Kansas State-TCU Big 12 Tournament lineups, tipoff time, TV info and a prediction
Here are projected starters with TV, radio information and a prediction for the Kansas State Wildcats vs. the TCU Horned Frogs Big 12 Tournament basketball game at about 2 p.m. on Thursday at Sprint Center in Kansas City.
When/where: 2 p.m., Thursday, Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.
TV/radio: ESPN2, KQAM (1480 AM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City
Projected lineups:
P | No. | TCU | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 21 | Kevin Samuel | 6-11 | Fr. | 7.4 |
F | 15 | J.D. Miller | 6-8 | Sr. | 10.8 |
F | 12 | Kouat Noi | 6-7 | So. | 14.3 |
G | 25 | Alex Robinson | 6-1 | Sr. | 12.7 |
G | 1 | Desmond Bane | 6-5 | Jr. | 15.2 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 14 | Makol Mawien | 6-9 | Jr. | 6.5 |
F | 23 | Austin Trice | 6-7 | Jr. | 2.1 |
G | 20 | Xavier Sneed | 6-5 | Jr. | 10.3 |
G | 5 | Barry Brown | 6-3 | Sr. | 15.1 |
G | 3 | Kamau Stokes | 6-0 | Sr. | 10.8 |
About No. 8 seed TCU (20-12): The Horned Frogs are coming off a roller-coaster victory over Oklahoma State in the opening game of the Big 12 Tournament. TCU led by 21 early in the second half, fell behind by two in the final minute but then rallied to win 73-70. Jamie Dixon’s team is on the NCAA Tournament bubble, so this will be an important game. TCU may have already done enough to play its way into the Big Dance, but a victory over K-State would likely clinch a berth. Dixon knows how to win in the Big 12 Tournament. Two years ago, the Frogs beat Oklahoma and Kansas to reach the semifinals.
About No. 1 seed Kansas State (24-7): The Wildcats won’t have Dean Wade in the Big 12 Tournament, which makes predicting their starting lineup tricky. Bruce Weber said he would insert forward Austin Trice or guard Mike McGuirl into the lineup based on the opponent. Here’s guessing he favors Trice against TCU and its large front court. Trice has played well lately, and should be fine as a short-term replacement. K-State has found it difficult to play without Wade at times, but it will help to have Cartier Diarra back in this game. He was one of the team’s top reserves before he broke a finger on his shooting hand and missed the final eight games of the regular season. K-State players say they are motivated to win the Big 12 Tournament, even though they already won a trophy as regular-season champs.
Prediction: It’s never easy to predict how K-State will play without Dean Wade. The Wildcats got to the Elite Eight while only getting eight minutes from him in last year’s NCAA Tournament, but they also looked abysmal while he was sidelined for six games earlier this season. Bottom line: K-State should have enough other weapons to beat TCU. If Kamau Stokes continues his hot streak and Cartier Diarra creates a spark off the bench, the Wildcats will beat the tired Frogs.
K-State 71, TCU 65.