Dean Wade is playing some of his best basketball, and so is Kansas State

When Dean Wade is at his best so is Kansas State.

A look at the Wildcats’ past three games best illustrates that connection. The sophomore forward scored 18 points against Texas, and K-State won its Big 12 opener. He scored 20 against Kansas, and K-State nearly upset the Jayhawks in Lawrence. Then he scored 12 against Oklahoma, and K-State won by 11.

Wade has reached double figures in seven of his past eight games and the No. 25 Wildcats (13-2, 2-1 Big 12) are ranked for the first time in three years.

“He’s a big part of this team,” senior wing Wesley Iwundu said. “I don’t want to say he is the X-factor, but he is probably the most important player on the team, because he can change the game with what he brings. When Dean is having a good game, 10 times out of 10 the whole team is having a good game and we are going to be successful.”

Perhaps the start of Big 12 games triggered an uptick in Wade’s play. He ranks third in the conference in scoring (16.7 points) after three league games, and he held the lead after two.

Born in tiny St. John, Wade came to K-State with the personality of a shy, small-town Kansan and K-State coaches have tried to turn him into a confident, aggressive bully on the court. It seems the transition has finally begun.

“If I’m aggressive and hold defenses accountable, we are an overall better team,” Wade said. “I think I have taken a couple steps (in that direction).”

That was most obvious when Wade took control against Texas. Not only did he fire away when he was open, he attacked the basket when he wasn’t. He weaved his way through defenders to make 7 of 10 shots and to reach the free-throw line three times. Then he made 6 of 12 shots against Kansas and got to the free-throw line nine times for a career-high tying 20 points. He wasn’t quite as sharp against Oklahoma, but he got his hands on seven rebounds.

A far cry from his first seven games, when he averaged 6.7 points and didn’t score in a loss to Maryland.

“He’s just being aggressive,” Weber said. “It was so good to see one of the early plays (against Kansas). He just put his head down and went at them and scored and kept getting better. Now we hope he can continue that.”

Wade would only change one thing about his recent string of games. He wishes he put a touch more velocity on his final shot at Kansas, an open three that bounced off the front of the rim with the score tied in the final seconds.

“I shot it and I was like, ‘There is no way I am missing that’” Wade said. “It felt good, it looked right, it was straight on. I am making that shot nine times out of 10. I missed it. Oh well.”

Odds are good Wade will get another shot at a game-winner this season. His teammates have long urged him to shoot and play with maximum aggression.

That’s not going to change, especially now that Wade and K-State are both playing well.

“When he does some of those things,” Weber said, “it definitely takes our team to another level.”

This story was originally published January 9, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Dean Wade is playing some of his best basketball, and so is Kansas State."