Who: K-State vs. Missouri
When: May 2-4 | 6:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m.
Where: Columbia, Mo. | Taylor Stadium
Media: 1350 KMAN
If you feel like getting into discussions with the opponents, check in with the folks at Rock'M Nation throughout the weekend. Mizzou hasn't been playing particularly well of late, so I'd like to see the Cats sneak into Columbia and take the series. I'll take one game, too, being on the road.
Who: K-State vs. Texas Tech
When: April 18-20 | 6:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m.
Where: Lubbock, Texas | Dan Law Field
Media: 1350 KMAN
Texas is just too damn big. The Bat Cats travel to Lubbock this weekend for a Big 12 series with Texas Tech, but unfortunately that is still about an eight-hour drive from where I live.
The Red Raiders enter this series 17-21 (4-11 Big 12). Of course that means they are the ninth-place team in the 10-team Big 12, with only our beloved Cats behind them. As such, this is a huge series for K-State. If we don't take two of three, we can pretty much forget about going to Oklahoma City for the Big 12 tournament. Unfortunately, Tech is in pretty much the same situation, and the Red Raiders are at home this weekend.
In other Big 12 action this weekend...
Texas A&M vs. Baylor (one in College Station, two in Waco)
Texas vs. Oklahoma State (Austin)
Oklahoma vs. Missouri (Norman)
Nebraska vs. KU (Lincoln)
I'll be keeping tabs on the game tonight, but will be at the Kingwood Classic (AAU basketball tournament) most of the day tomorrow. Use the comments as an open thread to discuss the games.
Who: K-State vs. Baylor
When: April 11-13, 2008
Where: Manhattan, Kan. | Tointon Family Stadium
Media: 1350 KMAN
A big series faces the Bat Cats this weekend as Baylor (20-12, 6-6 Big 12) come to town. The Bears swept the 'beakers last weekend to get back on track after dropping a Big 12 series to Oklahoma and getting swept by Missouri.
K-State currently stands ninth in the 10-team Big 12 standings, 1.5 games behind eighth-place Texas Tech. As you probably know, only the top eight teams in conference qualify for the postseason conference tournament. The Red Raiders will be playing 70 miles away against the 'beakers this weekend, so any upward movement by K-State will likely be a result of our own accomplishments rather than Tech struggles.
Who: K-State vs. Oklahoma State
Where: Manhattan, Kan. | Tointon Family Stadium
When: March 28-30 | Friday 6:30 p.m., Saturday 2:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m.
Media: 1350 KMAN, FSN Midwest (Sunday), Live Stats
I have done a poor job of covering K-State baseball with the end of the basketball season, but things will improve now. It's been a disappionting season so far for the Bat Cats, who stand 10-11 (0-3 Big 12). Things may be looking up after the Cats swept Binghampton at home last weekend and pounded Creighton midweek, 11-1.
Of course, Oklahoma State comes in ranked No. 22, and is 17-6 (3-3 Big 12). The Pokes can mash, leading the conference in team batting (.331 team average), and home runs (by far, 32 total, with second-place Oklahoma and Texas Tech at 23).
You can check out Corn Nation for more on all the Big 12 baseball this weekend. He's not too rosy about our prospects against the Cowboys, but we haven't given him much reason for optimism. A series win would be huge, but I'll settle for avoiding the sweep.
Who: K-State vs. Wisconsin
What: NCAA Tournament, Second Round
Where: Omaha, Neb. | Qwest Center Omaha (17,560)
When: March 22, 2008 | 3:20 p.m.
Media: 1350 KMAN | CBS
Just want to let you all know that I did not end up face-down in a gutter in Manhattan after the game Thursday, although the place was delirious with joy. It was fun to sit around with some K-State fans who have more memories of the past than I do.
But anyway, on to the present. I'll do a short preview of the Wisconsin Badgers here in the open thread because I haven't had time to get a separate one up.
(All stats courtesy Ken Pomeroy. Efficiency stats calculated based on the number of points scored or allowed per 100 possessions.)
Top Players Brian Butch: 12.5 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game, 45.7 FG%
Marcus Landry: 11.2 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 46.9 FG%
Joe Krabbenhoft: 7.6 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, 48.4 FG%
As you can tell, Wisconsin is one damn fine defensive team. They don't score a lot of points per game (67.4), but as their efficiency stats above indicate, they don't waste a lot of possessions, either. In other words, a difficult matchup for anybody.
One stat to watch will again be rebounding. Against USC, the Cats held a 17-rebound advantage, and grabbed more offensive rebounds than USC grabbed defensive rebounds. Wisconsin outrebounds its opponents by six boards per game, so it will be crucial for the Cats to even that stat or even outrebound the Badgers.
One final note: Wisconsin plays a very short rotation, with only seven players averaging double-figure minutes. I certainly don't want a repeat of the USC game's officiating, where everytime you breathed on an opposing player a foul was called, but depth would appear to favor K-State in this one.
Who: K-State vs. USC
What: NCAA Tournament, First Round
Where: Omaha, Neb. | Qwest Center Omaha (17,560)
When: March 20, 2008 | 6:10 p.m.
Media: 1350 KMAN | CBS
See the post below for my interview with Conquest Chronicles. I'm leaving in about an hour for Manhattan. First a quick round at Colbert Hills and then down to Aggieville for all the action. Use this as your open thread to discuss all the Madness throughout the day.
Who: K-State vs. Texas A&M
What: Big 12 Tournament
When: March 14, 2008 | 8:30 p.m.
Where: Kansas City, Mo. | Sprint Center
Media: 1350 KMAN, Yahoo! Sports | ESPN+
Who: Oklahoma State vs. Texas
When: March 14, 2008 | 11:30 a.m.
Where: Kansas City, Mo. | Sprint Center
Who: Colorado vs. Oklahoma
When: March 14, 2008 | 2:00 p.m.
Where: Kansas City, Mo. | Sprint Center
Who: Nebraska vs. KU
When: March 14, 2008 | 6:00 p.m.
Where: Sprint Center | Kansas City, Mo.
A little news and notes to get us started. First, if you were at the Nebraska/Missouri game last night and were paying attention to the video board, you saw me at halftime. I was wearing my K-State pullover and did Michael Beasley's little hand-sign when I realized I was on camera.
Also, check back tonight for another photo thread and the long awaited mobile post. I tested the technology last night and it works, so keep your fingers crossed for no glitches tonight.
Use this as your open thread to discuss any of the games today. I'll be there for all the action and will have a photo thread posted as soon as I get home. Fellow bloggers, feel free to use the pictures I post, all I request is a link back.
What: Big 12 Championship
When: March 13, 2008
Where: Sprint Center | Kansas City, Mo.
Use this as your open thread to discuss any of the games today. I'll be there for all the action and will have a photo thread posted as soon as I get home. Fellow bloggers, feel free to use the pictures I post, all I request is a link back.
Who: K-State vs. Iowa State
When: March 12, 2008 | Noon
Where: Kansas City, Mo. | Municipal Auditorium (10,700)
Media: 1350 KMAN | FSN
Your Big 12 champion K-State women take the court at historic Municipal Auditorium to take on eighth-seeded Iowa State at noon today. I didn't realize this until this week, but Municipal Auditorium has hosted more Final Fours, nine, than any other facility.
Use this as your open thread to discuss the women's game and any other college basketball action today. I will be getting in the car about the time the official puts the ball in the air for the women's game, so I won't be able to participate. Pick me up, Wildcat fans!
Who: K-State vs. Iowa State
When: March 8, 2008 | 3:00 p.m.
Where: Ames, Iowa | Hilton Coliseum (14,356)
Media: 1350 KMAN, Yahoo! Sports | ESPN+
We'll go ahead and combine today's "K-State Slate" with the open thread. Links below.
From the KC Star, we get an interesting contradiction. The headline says "K-State's star power could dazzle NCAA selectors," then you read the story and pretty much everyone who is quoted says Michael Beasley won't make any difference in whether K-State makes the field. As an example, we get this from Missouri Valley Conference commissioner Doug Elgin, who I used to like...
"He (Beasley) shouldn’t make the difference. You shouldn’t leap-frog over a more worthy team because of an individual star," said Doug Elgin, Missouri Valley Conference commissioner. "I don’t think they’ll say, ‘Team X has this great player, let’s put them in the field.’ It doesn’t work that way."
Obviously you don't choose a team for the tournament solely because they have the best player in the country. But that's not all K-State has to rely on. A win today would put us 10-6 in the Big 12 and would lock up a third-place conference finish. Those wins in conference have included beating KU, Texas A&M by 21, and Oklahoma on the road. If we had, say, Nebraska's record, RPI and strength of schedule, but had Beasley, I would agree we didn't deserve a berth. But we've proven that with Beasley and Bill Walker we have the star power to play with anyone in the country.
Down in Wichita, the Eagle's Jeffrey Martin says the time is now for K-State. While I think a win over Iowa State today puts us in, we have a conference tournament to compete in, too. Martin's copyeditors didn't do him any favors in the article, either, as it says the conference tournament last year was in Dallas. It was played in Oklahoma City.
Who: K-State vs. KU
When: March 1, 2008 | 8:00 p.m.
Where: Lawrence, Kan. | Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Media: 1350 KMAN, Yahoo! Sports | ESPN
The Sunflower Showdown continues tonight. Check in here to keep track of all the absurdity on this morning's Gameday broadcast from the 'beakers' old barn and a full slate of Big 12 action today. I have absolutely no confidence going into this game, but I'm looking for a miracle.
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