Game Preview: K-State Men’s Basketball V. Alabama Huntsville
By Dave Thoman
Scott Sewell-US PRESSWIRE
The stage is set, and at ten tonight the Wildcats engage in the second and final play-in game before their NIT Preseason Tournament semifinal match in Madison Square Garden. K-State must win this game to advance and, no offese to Alabama-Huntsville (UAH), those considering visiting New York to watch the Wildcats can go ahead and punch their tickets. The UAH Chargers are a Division II school, and though they’ve certainly achieved success at that level, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to run with Bruce Weber’s crew. Here’s what you need to know about the Chargers:
UAH has made two straight Elite Eight appearances on the DII level, and opened the season ranked third in the Coaches Poll (for any Washburn alums out there, of which The Jug counts itself, the Ichabods started the season ranked second). The Chargers have already defeated one Division I opponent this year, downing North Texas to advance to their game against Kansas State. Other interesting facts about Alabama-Huntsville include that the school is a member of the Gulf South Conference in all sports but hockey. Yes, a university with 6,100 undergraduates in Huntsville, Alabama has a DI hockey team. Incoming freshman at the public institution boast an average ACT score of 25 (make jokes about public schools in Alabama having an average ACT score of 25 at your own peril), and the school is classified as a Space Grant institution. The Jug isn’t quite sure what that means, but its students probably scored higher on the ACT than anyone here.
Virginia and Delaware both won their games in the South Division last night, and will face off tonight to determine K-State’s first opponent in the Garden next Wednesday.