Kansas State Basketball: 7 Positive Signs Entering ‘Schulz Bowl’
By Stan Unruh
Kansas State Basketball is off to a fast start as they roll into Kansas City for a Saturday matchup with Washington State.
Last spring, the man who signed off on bringing basketball coach Bruce Weber to Kansas State University, president Kirk Schulz surprised many and announced he was leaving for the west coast.
In April Schulz was confirmed as the 11th president of Washington State University.
On Saturday, Schulz’s Washington State Cougars will be in Kansas City’s Sprint Center to take on the Kansas State Wildcats. The school is affectionately referring to the game as Schulz Bowl.
Schulz served 7 years as the president of Kansas State University (2009-16) before leaving for Pullman. Schulz helped hire Kansas State athletic director John Currie as well as head coach Bruce Weber during his tenure.
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Let’s consider seven items, one for each year of Schulz time in Manhattan, that have the Wildcat Basketball fans optimistic about this season.
Weber’s Wildcat team is off to an 8-1 start and has a lot of promise ahead of the Big 12 season.
The Wildcats are averaging 76.8 points on 50.2 percent shooting (249-of-496), including 41.2 percent (73-of-177) from 3-point range, through the first 9 games with averages of 37.3 rebounds, 17.1 assists, 8.2 steals and 4.8 blocks per game.
Kansas State has already totaled 119 fast-break points (12.8 ppg.), an improvement from 5.7 ppg. from 2015-16 (7.1 ppg.).
Five Wildcats are averaging in double figures, including 4 starters, led by Barry Brown’s 13.1 points per game average.
The team ranks 15th nationally in FG percentage, 17th in 3-point FG percentage and 33rd in assists per game.
The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 7 of the first 9 games, including 80 or more points 5 times.
Nine Wildcats are shooting 50 percent or better from the field, including 2 of 5 starters.
K-State already has 43 blocks this season, which is nearly 75 percent of the entire total (91) from 2015-16.
In November Kansas State officially named former joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Richard Myers as president. He had been serving as interim since Schulz left for the Pac 12. Both school presidents may attend Saturday’s game.