Kansas State vs Texas Tech: Open Game Thread

Kansas State athletics started the weekend strong with a big victory by the Track & Field team in the KSU-KU-WSU Triangular on Friday, their third-straight in the series. K-State earned 15 first place finishes, and were led by Tejaswin Shankar, who earned the “High Point Scorer” award with 21 points in four events.

Okay, now that you’re in a good mood, it’s time to talk basketball.

We’ve got a cross-plains double-header today. Both the men and women are playing Texas Tech, with the men at home and the women down in Lubbock.

The WeberCats are mired in a four game losing streak, and starting with today’s contest with the No 19 Red Raiders, the Cats have a run of four games against ranked opponents. So good luck breaking that streak any time soon. Last season, the Wildcats started 2021 with 13-straight losses before picking up three wins in their final four regular season games. Eight-straight in 2022 seems realistic, but is 0-13 on the table again?

Yes, actually, if their play against TCU is any indication. That was the moist winnable game on the schedule, and the Cats couldn’t figure out how to actually win that game. So now there is no game left on the schedule that K-State is favored to win. Gross. So, a surprise upset or two is possible, but unfortunately things are headed down a path that leads to Bruce Weber leading this team to new levels of futility.

Go Cats.

This morning’s game from Bramlage tips at 11:02am CT and can be seen on ESPN2 with Ted Emrich (play-by-play) and Tim Welsh (analyst) on the call. The game should also be available streaming via WatchESPN, if you already have the correct TV subscription.

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 on XM channel 375 and online on the The Varsity Network app and at K-StateSports.com.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kansas State Wildcats (8-7, 0-4 Big 12)

G: #1 Markquis Nowell
G: #3 Selton Miguel
G: #13 Mark Smith
G: #24 Nijel Pack
C: #25 Davion Bradford

19/19 Texas Tech Red Raiders (13-3, 3-1 Big 12)

G: #2 Davion Warren
G: #15 Kevin McCullar
G: #25 Adonis Arms
F: #0 Kevin Obanor
F: #11 Bryson Williams

Despite dropping a heartbreaker at home to No. 9 Iowa State earlier this week, the No. 25 Wildcats are still in good position early in the Big 12 slate. The Wildcats are 13-3 on the season, and all three losses have come to teams legitimately in the Top 10.

Ayoka Lee continues her rampage, and dropped 38 points on the Cyclones to break the K-State conference game scoring record. Iowa State hounded her all game, rotating players to ride her non-stop, and yet Lee still made them pay. Unfortunately her supporting cast didn’t quite step up enough to put away the Cyclones, and so the Cats dropped their first game of 2022.

The Big 12 is a slog, but today’s opponent should be, on paper, easier to handle than Iowa State. Texas Tech is led by First Team All-Big 12 and HM All-American guard Vivian Gray, and while their 8-7 record isn’t super exciting, they did knock of then-No. 9 Texas in Austin last week. But that’s their sole win over a power-conference team this season, going 0-3 against SEC competition, and 1-3 so far in Big 12 play. They do have wins over New Mexico and UNLV, but neither of those wins came on their home court.

This is a game the Wildcats should win, but it’s still Big 12 play, so expect it to be a grind to the finish.

This afternoon’s game from United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock tips at 2:00pm CST and can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Ron Thulin (play-by-play) and Brandi Poole (analyst) on the call.

If you haven’t subscribed to ESPN+, or just don’t want to, you can listen to Brian Smoller (play-by-play) and Randy Peterson (analyst) call the game on some of the K-State Sports Radio Network, and also available online on the The Varsity Network app and at K-StateSports.com.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

(25/RV) Kansas State Wildcats (13-3, 3-1 Big 12)

G: #3 Jaelyn Glenn
G: #4 Serena Sundell
G: #5 Brylee Glenn
F: #13 Laura Macke
C: #50 Ayoka Lee

Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-7, 1-3 Big 12)

G: #4 Lexy Hightower
G: #12 Vivian Gray
G: #32 Tatum Veitenheimer
F: #24 Taylah Thomas
C: #1 Ella Tofaeono