K-State Wildcats vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game prediction, lineups, time, radio, TV info
The details
When/where: 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan
TV/radio: ESPN2; KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City.
Line: Oklahoma by 11
Projected lineups
P | No. | Oklahoma | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 35 | Brady Manek | 6-9 | Sr. | 10.5 |
G | 11 | De’vion Harmon | 6-2 | So. | 12.4 |
G | 24 | Elijah Harkless | 6-3 | Jr. | 7.1 |
G | 2 | Umoja Gibson | 6-1 | Jr. | 10.4 |
G | 12 | Austin Reaves | 6-5 | Sr. | 16.8 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 21 | Davion Bradford | 7-0 | Fr. | 7.0 |
G | 11 | Antonio Gordon | 6-9 | So. | 5.8 |
G | 2 | Selton Miguel | 6-4 | Fr. | 7.3 |
G | 21 | Mike McGuirl | 6-2 | Sr. | 11.5 |
G | 24 | Nijel Pack | 6-0 | Fr. | 12.2 |
About No. 7 Oklahoma (14-5, 9-4 Big 12): The Sooners have won nine of their last 10 games. Wichita State transfer Austin Reaves makes this team go in the backcourt, while Brady Manek and Kur Kuath lead the way down low. Oklahoma is as gifted as ever on offense, but Lon Kruger also has this team playing strong on defense, allowing just 68 points per game.
About Kansas State (6-18, 2-13 Big 12): The Wildcats snapped a 13-game losing streak when they defeated TCU over the weekend. Mike McGuirl, Nijel Pack and Selton Miguel led K-State in that one. They will all need to play well again to give the Wildcats a chance against the favored Sooners. K-State has embraced defense of late under Bruce Weber. After allowing an average of 77.1 points in 11 straight games, the Wildcats have only allowed an average of 60 in their past three games.
Prediction: The Wildcats got off to a promising start against the Sooners when they played last month and held a lead late into the first half, but Oklahoma eventually pulled away for an easy 76-50 victory.
K-State has improved considerably since then, but not enough to make up the difference in Tuesday’s rematch.
Oklahoma can create a plethora of mismatches with its four-guard lineup on both ends of the court. Even if K-State finds a way to make this a low-scoring game, the Sooners can win with defense. There is a reason this is Kruger’s best team in Norman since the Buddy Hield days.
Weber has traditionally owned Kruger and Oklahoma at home, going a perfect 8-0 against the Sooners at Bramlage since he was hired in 2012. But this seems like the year that streak comes to an end.
Oklahoma 72, Kansas State 64.