GAME 26

KANSAS STATE (15-10, 5-7 Big 12) at TEXAS (16-9, 5-7 Big 12)

Monday, February 19, 2024 >> 8 p.m. CT >> Moody Center (10,763) >> Austin, Texas

TELEVISION

ESPN2 / WatchESPN (link here)

• Pete Sousa (play-by-play)
• Reid Gettys (analyst)
• Paul Ervin (producer)

RADIO

K-State Sports Network

Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580

Satellite Radio: Ch. 380

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

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

LIVE STATS

kstatesports.com

kstate.statbroadcast.com

COACHES

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

Record at K-State: 41-20/Second Year

Career Record: 43-20*/Second Year

1. Texas: 1-1 [1-0 on the road]

Texas: Rodney Terry [St. Edward’s 90]

Record at Texas: 38-17/2nd Year

Career Record: 201-173/12th Year

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

PROBABLE STARTERS

K-State (15-10, 5-7 Big 12)

G: #2 Tylor Perry

G: #4 Dai Dai Ames

G: #5 Cam Carter

W: #24 Arthur Kaluma

C: #20 Jerrell Colbert

Texas (16-9, 5-7 Big 12)

G: #2 Chendall Weaver

G: #3 Max Abmas

G: #4 Tyrese Hunter

F: #1 Dylan Disu

F: #23 Dillon Mitchell

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: K-State leads 24-22

Big 12 Era: Texas leads 22-19

On the Road: Tied 11-11

At Moody Center: K-State leads 1-0

Active Streak: Texas, 1

Last Meeting: L, 66-69 [2/4/2023 in Manhattan]

Jerome Tang vs. Rodney Terry: Tied 1-1

K-STATE MAKES QUICK TURNAROUND FOR ROAD TRIP AT TEXAS MONDAY

Kansas State (15-10, 5-7 Big 12) makes a quick turnaround on Monday night, as the Wildcats travel to Austin, Texas to take on Texas (16-9, 5-7 Big 12) at the Moody Center. The game will tip at 8 p.m., CT and air on ESPN2. The matchup will be the first and only regular-season meeting between the schools, snapping an 11-year streak of playing home-and-home every year since 2012-13. The Longhorns have won 7 of the last 10 meetings, however, the Wildcats are 11-11 all-time in Austin, including consecutive wins in 2022 and 2023.

K-State has performed well at home this season, posting a 12-3 overall record (victory over Wichita State at the T-Mobile Center) and an 11-3 mark at Bramlage Coliseum with Top-10 wins over No. 4/4 Kansas and No. 9/9 Baylor. In contrast, the Wildcats are a combined 3-7 away from home, including a 2-5 mark in true road games with 5 consecutive defeats.

KEY STORYLINES

• K-State has lost 6 of its last 7 games after starting the year at 14-4 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play. Among the Wildcats’ 15 wins are 6 Quad 1 or 2 victories (Villanova, Providence, LSU, UCF, No. 9/9 Baylor and No. 4/4 Kansas). The team has a 6-3 record in games decided by 5 points or less which includes the overtime wins over Providence, Villanova, Baylor and Kansas.
• K-State lost a heartbreaker on Saturday afternoon, as TCU’s Jameer Nelson Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds lifted the Horned Frogs to a 75-72 win at Bramlage Coliseum. Before the last-second game-winner, the Wildcats had battled back from a 10-point deficit with 7:14 to play to tie the game at 72-all on a pair of free throws by junior Cam Carter with 15.6 seconds.
• If not for the last-second shot, K-State might’ve had another opportunity in overtime, where the Wildcats are 11-0 under head coach Jerome Tang, including an NCAA-record tying 6-0 after a win over No. 4/4 Kansas on Feb. 5. The 11-game overtime streak ties for the second-longest since 1950, while the 6 overtime wins tie the Division I single-season record.
• K-State’s frustrations from the 3-point line continued in the loss to TCU, as the Wildcats were held to just 1-of-15 (6.7%) shooting from beyond the arc, including 0-of-7 in the second half. It was the 10th-lowest mark in school history and lowest in any game since 2016. The team ranks 314th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (30.4), including last in the Big 12.
• The struggles from 3-point range stood in contrast to the rest of K-State’s offense which was stellar in many ways. The Wildcats made 66.7 percent (22-of-33) of their 2-point field goals,

including tying a Big 12-best with 44 points in the paint, and were nearly perfect from the free throw line (25-of-29) highlighted by senior Tylor Perry’s 12-of-12 performance.

• The Wildcats have a strong scoring trio of junior Cam Carter (15.5 ppg.), senior Tylor Perry (15.2 ppg.) and junior Arthur Kaluma (14.4 ppg.), who are responsible for 62 percent of the team’s scoring (45.1 out of 71.9 ppg.). K-State is the only Big 12 member to have 3 players rank in the league’s top-10 in scoring, as Carter ranks seventh, Perry ninth and Kaluma 11th. The trio has continued that scoring in Big 12 play, averaging a combined 43.3 points per game.

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

• Snap a 2-game losing streak.
• Snap a 5-game road losing streak.
• Move its road record to 3-5, including 2-5 in Big 12 play.
• Give it 3 in a row at Texas for first time since 2017-19.
• Be the 1,737th in the program history, including 25th vs. UT.

NOTES ON TEXAS (16-9, 5-7 Big 12)

• Under second-year head coach Rodney Terry, Texas is off to a 16-9 record, including a 5-7 mark in Big 12 play, after Saturday’s 82-61 loss at No. 3/3 Houston on the road. The Longhorns are 11-4 at home this season, including 2-4 in Big 12 play.
• Texas is averaging 76.2 points on 47.6 percent shooting, including 37.7 percent from 3-point range, with 35.1 rebounds, 15.9 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.9 blocks per game, while allowing 68.4 points on 42.7 percent shooting, including 34.5 percent from 3-point range. The Longhorns are connecting on 74.7 percent from the free throw line.
• Texas rates among the best offensive teams in the nation, ranking 18th in 3-point field goal percentage (37.7), 37th in field goal percentage (47.6) and 40th in assists (15.9 apg.).
• Four players are averaging in double figures led by fifth-year transfer Max Abmas, who is averaging 17.3 points on 43.1 percent shooting, including 73 made 3-pointers on 38.4 percent shooting. He also leads the team in assists (109). Fellow fifth-year Dylan Disu is averaging 16.9 points on 50.5 percent shooting, including 55.9 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.9 rebounds per game. Junior Tyrese Hunter is averaging 11.1 points on 46.6 percent shooting, while sophomore Dillon Mitchell is averaging a near double-double with 10.6 points and a team-best 8.5 rebounds.
• Terry has posted a 201-173 record in his 12th season as a head coach, which includes stints at Fresno State and UTEP. He is 38-17 in his second year at Texas. He is 1-1 vs. K-State, including 0-1 at home.

SERIES HISTORY

• K-State leads the all-time series, 24-22, which dates back to an 87-60 win by the Wildcats on Dec. 8, 1971. The schools are tied 11-all in games played in Austin with wins by K-State in both 2022 and 2023. Texas owns a 22-19 lead in the Big 12 era, including a 11-9 mark at home.
• Texas has won 7 of the last 10 meetings in the series, as the schools split their 2 regular-season matchups in 2023 with each winning on the other’s home court. They were the only lone home losses for each school.

LAST 10 MEETINGS [3-7]

LAST MEETING:

10/9 TEXAS 69, 7/6 K-STATE 66 [2/4/23]

• No. 10/9 Texas rallied from a 14-point deficit with an impressive second-half effort, as the Longhorns handed No. 7/6 K-State its only home loss in 2022-23 with a 69-66 win at Bramlage Coliseum in the last meeting between the schools on Feb. 4, 2023.

LAST MEETING IN AUSTIN:

K-STATE 116, 6/6 TEXAS 103 [1/3/2023]

• All 5 starters scored in double figures, including a career-best 36 points from senior Markquis Nowell, as K-State broke the school record for points in a 116-103 victory at No. 6/6 Texas in the last meeting between the schools at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Jan. 3, 2023.

LAST TIME OUT:

TCU 75, K-STATE 72

• Senior Jameer Nelson Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds proved to be the game-winner in a back and forth game, lifting TCU to a 75-72 win over Kansas State on Saturday afternoon before 9,609 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
• K-State (15-10, 5-7 Big 12) battled back from a 10-point deficit with 7:14 to play to tie the game at 72-all on a pair of free throws by junior Cam Carter with 15.6 seconds. However, after a full timeout by head coach Jerome Tang to set up his defense, it was TCU which had the final answer as Nelson’s step back 3-ponter rose above the outstretched hands of Carter for the game-winner.
• It was the first buzzer beater loss since Feb.19, 2022, when Oklahoma State’s Avery Anderson III hit a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in overtime for an 82-79 victory at the Gallagher-Iba Arena. It was the first such loss at home since Kevin Samuel’s layup with 1 second left lifted TCU to a 59-57 win on Jan. 7, 2020.
• Senior Tylor Perry led the Wildcats with 24 points, including an impressive 12-of-12 effort from the free throw line. It was his 27th career 20-point game, including his team-leading eighth this season. He was joined in double figures by senior David N’Guessan (12 points) and junior Arthur Kaluma (11 points).
• TCU was led by a game-high 26 points from senior Micah Peavy.
• The loss was particularly heartbreaking because K-State made 66.7 percent (22-of-33) of its 2-point field goals, including tying a Big 12-best with 44 points in the paint, and were nearly perfect from the free throw line (25-of-29) but couldn’t get anything to fall beyond the 3-point arc, where the Wildcats finished 1-of-15, including 0-of-7 in the second half.
• Overall, K-State finished the day shooting 47.9 percent (23-of-48) from the field.
• K-State enjoyed a strong start, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half before posting its first halftime lead (28-24) in more than a month.
• The second half was a back and forth affair with the teams combining for 95 points. After TCU regained the lead with back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second half, K-State responded with a 17-7 run that gave the Wildcats a 47-39 lead with 13:13 to play and forced a timeout by head coach Jamie Dixon.
• The timeout sparked the Horned Frogs, which scored 22 of the next 26 points to take 61-51 lead with 7:14 to play. The Wildcats were able to chip away at the lead, using a 10-2 run to close to within 65-61 before the final media timeout.
• K-State was able to take advantage of missed free throws down the stretch, while getting some big free throws from Kaluma, who made all 3 after being fouled. After Perry cut the deficit to 72-70 with 2 free throws, the Horned Frogs made an errant pass on the inbounds play, giving the Wildcats the ball with 15.6 seconds. Carter was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and calmly made before free throws to tie the game at 72-all and set up the final sequence.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

• This was the first and only regular season meeting between the schools with the new unbalanced Big 12 schedule. K-State still leads the all-time series, 21-13, but TCU has won 4 of the last 5 at Bramlage Coliseum.
• The 6.7 3-point field goal percentage (1-of-15) marked the 10th-lowest in school history and the lowest since 2016, while the 1 3-point make tied for the seventh fewest in school history and the fewest since also hitting one against Kennesaw State on Nov. 9, 2018.
• K-State tied a Big 12 high with 44 points in the paint.
• Both teams turned the ball over 14 times with K-State posting a 19-13 edge in points off turnovers.

OVERTIME SUCCESS

• K-State moved to 11-0 in overtime games, including 6-0 this season, under head coach Jerome Tang after Monday’s 75-70 victory over No. 4/4 Kansas. In a game that included 12 lead changes and 15 ties, the Wildcats received a big effort from senior Tylor Perry, who scored 21 of his season-high 26 points in the second half and overtime, to rally from an 11-point second-half deficit, in defeating the Jayhawks for the second consecutive season at home in overtime.
• In addition to the win over No. 4/4 Kansas, K-State has overtime victories this season over Providence (73-70), Oral Roberts (88-78), North Alabama (75-74), Villanova (72-71) and No. 9/9 Baylor (68-64).
• K-State’s 11-game overtime winning streak ties for the second-longest such streak in Division I history since 1950 with UMass (1991-97) and Loyola (Md.) (2011-15) and the second-longest current streak behind Florida State (14; 2018-current) and right ahead of Winthrop (10; 2017-current).
• K-State’s 6 overtime wins this season tie the Division I single-season record, along with Wake Forest (6-1) in 1984, Chattanooga (6-0) in 1989 and Lafayette (6-1) in 2008. The 6 overtime wins also break the school record, set in 1992-93 and tied in 2022-23, while it is the most overtime games. The 5 overtime home wins also tie the Division I mark, set by Cincinnati (5-0) in 1966-67. In addition, the 3 consecutive overtime games (ORU, North Alabama and Villanova) marked the first such occurrence since winning 3 straight overtime games from Feb. 3-15, 1964.
• K-State has outscored its opponents, 76-52, in overtime, as the Wildcats have connected on 60.6 percent (20-of-33) from the field, including 54.6 percent (6-of-11) from 3-point range, and 82.8 percent (30-of-37) from free throw line.
• Tang is the first head coach in school history to win his first 11 overtime games, surpassing Dana Altman (1990-94), who was a perfect 7-0 in overtime games in his tenure. The 11 total overtime wins are the third-most by a head coach, trailing Tex Winter (15) and Jack Hartman (14).

BETTER DEFENSIVE EFFORT

• After allowing 75 points or more 4 times in the first 9 games, K-State has made strides on the defensive end during Big 12 play, allowing 68.8 points on 39.8 percent (281-of-706) shooting, including 28.8 percent (75-of-260) from 3-point range. The Wildcats didn’t allow 70 points in the first 5 Big 12 games in starting 4-1 before allowing 70 or more in each of the last 7 games.
• Through 12 Big 12 games, K-State ranks among the top-4 in 4 defensive categories, including first in field goal percentage defense (39.8) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.8), second in blocked shots (4.75 bpg.) and defensive rebounds/game (25.42) and fourth in scoring defense (68.83). Senior Will McNair Jr. and sophomore Jerrell Colbert rank among the best in blocks.
• 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 fifth in the Big 12 and 82nd nationally in rebounds/game (37.68), including sixth in the league and 84th nationally in offensive rebounds/game (11.68).
• Last season, the team ranked 175th or worse in all 4 rebounding categories.
• K-State has out-rebounded its opponents 15 times in 25 games, while posting a +3.2 rebounding margin, which ranks 94th nationally.
• K-State has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in 9 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 corraling 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.

OFFENSE CREATING MORE 3-POINTERS

• K-State is on pace to break the single-season mark for 3-point attempts for the second time in 3 seasons, as the Wildcats have already attempted 595 shots from beyond the arc. The team set the record with 754 in 2021-22 while the 752 in 2022-23 were a close second on the list. So far, the Wildcats are averaging 23.8 attempts per game, which ranks third in the Big 12.
• K-State has connected on 181 3-pointers, which are the fifth-most through the first 25 games. Four times the Wildcats have recorded double-digit 3-point makes, including a season-high 14 triples in the win over South Dakota State (11/13/23). Those 14 makes tied for the fifth-most in school history and were the most since hitting 16 at Oklahoma State on Feb. 2, 2019.
• Senior Tylor Perry is among the top 3-point shooters, as he ranks among the top-100 nationally in three 3-point categories, including 20th in attempts (209), 79th in 3-point field goals/game (2.56) and 86th in total 3-pointers (64).

MORE THAN JUST THE 3

• K-State has shown its offense is more than just the 3-pointer, as the team is averaging 32.1 points in the paint this season, including 29.3 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 15.2 makes per game while converting on 73.4 percent from the line. The Wildcats rank among top-100 nationally in both makes (15.2) and attempts (20.6) per game, as the squad places seventh 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 17.0 makes on 22.8 attempts in their 15 wins, while they average just 12.4 makes on 17.4 attempts in their 10 losses. In contrast, their opponents average 11.1 makes on 15.9 attempts in the wins compared to 16.5 makes on 24.0 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.

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 have 1,736-1,233 (.585) all-time record as a program, which includes 32 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.

LATE GAME PERRY

• Senior Tylor Perry has become the very definition of a clutch player, as his heroics against North Alabama (12/2/23) and Villanova (12/5/23) lifted the Wildcats to victory in overtime. Perry’s step back 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds in the overtime win over Villanova came on the heels of a similar step back triple that forced overtime vs. North Alabama with 8 seconds left in regulation.
• Dating back to his days at North Texas, Perry has now made seven shots to either win a game or send a game into overtime in his Division I career.
• Perry’s late game heroics go beyond the last 3 seasons. As a senior in high school, he sank a buzzer beater to send his Spiro High School team to the semifinals of the state tournament.

PERRY MORE THAN JUST A SCORER

• Senior Tylor Perry has proven to be more than just a scorer, as he leads the Wildcats in assists (4.6 apg.) while he is second in scoring (15.2 ppg.) and steals (1.3 spg.) and fifth in rebounds (3.0 rpg.). Perry ranks in the Big 12’s top-10 in scoring (9th), assists (7th), free throw percentage (2nd) and 3-pointers (3rd).
• Perry has scored in double figures in 18 games, including 7 times in Big 12 play. Among those 18 double-digit scoring games is a team-best 8 20-point games, which includes 22 vs. USC (11/6/23) and SDSU (11/13/23), 24 vs. Providence (11/17/23), 20 vs. ORU (11/28/23), 25 vs. UCF (1/6/24), 23 vs. No. 23/24 Oklahoma (1/30/24), 26 vs. No. 4/4 Kansas (2/5/24) and 24 vs. TCU (2/17/24).
• Perry ranks the Big 12’s top 15 in 7 categories, including tops in minutes (36.55), second in free throw percentage (91.6), third in 3-point field goals (2.56), seventh in assists (4.6 apg.), ninth in scoring (15.2 ppg.), 10th in both 3-point field goal percentage (30.6) and 13th in assist/turnover ratio (1.83).
• 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 1,423 points at the Division I level.
• In addition to leading the team in scoring in 13 games, Perry has led the way in assists in 17 games, while he has been the leader in steals in 7 games. He has dished out a season-high 6 assists on 8 occasions, while he has collected a season-best 4 steals 3 times this season.

EXCELLING FROM THE FREE THROW LINE

• Senior Tylor Perry ranks among the best from the free throw line, hitting on 91.6 percent (120-of-131). He ranks 12th nationally and second in the Big 12. He made 34 straight free throws before missing in overtime vs. Oral Roberts.
• Three times this season Perry has knocked down 10 or more free throws highlighted by a 14-of-14 performance to cap a 24-point effort in the win over Providence (11/17/23). The perfect performance from the line tied for the third-best in school history and the best since Michael Beasley went 15-of-15 at Baylor on Feb. 23, 2008. Following his 12-of-12 performance in the loss to TCU (2/17/24), he became the first Wildcat in school history to have multiple games of going 12-of-12 or better from the free throw line.

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 25 games, averaging a team-best 15.5 points per game. He also leads in double-digit scoring games (21), field goals (138) and attempts (338), while he is second to Tylor Perry in 20-point games (4), 3-pointers (47) and attempts (151). He has double figures in 17 of the last 19 games, including in 10 of 12 Big 12 games.
• After recording his first 20-point game vs. South Dakota State (11/13/23) with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-20 field goals, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, Carter took it to another level vs. No. 12/11 Miami (11/19/23).
• Carter scored a career-best 28 points vs. the Hurricanes, including 24 in the second half when the Wildcats cut a 24-point deficit to just 7 points in the last 45 seconds. He finished the game 12-of-22 from the field (10-of-16 in the second half) with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block in 38 minutes.
• Carter added a third 20-point game in his return to his home state of Louisiana, as he poured in a game-high 21 points in the win at LSU (12/9/23). He posted a fourth 20-point game with a game-high 23 points at West Virginia (1/9/24) on 6-of-14 field goals and 10-of-10 free throws.
• In addition to scoring in double figures in 21 games, Carter tallied his second career double-double in the win over No. 4/4 Kansas (2/5/24), posting 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting with a career-best 11 rebounds in nearly 45 minutes.
• Carter ranks in the Big 12’s top 10 in 3 categories, including second in minutes (36.3), seventh in scoring (15.5 ppg.) and 10th in steals (1.56 spg.).

FINDING A RHYTHM

• Junior Arthur Kaluma is starting to find a rhythm after a slow start to the season, becoming a double-double threat nearly every night. He has scored in double figures in 21 games, all coming in the last 23 games played, while totaling a team-best 4 double-doubles. He is third in scoring at 14.4 points per game, while averaging a team-best rebounds at 7.1 per game.
• Kaluma was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year on Jan. 22 after averaging 17.5 points on 52.4 percent shooting (11-of-21) shooting, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from 3-point range, to go with 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks in 38.5 minutes per game in home victories over No. 9/9 Baylor (1/16/24) and Oklahoma State (1/20/24). He connected on the game-winning 4-point play with 20 seconds left in the overtime win over the Bears to highlight a double-double effort (12 points, 10 rebounds), while he registered his eighth 20-point game vs. the Cowboys.
• Kaluma was named one of five national players of the week by the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy as well as Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 11 after averaging a double-double in wins over Villanova (12/5/23) and LSU (12/9/23). He averaged 21.5 points on 76.2 percent (16-of-21) shooting, including 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from 3-point range, to go with 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 39.6 minutes per game. He is just the third Wildcat to earn the weekly award from the USBWA, while it was the first of Kaluma’s career.
• Kaluma scored a game and season-high 26 points in the win over Villanova, knocking down 10-of-13 field goals, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free throw line to go with 9 rebounds and 4 assists in a season-best 44 minutes. The 26 points were one shy of his career-high of 27 he had against BYU while playing at Creighton in 2022.
• Kaluma continued his impressive play in the overtime win over Baylor, recording his seventh career double-double, including his fourth as a Wildcat, with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes. He connected on the game-deciding 4-point play with 20 seconds left in overtime.
• The weekly honors came on the heels of being named to the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship All-Tournament Team after averaging 18.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in games against Providence (11/17/23) and No. 12/11 Miami (11/19/23). After scoring 18 in the OT win over Providence, including a pivotal 3-pointer, he had his first double-double as a Wildcat and fourth in his career with 18 points and 12 rebounds against the Hurricanes.
• Kaluma is one of 4 players (Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., TCU’s Emanuel Miller) in the Big 12 to rank in the top-15 in both scoring and rebounding.

ATTACKING THE GLASS

• Senior David N’Guessan has been impressive so far on the glass, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in rebounding at 6.8 boards per game. He also ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds (2.84 orpg.). He has a team-best double-digit rebounds in 5 games, including a career-best 14 boards vs. UCF (1/6/24).
• N’Guessan has twice posted double-doubles, including the first of his career in the opener vs. No. 21/22 USC (11/6/23) with 10 points and 10 rebounds. He pulled down a second double-double vs. Central Arkansas (11/22/23) with 11 points and 11 rebounds. He nearly had double-doubles vs. Wichita State (13 points, 9 rebounds) and Chicago State (12 points and 9 rebounds).
• N’Guessan has increased his scoring output while continuing his impressive play on the glass, posting double-digit points on 8 occasions, including a season-high 17 points in the win at West Virginia (1/9/24).
• 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. He averaged 9 points on 55.6 percent shooting with 6.3 rebounds in the 3-game tournament.

BIG MAN OFF TO SOLID START

• Senior Will McNair is off to solid start to the season, averaging 7.5 points on 60.6 percent shooting to go along with 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through 24 games with 19 starts in 22.9 minutes per game. K-State lost for the first time when he scores in double figures after his 12-point effort at OSU (2/3/24).
• McNair came off the bench to score 8 points vs. USC (11/6/23) then started the next 19 games before coming off the bench in the last 3 games. He has scored in double figures 8 times, including a season-best 13 points at LSU (12/9/23). He missed double-doubles at West Virginia (1/9/24) and at Oklahoma State (2/3/24) by one rebound. He posted a season-high 10 rebounds in the loss at No. 21/19 BYU (2/10/24).

BOOST FROM THE BENCH

• Redshirt freshman Dorian Finister has become a spark off the bench for the Wildcats, as he is averaging 15.7 minutes in 13 of the last 14 games with 15.5 minutes of action in Big 12 play. He is averaging 3.5 points on 41 percent shooting with 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in Big 12 play.
• After not playing for 5 games, Finister made his impact felt on the defensive end in wins over Wichita State (12/21/23) and Chicago State (1/2/24) before starting to make an impact on offense. He has scored in 8 of the 10 Big 12 games, including back-to-back 6-point efforts vs. UCF (1/6/24) and West Virginia (1/9/24). He has also twice grabbed a career-best 6 rebounds in Big 12 play.

LINDSEY EARNS SCHOLARSHIP

• Senior walk-on Taymont Lindsey was rewarded with a scholarship for the rest of the season on Feb. 8. The 5-foot-8, 170-pound guard saw his first action as a Wildcat in the 77-52 win over UCF in the Big 12 opener on Jan. 6. He missed the first 11 games rehabbing an injury.
• Lindsey joined the Wildcats in August after spending four seasons (2019-23) at Manhattan Christian College, where he helped the Thunder to an 86-40 record and consecutive NCCAA Final Four appearances in 2022 and 2023.

FRESHMEN SHOWING PROMISE

• Three-man freshman class of Dai Dai Ames, R.J. Jones and Macaleab Rich have all shown promise after being pressed into early action. The trio were part of a consensus top-35 recruiting class.
• Ames has already scored in double figures in 5 games, including a season-best 14 points vs. UCA (11/22/23). Jones has played in 20 games, averaging 9.3 minutes per game. He ranks fourth in 3-pointers (12), including a big triple in the overtime win over Baylor (1/16/24). Rich has played in 13 games, logging a near double-double vs. UCA (11/22/23) with 13 points and 8 rebounds.

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.
• 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.

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.

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: BYU (18-7, 6-6 Big 12)

• K-State returns to action on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats welcome No. 19/17 BYU (18-7, 6-6 Big 12) to Bramlage Coliseum for the first time.