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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
PAGE 9
KANSAS TIPOFF
JEFFREY KAPLAN
@jkap22
After losing to West Virginia last week and defeating TCU on Saturday, the Jayhawks are locked in on keeping their lead in the Big 12 as they head to Manhattan. The Sunflower Showdown has been nothing but bragging rights for Kansas for the most part the past few years. Heading into Manhattan, the Jayhawks sit on top of the Big 12 standings, and they hope to keep it that way.
AT A GLANCE
Graham had a game to remember Saturday against TCU with 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting. His spark off the bench was the difference maker in the win against TCU. Look for Graham to dish out assists or step up to put points on the scoreboard.
Devonte' Graham, freshman, guard
PLAYER TO WATCH
QUESTION MARK
+2
Will we see much play from big man Landen Lucas?
Lucas is clearly Kansas' backup big man. He usually enters the game due to foul trouble from Cliff Alexander but produces needed rebounds and putback points. His ability to get fouled in the paint and produce points at the line makes him a strong asset that the Jayhawks can depend on more often as the season continues to intensify.
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
75-46 Kansas leads the all-time series in Manhattan.
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KANSAS VS. KANSAS STATE FEB.23,8 P.M.,MANHATTAN,KAN.
Kansas has the second highest RPI in the country.
BY THE NUMBERS
1
Heading into Monday, the Jayhawks hold a one-game lead on Iowa State for first place in the Big 12 conference.
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF
Perry Ellis has the strongest showing. A leader of this team, Ellis is going into his sixth Sunflower Showdown match-up with the leadership and experience, knowing just how intense this rivalry can be. If Ellis can continue to lead the team in scoring and get a solid number of rbounds, the Jayhawks should be able to have a solid game.
No.8 KANSAS (22-5,11-3)
PROJECTED STARTERS
Wayne Selden Jr., sophomore, guard
Having a bit of an up-and-down past few games, the Jayhawks look to Selden for crucial jump shots. Averaging 12 points in his Sunflower Showdown career, Selden has proven himself to be a serious scorer in the matchup. Watch for Selden to continue hitting threes to rev up the Jayhawks.
Frank Mason III, sophomore, guard
Leading the team with 4.4 assists per game, Mason's distribution will be the key for him to orchestrate the Jayhawk offense. A mixture of steady assists along with double-digit scoring numbers make Mason the biggest threat to K-State. Look for consistency in taking care of the ball and setting up key plays to keep the Jayhawks going.
Kelly Dubre Jr., freshman, guard
Kenny Oubre JR, freshman, guard Obre has the best all-around game of any Jayhawk at this point. His steals, transition shots and rebounds all count for a much needed spark at any point in the game. He brings stifling defense and energy to the floor every game. You can count on Oubre to show us everything he's got every play.
Perry Ellis, junior, forward
Coming off a double double in the last Sunflower Showdown, Ellis looks for a strong showing once again. Leading the team in scoring, Ellis is hands down the one post the Jayhaws look to get them going. It will come down to rebounding for Ellis to be the difference maker against K-State.
KANSAS STATE (13-15,6-9)
Cliff Alexander, freshman, forward
It is no secret that foul trouble comes easy to Alexander and haunts him. Staying out of foul trouble early on will be of utter importance for Alexander to contribute as he would like to in this game. As the signature big man, his struggle to stay on the floor has cost the Jayhawks to lose the battle down low recently.
★★☆☆☆
PROJECTED STARTERS
Tre Harris, freshman, guard
For most of the season, minutes came sparingly for the 6-foot-5 freshman. Three minutes here. Four minutes there. Harris spent most of his time on the bench. But lately, his minutes have taken a significant spike in the right direction and he has shown flashes. He scored 14 points in the loss to TCU on 6-of-8 shooting (2-of-3 behind the line) and 12 against Texas. Harris did not play against the layhawks in Lawrence
Jevon Thomas, sophomore, guard
Jevonn Thomas, sophomore
Hailing from Queens, N.Y., 6-foot-1 Thomas has fallen into favor with Bruce Weber lately. His minutes are up in the 30s over the past two games, and he may have had one of his best performances Saturday, scoring six points on 3-of-4 shooting, two steals and two assists with three rebounds. Thomas scored just two points in the game in Lawrence.
Westley lwundu, sophomore, forward The 6-foot-7 sophomore saw his minutes increase in sopho
The 6-foot-7 sophomore saw his minutes increase in September more Marcus Foster's absence. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to take advantage. Iwunda averages just 5.5 points per game and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of one. In the loss to Baylor on Saturday, Iwunda scored just one point while turning the ball over four times and racking up four fouls. In 29 minutes against Kansas, Iwunda scored just
Thomas Gipson, senior, forward
The Kansas State teams Gipson has been a part of (2011-present) have played the Jayhawks tight: a six-point loss in 2012, a four-point loss in 2013 and a three-point win last year. Gipson averages 11 points per game and 4.8 rebounds this season and usually saves his best for the Sunflower Showdown. Last time out against the Jayhawks, Gipson dropped 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting in 30 minutes. He also led the Wildcats that afternoon with seven rebounds.
Nino Williams; sophomore, center
Williams has battled through injuries this season, but his production is at an all-time high. The senior averages 11.4 points per game, up from 6.2 last season. Williams also rebounds well for his size, checking in at 6 feet 5 inches and averaging 5.2 boards per game. Against Kansas, though, Williams was slowed by a nagging knee and held to four points and two rebounds.
Prediction Kansas 85 KSU 72
K-STATE TIPOFF
DAN HARMSEN
@udk_dan
AT A GLANCE
PLAYER TO WATCH
The narrative of the Kansas State 2014-15 basketball season can be cut up into three digestible chunks. First, the non-conference, where the Wildcats struggled to a 7-6 record. Second, the first seven games of conference play, where Kansas State went 5-2, defeating teams it should with an early share of first place. And third, a current stretch of seven losses in eight games. From February until the end of the season, six of the Wildcats' nine remaining games come against top-25 teams.
Marcus Foster, sophomore, guard
Foster is one of the most exciting players to watch in the Big 12 conference. He ranks seventh in the Big 12 in points per game (13.4) and eighth in three-point percentage (37.5 percent) in the Big 12. Foster served a three-game suspension following a violation of team rules in mid-February, and the Wildcats lost all three games (including to bottom-feeder Texas Tech). The sophomore will play Monday night, but may not start. In his last matchup with Kansas, Foster scored 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting.
QUESTION MARK
Does Kansas State have any fight left?
Kansas State coach Bruce Weber has run through multiple starting lineups this season. Guard Marcus Foster served a mid-season suspension for a violation of team rules. The Wildcats have lost seven of their past eight. KSU's struggles were illuminated most obviously Saturday, when former Wildcat guard Jacob Pullen voiced his disapproval over Twitter. Saturday, Pullen wrote: "I support kstate for life no matter what but I'm not a Bruce Weber fan... Bruce Weber didn't think I was good enough to play at Illinois and I don't think he is good enough to coach at Kansas State."
BY THE NUMBERS
304
Kansas State ranks 304th in the nation in rebounds per game and last in the Big 12.
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29 Kansas State leads the Big 12, allowing only 29 rebounds per game.
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Wins against top-25 opponents this season.
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
Kansas doesn't start the game strong. Keeping the crowd out of the game early and reminding Kansas State who owns the rivalry and the league will make things much easier for coach Bill Self and his team. The longer K-State is in the game, though, the more it'll start to believe and the more the fans will get into it. Furthermore, and possibly most importantly, the referees may be invited to make influential calls. Kansas should get up early.
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