West Virginia @ Kansas State preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 18, 2019 ) Kansas State 65, West Virginia 51

Bob Huggins is usually very quick to point out the shortcomings of his teams, but even he couldn't come up with much after West Virginia's 81-49 thrashing of conference unbeaten TCU on Tuesday in Morgantown. The 13th-ranked Mountaineers seek a fourth straight win and seventh in eight games since a two-point loss at St. John's on Dec. 7 when they visit struggling Kansas State on Saturday.

West Virginia shot a season-high 58 percent from the floor and held TCU to a season-low point total in a very impressive performance. Still, all Huggins could muster was, "We're getting better. We've just got to continue to get better. ... I thought defensively we were very good." The Horned Frogs were undefeated in Big 12 play with early January victories over Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. The Wildcats have dropped all four of their Big 12 contests thus far, including Tuesday's 77-63 home defeat against No. 23 Texas Tech.

TIME: 2 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (14-2 3-1 Big 12): Sophomore forward Derek Culver (10.8 points, 9.7 rebounds) tallied a game-high 17 points to go with 11 rebounds against TCU for his 22nd double-double in 42 career games. Freshman Oscar Tshiebwe averages 11.8 points and 9.6 rebounds, and is tops in Division I with a 20.1 offensive-rebound percentage, while fellow freshman Miles McBride (10.1 points) added 11 points versus the Horned Frogs - his seventh consecutive double-digit outing during which he is averaging 14.6 points. By holding the Horned Frogs to 32 percent shooting and forcing 20 turnovers, the Mountaineers took over the nation's No. 1 spot from Virginia in defensive efficiency (82.6).

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (7-9, 0-4): The Wildcats rallied from a 15-point, first-half deficit to take a 46-45 lead with 13 1/2 minutes left but couldn't overcome 20 turnovers that were converted into 30 points - a Bruce-Weber era high. "It was points off turnovers. They got 30. ... The poor start to the game is what we could not overcome. We did some good things to catch up, but every time it gets to the point where we need a couple plays, we don't do it," Weber said. Junior Cartier Diarra had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting but committed six turnovers, while Xavier Sneed had 14 points and freshman Montavious Murphy had 11 points and six rebounds, draining all nine free throws in his first double-figure scoring game.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Kansas State is 0-4 to start Big 12 play for the first time since 2008-09. The Wildcats swept the Mountaineers last season, ending their four-game win streak in the series.

2. Huggins is two wins shy of tying Adolph Rupp for seventh place in NCAA history for career wins with 876.

3. West Virginia's defense leads the nation in effective field-goal percentage (2- and 3-pointers, 39.4) and is second in 3-point defense (23.8).

PREDICTION: West Virginia 69, Kansas State 60