Kansas State Basketball: Wildcats save Bruce Weber’s job with tournament appearance
By Doug Winkey
Kansas State basketball was on pins and needles this year but recovered at the end.
Few knew what to expect from Kansas State basketball this year. They finished the 2015-16 season in eighth in the Big 12 and Bruce Weber’s seat got hotter, but had some promising sophomores coming up. Things could have gone any number of directions.
Related Story: Why the Wildcats could make a run in the Big Dance
This campaign wasn’t easy, but KSU might have saved coach Weber’s job by going 21-14 and 8-10 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats able to upset West Virginia and upset Baylor on the road in their best regular season wins. They were in danger of missing the Big Dance but took out Texas Tech and Baylor in the Big 12 tournament to receive a bid. The Wildcats beat Wake Forest before falling to Cincinnati in the Round of 64.
The team saw small improvements all across the board. Four players averaged double-figures compared to just two last year and finished 29th in total efficiency, up from 55th. The way KSU finished the season likely saved Weber’s job for another year. Now it’s time to keep the trajectory pointing upward.
Final Grade: B
What is next in Manhattan?
Who’s gone:
G – Carlbe Ervin II (2.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
G/F – Wesley Iwundu (13.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.5 apg)
F – D.J. Johnson (11.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
It will be hard to replace Iwundu and Johnson as two of the team’s top overall players. Both averaged career-highs in points and rebounds and were two of the most efficient shooters on the team. Iwundu could do a little bit of everything, while Johnson was a true enforcer inside. Ervin didn’t make a huge impact in his two years with the Wildcats, but still competed hard and brought experience.
Who’s back:
G – Kamau Stokes (11.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.1 apg)
G – Barry Brown (11.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.3 spg)
G – Xavier Sneed (7.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
G – Brian Patrick (2.3 rpg)
F – Dean Wade (9.3 rpg, 4.5 rpg)
F – Isaiah Maurice (3.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
KSU has a nice group of players coming back next year. Stokes, Brown, and Sneed could be among the league’s best perimeter groups, but each will have to work on their outside shooting; only Stokes shot above 34 percent from deep. Patrick should factor in next year as a bigger 6’5″ wing that shot 43 percent from three in limited action.
The front court takes a hit without Johnson, but Wade and Maurice were both productive in 2016-17. Wade is maybe the Big 12’s most promising stretch forward, even if he does need to clean the glass a little more aggressively. Maurice came on strong over the last month with four games in double-figure minutes. He could have the inside track at center.
Who’s new:
G – Cartier Diarra (6’4″, 185)
G – Mike McGuirl (6’2″, 175)
F – Nigel Shadd (6’9″, 225)
F – Levi Stockard (6’8″, 250)
F – James Love III (6’10”, 220)
Two of the new faces, Diarra and Love, were on this season’s roster but did not play due to injury and other factors. Both have good size for their position and will push for playing time with several contributors gone and a year in the system.
The other’s don’t come with much hype. Shadd is the most highly-rated of the three and might have the pedigree to compete for playing time. Stockard is big and a local grab from St. Louis, but doesn’t carry much of a reputation nationally. McGuirl is purely a depth piece with the current guard unit.
The Wildcats have two scholarships open for next year and could use them to hunt for a true point or another inside force.
Next: Catching up on the Midwest region
Final Number to know:
34 – The combined three-point percentage of the six main returning players. That simply won’t do in a league as guard-heavy as the Big 12. Every Kansas State player needs to work on their outside presence if they are to keep opponents from packing the lane and daring them to win from the outside.