The PrairieCats and DesertCats square off for the first time as conference mates.
Your Kansas State Wildcats get back to action a day early this week, as the Arizona Wildcats make their first-ever trip to Bramlage Coliseum, and their first trip to Manhattan since 1981.
Interestingly, both of these squads struggled mightily in the early part of the season, and both headed into the start of conference play at 6-5 overall. Now, the Desert Cats’ schedule was considerably tougher than the Prairie Cats, but the overall records gave each fanbase heartburn.
Arizona turned things on much sooner than K-State, and have lost just one game in Big 12 play, at Texas Tech, and sit at 17-6 overall and tied atop the Big 12 at 11-1 in league play. Tied with a Houston team they play this weekend, which may provide a slight advantage to the TangCats.
K-State (12-11, 6-6 Big 12) took until late January to get things turned on, but over the last five games, a very nice winning streak, the TangCats have played as one of the best teams in the nation. If they can keep playing at this clip, K-State could be in a position of a solid NCAA Tournament berth.
But it’s the Big 12, and nothing is easy. Arizona is very good, and their front court, much like KU’s, will give K-State problems. The ZonaCats are favored, and rightly so. But this is a game that the TangCats could easily steal for another huge Q1 win.
Like much of the last five games, let’s just hang on for the ride and see what happens.
We’ve got a 7:01pm CT tipoff for the game this evening from Bramlage Coliseum, and you can catch the action on ESPN+ with Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Corey Williams (analyst) on the call.
If you 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 Stan Weber (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. 388. Live stats are also available at k-statesports.com, and social media updates (@KStateMBB) will also be a part of the coverage.
Go Cats!