NCAAB Game Preview - Kennesaw State at Kansas State
Fri Nov 9, 2018 8:00 PM EST

SIU
59
KY
71
F
UL
65
Tenn
87
F
Pacif
61
Nev
83
F
UNC
116
Elon
67
F
Wash
66
Aub
88
F
KennSt
41
KSU
56
F
Buff
99
WVU
94
F(OT)
E WA
47
Oreg
81
F
GWebb
59
VaTec
87
F
APSU
67
MissSt
95
F
LongB
80
UCLA
91
F
NCC
51
Clem
71
F
UNCG
91
LSU
97
F
Drex
62
E MI
66
F
(N/A)
70
MTSU
102
F
(N/A)
58
NebOm
94
F
(N/A)
75
CSBak
111
F
IndSt
78
WIGB
74
F
WichSt
83
Prov
80
F
BGSU
80
StJon
84
F
Detr
67
Temp
83
F
Stan
72
UNCW
59
F
Morg
62
StFPA
80
F
FaDi
55
Rut
90
F
VMI
55
Pitt
94
F
Toled
87
Oakl
86
F
Piedm
52
Mercer
105
F
UNH
75
UMass
104
F
NE
81
Harv
71
F
Dart
76
David
79
F
Monm
74
Colg
87
F
Vermt
78
Boston
72
F
Ark
71
Tex
73
F(OT)
NoKY
88
NIU
85
F(2OT)
Mizzu
59
IaSt
76
F
Hamp
57
VCU
69
F
Stony
83
SouthCar
81
F
Longw
63
Rich
58
F
(N/A)
51
Princ
85
F
Leh
62
Mia-FL
83
F
Amer
78
GMas
75
F(OT)
ChaSo
46
Fla
76
F
ChiSt
60
CenMI
101
F
NFla
72
PSU
87
F
CoCar
85
Campbl
75
F
JSU
72
Samf
92
F
ODU
64
StJos
79
F
Brown
81
LIU
83
F
Lamar
69
GaTec
88
F
JWFL
47
FIU
117
F
MtStM
61
Hof
79
F
WlmCry
57
SeLA
78
F
(N/A)
49
InWor
63
F
NJIT
74
Bingha
57
F
(N/A)
83
TXAMC
113
F
AF
57
TxSt
67
F
RobM
60
MOSt
74
F
(N/A)
62
ORU
79
F
MTSt
35
Ind
80
F
(N/A)
55
Alc
79
F
Furm
60
LoyIL
58
F
Rice
76
Penn
92
F
JMU
73
ECU
72
F
Albany
68
Iona
72
F
Okla
91
UTRGV
76
F
JarCh
68
Gram
105
F
Savan
76
UGA
110
F
MD
78
Navy
57
F
McNee
52
AzSt
80
F
UTEP
69
NMSt
96
F
Hartfo
73
UtSt
100
F
(N/A)
56
N CO
126
F
GASt
74
Mont
81
F
MsVl
52
TxTch
84
F
IL-C
78
Radf
88
F
ArkSt
73
AbCh
94
F
(N/A)
53
Web
123
F
UCIrv
74
TAMU
73
F
SDCh
71
CBU
87
F
PVAM
81
SCla
64
F
USD
76
UCDav
57
F
UtVal
65
BYU
75
F
(N/A)
52
Sac
76
F
(N/A)
48
N TX
93
F
Yale
76
Cal
59
F
Portl
64
HI
82
F
Expectations high as No. 12 Kansas State takes on Kennesaw State
Thu Nov 8, 2018 9:29 PM

The expectations are very high for No. 12 Kansas State, as the Wildcats return every significant player from last year's squad that reached the Elite 8 and they added two players to fill in the gaps. The Wildcats open the 2018-19 season Friday when they host Kennesaw State at Bramlage Coliseum.

The Wildcats return 94 percent of their scoring and 91 percent of their rebounding from 2017-18. All the starters return, including Dean Wade, who led the team in scoring (16.2 points per game) and rebounding (6.2 per game). Wade missed all but a few minutes of K-State's run through the NCAA tournament with an injured left foot.

He's fully healthy now, and ready to show why he was a preseason Big 12 player of the year.

"I went out there and dunked one first thing," Wade said when asked about the first thing he did when he was cleared to practice.

"(Rebounding) is really (the) main focus for me. I just had to work hard in the weight room this offseason and gain some strength. I'm going to go after every rebound. Last year, I didn't go after every rebound, only the ones that went in my area. That is a big thing for me, to go out of my area and get all the rebounds.

But Wade is not the only reason head coach Bruce Weber is excited about his seventh season in Manhattan.

"You're always excited at this time, but for us probably a little more because we have a lot of veterans back," Weber said at Big 12 Media Day in October. "We have some experienced seniors in Barry Brown, Dean Wade and Kamau Stokes who have started since their freshmen years. You have the experience factor and the leadership of those guys--probably as good (at leading) as I've ever coached.

"They're all good workers, which helps us. We have basically the whole team back and many of them started on a team that went to the Elite Eight."

The last time the Wildcats came off an Elite 8 run, they finished the next season 23-11, including 10-6 (third place) in the Big 12, and got bounced in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

"Every team is different," he said. "We're going through the learning process, figuring out each role and who the other guys are going to be. We will see what happens, but it's a fun time of the year and we're excited, looking forward to hopefully an exciting season for K-State basketball."

The Wildcats' biggest weakness was rebounding, where they finished last in the Big 12 and 340th in the nation. But junior Austin Trice, the leading rebounder in junior college last year, should help there.

"They got to the Elite Eight last year without me," Trice said. "Now, Coach Weber says he needs rebounding. I just plan on running the floor hard, rebounding everything that comes off the rim and not letting anyone get in my way."

Kennesaw State (1-0 after a victory over Division III Oglethorpe) finished 10-20 last season. The Owls are led by junior guard Tyler Hooker who scored 10.8 points per game. He was second on the team with 38 steals.

The Owls are coached by Al Skinner, a former Division I national coach of the year and two-time BIG EAST Conference Coach of the Year (with Boston College). He enters his fourth season as the Kennesaw State head coach, and carries a 420-348 record all-time.

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Kennesaw State  
Kansas State  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

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