Kansas State basketball back on the court after finals week

MANHATTAN — Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang is ready for things to get back to normal.

Since the Wildcats’ return from their trip to LSU last Saturday, the players have focused their attention on final exams while the coaching staff hit the recruiting trail.

Now everybody’s attention is back on basketball and specifically Sunday’s 2 p.m. nonconference game against Nebraska at Bramlage Coliseum. Both teams are 8-2 and coming off impressive victories in their last outings.

Getting their focus back is the biggest challenge, Tang said on Friday.

“They’re focused on academics, you want them to rest, just the whole balancing of it,” Tang said. “The good thing about this is that we play a really good opponent, so it’s not going to be hard to get them to refocus.

“And then most of the guys are going to be done with exams sometime (Friday), so we’ll have this evening and tomorrow to prepare.”

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The Wildcats also carry the momentum of a five-game winning streak. That includes an overtime victory against Villanova at home two weeks ago, followed by their most complete performance in a 75-60 blowout of the Tigers.

Nebraska also has had a week off since knocking off Michigan State at home, 77-70, last Sunday for its best win of the season. That ended a two-game losing streak for the Cornhuskers, who were blown out by Creighton, 89-60, and fell at Minnesota, 76-65.

“They can shoot, and their offensive actions are hard to guard,” Tang said of the Huskers. “And so, you’re going to have to be in a stance and you’re going to have to be locked in.”

Leading the way for Nebraska is junior guard Juwan Gary, who is averaging 14.7 points and 5.5 rebounds, but had 20 points against Michigan State in his first start of the season. Guards Keisei Tominaga and Brice Williams each add 14 points and 6-foot-10 forward Rienk Mast 12.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.0 assists.

“(Mast), when he catches the ball inside the 3-point line, he’s like Tom Brady,” Tang said. “He’s making all the right reads and the right passes, and he’s got four guys around him that can cut, move and make shots. So, it’s going to be a challenge.”

This will be the final installment of a three-game series between K-State and Nebraska. The Wildcats won the first two meetings, 67-58 in Lincoln in 2021, and 71-56 last year in Kansas City.

K-State can match Nebraska’s offensive weapons with the trio of Cam Carter at 16.9 points per game, Arthur Kaluma with 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds, and Tylor Perry with 16.2 points and 5.5 assists.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.