K-State Wildcats vs. Fort Hays State: Basketball lineups, time, TV and prediction
The details
When/where: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas.
TV/radio: ESPN+ (streaming service, subscription required); KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City.
Projected lineups
P | No. | Fort Hays | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 21 | Jared Vitztum | 6-7 | Sr. | 21.7 |
F | 34 | Gilbert Peters | 6-6 | So. | 6.3 |
G | 4 | Bjarni Jonsson | 6-7 | So. | 2.7 |
G | 5 | Kaleb Hammeke | 6-0 | Fr. | 8.0 |
G | 00 | Alvin Thompson | 6-3 | Sr. | 11.0 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 1 | Kaosi Ezeagu | 6-10 | So. | 7.5 |
F | 11 | Antonio Gordon | 6-9 | So. | 5.0 |
G | 00 | Mike McGuirl | 6-2 | Sr. | 13.5 |
G | 3 | DaJuan Gordon | 6-4 | So. | 10.5 |
G | 24 | Nijel Pack | 6-0 | Fr. | 11.0 |
About Fort Hays State (0-3): The Tigers are off to an 0-3 start with losses to Washburn, Emporia State and Nebraska-Kearney. But they have been competitive in all three games, as those defeats have come by a total of eight points. Jared Vitztum is the player who makes this team go. The senior forward is averaging 21.7 points and could cause some problems inside for the Wildcats.
About Kansas State (1-3): The Wildcats are coming off their most frustrating defeat of the season, a 68-58 loss against UNLV on Saturday. They will try to bounce back by winning a game they added to the schedule on short notice. Mike McGuirl continues to lead K-State in scoring, but he could be more efficient than he has been in recent games. Sophomore forward Montavious Murphy missed the last game with a knee injury and he will likely be a game-time decision against Fort Hays.
Prediction: K-State should win this game.
Bruce Weber has never been a fan of scheduling regular-season matchups against Division II opponents, but he made an exception this week after a future game against Milwaukee was postponed and a future game against Butler remains in doubt. It might work out well for the Wildcats, who could use a confidence boost.
UNLV was faster and sharper than K-State over the weekend, but the Wildcats should be able to bounce back against the Tigers and win by a convincing margin.
Kansas State 75, Fort Hays 60.