‘I like being on the road’: Why away games don’t seem to bother Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State men’s basketball coach Bruce Weber pulled Mark Smith aside for an unusual pep talk before the Wildcats took the floor for a home game against Oklahoma State earlier this month.
His message: pretend this game is on the road.
That statement was aimed specifically at Smith because the senior guard had produced 20 points and 16 rebounds in his most recent road game compared to two points and four rebounds in his most recent home game, but it could have been directed at the entire team.
The Wildcats are 5-4 in road games this season with victories against Wichita State, Nebraska, Iowa State, TCU and Texas. Strange as it may sound, they tend to play their best away from home.
“We come out with a chip on our shoulder when we’re on the road,” K-State sophomore guard Nijel Pack said. “Everybody is against us on the road. We play with a lot of energy and a lot of passion. We know road games are tough. But I like being on the road, myself. It’s fun hearing the opposing crowd getting upset after a good basket.”
Weber’s pregame strategy with Smith paid off against the Cowboys. He responded with 19 points and eight rebounds in an important home victory.
Nothing special needed to be said before following game. The Wildcats hit the road for a game against TCU and won 75-63. The following weekend, they downed Iowa State 75-69 at Hilton Coliseum. Smith, and all of his teammates, were up for the challenge.
This group now has an opportunity to set the record for road victories in a single season under Weber. The current high mark is seven, which was set in 2019 when Barry Brown, Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade led the team to a Big 12 championship.
Few will be picking the Wildcats to win their final three road games of the season against Oklahoma State, Kansas and Texas Tech. But that is the way K-State players like it.
They started calling themselves “Road Dawgs” when they played their first road game of the season against Wichita State and that phrase has taken on a life of its own ever since. Players chant it after every road win.
“A lot of it is our focus and our mindset,” Weber said. “On the road, you have to be cut in. You have to be focused, all those words coaches use, and now they’re maybe figuring that out. Home and away, you have to come with that little bit of nervousness. I think that’s important that they don’t have a mindset of, ‘Hey, we’re winning this game.’ They have the mindset that we’re going to have to fight our butts off to find a way to be in the game and have a chance to win at the end.”
K-State will need to keep winning on the road if it hopes to reach the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats have played their way on to the bubble, but they need to finish the regular season strong in order to be a part of March Madness. That journey continues at 1 p.m. Saturday when K-State heads to Gallagher-Iba Arena for a game against Oklahoma State.
A win would greatly enhance their postseason chances. The Wildcats have never missed the NCAA Tournament when they have at least a .500 road record under Weber. But a loss would leave them with ground to make up.
Playing an important game like this on the road may intimidate some teams. Not K-State. Some of its players pretend they are playing on the road even when they are playing at home.