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The Pulse of Today, The Insight for Tomorrow

Example: K-State enters the second sunflower showdown on hot streak when KU heads to Manhattan

Example: K-State enters the second sunflower showdown on hot streak when KU heads to Manhattan

On February 9, 2025By Littum

Kansa’s principal coach Bill Self instructs his player to get back on the defense during the second half on Monday, February 3, 2025 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansa’s basketball team already beat his rival Kansas State once, but it was not a particularly dominant screen.

Jayhawks jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but basically traded baskets with wildcats in the remaining 36 minutes of playing time on January 18 at Allen Fieldhouse, even letting K-State pull within single digits on a few apartments in the second half.

Maybe something under K-State coach Jerome Tang’s second timeout four minutes into the sunflower showdown changed, since he lost to KU 84-74 that day, wildcats of some measurements have been one of the best teams in the country. Earlier 7-10 on the season and the mirror in such a disappointing campaign that the transfer of Coleman Hawkins had to answer questions after the KU loss about his decision to participate in wildcats in the portal in the first place, K-State suffered a more narrow loss, but then rolled four straight wins off.

Most recently bothered Wildcat’s then no. 3 Iowa State in Hilton Coliseum on Saturday and then gathered from an early 15-point deficit on the road to beating Arizona State with a point in a wild game on Tuesday night.

“They play with great energy,” said KU coach Bill Self on Thursday. “I think defensively, you look at them against Iowa State especially, I thought they just locked them down with their speed. Of course, they play at a high level offensively. Everyone plays well, but I would say Hawkins and obviously (dug) McDaniel (s) probably the key to it. They look quickly at me. “

Bart Torvik’s College Basketball Analytics Web site ranks Kansas State as the No. 2 team in the country since January 19, just behind Houston. KU is No. 12 on the same timeframe, which has shown three solid wins and two fantastic losses.

The two teams will recreate their rivalry again on Saturday at. 13 inside Bramlage Coliseum.

Jayhawks have a slight residual advantage after beating Iowa State at home on Big Monday – even five of his experienced players also rested Wednesday when the rest of the team practiced Tuesday night.

“It gives you a little more time to rest, but right now we feel we can’t rest,” Guard Zeke Mayo said on Thursday. “We are in a situation where we have to win a handful of games to even get rid of a little. “

The Manhattan edition of the Sunflower Showdown has been kind to K-State each of the last two seasons, with Tang’s flock claiming consecutive victories over Jayhawks, both in overtime.

“Everyone will feel that they are Ku’s biggest rival, which is why they will always have a great atmosphere and make it a very big game,” said Center Hunter Dickinson on January 18.

Even suggested that Hawkins present a challenging matchup to Jayhawks. He definitely did at the previous meeting when, despite shooting 5-for-14 from the field, he finished three rebounds that were less than a triple-double. During the Wildcats’ strip, he has continued to round out the form of offensively and is now an average of 13.2 points per year. Fight in conference games to go with 6.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

Marksman Brendan Hausen is 17-for-37 (45.9%) beyond the arch since the KU game and McDaniel scored a season high 20 points against Iowa State as part of a series of improved offensive show. In general, K-State’s starting lineup of Hausen, Hawkins, McDaniel, Max Jones and David N’Guessan has been well rounded in recent days.

K-State has also tied its opponents on the glass or exceeded them in every game in his winning row.

“It will be pretty informed down there in K-State, Manhattan, so we had to prepare for it,” said KU-Point Guard Dajuan Harris Jr. Know that they always play well there. “

Kansas State Wildcats (11-11, 5-6 BIG 12) against No. 16 Kansas Jayhawks (16-6, 7-4 Big 12)

• Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, 13.00

• Emit: ESPN

• Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network (in Lawrence, KLWN AM 1320 / K269GB FM 101.7 / KMXN FM 92.9)

Keep an eye on

Back in the fold: Part of the reason why Hawkins were such a bad matchup for Jayhawks in the first edition of Sunflower -Showdown was the absence of KJ Adams, who had just separated his shoulder three days earlier. K-State plays two big men with a frontcourt of Hawkins and N’Guessan, and the fifth year Senior Hawkins pulled Flory Bidunga, a beginner who started his first career start to poor trouble with knowledgeable movements in the position. When Zach Clemence also hurt, KU had to go to an awkward four-guard lineup with AJ Storr, defending Hawkins. There will probably be no need for it Saturday, and Adams, who has athletics to defend Hawkins both on the perimeter and in the position, has returned to its usual workload of 30 plus minutes. Even said of Hawkins, “There is nothing that says he can’t get 20 and 10, but I think our ability to protect him one-on-one has been improved with KJ out there.”

Creeping up: Self has said he will keep Adams, Harris and Dickinson, who play about 30 minutes per day. Battle or fewer. For some time he kept true to this plan in the non -conference game, and even in the Big 12 competition, Bidunga has done well enough to reduce Adams’ minutes to 28.5 per year. Match. But Dickinson now plays 32.9 minutes, and Harris 34.1, including 36.5 in his last six appearances (a period that also includes an ankle injury). The notion of keeping Harris better rested to allow him to exercise with maximum capacity in defense when he is in the game has fallen by the road a little in recent days, especially with colleague -guard Shakeel Moore still dealing With occasional tenderness from his foot injury.

First five: On the note improved the starting lineup of Harris, Adams and Dickinson with Mayo and Rylan Griffen to 6-0 on the season with KU’s victory over ISU on Monday. Griffen is the latest addition after first and foremost coming from the bench for a period of about two months. The wing has not always had his shooting touch, although his game has generally improved in recent weeks, but he is clearly impressed even enough to get a place that has been plenty of competition this year. Could he and colleague transfer AJ Storr (eight points on Monday) finally in shape? Even said he thought they both showed a good effort for the defense against cyclones.

Off-Kilter Observation

In addition to once a teammate in Michigan, Dickinson and McDaniel were also facing in high school when they both played in Washington, DC, Area, McDaniel at Paul VI in Chantilly, Virginia and Dickinson in Dematha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland.