Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-5, 3-3) AT Kansas State Wildcats (14-8, 2-5)
Bramlage Coliseum — Manhattan, Kan.
Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 — 7:04 PM CST
Big 12 Network | ESPN Full Court | ESPN3.com
I really don't have any flowery words left for this team.
I could spew a bunch of nonsense about "must-win" games and "backs against the wall," but what's the point?
If we win, we remain mathematically alive for a tournament berth, but our expectations already are so shattered in this miserable season that I don't know if it's worth reveling in extending its length.
If we lose, we finally can put to rest any talk of significant postseason appearances and begin looking forward to spring football.
Really, all I want to see is some enjoyable basketball. I can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed watching this team play.
I'm just looking for some leaders to step up — not to save this season, but to emerge as building blocks for next season.
Who will step in to fill the shoes left behind by Denis Clemente and Luis Colon, the very shoes Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly neglected to fill because Dillard's had much more interesting pairs in stock?
My money's on Rodney McGruder, Will Spradling and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts. Perhaps we'll begin to find out tonight.
You can read my preview of Nebraska here or talk trash to Husker fans at Corn Nation.
Predictions:
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BracketCat: Kansas State 69, Nebraska 65
GAMER: Kansas State 76, Nebraska 67
Pomeroy: Kansas State 63, Nebraska 61
Sagarin: Kansas State 69, Nebraska 66
From the K-State Sports Information Department:
Kansas State (14-8, 2-5 Big 12) returns home to the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night, when the Wildcats host a surging Nebraska squad (15-5, 3-3 Big 12) at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats, who have dropped three of their last four games on the road against nationally ranked teams, will take on a rising Cornhusker squad that knocked off No. 13/11 Texas A&M 57-48 on Saturday afternoon at Devaney Sports Center.
The Huskers already have equaled their win total from a season ago, while also surpassing their league total from 2009-10.
The contest will be broadcast regionally on the Big 12 Network, with Dave Armstrong (play-by-play) and Jon Sundvold (analyst) on the call.
Locally, the game will be available on KMCI-TV in Kansas City, KMTW-TV in Wichita, and KSNT-TV in the Topeka and Manhattan areas.
It also will be available nationally on ESPN Full Court, as well as on the Internet at ESPN3.com.
Fans are encouraged to bring items for the "Tipoff for TP" event to benefit the Manhattan Emergency Shelter — K-State student-athletes will be collecting toilet paper, trash bags and paper towels to benefit the shelter.
It will be the 218th meeting between K-State and Nebraska in a series that dates back to 1906.
It is the third-most played series in school history, behind the rivalries with Kansas (271) and Missouri (232).
The two teams have met every season for 88 years.
However, they will be playing for the final time in Manhattan as conference opponents, with the Cornhuskers heading to the Big Ten in 2011-12.
The Wildcats own a 124-93 advantage in the series, including a 68-35 edge in Manhattan.
K-State holds a slight edge in the series since the start of the Big 12, posting a 17-12 edge since 1996, including a 12-2 mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats have won three consecutive games over the Huskers, including a season sweep a year ago.
It was the first season sweep for either team since 2003-04.
The squad earned its first win in Lincoln in three tries with a 76-57 victory at Devaney Center on Feb. 2, 2010, then held on for a 91-87 win at home two weeks later, on Feb. 17.