When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Allen Fieldhouse
Who: Kansas State
Series: K-State leads, 66-46
Offense hurting defense: First-year KU coach Brandon Schneider said after his team’s road loss at West Virginia last weekend that the Jayhawks’ inability to score with any kind of consistency has put a ton of pressure on the Kansas defense and led directly to KU’s 0-6 start in Big 12 play. “Our struggles are on the offensive end, and our lack of ability to score really affects our defensive mindset,” Schneider said. “We’d like to keep them in front of us, not get beat to the middle of the floor. I thought we got beat entirely too much.”
Now starting…: KU freshman Tyler Johnson, a 6-foot-2 forward from Leavenworth, made just the second start of her career last weekend against West Virginia, and, although she attempted just one field goal in 23 minutes, she made her presence known on defense, where she tied her career high with three blocks. Johnson, who also started against Navy on Dec. 13, took the place of Caelynn Manning-Allen, who responded to her role as a bench player with six points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes.
Welcome to AFH: While supplies last, fans attending tonight’s Sunflower Showdown game will receive KU foam sticks upon entrance to Allen Fieldhouse. In addition, the first 200 KU students will receive a free corn dog and chips. This weekend, KU’s 2 p.m. home game against Oklahoma State will be the scene for Superhero Day, when children under 13 who attend the game dressed as their favorite superhero will receive $3 admission and an invitation into a superhero parade on James Naismith Court during halftime.
Streaking: Kansas State guard Kindred Wesemann, a junior, enters tonight’s game ranked in the conference’s top 10 in three different categories. The Pleasant Hill, Mo., native ranks ninth in assists (3.65), fourth in steals (2.06) and first in free-throw percentage (.889).
Slumping: KU’s offense has not topped 49 points since falling to Oral Roberts, 70-63, at home on Dec. 22 and failed to reach 40 in its last game, a 72-35 loss at West Virginia. The Jayhawks are averaging 55 points per game for the season and are shooting just 36.7 percent from the floor, 29.8 percent from three-point range. What’s more KU is shooting just 65.6 percent from the free throw line and has turned it over 1.74 times for every one assist.
Probable starters
Kansas (5-12, 0-6)
G — Lauren Aldridge, 5-7, so.
G — Timeka O’Neal, 5-4, jr.
G — Kylee Kopatich, 5-10, fr.
G — Chayla Cheadle, 6-0, so.
F — Tyler Johnson, 6-2, fr.
Kansas State (12-5, 2-4)
G — Kindred Wesemann, 5-6, jr.
G — Brianna Craig, 5-10, sr.
G — Megan Deines, 6-1, sr.
F — Kaylee Page, 6-2, so.
C — Breanna Lewis, 6-5, jr.
