Kansas State @ West Virginia preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 18, 2020 ) West Virginia 68, Kansas State 84

West Virginia began Wednesday's game at Texas Tech as the top defensive team in the nation. After allowing the Red Raiders to shoot a season-high 64.7 percent beyond the arc, the 11th-ranked Mountaineers look to rebound Saturday at home against a Kansas State team that pounded them earlier this season.

Texas Tech shot 54.3 percent overall, including 11-of-17 for the arc, and drained 28-of-32 from the free-throw line to drop West Virginia to No. 3 in the nation in defense, per KenPom. "We gave them step-in shots, and from day one with this group, all we've talked about defensively is we do not give step-in shots - they've got to shoot it off the bounce," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said on his radio show. Kansas State had lost two straight since beating West Virginia but bounced back in Wednesday's 61-53 victory over Oklahoma. In the first contest with West Virginia this season, the Wildcats' Carter Diarra scored 25 points, drained four 3-pointers and added six rebounds and four assists in an 84-68 win.

TIME: 2 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (9-11, 2-5 Big 12): The Wildcats held the Sooners to 35 percent shooting, including 4-of-21 beyond the arc, and won for the seventh time when holding the opposition to under 60 points. "We talked about energy and effort," Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. "That was our number one thing on the board. I thought we had great effort. They're one of the best teams at taking care of the ball in the country. You get 19 (turnovers) and you get 18 points off those turnovers. We were very, very active." Sophomore guard Mike McGuirl (6.9 points) came off the bench to score 16 points, Diarra (13.0 points, 5.0 assists) added 10 points and Xavier Sneed (14.6 points, 4.7 rebounds) chipped in with 12.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (16-4, 4-3): Derek Culver (10.7 points, 9.0 rebounds) scored 16 points on 14-of-16 from the free-throw line but was limited to 17 minutes by fouls Wednesday, while his frontcourt partner Oscar Tshiebwe (11.4 points, 9.1 rebounds) managed only four points, three rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes. Gabe Osabuohien chipped in with a career-high 15 points and Taz Sherman added 11. West Virginia struggles from 3-point range (30.1 percent) and line (65 percent), ranking outside the Top-300 with Miles McBride (40 percent) the only Mountaineer over 35 percent beyond the arc for the season and the only player over 70 percent (74.2) from the line among those with 30 attempts.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Wildcats have won the last three games in the series after four straight wins by West Virginia. A ranked Mountaineers' team is 8-2 when playing an unranked Kansas State team, although one of the losses came earlier this year.

2. In Weber's eight seasons with the Wildcats, they are 86-9 when holding their opponent to 60 points or fewer.

3. According to KenPom, WVU Coliseum provides the second best home-court advantage in the nation, at 4.5 points. Colorado has the highest advantage at 4.9 points.

PREDICTION: West Virginia 75, Kansas State 55