Kansas State vs. George Washington: Game time, TV and prediction for Paradise Jam

We may learn a lot about the Kansas State men’s basketball team over the next few days.

The Wildcats begin the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam on Friday night with a game against George Washington at UVI Sports & Fitness Center in St. Thomas. K-State will try to win a trophy by winning three games away from home against a tournament field that also features Liberty, Louisiana, UAB, Illinois State, Longwood and McNeese State.

Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, including a score prediction:

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: UVI Sports & Fitness Center in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Stream: ESPN+

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Betting line: K-State by 8.5

Over/Under: 148.5

STARTING LINEUPS

About George Washington (4-0)

This should be the second best team that K-State has faced. George Washington is off to a 4-0 start and ranked No. 134 in Bart Torvik’s college basketball ratings database. Darren Buchanan leads GW with 17.3 points per game and Rafael Castro is also strong in the front court as he averages 13.5 points per game. George Washington only shoots 25% from 3-point range, but it makes up for that by shooting 63.4% within the arc. Its early wins have come against Mercyhurst, Hampton, North Carolina A&T and NJIT.

About Kansas State (3-1)

The Wildcats didn’t look impressive during a recent 74-56 victory over Mississippi State Valley State, as they connected on just three of 23 shots from 3-point range and allowed the Delta Devils to hang around far longer than anyone expected. But a win is a win. Jerome Tang’s team will look to build on that as it heads to the Virgin Islands. Ugona Onyenso gave K-State 16 points off the bench in his last game. Coleman Hawkins only scored two points. It will be interesting to see if Dug McDaniel plays against George Washington. He didn’t see any action against Mississippi Valley State. Tang described his benching as a “coach’s decision.”

K-State game prediction

This could be a good opportunity for the Wildcats to hit the reset button and play some of their best basketball.

Strange as it may sound, getting away from Bramlage Coliseum might be good for this group.

Coleman Hawkins has complained (twice) about the rims being too tight for his liking inside the Octagon of Doom and the Wildcats haven’t given their home fans much to cheer about early on this season. Everyone was upset after the LSU defeat.

Perhaps going to a neutral venue for a long weekend of hoops will bring this team together.

Or maybe this team, which is filled with 10 newcomers, simply isn’t on the same page and the Wildcats are in for a long season.

Michigan transfer Dug McDaniel and Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins are struggling after arriving in Manhattan with high expectations and big NIL money. That has not been encouraging.

A wild range of outcomes exist for the Wildcats at this tournament. It’s hard to predict anything with confidence.

That being said, I am going with an optimistic approach.

The Wildcats have more than enough length and athleticism on the inside to make it difficult for George Washington to score around the basket. As long as GW doesn’t get hot from 3-point range, which hasn’t happened all season, K-State should advance to the semifinals of the Paradise Jam.

K-State 77, George Washington 71

Last game prediction: K-State 95, Mississippi Valley State 55

Actual score: K-State 74, Mississippi Valley State 56

Season record: 3-1

Season record ATS: 1-3

Season record O/U: 2-2.

Kellis Robinett

The Wichita Eagle

Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.