Kansas State Basketball: Sunday Funday Doubleheader

It wasn’t particularly pretty, but your Kansas State Wildcats prevailed against a tough Providence squad on Friday night to move to 3-1 on the young season and put themselves in the championship game of the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship.

But it’s not going to be easy for the TangCats to claim the crown today, as they are set to face off with No. 11/12 Miami. The Hurricanes are 4-0 and are still running hot after their trip to the Final Four last year. The Canes are loaded, and former K-State sharpshooter Nijel Pack is just one of five players averaging double figures for Jim Larranaga’s squad.

K-State’s defense will be tested to the max, and the Cats are going to need to score at a much higher clip than the last time out if they want to stay in this one.

The Wildcats have the talent to hang with the Hurricanes, and possibly even win. But don’t be surprised when Miami heads out remaining unbeaten.

Today’s championship match in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship is scheduled for a 1:30pm CT tip at Baha Mar Convention Center in Nassau, The Bahamas and will aired on CBS Sports Network and streamed on Paramount+ with Chris Sylvester (play-by-play), Kyle Macy (analyst), and Sam Hyman (sideline reporter) on the call. You’ll also be able to hear the game online at K-StateSports.com (and via the Varsity Network app), plus parts of the K-State Sports Radio Network and on SiriusXM 392 with Brian Smoller (play-by-play) and Ben Boyle (analyst) calling the action over there.

The MittieCats (3-0) picked up a program-best win on Thursday night, as the fought hard for a 65-58 win over No. 2 Iowa in front of a packed house in Iowa City. It tied to program record for highest-ranked opponent in a win, and the highest in a road win.

K-State played elite defense all night, especially on Iowa’s All-American Caitlin Clark, and while she still had a game-leading 24 points, it came on 32 attempts as she was limited to 28% from the floor and 12.5% from deep.

K-State’s All-American Ayoka Lee was far more efficient grabbing her 22 points and 12 rebounds, her 51st career double-double, as the super-senior looks to finally be getting back into her groove after missing all of last season after preseason knee surgery.

The trick for the Wildcats today will be to avoid a letdown after the big win. Wisconsin is not on the same level as Iowa, but the fellow Big 10 squad is still going to be a tough foe for the Wildcats. The Badgers are 3-0 on the season, but their last time out was a 66-64 win at home against South Dakota State that needed a last-second shot to take. The Jackrabbits are good, but a better power-conference team probably should have won by more.

The Cats and Badgers squared off last year in Milwaukee, and K-State picked up program win #1,000 with a 77-63 decision. And that was on a court in the middle of a baseball field, and without Ayoka Lee. Expect K-State to look much more comfortable today, and move to 4-0 on the season before vaulting into the Top 25 polls next week.

This evening’s tipoff is at 4:00pm CST from Bramlage Coliseum, and can be seen streaming on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Matt Walters (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst), and Emma Wiley (sideline reporter) on the call. You can also listen to Wade Gerstner (play-by-play) and Ashley Ray (analyst) call the action online at K-StateSports.com and via the Varsity Network app, as well as over-the-air in the Manhattan area on Sunny 102.5 FM.

Go Cats!