Weber’s Wildcats Overcome Distractions In Denver
By Stan Unruh
Kansas State Wildcat coach Bruce Weber has every reason to be proud of his team following Saturday’s win in Denver. It could have been a very different outcome considering all the distractions.
The Wildcats wore black. It was cold and other Kansas State Wildcat students were already off on Christmas Break.
The team knew they were without redshirt freshmen Isaiah Maurice and Dante Williams. Maurice had been suspended indefinitely, while Williams opted to transfer.
Give this Wildcat basketball team a lot of credit. They played hard for coach Bruce Weber.
Senior forward D.J. Johnson keyed a complete-game effort by leading six players in double figures with his third career double-double, as Kansas State earned an 89-70 win over Colorado State in the Duel in Denver on Saturday afternoon in front of 7,318 fans at the Pepsi Center.
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The ‘Cats have led by 19 or more points in every game this season except the Maryland game.
Johnson was one of a season-high six Wildcats in double figures, as sophomore Barry Brown (14), freshman Xavier Sneed (12), senior Wesley Iwundu (11) and sophomores Kamau Stokes (10) and Dean Wade (10) each registered double digits.
The Wildcats scored 36 of their 89 points in the paint.
The ‘Cats are shooting it well, connecting on 49.2 percent (31-of-63) from the field and shooting a season-best 90 percent (18-of-20) from the free throw line.
With 9 triples Saturday, K-State has at least 7 3-pointers in 9 games… The Wildcats are now 55-17 under Bruce Weber when connecting on at least 6 3-pointers, including 9-0 this season.
Seven Wildcats connected on at least one 3-pointer for the second time this season… Before doing it against in a win over Green Bay, the team had not done it in a game since 2011.
K-State is now made at least one 3-pointer in 283 consecutive games dating back to the 2008-09 season.
“I was really proud of our guys today,” said head coach Bruce Weber.
The win extended K-State’s best start under head coach Bruce Weber to 10-1 and gave the team their fifth consecutive victory, including the second straight on the road. The 10-1 start is the best since the Wildcats opened the 2011-12 season with wins in 11 of their first 12 contests.