Big 12 Basketball: Kansas to earn 13th straight conference title?
By Doug Winkey
8. Kansas State Wildcats
2015-2016 record: 17-16 (5-13 Big 12)
Key players gone: SG Justin Edwards, C Stephen Hurt
Key returnees: SF Wesley Iwundu, PF Dean Wade, PG Kamau Stokes, PF D.J. Johnson, SG Barry Brown, SG Carlbe Ervin II, SF Austin Budke
Newcomers: SG Brian Patrick (6’5″, 180), SF Xavier Sneed (6’5″, 180), PF James Love III (6’10”, 220), PF Isaiah Maurice (6’10”, 225, redshirt in 2015-2016), C Dante Williams (7’0″, 255, redshirt in 2015-2016)
Kansas State will have to do much better than my projected 8th place finish if head coach Bruce Weber wants to keep his job. After finishing in a tie for first in the Big 12 in 2012-2013, KSU has dropped each season in the standings to bottom out at 8th last year.
It’s a good thing, then, that enough promising talent returns to challenge for the middle of the conference.
Senior Wesley Iwundu is the team’s best returning player, but has to shoot better than 20 percent from deep if he really wants to take a leap in his final college campaign. Sophomore wings Barry Brown and Kamau Stokes both have big opportunities ahead of them this year as well.
Getting more production out of D.J. Johnson will be huge, but sophomore Dean Wade could be a primary scoring option and the three freshmen bigs will have chances to contribute too.
Compared to Oklahoma State and TCU, Kansas State has healthier and more experienced players to fight through Big 12 play.
The Wildcats were the fourth best defensive team in the conference last season. If they can shoot better than last year’s putrid 30 percent mark they could easily reach the NIT.