Kansas State-Texas Tech basketball preview
7 p.m. Tuesday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan.
• TV/RADIO:KMCI (Ch. 38); WHB (810 AM)
• ABOUT TEXAS TECH (10-10, 2-5 Big 12):Most coaches look down at a .500 record, and so does Texas Tech’s Tubby Smith. But the Red Raiders have exceeded expectations, beating Baylor and TCU. They also played Texas, West Virginia and Oklahoma tough. Still, they enter Tuesday’s game having lost two in a row. Texas Tech has improved from a year ago, thanks in large part to a veteran roster. Jaye Crockett, a senior, leads the team with 14.3 points. Jordan Tolbert and Robert Turner, both juniors, are averaging double figures.
The Wildcats are coming off back-to-back road losses. Texas beat them 67-64 on a buzzer-beater in Austin. Then Iowa State hung on to beat them 81-75 in Ames. K-State had hoped to steal one of those games. When it didn’t, upcoming games against Texas Tech and West Virginia took on added meaning. Marcus Foster didn’t play well against Texas. Thomas Gipson didn’t play well against Iowa State. Both have been K-State’s top players this year. If they get back to playing well at the same time, the Wildcats will likely get back to winning.
• BOTTOM LINE:Texas Tech is better than it was a year ago, but K-State should be able to beat the Red Raiders at home with a normal effort.
| P | No. | Texas Tech | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
| F | 11 | Dejan Kravic | 7-0 | Sr. | 6.7 |
| F | 32 | Jordan Tolbert | 6-7 | Jr. | 12.0 |
| F | 30 | Jaye Crockett | 6-7 | Sr. | 14.3 |
| G | 20 | Toddrick Gotcher | 6-4 | So. | 7.3 |
| G | 14 | Robert Turner | 6-3 | Jr. | 10.1 |
| P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
| F | 42 | Thomas Gipson | 6-7 | Jr. | 12.1 |
| F | 25 | Wesley Iwundu | 6-7 | Fr. | 6.9 |
| G | 1 | Shane Southwell | 6-7 | Sr. | 11.7 |
| G | 2 | Marcus Foster | 6-2 | Fr. | 14.0 |
| G | 55 | Will Spradling | 6-2 | Sr. | 7.3 |
This story was originally published January 27, 2014 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Kansas State-Texas Tech basketball preview."