K-State Wildcats vs. Wichita State Shockers: Game preview, TV and score prediction
The Kansas State men’s basketball team will try to bounce back from its worst loss of the season when it takes on Wichita State at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, plus a game prediction:
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: T-Mobile Center (Kansas City)
TV: None
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 2.5
Over/Under: 146.5
STARTING LINEUPS
P | No. | Wichita State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 11 | Kenny Pohto | 6-10 | Jr. | 12.3 |
F | 15 | Quincy Ballard | 6-11 | Jr. | 6.5 |
G | 1 | Xavier Bell | 6-2 | Jr. | 14.9 |
G | 4 | Colby Rogers | 6-4 | Jr. | 17.3 |
G | 20 | Harold Beverly | 6-5 | Jr. | 10.5 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 7 | David N’Guessan | 6-9 | Sr. | 6.9 |
F | 13 | Will McNair | 6-11 | Sr. | 7.7 |
G | 24 | Arthur Kaluma | 6-7 | Jr. | 15.7 |
G | 5 | Cam Carter | 6-3 | So. | 16.5 |
G | 2 | Tylor Perry | 5-11 | Sr. | 15.7 |
About Wichita State (8-3):
The Shockers ended a two-game losing skid with a narrow 69-68 victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday. Nothing has come easy lately for coach Paul Mills, as Wichita State has recently dropped games to Missouri and South Dakota State before escaping with the win over the Salukis. The Shockers are hoping for their first signature win of the season against K-State. Colby Rogers is leading the team in scoring.
About Kansas State (8-3):
The Wildcats are coming off their worst showing of the season, a 62-46 loss to Nebraska in which they only managed 12 points in the second half. How will they bounce back from that type of performance? Well, K-State hasn’t lost consecutive games yet this season. It beat Bellarmine 83-75 after losing to USC and crushed Central Arkansas 100-56 after falling to Miami. That could be a good omen for this game. Tylor Perry, Cam Carter and Arthur Kaluma will hope for better shooting games against Wichita State than they had against Nebraska.
Prediction:
It’s fair to wonder which version of the Kansas State men’s basketball team will show up on Thursday against Wichita State.
If the Wildcats come out motivated and play the way they did during recent victories over Villanova and LSU, then they could defeat their in-state rivals by a comfortable margin. But if they shoot the ball poorly and fail to hustle for rebounds they could lose their fourth game of the season.
Here’s guessing we see the good K-State in this matchup.
The Wildcats have only lost consecutive games three times under Jerome Tang, and players were surely motivated after only scoring 46 points in their last outing against Nebraska. Getting another clunker here from K-State would be a very bad sign.
Comparing scores is far from an exact science in college basketball. Sometimes they don’t mean anything. But K-State and Wichita State do share one common opponent. They each played South Dakota State.
The Wildcats won that game by 23 and the Shockers lost by 10.
K-State is the better team and it will feel like a home game in Kansas City. That gives the Wildcats an edge.
K-State 75, Wichita State 69
Last game prediction: K-State 78, Nebraska 71. (Actual result: Nebraska 62, K-State 46)
Season Record: 9-2
Season Record ATS: 5-6
Season Record O/U: 9-2