K-State (13-13, 7-8 Big 12) returns home on Sunday afternoon, as the Wildcats host Arizona State (12-14, 3-12 Big 12) at Bramlage Coliseum at 3 p.m., CT on ESPN+. The Wildcats have 5 games left in the regular season, including 3 at home against ASU, Colorado and No. 8/8 Iowa State. The Wildcats will be looking to sweep the Sun Devils in the regular season in their first season in the Big 12 after a narrow 71-70 win in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 4, in which, they rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit. It tied for the largest deficit overcome in a conference road game and the second largest on the road all-time behind a 17-point rally at California on Dec. 29, 1995.K-State has lost consecutive games at BYU and Utah after a 6-game winning streak from Jan. 25 to Feb. 11. The Wildcats were crushed on the glass, 92-59, in the 2 games, including a 51-28 advantage to the Utes. The -23 rebounding margin was the second largest of the season. The winning streak was the longest in Big 12 play since a 9-game winning streak from Jan. 9 to Feb. 12, 2019.LAST TIME OUTA 5-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from fifth-year guard Gabe Madsen gave Utah enough cushion to finish out a 74-69 win over K-State on Monday at home. The 5 straight points came after K-State had rallied from a 57-50 deficit to the tie at 59-all with less 3 minutes left. A jumper by sophomore Miro Little preceded the Madsen 3-pointer, which was one of just 3 made by Utah on 19 attempts.Three Wildcats scored in double figures led by junior Brendan Hausen’s 17 points. He connected on 5 made 3-pointers for the fifth time this season, including a near logo make that pulled K-State within 69-67 with 49 seconds left. After Utah made 1 of 2 free throws to extend the lead to 72-69 with 12 seconds left, he nearly had a sixth triple to tie the game with 7 seconds, but it missed off the front of the rim and the Utes’ Ezra Ausar grabbed the rebound and sealed it with 2 free throws.KEY STORYLINES
- Newcomers have combined to score 1504 (79 percent) of the team’s 1904 points, accounting for 70 of 91 double-digit scoring games. Senior returner David N’Guessan has scored in double figures in a team-best 21 games (out of 26 games played), but the next 6 highest scorers are newcomers, including 17 double-digit scoring efforts by junior Brendan Hausen and 15 by senior Coleman Hawkins, senior Max Jones and junior Dug McDaniel.
- N’Guessan, who earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors for the first time on Feb. 10, still leads the Wildcats in both scoring (12.6 ppg.) and rebounding (7.0 rpg.) while connecting on a Big 12-best 63.3 percent (133-of-210) from the field. He has scored in double figures in 11 of 15 Big 12 games, including back-to-back 20-point games in wins over Arizona State and No. 16/17 Kansas.
- McDaniel has started to step up in the last month, as he is averaging 15.3 points on 42.6 percent (55-of-129) shooting in the last 9 games with 8 double-digit scoring games, including three 20-point performances against No. 3/3 Iowa State (2/1/25), No. 13/13 Arizona (2/11/25) and BYU (2/15/25).
A K-STATE WIN WOULD…
- Snap a 2-game overall losing streak.
- Extend its home court winning streak to 5 games.
- Sweep the series with ASU in the first year as Big 12 foes.
- Make the Wildcats 3-1 all-time vs. the Sun Devils at home.
- Be the 1,754th in program history, including 7th vs. ASU.
NOTES ON ARIZONA STATE
- Led by 10th-year head coach Bobby Hurley, Arizona State is 12-14 on the season, including 3-12 in Big 12 play. The Sun Devils have impressive non-conference wins over New Mexico and Saint Mary’s as well as a road victory at West Virginia. They have lost 6 in a row, which includes a 71-70 loss to K-State at home on Feb. 4. They are 2-6 away from home this season, including 2-5 in league play (wins at West Virginia and Colorado).
- Arizona State is averaging 74 points on 43.9 percent shooting, including 35.8 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 74.4 points on 42.6 percent shooting, including 31.3 percent from 3-point range. The Sun Devils rank 27th nationally in blocks (4.8 bpg.), while they rank among the top 70 in 3-pointers/game (9.0/62nd) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (67th). They are connecting on 71.7 percent from the free throw line.
- Five players are averaging in double figures led by senior transfer B.J. Freeman, who is averaging 13.7 points on 42.1 percent shooting, including a team-high 53 made 3-pointers on 35.6 percent shooting. Senior Alston Mason is averaging 12.9 points on 43.7 percent shooting, including 46 3-pointers, to go with a team-high 99 assists. Senior Basheer Jihad is averaging 11.8 points on 41.5 percent shooting to go with 5.6 rebounds per game, while freshman Joson Sanon and senior Adam Miller both average 10.4 points per game. Miller has made 51 3-pointers. Freshman Jayden Quaintance is averaging a near double-double with 9.0 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game, along with a Big 12-best 2.7 blocks per game.
- The former Duke All-American has a 209-165 record in his 12th season as a head coach, including a 167-145 mark in his 10th season in Tempe. He led Buffalo from 2013-15 before taking over at ASU in 2015-16. He has led the Sun Devils to four 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2018, 2019 and 2023. He is 1-1 vs. K-State after earning a 92-90 win over the Wildcats in the Las Vegas Invitational Championship on Nov. 23, 2017.
LAST GAME OUT
- Arizona State dropped an 80-65 decision to No. 5/5 Houston on Tuesday at home, as senior Alston Mason led all scorers with 26 points on 8-of-9 field goals, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, and 6-of-7 free throws. The Sun Devils outscored the Cougars, 34-33, after trailing 47-31 at the half.
SERIES HISTORY
- The all-time series is tied at 5-all after K-State’s 71-70 win over Arizona State on Feb. 4 in Tempe. This will be the fourth meeting in Manhattan and the first since 1982.
- The Wildcats are 2-1 all-time at home, including a 71-66 loss in 1973 and wins in 1979 (63-50) and 1982 (49-46).