K-State Wildcats basketball vs. Texas Longhorns: Lineups, time, TV and a prediction
The details
When/where: 7 p.m. Saturday at Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
TV/radio: Longhorn Network; KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City.
Projected lineups
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 14 | Makol Mawien | 6-9 | Sr. | 8.0 |
F | 23 | Montavious Murphy | 6-9 | Fr. | 4.3 |
G | 20 | Xavier Sneed | 6-5 | Sr. | 15.3 |
G | 00 | Mike McGuirl | 6-2 | Jr. | 6.4 |
G | 2 | Cartier Diarra | 6-4 | Jr. | 12.0 |
P | No. | Texas | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 20 | Jericho Sims | 6-9 | Jr. | 9.4 |
F | 33 | Kamaka Hepa | 6-9 | So. | 1.6 |
G | 1 | Andrew Jones | 6-4 | So. | 10.9 |
G | 2 | Matt Coleman | 6-2 | Jr. | 12.1 |
G | 13 | Jase Febres | 6-5 | Jr. | 10.2 |
About Kansas State (7-7, 0-2 Big 12): The Wildcats are hoping to win their first conference game. They were in position to win each of their first two Big 12 games but fell apart late and lost 66-61 at Oklahoma and then 59-57 against TCU. Xavier Sneed has been K-State’s best overall player the past few games, as he has topped 18 points in three straight outings. Mike McGuirl has been slumping. The junior guard has only scored a total of three points in K-State’s past two games. Freshman forward Antonio Gordon missed the TCU game with a shoulder sprain, but the Wildcats are hopeful he will be available against the Longhorns.
About Texas (10-4, 0-2): The Longhorns have fallen on hard times after starting the season 9-1. Their only win in their past four games came against High Point. Their three losses have all come by double digits against Oklahoma, Baylor and Providence. Shaka Smart is suddenly on the hot seat. Texas will turn to a backcourt of Andrew Jones, Matt Coleman and Jase Febres in hopes of turning things around against the Wildcats.
Prediction: These teams are the epitome of the classic Spider-Man meme in which two young men dressed as the web-slinging super hero point at each other in a New York alley.
Texas has lost three of its past four games while struggling on offense and imploding late in close games. K-State fits the exact same description, having lost four of its past five. The Wildcats are only averaging 65.6 points and are 2-6 in games decided by single digits this season. Neither team shoots it well from the three-point line, but both teams are above average on defense.
The only real difference between the two teams is that the Longhorns have swooned after looking strong at the start of the season. The Wildcats got off to a slow start and have shown small signs of progress in recent games despite their record. They are both desperate for a victory.
This matchup sets up nicely for K-State to steal a game on the road, but it will need good late-game execution to make it happen. And that hasn’t been this team’s forte. Give Texas the smallest of advantages because of home court.
Texas 62, K-State 61.