Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang thinks his Wildcats have things figured out with Big 12 Conference play expected to arrive early in the new year.
The Wildcats (7-4) will test his theory Saturday when they host South Dakota (7-6) in Manhattan, Kan. This is one of two non-conference games remaining before conference play begins.
Kansas State had a four-game losing streak several weeks ago, but bounced back with consecutive wins. The Wildcats lost 78-67 to Seton Hall on Dec. 6 before posting wins over Mississippi Valley State and Creighton.
“The Sunday after (the loss to) Seton Hall, their approach changed and that really set the tone ever since,” Tang said. “We stepped things up a little bit. And the staff figured out some things as well. We’re on this journey together and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”
The Wildcats averaged 86.4 points per game and topped 90 points five times. Kansas State is shooting 48.4% from the field and 40.5% from the 3-point line.
In an impressive 83-76 road win over Creighton last Saturday, David Castillo scored 19 points and Abdi Bashir Jr. added 18.
PJ Haggerty, who was held to a season-low 10 points against Creighton, is second in the nation with 22.7 per game and adds 4.7 rebounds. He makes 49.7% of his shots from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line.
Bashir is tied for sixth in the country, heading into Friday’s game, with 3.73 3-pointers made per game.
South Dakota bounced back from a three-game losing streak to win two straight, including an 80-71 win over NAIA school Dakota State on Wednesday when Isaac Bruns scored 23 points.
“The most important thing is to continue to play our kids and give them some really valuable game experience,” South Dakota coach Eric Peterson said. “I talked about the process, continuing to worry only about the process and not the outcome. And the outcome will be determined honestly.”
Bruns leads the Coyotes with 20.7 points per game, averaging 21.6 points per game over the last 10 games.
South Dakota’s 7-foot center Cameron Fens is averaging 10.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
–Field level media
