Kansas State men’s basketball faces its second straight road test Wednesday at Colorado, and it might be the Wildcats’ last opportunity to steal one away from home. Despite entering as underdogs, this is a winnable game.
The formula for Kansas State is simple – spread the floor like it did against Baylor, get the starters going early and bring bench points into the equation.
Why Wednesday’s game at Colorado is critical for Kansas State
The clock is ticking, and time hasn’t been kind to the Wildcats in conference play. Kansas State sits just 2-12 in the conference after its 100-72 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday, tied for last in the Big 12 where they’ve sat for the majority of the season.
Things looked up in the Wildcats’ win over Baylor, the team’s first game back since firing former head coach Jerome Tang “for cause,” but it was short-lived. What started out as an improbable, ‘against the odds’ swing against Houston is back to the expected 28-point loss away from Bramlage Coliseum.
Kansas State is also the only team in the conference yet to win a game on the road in Big 12 play. Colorado doesn’t rank much better, sitting at an equally abysmal 1-6 away from Boulder. Opposing teams, however, have walked away successful just under 50% of the time.
Not to mention – the Wildcats’ only remaining road game this season following Wednesday is the Sunflower Showdown against their in-state rival, the Kansas Jayhawks.
Kansas State’s path to a successful road trip starts with Matthew Driscoll
Prior to tipoff against Baylor, interim head coach Matthew Driscoll was on the court with his team putting in work upwards of 2.5 hours ahead of gametime. Tang, however, was a rare sight even an hour beforehand.
That kind of culture is exactly what the Wildcats need as underdogs. A leader who can set the tone, put in the work and change the culture. Driscoll checks all of those boxes.
After being outpaced across the board by the Red Raiders, he summed it up simply: “You can’t win like that.” True enough. But Colorado isn’t Texas Tech. The Buffaloes are lower in the standings, but still equally capable of delivering statement wins at home.
Scouting the Buffaloes – a team looking to find its footing ahead of the postseason
In terms of conference standings, the Colorado Buffaloes sit middle to low, looking to make a strong push as the Big 12 tournament approaches. A win could mark their second in a row and third in five games.
Four players on the active roster average in double figures, led by Isaiah Johnson with 16.8 points per game. Barrington Hargress, Sebastian Rancik and Bangot Dak round out that list.
The Buffaloes scored just 44 points in their Feb. 11 loss to Texas Tech, followed by an overtime defeat to BYU. Still, there’s an argument to be made: they’ve proven they can hang with a ranked opponent this season, and not that long ago.
But if PJ Haggerty and Nate Johnson get rolling like they did against the Bears, this one has the potential to run away in the Wildcats’ favor, and fast.
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