Why K-State basketball is at its best when point guard Dug McDaniel looks to score
Good things happen for Kansas State when Dug McDaniel sheds the persona of a traditional point guard and looks to score.
Even though assists and turnovers are usually the most important statistics at his position, McDaniel has lifted the Wildcats to some impressive victories by shooting instead of passing.
K-State (8-11, 2-6 Big 12) has only won two conference games this season. But a common denominator can be found in those victories. They both were against ranked opponents when McDaniel was creating his own shot and getting buckets. McDaniel scored 17 points in a home win over Cincinnati. He also scored 15 points in a home victory over West Virginia.
He is averaging 16 points in K-State’s conference wins. But that number drops to eight points in K-State’s conference losses.
Coincidence? K-State basketball coach Jerome Tang thinks not.
“I was thinking actually coming into the (West Virginia) game, the last time we won was against Cincinnati and Dug had a big game,” Tang said. “We need Dug to be more aggressive offensively. That’s probably on me. I have to give him more freedom, more license to do it, so that he feels comfortable. I know he’s trying to please me and trying to please his teammates and get people involved, but we do need his scoring and I was happy with how he approached it.”
McDaniel was in attack mode during K-State’s 73-60 victory over West Virginia on Saturday.
He drove to the basket and beat defenders with his floater, he made one shot from beyond the arc and finished with 15 points on 13 shots. McDaniel could have been more efficient, but his aggressiveness paid off in other areas.
The Mountaineers began focusing their defense on him as he kept making shots, and that opened up passing lanes. McDaniel took advantage by dishing out six assists.
“I definitely feel like it helps the team offensively,” McDaniel said. “When the head of the snake is being aggressive and putting pressure on the defense, it opens things up for guys like Max (Jones) and Brendan (Hausen) to get easier shots, because they have to respect what I’m doing.”
McDaniel wants to keep playing that way.
“Me and coach have been talking the last few days, and he’s been preaching for me to be aggressive,” McDaniel said. “He wants me to think score-first so I can be aggressive and draw the defense in. The pass is always going to be there. I’m a pass-first point guard, so that’s second nature to me. But he wants me to be aggressive, put pressure on the defense early and get my guys open.”
There is another reason why the Wildcats want McDaniel to remain a scorer. Senior forward Coleman Hawkins is one of the nation’s most skilled passers in the paint. He had four assists against West Virginia, seven against Baylor and 10 the game before that against Kansas.
It’s not like McDaniel is the only player on the K-State roster who is looking to get his teammates involved.
That has allowed him to focus more on scoring, and good results have followed.