Three-minute preview: Kansas men’s basketball vs. Kansas State
No. 8 Kansas at Kansas State
P | No. | Kansas | Ht. | Yr. | PPG. |
F | 34 | Perry Ellis | 6-8 | Jr. | 13.7 |
F | 2 | Cliff Alexander | 6-8 | Fr. | 7.4 |
G | 12 | Kelly Oubre | 6-7 | Fr. | 8.4 |
G | 1 | Wayne Selden | 6-5 | So. | 9.7 |
G | 0 | Frank Mason | 5-11 | So. | 12.4 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 11 | Nino Williams | 6-5 | Sr. | 11.4 |
F | 42 | Thomas Gipson | 6-7 | Sr. | 11.0 |
G | 25 | Wesley Iwundu | 6-7 | So. | 5.5 |
G | 14 | Justin Edwards | 6-4 | Jr. | 6.2 |
G | 1 | Jevon Thomas | 6-0 | So. | 4.8 |
▪ WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m. Monday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan.
▪ TV/RADIO: ESPN; KCSP (610 AM), WHB (810 AM)
▪ ABOUT KANSAS (22-5, 11-3 Big 12): On Jan. 30, the day before Kansas defeated K-State 68-57 at Allen Fieldhouse, KU forward Perry Ellis was averaging fewer than 13 points per game and coming off a subpar night at TCU. In his first seven Big 12 games, Ellis had been solid, but not sensational. Then he took the floor against K-State, finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, and he hasn’t cooled off since. Ellis is averaging 16.7 points in his last seven games, including a 23-point effort against TCU on Saturday. In his last three games, Ellis is shooting nearly 64 percent . A native of Wichita, Ellis has generally relished taking on the Jayhawks’ in-state rival, and he’ll get another opportunity on Monday night. Kansas has won 49 of the last 53 games against K-State, dating to the 1994 season. But the Jayhawks are just 4-3 at Bramlage Coliseum in their last seven trips to Manhattan, a stretch that began in 2008. The Jayhawks can maintain at least a full-game lead over second-place Iowa State with a victory on Monday. The Jayhawks can clinch a share of the Big 12 title with three victories in their last four — though that formula could change if Iowa State drops one of its remaining games. The Jayhawks will try to shake off some recent road struggles this year. KU is 5-4 in true road games this season, including a 1-2 mark in their last three.
▪ ABOUT KANSAS STATE (13-15, 6-9 Big 12): The Wildcats are coming off two lopsided road defeats and have lost seven of their last eight games. They spent most of the past week in Texas and are looking forward to returning home. Bramlage Coliseum usually gets its best and loudest crowd when K-State takes on Kansas. The Wildcats are hoping that is again the case. K-State has won three of its last seven games against Kansas at home. Weber continues to shuffle K-State’s starting lineup, so it’s difficult to know whom he will use against the Jayhawks. Guard Marcus Foster may play a big role in the game plan after logging 29 minutes against Baylor.
| Rustin Dodd, rdodd@kcstar.com and Kellis Robinett, krobinett@kcstar.com
This story was originally published February 22, 2015 at 7:19 PM with the headline "Three-minute preview: Kansas men’s basketball vs. Kansas State."