By Henry Rawn

KANSAS STATE NOTES

https://www.kstatesports.com/documents/2024/12/29/12_Game_Notes_Cincinnati.pdf

CINCINNATI NOTES

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/gobearcats.com/documents/2024/12/28/2024-25_Game_Notes_K-State.pdf

KANSAS STATE 2024-25 RECORD BOOK

https://www.kstatesports.com/documents/2024/10/14/Full_Guide_w-Covers__Web_.pdf

The Wildcats and Bearcats will meet for the first time at Bramlage Coliseum.

GAME 12
KANSAS STATE (6-5) vs. 17/17 CINCINNATI (10-1)
Monday, December 30, 2024 >> 6 p.m., CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) >> Manhattan, Kan.
Big 12 Opener

TICKETS
Single-game ticket start at $20
kstatesports.com/tickets

PROMOTIONS
Star Wars Night
Pregame Star Wars experience with character appearances, Jedi Willie photobooth and a chance to destroy the death star.

Junior Wildcats Club Day
Members of K-State’s official kids club receive a special ticket offer for this game, and the first 250 Junior Wildcats Club members to check in will receive a mini light saber.

TELEVISION
CBS Sports Network (online link)

• Chris Lewis (play-by-play)
• Mike O’Donnell (analyst)
• Matthew Kushner (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Ch. 382
Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

• Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
• Stan Weber (analyst)

LIVE STATS
kstate.statbroadcast.com

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College ’07]
Record at K-State: 51-30/3rd Year
Career Record: 53-30*/3rd Year+
vs. Cincinnati: 0-1 [0-0 at home]

Cincinnati: Wes Miller [North Carolina ’07]
Record at Cincinnati: 73-44/4th Year
Career Record: 258-179/14th Year
vs. K-State: 1-0 [0-0 on the road]

LAST GAME STARTERS:
K-State (6-5)
G: #10 David Castillo
G: #11 Brendan Hausen
G: #2 Max Jones
W: #33 Coleman Hawkins
W: #1 David N’Guessan

17/17 Cincinnati (10-1)
G: #00 Dan Skillings Jr.
G: #2 Jizzle James
G/F: #41 Simas Lukosius
F: #23 Dillon Mitchell
C: #55 Aziz Bandaogo

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Cincinnati leads 8-1
In Manhattan: Cincinnati leads 2-0
At Bramlage Coliseum: First meeting
Active Streak: Cincinnati, 8
First Meeting: W, 83-80 [2 OTs] [3/14/1958 in Lawrence, Kan.]
Last Meeting: L, 72-74 [3/2/2024 in Cincinnati]
Jerome Tang vs. Wes Miller: 0-1

K-STATE PLAYS HOST TO 17/17 CINCINNATI IN BIG 12 OPENER MONDAY
K-State (6-5) begins a new season on Monday, as the Wildcats play host to No. 17/17 Cincinnati (10-1) in the Big 12 opener for both teams at Bramlage Coliseum. The game will tip off at 6 p.m., CT and will air on CBS Sports Network. This will be the first of 5 games on the network this season.

K-State is 56-55 all-time in conference openers dating back to the Missouri Valley Conference era in 1914, including a 38-20 mark at home. The Wildcats is 13-15 in Big 12 openers, including 8-4 at Bramlage Coliseum. Head coach Jerome Tang is 2-0 in Big 12 openers, including an 82-76 overtime win at home over West Virginia on Dec. 21, 2022, and a 77-52 win at home over UCF on Jan. 6, 2024.

This will mark the 10th meeting between K-State and Cincinnati and the just the second since the Bearcats joined the Big 12. UC has dominated the series, winning 8 straight since losing the first meeting between the schools in double overtime at the 1958 NCAA Tournament. Last season, the Bearcats won a thriller 74-72 on Simas Lukosius’ 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds in Cincinnati.

LAST TIME OUT
A 12-3 midway through the second half provided the lift Wichita State needed in a tight game, as the Shockers ended a 5-game losing streak to K-State with an 84-65 win on Dec. 21 at Koch Arena. The loss gave the Wildcats a 6-5 in in non-conference record, its worst start (5-6) since 2020-21.

Wichita State exploded for 55 second-half points on 63 percent (17-of-27) shooting, including 75 percent (3-of-4) from 3-point range, to blow open a game that was single digits for much of the night. The Shockers were also stellar from the free throw line, connecting on 18-of-20 attempts.

K-State was led by sophomore Macaleab Rich, who posted his first career 20-point game with a career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Junior Brendan Hausen added 13 points on 4-of-8 field goals, all from 3-point range.

KEY STORYLINES

• K-State has the fourth-hardest remaining strength of schedule according to ESPN’s Power Index, as the Wildcats begin their 20-game Big 12 slate on Monday vs. 17/17 Cincinnati (10-1) at home. Nine of the top 13 most difficult remaining schedules belong to Big 12 teams.
• It’s still a small sample size (11 games) but K-State seems to be a better scoring team, averaging 78.1 points on 46.3 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from 3-point range with 9.4 makes per game. The Wildcats have hit on better than 50 percent from the field in 5 of 11 games with 4 double-digit 3-point games. The team is 6-0 when scoring 74 or more points and 0-5 when they don’t.
• Newcomers have combined to score 648 (75.4 percent) of the team’s 859 points, accounting for 29 of the 39 double-digit scoring games. Senior returner David N’Guessan (21, 12, 16, 10, 17, 10, 10, 17, 15 and 13 points) has scored in double figures in 10 of 11 games, but the next 6 highest scorers are newcomers, including 8 double-digit scoring efforts by junior Brendan Hausen and 5 each by senior Max Jones, junior Dug McDaniel and senior Coleman Hawkins.

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

• End a 3-game overall losing streak.
• Snap an 8-game losing streak to Cincinnati.
• Be the first against the Bearcats since 1958.
• Be the first ever against the Bearcats at home.
• Give the Wildcats a 57-55 record in conference openers.

NOTES ON 17/17 CINCINNATI

• Led by fifth-year head coach Wes Miller, No. 17/17 Cincinnati is 10-1 on the season, including 2-1 on the road, after running its winning streak to 4 games with an 84-49 win over Grambling State on Dec. 22. The Bearcats opened the season with 6 straight wins, including road victories at Northern Kentucky and Georgia Tech, before dropping their first game of the season at Villanova, 68-60, in the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle on Dec. 3.
• Cincinnati is averaging 79.5 points on 48.7 percent shooting, including 35.7 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 58.5 points on 37.5 percent from the field, including 27.5 percent from 3-point range. The Bearcats are hitting on 65.3 percent from the free throw line. They rank eighth in field goal percentage defense, ninth in scoring defense, 10th in 3-point field goal percentage defense and turnovers/game (9.4) and 11th in scoring margin (+20.9) and assist/turnover ratio (1.79).
• Four players are averaging in double figures led by senior guard/forward Simas Lukosius, who is averaging 14.9 points on 47.6 percent shooting with a team-high 33 3-pointers. Sophomore Jizzle James is second in scoring at 12.0 points per game on 45.8 percent shooting to go with a team-best 57 assists, while Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell (11.4 ppg.) and junior Dan Skillings Jr. (10.2 ppg.) also average double figures. Mitchell paces the team in rebounding (7.5 rpg.) and steals (1.7 spg.).
• Miller has a 258-179 overall record in his 14th season as a head coach, including a 73-44 mark in his fifth season at Cincinnati. He spent 10 seasons as the head coach at UNC Greensboro from 2011-21, posting an 185-135 record with 5 postseason appearances (NCAA bids in 2018 and 2021).

LAST GAME OUT

• Cincinnati wrapped up non-conference play with a dominate 84-49 win over Grambling on Dec. 22 at home. The Bearcats connected on 46.2 percent from the field with 3 players in double figures, while holding the Tigers to 34 percent shooting, including 14.3 percent from 3-point range.

SERIES HISTORY

• Cincinnati leads the all-time series, 8-1, including 2-0 in games played (1962, 1967) in Manhattan. The Bearcats have won 7 straight in the series dating back to the 1959 NCAA Tournament.
• Four of the nine all-time meetings have come in the NCAA Tournament, including 1958, 1959, 1961 and 2017.
• The Bearcats have won the 2 all-time matchups in Manhattan, including 75-61 on Dec. 14, 1962, and 58-56 in overtime on Dec. 16, 1967.

ALL-TIME MEETINGS [1-8]

+NCAA Tournament

LAST MEETING
CINCINNATI 74, K-STATE 72 [Mar. 4, 2024]

• K-State made a furious rally to flip a double-digit deficit into a one-point lead with 1:16 to play, but Simas Lukosius’ 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds proved to be the difference, as Cincinnati earned a 74-72 win in the last meeting between the schools on March 2, 2024 at Fifth Third Arena.
• K-State’s Tylor Perry led all scorers with 26 points, including 17 in the second half, while Cincinnati was paced by John Newman III’s 18 points. He was joined in double figures by Day Day Thomas (14 points), Lukosius (13 points) and Jizzle James (10 points).

LAST TIME OUT:
WICHITA STATE 84, K-STATE 65

• A 12-3 midway through the second half provided the lift Wichita State needed in a tightly contested game, as the Shockers ended a 5-game skid to K-State with an 84-65 win on Dec. 21 before 8,253 fans at Koch Arena.
• Wichita State (9-3) exploded for 55 second-half points on 63 percent (17-of-27) shooting, including 75 percent (3-of-4) from 3-point range, to blow open a game that was single digits for much of the night. The Shockers were also stellar from the free throw line, connecting on 18-of-20 attempts.
• Senior Xavier Bell scored 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second half to pace four Shockers in double figures, while junior Corey Washington (18 points, 10 rebounds) and senior Quincy Ballard (10 points, 10 rebounds) each had double-doubles. Fifth-year Justin Hill also added 13 points.
• K-State (6-5) was led by sophomore Macaleab Rich, who registered his first career 20-point game with a career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Junior Brendan Hausen added 13 points on 4-of-8 field goals, all from 3-point range.
• The Wildcats trailed for much of the first half before an 18-6 run to end the half gave them a 33-29 lead heading into the halftime break. The team went back and forth in the early going before a pivotal 12-3 run by the Shockers gave them a 56-48 lead with 9:38 to play.
• A free throw by Hausen cut the deficit to 60-54 just after the third media timeout with 7:33 left, however, the Shockers scored on 3 straight possessions to push the lead into double figures at 66-54 and force a timeout by head coach Jerome Tang with 5:33 remaining.
• Although K-State scored on back-to-back possessions out of the timeout to get within 66-58, WSU answered back with 5 of the next 7 points to go back up by double figures at the final media timeout with 3:41 to play. The lead exploded from there, as the Shockers ended their 5-game losing streak.
• For the game, the Wildcats connected on 36.2 percent (25-of-69) from the field, including 28.1 percent (9-of-32) from the 3-point range, and made just 6-of-15 free throws.
• WSU connected on an opponent-high 50.8 percent (30-of-59) from the field, including 44 points in the paint, and were stellar from the free throw line, hitting on 20-of-22 attempts. The Shockers also converted 12 Wildcat turnovers into 16 points, while allowing 6 points off just 8 turnovers. They also held a 16-2 advantage in fast-break points.

POSTGAME NEWS & NOTES

• K-State still leads the series, 23-12, with WSU, in this, the first meeting at Koch Arena since Nov. 21, 2000… The Shockers now own a 10-6 mark in games played in Wichita, including 8-3 at Koch Arena… The last time the Wildcats won at Koch Arena was Dec. 10, 1997.
• The game was the last in a 4-game series that began in 2021. The Wildcats won the first 3 in the series, including 65-59 at INTRUST Bank Arena on Dec. 5, 2021, 55-50 at Bramlage Coliseum on Dec. 3, 2022, and 69-60 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on Dec. 21, 2023.
• K-State is now 187-61 in non-conference play since 2006-07.
• K-State’s 9 blocked shots were a season-high.
• Wichita State hit on an opponent-high 50.8 percent (30-of-59) from the field.
• Wichita State held advantages in points off turnovers (16-6), points in the paint (44-28) and fast break points (16-2).

BETTER OFFENSE, BETTER SHOOTERS

• K-State is averaging 78.1 points through 11 games on 46.3 percent shooting, including 36.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with 17.3 assists per game. The Wildcats rank in the top-50 nationally in assists (34th), while they are 63rd in 3-pointers/game (9.4), 80th in 3-point field goal percentage and 84th in 3-point field goal attempts/game (25.9).
• The Wildcats have scored 74 or more points in all 6 of their wins, including 80 or more in 4 contests, highlighted by the school-record 120-point effort vs. UAPB (12/1/24). The 120 points topped the previous record of 116 set in a win at No. 6/6 Texas on Jan. 3, 2023, while they were the most in a home game, surpassing the 115 scored against Delaware State in 1991 and Fresno State in 1994.
• K-State has connected on better than 50 percent from the field in 5 of 11 games, including a season-high 61.5 percent (40-of-65) vs. UAPB (12/1/24). The team hit on 57.8 percent vs. Cleveland State (11/9/24), 51.8 percent vs. George Washington (11/22/24) and 58.9 percent vs. Longwood (11/25/24).
• Nine players are shooting better than 40 percent from the field led by senior David N’Guessan’s 67.0 field goal percentage (61-of-91), which ranks seventh nationally and second in the Big 12 through 11 games.

BETTER FROM 3-POINT RANGE

• One of the top priorities for head coach Jerome Tang and his coaching staff this offseason was getting better production from the 3-point line. Last season, K-State ranked last in the Big 12 and 289th nationally in 3-point percentage at 31.8, while the Wildcats were eighth in the league and 183rd in the nation in 3-point field goals made/game at 7.4.
• Through 11 games, the Wildcats have made dramatic improvement in that area, as they rank 80th nationally and eighth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage (36.1) and 63rd in the nation and sixth in the league in 3-point field goals made/game (9.4). They are also fourth in the Big 12 in attempts (25.9).
• K-State has connected on 10 or more 3-pointers in 4 games, including a near school-record 21 triples vs. UAPB (12/1/24). The 21 3-pointers are the second-most in school history and the most since hitting a record 23 in vs. Fresno State on March 24, 1994. In addition, the Wildcats made 13 treys vs. New Orleans (11/5/24), 10 vs. Cleveland State (11/9/24) and 11 vs. Longwood (11/25/24).
• Three Wildcats have already registered double-digit 3-pointers led by junior Brendan Hausen’s 38 makes. Hausen ranks second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made (38) and 3-point attempts (88) as well as 3-pointers/game (3.45). He ranks among the top-70 nationally in all 4 categories. Ten different players have at least 2 made 3-pointers this season, including 15 by senior Max Jones and 12 by senior Coleman Hawkins.

OVERTIME STREAK ENDS

• K-State saw its 12-game winning streak in overtime games end in the 73-70 loss to unbeaten Drake on Dec. 21 in the Wildcat Classic at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. In a game in which they trailed by as many as 20 points in the first half, the Wildcats seemingly tied the game at 70-all in overtime on a 3-pointer by senior Coleman Hawkins with 13 seconds before the Bulldogs’ Bennett Stirtz’s 3-pointer with 4 seconds left proved to be the game-winner.
• K-State’s 12-game overtime winning streak was the second-longest in Division I history since 1950 and the second-longest current streak behind Florida State (14; 2018-current) and right ahead of Winthrop (10; 2017-current).
• K-State set the Division I single-season record with 7 overtime wins in 2023-24, which included Providence (73-70), Oral Roberts (88-78), North Alabama (75-74) and Villanova (72-71) in non-conference play and No. 9/9 Baylor (68-64), No. 4/4 Kansas (75-70) and West Virginia (94-90) in Big 12 action.
• The 7 overtime wins in 2023-24 set the Division I single-season record, snapping a tie of 6 with Wake Forest (1983-84), Chattanooga (1988-89) and Lafayette (2007-08).  The 7 overtime wins also broke the school record of 5, while it was the most overtime games in school history (5 total set in 1992-93 and 2022-23). The 6 overtime home wins were also the Division I mark.
• The loss also snapped coach Jerome Tang‘s 13-game personal winning streak in overtime game, which dated back to an overtime win as interim head coach at Baylor in 2013 over Texas.

SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

• K-State has posted a 187-61 (.764) record in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season. During that span, the Wildcats have a 146-18 (.899) mark at home venues (includes games played at Bramlage Coliseum, INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita and the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City) in non-conference play, including a 130-14 (.907) mark at Bramlage Coliseum.
• K-State’s 12-1 non-conference mark in 2022-23 was the best since the 2009-10 team went a program-best 13-1. Last season, the team went 10-3 in non-conference play, including 7-1 at Bramlage Coliseum.

‘CATS PICKED 8TH IN BIG 12 POLL; HAWKINS NAMED CO-NEWCOMER

• K-State was picked eighth in the new 16-team Big 12 preseason poll, while senior transfer Coleman Hawkins was named the league’s co-Newcomer of the Year, alongside Baylor’s Jeremy Roach.
• Hawkins is the first Wildcat to be selected as the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and the fourth to be chosen for a preseason player honor, joining Michael Beasley (2007-08 Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year), Jacob Pullen (2010-11 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year) and Dean Wade (2018-19 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year).
• Hawkins, who earned All-Big Ten honors at Illinois in 2023-24, was also selected to the preseason All-Big 12 Second Team by the league coaches, joining Baylor’s Norchad Omier and Roach, Iowa State’s Keshon Gilbert and Kansas’ Dajuan Harris Jr.
• Hawkins is also the first Wildcat to earn selection to one of the main preseason all-conference teams by the coaches since Barry Brown Jr. and Wade in 2018-19. He is one of eight players in school history to be chosen for preseason all-conference honors dating to Manny Dies in 1998-99. Others include Pullen and Curtis Kelly in 2010-11, Rodney McGruder in 2012-13 and Marcus Foster in 2014-15.
• K-State received 133 points to place eighth in the poll, just two points behind seventh-place Texas Tech and 17 points ahead of ninth-place BYU.
• Kansas was picked first with 215 points and nine first-place votes followed closely by Houston (211, five first-place votes), third-place Iowa State (194, one first-place vote), fourth-place Baylor (185) and fifth-place Arizona (179, one first-place vote).
• Hawkins has also been named to the watch list for the Naismith Trophy as well as the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

1700 WINS ANDCOUNTING

• K-State entered the 2024-25 season as one of the winningest programs in Division I history, as the Wildcats have posted a 1,740-1,238 (.584) all-time record which includes 32 NCAA Tournament appearances and 21 conference championships.
• The 1,740 wins tie Marquette for the 43rd-most in Division I history, including the seventh-most among current Big 12 schools.

N’GUESSAN OFF TO STRONG START

• Senior David N’Guessan is off to a strong start to his fifth and final year of college in 2024-25, as the De Lier, The Netherlands native has scored in double figures in a team-leading 10 games. He is second on the team in scoring at 13.6 points per game on a team-best 67 percent shooting (61-of-91) from the field while he is second in rebounding at 6.7 boards per game.
• N’Guessan made quite the season debut against New Orleans on Nov. 5 becoming the first Wildcat with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in an opener since Wesley Iwundu (23 points, 10 rebounds) did it against UMES on Nov. 13, 2015. He scored his 21 points on 10-of-14 field goals to go with 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in nearly 31 minutes. It was his fourth career double-double and his first career 20-point, 10-rebound performance.
• N’Guessan followed with 16 points vs. LSU (11/14/24) before adding a near double-double in the win over George Washington (11/22/24) with 17 points and 9 rebounds. He saw his streak of 10 consecutive double-digit scoring games come to an end in the game at Wichita State (12/21/24) with 9 points.
• N’Guessan, the last remaining member of the 2023 Elite Eight team, is in his third season at K-State after transferring from Virginia Tech in 2022-23. He has scored 593 points in his Wildcat career, connecting on 64.1 percent from the field, to go with 401 rebounds, 71 assists, 47 blocks and 52 steals in 73 games played with 49 starts. He has 4 career double-doubles.
• N’Guessan is coming off a career year in 2023-24, in which, he posted career-highs in points (265), double-digit scoring games (14), field goals made (111) and attempted (190), rebounds (230), assists (31), blocks (26), steals (24) and total minutes (935). He also collected 3 double-doubles.
• N’Guessan has been a part of 89 victories in college, including 3 trips to the NCAA Tournament (2021, 2022, 2023), an NIT appearance in 2024, an ACC Tournament title in 2022 at Virginia Tech and Elite Eight run in 2023 at K-State.

MR. ALL-AROUND

• Senior wing Coleman Hawkins has proven himself to be an elite all-around player for the Wildcats, as he leads the team in rebounding (7.2 rpg.), assists (4.2 apg.), steals (2.4 spg.), blocks (1.5 bpg.) and minutes (33.1 mpg.) while he is fourth in scoring (9.2 ppg.).
• Hawkins has registered at least 4 assists and 2 steals in 7 of 11 games played, while he has grabbed 5 or more rebounds on 8 occasions and had 5 games of at least 2 blocks. He has scored in double figures 5 times, including a season-high 19 points in the win over Longwood (11/25/24) on 7-of-10 field goals, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range.
• Hawkins ranks in the top-15 in 5 categories in the Big 12, including fourth in minutes (33.1 mpg.), fifth in steals (2.4 spg.), eighth in blocks (1.5 bpg.), ninth in rebounds (7.2 rpg.) and 13th in assists (4.2 apg.).
• Hawkins was named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team on Nov. 25 after averaging 13.0 points on 55.6 percent (15-of-27) shooting from the field, including 50 percent (7-of-14) from 3-point range, with 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game. He registered his seventh career double-double and his first as a Wildcat with his 19-point, 10-rebound effort vs. Longwood (11/25/24) which also included 5 assists.

HAUSEN GOOD FROM 3

• Junior guard Brendan Hausen has given the Wildcats a scoring threat from 3-point range, as the Villanova transfer ranks second in the Big 12 in total 3-point field goals made (38), 3-pointers attempted (88) and 3-pointers/game (3.45) and seventh in 3-point percentage (43.2).
• Hausen has connected on at least 2 made 3-pointers in 10 of 11 games while he had a season-high 6 makes against Cleveland State (11/9/24) and at St. John’s (12/7/24). Three times he has 4 treys (UNO, Liberty and WSU), while he made 3 in back-to-back games vs. Longwood (11/25/24) and UAPB (12/1/24).
• Hausen had his best game to date in the last outing at St. John’s (12/7/24), as he posted his second 20-point game of the season with a career-best 27 points on 9-of-17 field goals, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the first half, becoming the 21st player in school history to score 20 or more points in an opening half.
• A starter in all 11 games, Hausen leads the Wildcats in scoring (13.9 ppg.) while connecting on 44.3 percent from the field, including 43.2 percent from 3-point range. He is second on the team behind David N’Guessan with 8 double-digit scoring games, including 6 of the last 7 games.
• Dubbed the ‘Amarillo Assassin’ for his 3-point ability in high school, Hausen has totaled 126 made 3-pointers in his 77-game college career, making 40.5 percent from the field. He was Villanova’s top 3-point shooting threat in 2023-24, totaling 61 makes on 38.1 percent shooting from the bench.

POINT GUARD BY COMMITTEE

• A weakness a year ago, head coach Jerome Tang made it a point to have options at the point guard position in 2024-25, bringing in transfers C.J. Jones (UIC) and Dug McDaniel (Michigan) to go with incoming freshman David Castillo. Throw in versatile big man Coleman Hawkins, who leads the team with 4.2 assists/game, and the coaching staff have plenty of ball handlers.
• K-State is averaging 17.3 assists through 11 games this season, which ranks 34th nationally and seventh in the Big 12, while the team has assists on more than 60 percent of their made baskets (190 out of 311). The Wildcats have dished out more than 20 assists 3 times, including 30 on 40 field goals while breaking the school scoring record (120) vs. UAPB (12/1/24). The 30 assists tied for the second-most and the most since the record of 34 was set in 1985.
• Jones has started 8 games this season, averaging 6.9 points on 41.5 percent shooting with 2.4 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game. He has at least 2 assists in 8 games, including a season-high 4 vs. New Orleans (11/5/24) and George Washington (11/22/24), while he scored a season-high 12 points vs. Mississippi Valley State (11/19/24).
• McDaniel has provided a spark from the bench, ranking second in assists (45) while averaging 26.6 minutes per game. He has at least 3 assists in 8 games played, including a career-best 10 against UAPB (12/1/24). He has scored in double figures in 5 of the last 8 games, including a season-best 18 points vs. UAPB to post his first career double-double.
• Castillo, who posted his first career double-digit scoring game (17 points) vs. UAPB (12/1/24), has started each of the last 2 games.

COURTESY KANSAS STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS