Wildcat report: K-State coach Bruce Weber covets NIT bid
Saturday’s box score
TEXAS TECH 80, KANSAS ST. 71
KSU | Min | FG-A | FT-A | Reb | A | PF | PT |
Johnson | 29 | 7-11 | 7-9 | 7-10 | 0 | 3 | 21 |
Iwundu | 36 | 5-11 | 2-2 | 2-3 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
Wade | 28 | 3-8 | 6-8 | 1-6 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
Brown | 34 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
Edwards | 39 | 6-17 | 2-2 | 5-7 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
Ervin II | 11 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Schoen | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Winter | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Freeman | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rohleder | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Budke | 7 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hurt | 14 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Totals | 200 | 25-61 | 17-21 | 19-35 | 7 | 20 | 71 |
Percentages: FG .410, FT .810. 3-Point Goals: 4-19, .211 (Edwards 2-6, Brown 1-3, Wade 1-6, Winter 0-1, Iwundu 0-1, Hurt 0-2). Team Rebounds: 3. Blocked Shots: 2 (Johnson 2). Turnovers: 15 (Wade 3, Hurt 3, Johnson 2, Edwards 2, Iwundu 2, Ervin II, Brown). Steals: 11 (Brown 4, Iwundu 3, Edwards 2, Wade, Ervin II). Technical Fouls: None.
TECH | Min | FG-A | FTM-A | Reb | A | PF | PT |
Smith | 33 | 6-8 | 1-1 | 1-6 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
Temple | 13 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Williams | 34 | 6-9 | 8-12 | 2-4 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
Evans | 28 | 6-7 | 6-8 | 0-2 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
Gotcher | 37 | 5-10 | 0-0 | 2-6 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
Thomas | 6 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Williamson | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ham | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gray | 14 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Ross | 23 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Ulvydas | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jackson | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sorrells | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Odiase | 8 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Totals | 200 | 29-49 | 15-21 | 7-25 | 13 | 21 | 80 |
Percentages: FG .592, FT .714. 3-Point Goals: 7-14, .500 (Gotcher 3-6, Evans 2-2, Ross 2-4, Gray 0-1, Thomas 0-1). Team Rebounds: 1. Blocked Shots: 4 (Smith 2, Temple, Gotcher). Turnovers: 15 (Williams 3, Evans 2, Smith 2, Ross 2, Williamson, Temple, Thomas, Gotcher, Odiase). Steals: 6 (Evans 3, Temple 2, Thomas). Technical Fouls: None.
Kansas St. | 28 | 43 | — | 71 |
Texas Tech | 36 | 44 | — | 80 |
A—12,359. Officials—Ray Natili, Rick Crawford, Duke Edsall.
Gimme an N
Kansas State coach Bruce Weber will use the NIT as motivation as the Wildcats prepare for the Big 12 Tournament.
“It’s huge,” Weber said. “We have talked about it. It would be great for our kids, any experience our kids can have playing in a tournament.”
K-State is on the NIT bubble, and will likely need at least one victory at Kansas City’s Sprint Center to feel good about its chances. It will open the Big 12 Tournament play-in round against Oklahoma State on Wednesday. A victory will match it against Kansas in the quarterfinals.
“Obviously, we came in with the goal to get in the NCAA Tournament,” Weber said. “The only opportunity we have is to win four in a row. We win three, maybe we are pushing it. We are getting some talk. If that’s not going to happen, it would be a great opportunity to get in the NIT and get some tournament experience for these guys.
“They deserve it. They have been great all year. I hope, for their sake, it happens. But we have to go to Kansas City and do something to make sure it happens.”
Ervin, Hurt ailing
Junior guard Carlbe Ervin and senior forward Stephen Hurt both missed time Saturday with minor injuries.
Ervin limped off the court in the first half and played sparingly in the second half. Hurt sprained his ankle fighting for a rebound, forcing him to the locker room for a brief time. After receiving treatment, he returned to the game.
Weber expects both players to be healthy enough to play in the Big 12 Tournament.
Kellis Robinett: @kellisrobinett
This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Wildcat report: K-State coach Bruce Weber covets NIT bid."