Kansas State Can Beat Top-Ranked Baylor

Nov 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward D.J. Johnson (4) with then all against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half of the championship game of the Barclays Center Classic at Barclays Center. Maryland won 69-68. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward D.J. Johnson (4) with then all against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half of the championship game of the Barclays Center Classic at Barclays Center. Maryland won 69-68. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Kansas State Wildcat Basketball team had been off to their best start since 2009-10. Four points separate Bruce Weber’s Wildcats from among the nation’s few undefeated teams.

The Kansas State Wildcats are a good basketball team. Any team with a 13-3 record that lost three games by a total of four points is doing something right.

The Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the nation and the most difficult to win on the road.

The season doesn’t get easier for the Wildcats. The good news: They will play at home on Saturday.

The bad news: The nation’s top-ranked Baylor Bears visit Bramlage.

The weather forecast isn’t good but the Octagon should be full.

Bruce Weber’s guys will need all the help they can get to beat a team coming off a beat down at West Virginia on Tuesday 89-68. The Bear’s first loss of the season.

Kansas State has knocked off the last three teams to come to the ‘Octagon of Doom’ ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

You may recall how the Wildcats handled a visit by a number one ranked team 11 months ago.

On Saturday February 6, 2016 the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners fell to the unranked Wildcats 80-69.

The ‘Cats got a big performance from Wes Iwundu. He had 22 points and D.J. Johnson contributed 12 points while grabbing 8 rebounds in that high-point of the season.

More from Jug of Snyder

The player who made the difference that night came off the bench.

Dean Wade didn’t start against the Sooners. Weber was trying to motivate him and kept him out of the starting lineup. Wade responded with 17 points on 7-11 shooting. It’s time for Dean to do the same against the Bears.

Texas Tech held him scoreless in the first half on Tuesday in Lubbock. Despite fouling out in the closing minute, Dean had a fantastic second half against Red Raiders. He needs to play strong for 40 minutes against this bigger Baylor team.

If the ‘Cats can get the crowd rocking, keep Johnson out of foul trouble and Dean Wade is aggressive, they can knock off the Bears.