:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48527511/usa-today-9014050.0.jpg)
The Oklahoma Sooners were swept by Kansas State a year ago despite the Wildcats' losing record. Those two blemishes kept Lon Kruger and his squad from winning the Big XII regular season. Instead the Sooner fell into a tie for second in the conference with Iowa State. Looking to avoid a similar outcome, OU hosts the 10-4 (0-2) K-State program on Saturday at 3:30 PM in Lloyd Noble Center.
Rebuilding Year
Bruce Weber enters his four year as the head coach at Kansas State University. After finishing his first two season with 20+ win, things took a turn for the worse. Finding 15 wins during the 2014-15 campaign, this program needed a spark. Currently Weber is starting three freshman along with a junior and a senior. But, his freshman point guard Kamau Stokes knows it's going to take emotion to hit the 20 win mark once again in a conference littered with talent.
Scoring Options
There no denying Wesley Inwundu leads the Wildcats in scoring with 13.1 point per game. However, freshman Barry Brown continues to look better and better on the court. The Florida native scored 20 points against No. 17 West Virginia following up the performance with 15 more points against Texas this past week. Could Brown be the x-factor in the game against the Sooners? But, don't overlook Dean Wade in the post. The freshman forward puts up 10.8 points per game and pulls down 6.1 rebounds. Last week, Fran Fraschilla compared him to Ryan Spangler but added the 6-8 Dean could be better...
I watched a lot of the Kansas State-Texas game & continue to be impressed with Cats' Dean Wade. He's on Spangler track maybe better.
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) January 6, 2016
Defensive Prowess
The Wildcats rank inside the top twenty-five in points allowed per game with a 63.2 average. On Saturday, KSU collides with the No. 4 ranked scoring offense on the road. A large part of Oklahoma's success has been the shooting from beyond the arc hitting 45.7% of the attempts. However, the Wildcats possess the nation's top perimeter defense through 14 games allowing opponents to connect on a mere 24.7% of the attempted three pointers. The game pits strength against strength while only one team can come out ahead.