larranaga: First meeting

K-STATE PLAYS 12/11 MIAMI IN BAHA MAR HOOPS BAHAMAS CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Kansas State (3-1) will play for an in-season tournament championship for the second straight season on Sunday afternoon, as the Wildcats take on No. 12/11 Miami (4-0) at 1:30 p.m., CT in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship in the Baha Mar Convention Center in Nassau, The Bahamas. The game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.

K-State outlasted Providence in overtime, 73-70, on Friday night, while Miami defeated Georgia, 79-67, to set up the championship matchup. This will be the first meeting between the schools.

K-State is 181-114 all-time in-season tournament play dating to its first such appearance in 1905. The Wildcats have won 17 in-season tournament titles, including in their last two trips to the Caribbean at the 2018 Paradise Jam (U.S. Virgin Islands) and 2022 Cayman Islands Classic.

KEY STORYLINES

• K-State will attempt to win an in-season tournament in back-to-back seasons in Sunday’s matchup with No. 12/11 Miami in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship. Last season, the Wildcats won their first such tournament title since 2018 at the Cayman Islands Classic with wins over Rhode Island (77-57), Nevada (96-87 in overtime) and LSU (61-59) on Nov. 21-23, 2022.
• K-State will play its second ranked opponent of the season in the 12^th ranked Hurricanes after opening the year with an 82-69 loss to No. 21/22 USC on Nov. 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Wildcats are 7-7 vs. ranked teams under head coach Jerome Tang.
• K-State showed it could grind out a game against a stellar defensive team in the overtime win over Providence (11/17/23), hitting timely shots and taking advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line, where the Wildcats converted on 85.2 percent (23-of-27). The team shot just 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the field, including 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from 3-point range, for the game, but made 4 of their 5 field goals, including a big 3-pointer from junior Arthur Kaluma, and 7 of 9 of their free throws in the overtime period.
• K-State is now 6-0 in overtime under head coach Jerome Tang.
• Despite a harassing perimeter defense, the Wildcats were still able to connect from 3-point range against Providence, connecting on 36.4 percent (8-of-22). They now have at least 8 3-point field goals in all 4 games, averaging 10.5 makes per game, which ranks 23^rd nationally and third in the Big 12. The team is 44^th in 3-point attempts per game (27.8) and 65^th in 3-point percentage (37.8). Perry ranks sixth nationally in total 3-point field goals made (16) and seventh in 3-pointers per game (4.00), while he is 14th in 3-point attempts (36).
• The defense matched and, at times, exceeded that of Providence’s stellar effort, holding the Friars to a season-low 35.3 percent (24-of-68) shooting, including 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from 3-point range. After allowing 78.5 points on 50 percent shooting in the first 2 games of the season, the Wildcats have continued to make strides on the defensive end, allowing 69 points in the past 2 outings on 38.3 percent (51-of-133) shooting.
• K-State got big performances from senior Tylor Perry (24 points) and Kaluma (18 points) in the overtime win over Providence, combining for 42 points. In all, four Wildcats scored in double figures, as senior Will McNair Jr. and freshman Dai Dai Ames added 10 points each.
• K-State is now 15-4 under Jerome Tang when four or more players score in double figures.
• Perry continued his impressive play to start the season, tallying his third 20-point game of the season with a game-high and season-best 24 points on 4-of-11 field goals, including 2-of-7 from beyond the arc. He ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring at 21.5 points per game, while he is 19^th in total points (86) and 26^th in scoring in the NCAA. He has now scored in double figures in 13 straight games dating back to his last season at North Texas in 2022-23. He has also scored 20 or more points in 7 of the last 9 games, also dating back to last season.
• Among Perry’s 24 points was a perfect 14-of-14 performance from the free throw line, which tied for the third-best in school history and the best since Michael Beasley went 15-of-15 from the line at Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008. Only Beasley and Steve Henson, who went a school-best 17-of-17 from the stripe at Iowa State on Feb. 24, 1988, have enjoyed a better performance from the free throw line.
• Kaluma enjoyed his best shooting game as a Wildcat vs. Providence, scoring a season-best 18 points on 6-of-10 field goals, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 35 minutes. He now has scored in double figures in 42 career games, including his second time in a K-State uniform.

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

• Help them capture the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship.
• Help them earn their 18^th in-season tournament title.
• Extend its in-season tournament record to 182-114.
• Give them their first win over Miami.
• Give it 4 straight wins after starting 0-1.

NOTES ON 12/11 MIAMI (4-0)

• Under the Hall of Fame head coach Jim Larranaga, 12/11 Miami (4-0) has continued where it left off during its Final Four run in 2022-23, starting the year with wins over NJIT (101-60), UCF (88-72), FIU (86-80) and Georgia (79-67). The Hurricanes are 59-19 in the last 3 seasons.
• Miami is averaging 88.5 points per game on 52.1 percent shooting, including 44.7 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 69.8 points on 39.3 percent shooting, including 29.8 percent from long range. The Hurricanes are shooting 82.5 percent from the free throw line. They are also averaging 37.8 rebounds per game with 3 players averaging 6 or more boards.
• The Hurricanes rank among the very best shooting teams in the country, including eighth in 3-point field goal percentage, ninth in free throw percentage, 19^th in effective field goal percentage (61.0) and 33^rd in field goal percentage.
• Five players average in double figures led by junior Wooga Poplar, who is averaging 18.8 points on 50 percent shooting, including 59.3 percent from 3-point range, to go with 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Junior Matthew Cleveland averages 17.3 points on 61 percent shooting, including 46.2 percent from 3, while junior Norchad Omier averages a near double-double with 14 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore Bensley Joseph (13.8 ppg.) and junior Nijel Pack (13.0 ppg.) also average double figures, as Joseph leads the team in steals (3.0 spg.) and blocks (1.2 bpg.) while Pack is the leader in assists (5.0 apg.).
• Miami was picked second in the preseason ACC poll behind Duke after the Hurricanes returned 7 lettermen, including 3 starters, from a team that went 29-8 overall in 2022-23, and advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history.
• Larranaga has more than 700 wins in his 40-year head coach career, which includes stints at Bowling Green (1986-87), George Mason (1997-2011) and Miami (2011-present). He has led two teams to the Final Four twice (2006 George Mason and 2023 Miami) and has been to the NCAA Tournament on 11 occasions. He has a 259-149 record in his 13^th season at Miami, where he has led the Hurricanes to 4 Sweet 16s, 2 Elite Eights and 6 total NCAA Tournaments.

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be the first meeting between the schools on the hardwood.
• K-State is 14-22 all-time vs. ACC opponents, including an 8-16 mark in neutral site game. The Wildcats last met an ACC foe at the 2019 Fort Myers Tipoff, where they lost to Pittsburgh, 63-59, in the semifinals of the tournament on Nov. 25, 2019.
• Larranaga is 1-0 all-time vs. K-State, as his George Mason team knocked off the Wildcats, 87-77, in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 22, 2007.

CONNECTIONS

• Miami guard Nijel Pack played 2 seasons at K-State (2020-22) before transferring to Miami in 2022-23. He averaged 15.3 points and 2.9 assists in 53 career games as a Wildcat with 52 starts. He was named to the All-Big 12 First Team in 2021-22.
• K-State strength coach Phil Baier spent 3 seasons at Miami before coming to K-State in 2022-23 under head coach Jerome Tang. Baier helped in the development of the Hurricane program that advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in 2021-22.

IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT HISTORY

• K-State will play in its 88th in-season tournament this week at the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship, including its 12th outside the continental United States. This is the first such tournament in The Bahamas, but the sixth in the Caribbean (2002 and 2018 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., 2009 and 2013 Puerto Rico Tip-off and 2022 Cayman Islands Classic.
• K-State has a 181-114 overall record in playing in its 87 previous in-season tournaments with 17 tournament titles to its credit.
• Last season, the Wildcats captured their first in-season tournament title since 2018 at the Cayman Islands Classic with wins over Rhode Island (77-57), Nevada (96-87 in overtime) and LSU (61-59) on Nov. 21-23, 2022. Former Wildcat Markquis Nowell was selected as the tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by then senior Keyontae Johnson.
• K-State has won its last 2 tournaments played in the Caribbean, winning the Paradise Jam on Nov. 16-19, 2018, with wins over Eastern Kentucky, Penn and Missouri and the Cayman Islands Classic. The Wildcats have also won the last 3 titles outside the continental U.S., in 2011 Diamond Head Classic (Hawai’i), 2018 Paradise Jam (U.S.V.I.) and 2022 Cayman Islands Classic.
• The Wildcats have played in 11 tournaments outside the continental U.S., starting with the 1985 Maui Invitational. Others include the 1989 Great Alaska Shootout (runner-up), 1993 Hawai’i Nike Festival (champion), 2011 Diamond Head Classic, Maui Invitational (1985, 1998 and 2014), Paradise Jam (2002 and 2018), Puerto Rico Tip-Off (2009 and 2013) and 2022 Cayman Islands Classic.

PERRY BEEN HERE BEFORE

• Senior Tylor Perry is making his second straight trip to a Baha Mar Hoops Tournament, having been named to the 2022 Baha Mar Nassau Championship All-Tournament team after leading North Texas to wins over San Jose State (69-54) and Long Beach State (68-47) before a 55-51 loss to UNC Wilmington.
• Perry led the eight-team tournament in scoring at 64 points (21.3 ppg.), including a career-best 35-point night against San Jose State on Nov. 25, 2022, in which, he went 9-of-12 from the field, including 7-of-7 from beyond the arc. He followed with 12 points against Long Beach State on Nov. 26 before a 17-point effort vs. UNCW on Nov. 27 in the tournament final.
• Perry has twice been named MVP of an in-season tournament in his career, having earned the honor at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Jerry Colangelo Classic vs. Grand Canyon on Dec. 10, 2022, and in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 17 vs. UMass, while playing at North Texas.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

• K-State has posted a 174-54 (.762) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. During that span, the Wildcats have a 131-14 (.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 121-12 (.908) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
• K-State’s 12-1 non-conference mark in 2022-23 was the best since the 2009-10 team went a program-best 13-1. The 12 wins last season matched the 2008-09 and 2010-11 teams for the second-most in that span.

1700 WINS AND COUNTING

• K-State’s overtime 96-87 win over Nevada on Nov. 22, 2022, 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 now have a 1,724-1,224 (.585) all-time record as a program, which includes 32 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.

LAST TIME OUT: K-STATE 73, PROVIDENCE 70 [OT]

• K-State got big performances from senior Tylor Perry and junior Arthur Kaluma, as the Wildcats used a gritty effort to outlast Providence, 73-70, in overtime in the semifinals of the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship on Friday night before raucous crowd of 1,833 fans at the Baha Mar Convention Center.
• Perry scored a game-high and season-best 24 points to pace four Wildcats in double figures, while Kaluma added a season-high 18 points, including a critical 3-pointer in the overtime period, on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, to go with 7 rebounds. Senior Will McNair Jr. and freshman Dai Dai Ames each chipped in 10 points.
• Among Perry’s 24 points was a perfect 14-of-14 performance from the free throw line, which tied for the third-best in school history and the best since Michael Beasley went 15-of-15 from the line at Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008.
• In addition to those efforts, senior David N’Guessan scored all 6 of his points in overtime on perfect 3-of-3 shooting to go with 6 rebounds, while junior Cam Carter, who had an off-night shooting the ball, tied a career-high with 8 rebounds to go with a game-high 4 steals.
• K-State showed it could grind out a game against a stellar defensive team, hitting timely shots and taking advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line, where the Wildcats converted on 85.2 percent (23-of-27).
• The teams entered overtime tied at 57-all after neither team hit a field goal in the last 3 minutes. Perry started the extra period by making 3 straight free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer then N’Guessan followed with a layup off a feed from Perry to help the Wildcats score the first 5 points.
• After Providence (3-1) closed to within 62-61 on a pair of free throws and a layup, Kaluma knocked down his biggest shot of the night on a 3-pointer on an assist from Ames with 2:18 remaining. The Wildcats then back-to-back layups from N’Guessan to push ahead 69-63 with 47.5 seconds left. Perry and Ames both went 2-of-2 from the line to close it out in the last 26 seconds.
• K-State ended the night shooting 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the field, including 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from 3-point range. However, in the extra session, the Wildcats made 4 of their 5 field goals, including Kaluma’s 3-pointer, and made 7 of 9 from the free throw line.
• The defense matched and, at times, exceeded that of Providence’s stellar effort, holding the Friars (3-1) to a season-low 35.3 percent (24-of-68) shooting, including 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from 3-point range.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

• K-State scored its 73 points on 36.8 percent (21-of-57) shooting, including 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from 3-point range, and 85.2 percent (23-of-27) from the free throw line.
• K-State had a season-high 20 turnovers, resulting in 22 Providence points.
• The Friars also held advantages in points in the paint (36-20), second-chance points (20-12), fast-break points (6-1) and bench points (18-10).

• Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by senior Tylor Perry’s game-high and season-best 24 points. He was joined by junior Arthur Kaluma’s season-high 18 points, while senior Will McNair Jr. and freshman Dai Dai Ames each added 10 points.
• Perry has now scored in double figures in all 4 games, including 20 or more points in 3 games… He has now scored in double figures in 13 straight games dating back to last season… He has scored 20 or more points in 7 of the last 9 games.
• Junior Arthur Kaluma scored a season-best 18 points on 6-of-10 field goals, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal in 35 minutes… He now has double figures in 42 career games.
• Senior Will McNair Jr. matched a season-high with 10 points on 4-of-7 field goals, while he had a season-high 2 blocked shots in playing 30 minutes.
• Freshman Dai Dai Ames posted double figures for the second time this season with 10 points on 2-of-12 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws… He added 4 assists and 3 rebounds.
• Junior Cam Carter tied his career-highs for rebounds (8) and steals (4).

NEW OFFENSE, MORE 3-POINTERS

• K-State made the switch to the 5-out offense in the offseason to utilize its versality in talent, as the offense is structured around spacing with all 5 players required to pass, cut, screen, dribble and shoot.
• The Wildcats eclipsed the 100-point barrier in exhibition play for the first time since 1993 with a 102-68 win over nationally ranked Division II opponent Emporia State on Nov. 1 then scored 83 points in the home opener against Bellarmine (11/10/23) before posting 91 vs. South Dakota State (11/13/23).
• The new offense has so far increased the number of 3-pointers, as the team has already attempted 111 from beyond the arc, including 33 in the opener vs. No. 21/22 USC (11/6/23), which ranked as the seventh-most in a game in school history. The Wildcats followed with 31 3-point attempts vs. Bellarmine (11/10/23), while hitting on double-digit makes (12) for the first time.
• In the win over South Dakota State (11/13/23), K-State knocked down 14 3-pointers, which ties for the fifth-most in school history and are the most since hitting 16 at Oklahoma State on Feb. 2, 2019.
• The Wildcats have connected on 42 made 3-pointers so far this season, which is the second-most in the first 4 games of a season in school history. It’s only eclipsed by the 43 in the first 4 games of the 1993-94 season. The 26 combined 3-pointers vs. Bellarmine and South Dakota State are the most combined in consecutive games since also making 26 in games at Oklahoma State and at home to Kansas on Feb. 2 and 5, 2019.
• The Wildcats rank 23rd nationally in 3-point field goals/game (10.5), while they are 44th in 3-point field goal attempts (27.8). The 111 3-point attempts are the second-most in the Big 12 behind Houston’s 118 (which has played 5 games). Senior Tylor Perry (16/6th) ranks among the top-10 nationally in 3-point field goals made, while Perry is sixth in 3-point field goals/game (4.00).
• Nine players have attempted at least one 3-pointer this season, including 6 players making at least one triple. Perry (16) and Carter (11) have combined for 27 of the team’s 42 3-point makes, while freshman guards R.J. Jones and Dai Dai Ames have 6 and 4 treys, respectively.

BETTER DEFENSIVE EFFORT

• K-State will need to continue to improve its defensive effort after allowing 295 points (73.8 ppg.) in the first 4 games on 43.9 percent shooting. The Wildcats have taken a step in the last 2 wins, holding their opponents to 69 points on 38.3 percent (51-of-133) shooting.
• The Wildcats currently rank 14th in the Big 12 in scoring defense (73.8 ppg.) and 12^th in field goal percentage defense (42.1), while they are 10th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (30.5).

PERRY MORE THAN JUST A SCORER

• Senior Tylor Perry proved that he is more than just a scorer in the opener vs. No. 21/22 USC (11/6/23) in Las Vegas, leading the team in assists (6) and steals (4) to go with 6 rebounds and his team-best 22 points. Currently, he is averaging 21.5 points, 4.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 35.7 minutes per game.
• The performance was the first in his Division I career that he posted 20 or more points, had 6 or more rebounds, 6 or more assists and 4 or more steals. Only once did he even accomplish three of those stats, as he had 23 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists against Sam Houston in the 2023 NIT First Round.
• Perry’s 6 assists were one shy of a career-high and the most since he had 7 vs. Paul Quinn on Nov. 22, 2022. His 4 steals were also one shy of a career-high, which he recorded in his last game against UAB in 2023 NIT Championship game. His 6 rebounds also fell one board short of his career-high of 7, which he did on 3 occasions at North Texas in 2022-23.
• Perry missed his first 8 field goals, including his first 6 from 3-point range, before making his acrobatic 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. The shot seemed to spark the fifth-year senior, as he finished the game making 5 of his last 9 field goals, including 4 of his last 6 3-point baskets.
• Perry’s 22 points were the most by a Wildcat newcomer in a debut since Michael Beasley scored 32 points in his first game against Sacramento State on Nov. 9, 2007. In fact, Perry is the first Wildcat to post a 20-point game in a season opener since Mike McGuirl had 22 points vs. Drake on Nov. 25, 2020.
• After 18 points vs. Bellarmine, 22 vs. South Dakota State and a season-high 24 vs. Providence, Perry has now scored in double figures in 13 straight games dating back to his last season at North Texas in 2022-23. He has scored 20 or more points in 7 of the last 9 games, also dating back to last season.
• Perry leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (4.00), while he is second in scoring (21.5 ppg.), third in free throw percentage (96.8), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (2.71), ninth in assists (4.75) and 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (44.4).
• Perry recently eclipsed 2,000 career points in his college career, which includes stints at Coffeyville Community College (2019-21) and North Texas (2021-23). He currently has 1,129 points at the Division I level.
• Perry has at least 4 3-pointers in each of the first 3 of the first 4 games, while he had a season-high 6 treys against South Dakota State (11/13/23). He now has made at least 4 3-pointers in 26 career games at the Division I level, while he has 6 or made triples in 4 games (7 vs. San Jose State (11/25/22) and 6 at UAB (2/19/22), 6 vs. Sam Houston (3/19/23) and 6 vs. South Dakota State).

BUCKET GETTER

• Head coach Jerome Tang has said that he wants guard Cam Carter to be a bucket getter and that’s what the junior has delivered in the first 5 games, averaging 15.5 points per game. He leads the Wildcats in field goals made (23) and steals (13), while he is second to Tylor Perry in 3-point field goals (11).
• After tying his career-high with 17 points in the win over Bellarmine (11/10/23), Carter played his best game in a Wildcat uniform vs. South Dakota State (11/13/23), posting his first career 20-point game with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-20 field goals, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, to go with 6 assists and 3 steals in 33 minutes.
• Carter’s 17 vs. Bellarmine came on 7-of-14 shooting to go with a career-best 4 steals, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 34 minutes. He also electrified the home crowd with a pair of dunks. He opened the year with a 15-point effort in the loss to No. 21/22 USC (11/6/23), tying a career-best with 4 3-pointers, to go with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in just under 28 minutes.
• Although Carter didn’t have a good shooting night vs. Providence, he did tie career-highs for both rebounds (8) and steals (4).
• Carter ranks second in the Big 12 in steals (3.0 spg.), third in minutes (34.86), sixth in 3-point field goals made (2.75) and eighth in scoring (15.5 ppg.).
• Carter has now scored in double figures in 13 games, including 11 times as a Wildcat. Six of those double-digit totals have come in the last 13 games.
• His performance in the first 4 games came after Carter led the team in the exhibition win over Emporia State (11/1/23) with a game-high 20 points.

KALUMA COMING ON

• Junior Arthur Kaluma had his best scoring night in the overtime win over Providence (11/17/23), scoring a career-high 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 7 rebounds in nearly 36 minutes.
• Kaluma’s shooting effort vs. the Friars came on the heels of starting the season just 6-of-25 from the field, including 1-of-10 from 3-point range.
• Kaluma, who didn’t play in the win over South Dakota State (11/13/23) due to injury, has now scored in double figures in 2 games this season after his 12-point effort vs. Bellarmine (11/10/23).

MASTER OF THE BOARDS

• Senior David N’Guessan has been impressive on the glass so far, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in rebounding at 9.0 boards per game. He also ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds (3.75 orpg.), while he is 10th in defensive rebounds (5.25 drpg.). He has double-digit rebounds in 2 of his first 4 games, including a career-best 11 in the win over South Dakota State (11/13/23).
• N’Guessan grabbed his first career double-double in the opener vs. No. 21/22 USC (11/6/23), as he scored 10 points on 5-of-8 field goals to go with a then career-best 10 rebounds in just over 27 minutes.
• The 10 rebounds vs. USC surpassed his previous-high of 9 against Cornell (12/8/21) while playing at Virginia Tech and 2 more than he had as a Wildcat last season. He registered double-digit points for the 12th in his career with his 10 points vs. the Trojans, including his eighth time in a K-State uniform. He now has 10 or more points in 3 of the last 7 games dating back to last season.
• N’Guessan gained valuable experience this past summer training with the Dutch National Team, as the Orange Lions competed in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Istanbul, Turkiye August 13-16.
• N’Guessan averaged 9 points on 55.6 percent shooting with 6.3 rebounds in the 3-game pool play tournament. He opened with a near double-double of 17 points and 9 rebounds in the Lions’ narrow overtime loss to Sweden.

BIG MAN SHOWING PROMISE

• Senior Will McNair is off to solid start to the season, averaging 9 points on a team-best 73.9 percent shooting to go along with 5.0 rebounds through the first 4 games in 19.8 minutes per game.
• McNair scored 8 points vs. USC (11/6/23) in the opener then earned starts vs. Bellarmine (11/10/23), South Dakota State (11/13/23) and Providence (11/17/23), averaging 9.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. He tied his season-high with 10 points vs. the Friars.

KALUMA, PERRY NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

• Junior Arthur Kaluma and fifth-year senior Tylor Perry were each chosen as Honorable Mention selections to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by the league coaches when the league office announced its annual preseason teams.
• Kaluma and Perry are the first Wildcats named to the Preseason All-Big 12 since Barry Brown Jr. and Dean Wade in 2018-19.
• A 6-foot-7, 225-pound wing, Kaluma transferred to K-State after an impressive 2-year stint (2021-23) at Creighton, where he helped the Bluejays to 47 wins, including 26 in BIG EAST play, a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2022, 2023) and the school’s first trip to the Elite Eight in 2022-23.
• Kaluma averaged double-figure scoring both seasons at Creighton, totaling 758 points (11.1 ppg.) on 43.3 percent shooting (270-of-624), including 29.1 percent (68-of-234) from 3-point range, and 71.4 percent (150-of-210) from the free throw line in 68 games with 67 starts. As a sophomore, he averaged 11.8 points on 42.3 percent (146-of-345) shooting to go with 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in starting all 37 games for the Bluejays.
• A 5-foot-11, 182-pound guard, Perry came to K-State after a decorated 2-year career (2021-23) at North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to 56 total wins, including a school-record 31 in 2022-23, the 2023 NIT Championship and 2022 C-USA regular-season title. In addition to being the 2023 C-USA Player of the Year and NIT Most Outstanding Player, he was twice named to the C-USA First Team (2022, 2023) while was the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.
• Perry scored 1,043 points in his North Texas career on 43.1 percent (299-of-694) shooting from the field, including 41.3 percent (184-of-445) from 3-point range, and 85.9 percent (261-of-304) from the free throw line. He was the Mean Green’s leading scorer (17.3 ppg.) in 2022-23 while leading the C-USA in 3-point field goal percentage (41.3), free throw percentage (87.2) and minutes (34.2) and placing second in 3-pointers/game (3.11) and fourth in scoring. He scored in double figures in 33 of 36 games played with 14 20-point performances highlighted by his career-best 35-point effort vs. San Jose State on Nov. 25.

KALUMA NAMED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST FOR JULIUS ERVING AWARD 

• Kaluma was also one of 20 players named to the preseason Watch List for the 2024 Julius Erving Award, which annually recognizes the nation’s top small forward, by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
• This is the second time that Kaluma has been named to a preseason Watch List after he was chosen to the Watch List for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award in 2022-23 while playing at Creighton.

‘CATS CRACK 100 IN LONE EXHIBITION

• K-State connected on 52.1 percent from the field, including 55.6 percent in the second half, as the Wildcats eclipsed 100 points in home exhibition play for the first time since 1993 in a 102-68 win over Division II Emporia State on Nov. 1 before 9,268 fans at Bramlage Coliseum. It was the team’s first and only public exhibition before the start of the 2023-24 season.
• It was the first 100-point game in home exhibition play since a 101-80 win over Fort Hood on Nov. 22, 1993, while it was the most in a home exhibition game since scoring 111 in a win over Michigan AAU on Nov. 15, 1991. The victory also extended K-State’s winning streak in home exhibition play to 29 games, which dates to 2003, and includes 6 wins over Emporia State.
• Junior Cam Carter paced four Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 field goals in just 14 minutes to go with 3 assists and 2 steals, while sophomore Jerrell Colbert added 13 points off the bench on 5-of-5 shooting, along with 5 rebounds, also in 14 minutes. Freshman Dai Dai Ames and junior Arthur Kaluma also broke double-digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Freshman Macaleab Rich collected a game-high 9 rebounds to go with his 8 points off the bench. Senior Tylor Perry, who picked up 2 early fouls, dished out a team-best 5 assists to go with 8 points.
• The 100-point game was the eighth in the school’s exhibition history since 1964, including the fifth in Bramlage Coliseum. K-State scored its 102 points on 38 made field goals, including 29 coming inside the 3-point line, while knocking down 17 of 19 attempts (89.5 percent) from the free throw line. The Wildcats scored 56 points in the paint to go along with 25 fast-break points, 21 points off turnovers and 53 bench points. They also had assists on 26 of their 38 field goals with 9 players having at least 2 assists led by Perry’s team-high 5.

K-STATE, TANG AGREE TO EXTENSION THROUGH 2029-30 SEASON

• After a record-setting first season, head coach Jerome Tang agreed to a new 7-year contract through the 2029-30 season to continue his leadership of the Kansas State men’s basketball program, Director of Athletics Gene Taylor announced on September 25.
• The new contract replaces his original 6-year deal that Tang agreed to become the 25th men’s basketball coach in school history on March 21, 2022. Tang now has 7 years left on his agreement that runs until April 30, 2030. The second-year head coach will be paid $3 million in 2023-24 and receive a $100,000 increase to his salary in each remaining contract year culminating in a $3.6 million base for the 2029-30 season. There are also four retention bonuses of $200,000 following the 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
• Armed with just two returning players, the Wildcats posted a 26-10 overall record in Tang’s inaugural season, which included a tie for third place in the nation’s most difficult conference – the Big 12 – with an 11-7 mark and the school’s 13th appearance in the Elite Eight and the first since 2017-18. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history, trailing the school-record 29 in 2009-10 and the 27 in 2012-13, and just the eighth 25-win campaign.

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TRIP
‘CATS SPENT 10 DAYS IN AUGUST IN ISRAEL, ABU DHABI, U.A.E.

• K-State got a jump start on its preparations for the 2023-24 season with a historic 10-day trip to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates [UAE] from August 9-20.
• During the Israeli portion of the trip, the team enjoyed walking tours of the Old City Jerusalem, the City of David, Bethlehem and Old City Jaffa, visits to the Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Center – as well as the Western Wall and the Dead Sea. While in Abu Dhabi, they visited the Abraham Peace Accords House and the Grand Mosque.
• The Wildcats played 3 games on the tour, defeating the Israeli Select Team, 94-87, on August 15 in Tel Aviv before an 83-81 setback to Team Mexico on August 17 and a 112-72 win over Al-Sharjah on August 18, both in Abu Dhabi. Senior Tylor Perry paced 4 Wildcats in double figures on the tour, averaging 22.7 points on 56.8 percent shooting.
• K-State, along with the University of Arizona, are the first college teams to ever take a foreign tour to Abu Dhabi.
• The exhibition tour was generously sponsored by Athletes for Israel and its Founder Daniel Posner as well as the Abu Dhabi Tourism Board. In their efforts to combat antisemitism and racism, Athletes For Israel brings athletes to Israel so they can experience the Holy Land and develop a connection with its history, culture, innovation and people.
• For more information on the organization and its mission, visit athletesforisrael.org.

UP NEXT: CENTRAL ARKANSAS (1-3)

• K-State opens a 4-game homestand on Wednesday night (Nov. 22) with a game against Central Arkansas (1-3) at 7 p.m., CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at kstatesports.com/tickets.

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