Kansas State vs Kansas: Open Game Thread

If you’re looking for a positive game intro, something purply-flavored and wishful, you’re going to have to look somewhere else. Because that ship sailed several weeks ago.

Friends, look...this game is likely to be brutal. And not just because one of the best teams in the country is in Bramlage today to face one of the worst Wildcat teams of all time. It’s not because the Jayhawks will have every reason to want to come out and stomp on the Wildcats early and often (on the scoreboard this time, instead of the handicap section of Allen Fieldhouse). It’s because after the inevitable beating (and not with fists or a stool), we’re going to have to listen to t-shirt KU fans crow all about it for another ten freakin months (because you none of them are KU football fans, and they ignore what happens on the gridiron as much as they ignore all the money that Adidas has funneled to their best players (and probably some officials) over the years).

Certainly, anything is possible. Back on February 23rd, 2015, after coming home from a loss to a Top 25 Baylor team in Waco, the scrappy Wildcats stunned the Top 10 Jayhawks in Manhattan. Nino WIlliams and Thomas Gipson could not be stopped, and Nigel Johnson had a career-high (then, at least) 20 points off the bench in a 70-63 upset victory that is probably most famous for the “chicken-wing” than anything that happened on the court during the game. That K-State team finished the season 15-17, and led to the roster explosion (effects of which are still being felt today, for both good and bad).

But that 2014-15 team likely would have beat the pants off this 2019-20 team. So, don’t expect any miracles or “wings” today. It’s gonna suck, so gird yourself and prepare for the t-shirt Beaker fans to continue to be insufferable.

We’re back with the (very) early afternoon game today, with an 12:36pm CST tip that can be seen on CBS with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), and Evan Washburn (sideline reporter) on the call. You might be able to stream the game via CBS Sports App if the game isn’t blocked in your area.

If you don’t get CBS, 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 386.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State Wildcats (9-19)

G: #2 Cartier Diarra
G: #00 Mike McGuirl
G/F: #20 Xavier Sneed
F: #11 Antonio Gordon
F: #14 Makol Mawien

Kansas Jayhawks (25-3)

G: #1 Devon Dotson
G: #0 Marcus Garrett
G: #4 Isaiah Moss
G: #30 Ochai Agbaji
C: #35 Udoka Azubuike

Go Cats!