K-State takes on Texas

Men’s Basketball

Kansas State is in Austin today to take on Texas. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 PM CT, and the game will be broadcast on the LHN.

For the Wildcats, this is a must-win game, especially since the team has lost six of the last seven contests. As Bruce Weber notes, the team badly “needs to put two halves of K-State basketball together.” (Ken Corbitt, Topeka Capital-Journal).

For his part, Barry Brown is trying to ensure victory by working as hard as he possibly can. It seems to be paying off. Brown is coming off one of his best games so far, with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting against Iowa State. He’s possibly the team’s most improved player, and hopefully his work will translate into wins for Kansas State. (Kellis Robinett, Wichita Eagle).

A number of Big 12 teams, including Kansas State, are still sort of the NCAA bubble. A good run from the Wildcats in this final five-game stretch could be just the thing.

Speaking of the Big 12, Kansas State’s shadow looms large over the basketball version of Bedlam, as Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood and Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger are both protegés of the late great Jack Hartman (Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman).

Women’s Basketball

The women (#24/RV) play TCU today at the Schollmeier Arena in Fort Worth. The game is scheduled for 3 PM and will air on FSN. The Wildcats are currently 18-8 overall but only 8-6 in the Big 12.

Kansas State is coming off a hard-fought game against West Virginia. The Wildcats lost 66-59 despite rallying from 19 points behind in the fourth quarter and outpacing the ‘Eers in points off turnovers 19-13.

TCU has won three straight at home in this series which is currently tied at 5-5.

Baseball

The BatCats are back in the swing of things. But the season opener ended up as a 6-3 loss to Ohio State at the Sunshine State Classic in Kissimmee, Florida.

The Buckeyes scored all six runs in the third and fourth innings, with three runs in each. Kansas State opened its scoring in the bottom of the sixth off an RBI single from Steve Serratore that brought outfielder Cameron Thompson home. The BatCats managed two more runs in the bottom of the ninth thanks to an Ohio State error and a Thompson sacrifice fly.

On the mound, five different Wildcats combined to strike out 12 Ohio State hitters. Bryce Ward got his first start and managed to strike out eight straight batters before a fielding error in the third helped generate runs for Ohio State. Right-handed freshman pitcher Jared Marold tossed four scoreless innings in relief.

The BatCats will stay in Florida for a Sunshine State Classic doubleheader against Pitt and Delaware. The game against Pitt is already underway.

Extra

Speaking of college baseball, this “ode” to baseball—and beer—at Ole Miss is definitely worth a read.