SLATE: Cats return to action against Omaha

Basketball

Holiday off week comes to an end tonight at 7:00 when the K-State men return to the basketball floor to face the Omaha (née “University of Nebraska-Omaha) Mavericks in Bramlage Coliseum.

Omaha is 2-7 under 16th-year coach Derrin Hansen. Though the Mavs were competitive in many early games, they have struggled against quality competition, losing 95-50 to Kansas, 91-49 to Colorado, 94-67 to Creighton, and 87-66 to Drake. Until the Wildcats’ 70-46 win over Jacksonville last Tuesday, though, K-State had not shown itself capable of blowing any team out.

What should we expect? A loss would obviously be DoublePlusUngood. The young Wildcats seems to be finding some rhythm and chemistry of late. If the team can pick up where it left off before the break, this should be a comfortable win. Sloppy play could keep it close or (heaven forbid) lead to a loss and would portend a dark future with TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State up next on the schedule.

Though it appears unlikely that any of the three injured players (Montavious Murphy, Kaosi Ezagu and Luke Kasubke) will play tonight, all are getting close to returning. Murphy practiced this week but likely will wait until the TCU game before seeing the floor. Ezeagu appears to be behind earlier, more optimistic, projections in recovery from his “minor” knee surgery and will likely miss at least another week.

Freshman sharp-shooter Luke Kasubke is farther off. He only recently began participating in no-contact practice sessions and is expected to play sometime in January.

In line with our hopes and expectations, Kellis Robinett predicts a 10-point Wildcat victory.

You will have to dust off the Disney/ESPN+ subscription to watch. We seem to be getting relegated to that platform too frequently.

Football

KCKingdom highlighted three K-State players who surprised fans in 2020. One of them is obvious. Can you guess the other two?