The Sports Bank’s college basketball season previews undergo a face lift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference. I’ve already counted down the Pac-12 and now we turn our attention to the Big 12.
In his first season at Kansas State Wildcats head coach, Bruce Weber led the program to their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. With their top two scorers returning and a couple transfers becoming eligible, K-State has the weapons to extend their Big Dance streak.
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Last Season: 5th, 10-8 in Big 12, 20-13 overall
Predicted Big 12 Finish: 5th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Thomas Gipson (Sr)/D.J. Johnson (Jr)/Stephen Hurt (Jr)
F: Wesley Iwundu (So)/Nino Williams (Sr)/Brandon Bolden (So)/Malek Harris (Fr)/Jack Karapetyan (Fr)
SG: Justin Edwards (Jr)/Tre Harris (Fr)
G: Marcus Foster (So)
PG: Jevon Thomas (So) or Nigel Johnson (So)
Gone: PG-Will Spradling, G/F-Shane Southwell, G-Omari Lawrence
2014-2015 Outlook:
A huge part of K-State’s success last season was the immediate impact made by freshman Marcus Foster. A physical combo guard, Foster is a dangerous scorer from just about anywhere on the floor. The addition of Maine transfer Justin Edwards gives Foster a dangerous running mate on the wing since Edwards average 16.7 points per game as a sophomore.
The point guard position is up for grabs due to the graduation of Will Spradling. Jeon Thomas and Nigel Johnson each played quality minutes off the bench as freshmen and compete for the starting spot. Thomas is more of a true distributor and probably has a leg up in the competition.
The physically imposing Thomas Gipson anchors the interior. At 6-7, 265 pounds, Gipson uses his strength down low to be productive as a scorer and rebounder. D.J. Johnson is another bruiser in the paint who was a solid reserve a year ago. 6-11 JUCO transfer Stephen Hurt brings needed size to the center position and gives Weber a plethora of options in the middle.
Wesley Iwundu is another Wildcat who saw a significant role as a freshman. He holds the edge over undersized Nino Williams to start at the four. Georgetown transfer Brandon Bolden adds versatility to the frontcourt thanks to his size and athleticism. Freshman Malek Harris could also factor into the equation since he can play either forward spot.
Having scorers like Foster and Edwards on the wing along with a deep, versatile frontcourt should make Kansas State one of a handful of Big 12 teams competing in the middle of pack. If the point guard position figures itself out, Weber’s team will competitive on a nightly basis.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/21 at Long Beach State
11/24 vs. Purdue (Maui Invitational)
11/24 vs. Arizona/Missouri (Maui Invitational)
11/24 vs. San Diego State/BYU/Pitt/Chaminade (Maui Invitational)
12/6 at Tennessee (SEC/Big 12 Challenge)
12/20 vs. Texas A&M (in Kansas City)
12/31 vs. Georgia
OTHER BIG 12 PREVIEWS:
PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#1 ARIZONA WILDCATS
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.