2020 did not start out so great for the Kansas State Wildcats. At one point, holding a 12-point lead over the host Oklahoma Sooners, the Wildcats looked like they might actually start conference play with a victory. But, alas, reality set in, and a cold end to the game by the Wildcats added to a hot finish by the Sooners equaled yet another K-State loss to start the conference slate, and another loss on the already-reeling 2019-20 season.
But the Wildcats are back home tonight, where they have been...equally bad to start conference play. Last season saw a much better Wildcat squad get crushed by the visiting Texas Longhorns, and 2018’s opener wasn’t a lot better. And tonight’s opponent is coming in winners of four of their last five, including an overtime win over Iowa State at home this past weekend in their conference opener.
It’s going to be another tough test for this young team, as basically every game in the Big 12 will be. But if the Wildcats were to pick up a much-needed conference win, their best early shot would be tonight against a TCU squad that struggled to put away fellow conference bottom-dweller Iowa State at home. It won’t be pretty, win or lose, because that’s just the way things are for the Wildcats right now.
But now is the time for the young guys to start to step up, for the older guys to use their knowledge of this conference and its teams’ patterns, and start to turn this season back around — assuming they want to keep playing after the regular season and conference tournament are over.
This game tonight may not be critical, but it is definitely very important if these Wildcats want to be more than their current 7-6 record suggests.
Tonight’s game, set for an 8pm CST tip, can be see on ESPNU with Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play) and King McClure (analyst) on the call. You might be able to stream the game via WatchESPN if you are in the correct market.
If you don’t get ESPNU, or can’t access the stream, you can listen to Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play) and Stan Weber (analyst) call the game on much of the K-State Sports Radio Network, and also available online via the TuneIn App and at K-StateSports.com, and satellite radio on XM 384.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
Kansas State Wildcats (7-6)
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #23 Montavious Murphy
F: #14 Makol Mawien
TCU Horned Frogs (10-3)
G: #1 Desmond Bane
G: #2 Edric Dennis Jr.
G: #5 Jaire Grayer
G: #22 RJ Nembhard
C: #21 Kevin Samuel
Go Cats!