Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State present another challenge for Kansas State

At first glance, Kansas State’s basketball game against Oklahoma State on Saturday can be viewed as a break in an otherwise daunting conference schedule.

The Cowboys aren’t ranked the way four of the Wildcats’ past six opponents were. Nor are they at full strength, down injured senior sharpshooter Phil Forte. This is not one of Travis Ford’s best teams.

Still, K-State coach Bruce Weber expects a difficult game.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Weber said. “We have to get ready for a tough Oklahoma State team that has really found its way out of a hole and got a huge win against Kansas. We have to play with the same intensity we did (against Baylor).”

Do that, Weber said, and everything else will fall into place. K-State lost at No. 13 Baylor 79-72 in double overtime on Wednesday, but Weber thought his team played with ideal passion and energy throughout. One more shot or one less turnover could have changed the outcome.

He couldn’t say the same when K-State lost at home to Iowa State last week. So unhappy was he with that effort that he made his first starting lineup change of the season against Baylor, going with junior point guard Carlbe Ervin instead of freshman Kamau Stokes.

Weber said he made the move to send a message to Stokes, and it worked. Stokes responded with a team-high 20 points against the Bears.

“If we play like this we are going to win games,” Weber said afterward. “But we have to play like this all the time.”

There are no off days in the Big 12. No two teams have illustrated that point more than K-State and Oklahoma State. The Wildcats took Baylor and West Virginia to double overtime. The Cowboys pushed Oklahoma and Texas to the end and then dominated Kansas 86-67 earlier this week.

Jawun Evans has been at the center of Oklahoma State’s turnaround. The freshman guard scored 42 points against Oklahoma and another 22 against Kansas. The Cowboys struggled initially without Forte in the lineup, but they have discovered a scoring rhythm behind one of the conference’s top young players.

“That dude Evans is pretty good,” Weber said. “Travis has done a good job. They played special (against Kansas). We just have to get our heads together and come back and be special on Saturday.”

A 1-5 start in Big 12 has been frustrating, but the Wildcats realize how important a home victory Saturday will be, regardless of opponent.

“All the guys are keeping their heads high,” junior forward D.J. Johnson said. “All good things happen to people who stay true, and that is what we are doing, staying true to our play and to what coaches are telling us. We are staying true and believing in each other.”

This story was originally published January 22, 2016 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State present another challenge for Kansas State."