K-State Wildcats vs. Omaha Mavericks: Basketball lineups, time, TV and prediction
The details
When/where: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
TV/radio: ESPN+ (Streaming service, subscription required); KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City.
Projected lineups
P | No. | Omaha | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 13 | Wanjang Tut | 6-8 | Jr. | 10.2 |
F | 40 | Matt Pile | 6-8 | Sr. | 10.1 |
G | 0 | Sam’I Roe | 6-1 | Jr. | 3.3 |
G | 23 | Marlon Ruffin | 6-5 | Jr. | 11.4 |
G | 10 | Ayo Akinwole | 6-0 | Sr. | 8.6 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 21 | Davion Bradford | 7-0 | Fr. | 5.9 |
G | 00 | Mike McGuirl | 6-2 | Sr. | 12.3 |
G | 2 | Selton Miguel | 6-4 | Fr. | 8.2 |
G | 3 | DaJuan Gordon | 6-4 | So. | 10.1 |
G | 24 | Nijel Pack | 6-0 | Fr. | 10.0 |
About Omaha (2-7): The Mavericks have played one of the nation’s most difficult schedules thus far, with six of their nine games coming on the road and the other three taking place on neutral courts. Their victories came against Middle Tennessee and SIU Edwardsville. They have lost their last three games, against Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. Matt Pile will be a familiar face for some in this game. The senior forward, who is averaging 10.1 points, played high school basketball in Wichita.
About Kansas State (4-5): The Wildcats can even their record with a victory against the Mavericks. K-State opened the season 1-4, but has since rattled off wins over Milwaukee, Iowa State and Jacksonville. The team is coming off its most complete effort of the season, a 70-46 blowout against overmatched Jacksonville. Freshman guard Nijel Pack busted out of a shooting slump in that game and will try to keep that momentum going against Omaha. Senior guard Mike McGuirl leads the team with 12.3 points per game.
Prediction: Everyone from Bruce Weber on down to Kansas State’s walk-on players enjoyed the Wildcats’ lopsided victory over Jacksonville last week. They would love nothing more to experience another drama-free win Tuesday.
Winning big might not be so easy against Omaha, a team that won’t be intimidated by a power-conference opponent or by a road venue. But if the Wildcats can get some stops, they could find separation in this game.
Kansas, Colorado, Creighton and Drake all defeated Omaha by more than 20, with the Mavericks failing to score more than 67 points in any of those games.
It’s hard to predict how the Wildcats will play coming off a holiday break, but if they take care of business the same way they did against Jacksonville another double-digit victory could be within reach.
Kansas State 75, Omaha 65.