Busting Brackets
Fansided

Kansas State Basketball: Can the Wildcats exit the Big 12 cellar?

Mar 2, 2016; Manhattan, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Brian Rohleder (33) and other players on the Wildcats bench celebrate a late basket during a game TCU Horned Frogs at Fred Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats won 79-54. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2016; Manhattan, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Brian Rohleder (33) and other players on the Wildcats bench celebrate a late basket during a game TCU Horned Frogs at Fred Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats won 79-54. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 10
Next
Mar 10, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bruce Weber reacts to play against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half during the Big 12 Conference tournament at Sprint Center. Kansas won 85-63. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bruce Weber reacts to play against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half during the Big 12 Conference tournament at Sprint Center. Kansas won 85-63. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

A big year looms for Kansas State basketball as they look to exit the Big 12 cellar.

The Kansas State Wildcats have a tall task ahead of them. They finished just 5-13 (8th place finish) in the Big 12 last year. They graduated three guys and lost a third to the transfer market. Most of their primary rotation still returns with the goal of winning a few more games and saving head coach Bruce Weber’s job.

Last year’s team went about 10 deep most nights. They return 73 percent of their scoring and 72 percent of their rebounding. The guys remaining from last season also formed a top 30 adjusted defensive unit.

Clearly, there are a lot of pieces left in Manhattan to try to climb up the standings. How the remaining eight guys combine with six freshman (two redshirts) will go a long way in determining how this season goes for KSU.

Kansas State has the potential to be more competitive with an intact rotation, but I am not sure the talent gets them a better finish when the dust settles. They have some intriguing pieces, but a number of freshman might make up a large part of the rotation.

The Wildcats are one of the bigger wildcards in Big 12 play this year.

Next: Point guard - Kamau Stokes