Game Preview: Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State
It's no secret things have not gone well for Oklahoma State basketball to begin Big 12 play. They've started off 0-4 and their overall record dropped below .500 as they sit at 8-9 on the season. They desperately need to get on the right side of the win column, but taking on Kansas State on the road will be no easy feat.
The Wildcats' lone Big 12 loss comes at the hands of Texas Tech in a one-point loss in Lubbock. Other than that, they've taken care of business on three separate occasions, even taking down No. 9 Baylor in an overtime win.
Game Info:
Game time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, KS
Records: OSU (8-9, 0-4), Kansas State (13-4, 3-1)
Spread: Kansas State -9.5
TV Channel: ESPN+
Surprisingly, the Cowboys are bigger underdogs in this one than they were against Kansas last Tuesday. Traveling in the Big 12 is a big part of that, as every team is bound to struggle when hitting the road in the super loaded conference.
Since playing Baylor closely in their Big 12 opener, the Cowboys have yet to play a close game, and that could be the case again tonight. To make matters worse, the Cowboys have won just one game since the new year began, so they need a morale booster in this game, win or loss.
Statistically, the two teams aren't too far off from each other. The Wildcats are roughly plus-four in the margins when looking at points for and points against. The Wildcats average 74.8 points per game and allow just 67.4 points per game. On the contrary, the Cowboys average 72.4 points per game and allow 69.4 points per game.
Where the Wildcats could dominate is in the paint. They average a 3.4 more rebounds per game and tally 4.5 blocks per game as a team.
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Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022