The TangCats get underway at 1pm against UAPB, while the MittieCats follow at 3:30pm against Central Arkansas
After a lack-luster showing in the Paradise Jam last weekend, the Kansas State Wildcats return to Bramlage for their last non-conference home game of 2024. Yeah, seriously. It’s December 1st, and the Cats won’t play a game in Bramlage again until December 30th, when Big 12 foe Cincinnati heads west to open conference play.
Today, the Wildcats face the Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Lions are just 1-7 on the season, but really they are 0-6, with their lone win coming against NCCAA (yeah, that extra C is correct) D2 foe Champion Christian College. It was also their only home game this season, as the Golden Lions have been road warriors in 2024 like most low-major programs. But today is this last road game of the stretch, as they’ll play Central Arkansas at home next weekend.
Regardless, this is a game that K-State should win handily. They’ve given up 109 points to Cincinnati, 98 to Texas Tech, and 112 to Missouri. This is not a team that should really give K-State a challenge. And yet, we’ve seen this team struggle in games like this so far this season. Nothing is given with the TangCats right now. And a 10 point win is more likely than a 40 point slaughter that really should be taking place.
So what are we looking for today? Signs that this team learned something from their trip to the Caribbean. Signs that this team has figured out how to play better together. Signs that there is growth happening.
Anything to give us optimism headed into a much tougher stretch of games.
We’ve got an 1:00pm CT tipoff for the game this afternoon from Bramlage Coliseum, and you can catch the action on ESPN+ with Ben Boyle (play-by-play), Stan Weber (analyst), and Sophie Smith (sideline reporter) on the call.
If you don’t can’t access the stream, the game can be heard across portions of the 28-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play) and Matt Walters (analyst) calling the action. The game will also be available online at K-Statesports.com and via the Varsity Network app, as well as on satellite radio on SiriusXM Ch. 387. Live stats are also available at k-statesports.com, and social media updates (@KStateMBB) will also be a part of the coverage.
Go Cats!
The MittieCats trip to Las Vegas didn’t pan out as expected.
The Wildcats struggled against the pressure brought by a good Duke team; K-State’s first real test of the season, and unfortunately, they didn’t pass. But thankfully, they bounced back and took out their frustration on a decent DePaul team to head back home on a good note.
The Wildcats get another easy stretch here over this week, with three games against low-major opponents before they head back on the road to take on Texas A&M a week from today. Today they face off against the Sugar Bears of Central Arkansas. This should be another blowout victory, that the Wildcats should win by 30-40 points — 40 points was the margin of K-State’s victory over this team in 2022.
But there is a very good reason to watch today. Ayoka Lee is just 25 points shy of the all-time K-State scoring mark of 2,333 points currently held by Hall-of-Famer Kendra Wecker. Lee, the NCAA single-game scoring record-holder, should be able to hit that mark today, hopefully easily and then she can take a break and let younger players get much-needed action.
We’ve got a (scheduled) 3:30pm CT tipoff for the game this afternoon from Bramlage Coliseum, and you can catch the action on ESPN+ with Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst), and Sophie Smith (sideline reporter) on the call.
If you don’t can’t access the stream, the game can be heard across portions of the 28-station K-State Sports Network with Brian Smoller (play-by-play) and Shaelyn Floyd (analyst) calling the action. The game will also be available online at K-Statesports.com and via the Varsity Network app, as well as on satellite radio on SiriusXM Ch. 138 or 198. Live stats are also available at k-statesports.com, and social media updates (@KStateWBB) will also be a part of the coverage.
Go Cats!