Game Information

Kansas State (5-1, 0-0 Big 12)

vs. Fort Hays State (3-0*)

Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Tipoff: 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Manhattan, Kan. | Arena: Bramlage Coliseum (12,528)

Television: FOX Sports Kansas City/ESPN Full Court (Ben Boyle, play-by-play; Stan Weber, analyst; Kevin Landy, producer)

Channel Directory: DirecTV 672, Dish Network 446, AT&T U-verse 750 | Internet: www.ESPN360.com

Radio: K-State Sports Network (Wyatt Thompson, play-by-play; Matt Walters, analyst) | Live Stats: www.k-statesports.com
Local Stations: Sports Radio 1350 AM (KMAN; Manhattan), 102.9-FM (KQTP; Topeka) | Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 121

Head Coaches: Kansas State - Frank Martin (Florida International ‘93) is 48-25 (.657) in his third season. Fort Hays State - Mark Johnson (Pittsburg State ‘93) is 161-75 (.684) in his ninth season as a head coach and at Fort Hays State.

Last Time Out: K-State defeated IUPUI, 70-57 on Nov. 28, while Fort Hays State defeated Nebraska-Kearney, 75-60, on Nov. 24.

Series: Tied 2-2 | Last time: K-State, 60-32, in 1947 | vs. MIAA: K-State is 50-26 | Frank Martin is 0-0 all-time vs. Fort Hays State, while Mark Johnson is 0-0 all-time vs. K-State. The Wildcats defeated the Tigers, 95-59, in exhibition play on Nov. 3, 2007.

Rankings: K-State is receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN Top 25 polls. Fort Hays State is not ranked in Division II poll.

Tickets: $20 (bench and Cat Cushion), $30 (chairbacks) at the Athletics Ticket Office at 800.221.CATS or via www.k-statesports.com

*Fort Hays State plays host to Newman on Monday night before playing on Tuesday against K-State.

K-State continues homestand Tuesday vs. Fort Hays State

Kansas State continues a season-long four-game homestand, as the Wildcats play host to Division II member Fort Hays State (3-0) on Tuesday night at Bramlage Coliseum beginning at 7 p.m. It marks the third consecutive season that K-State has hosted a Kansas member (Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State and Washburn) of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) in the regular season, following contests against Pittsburg State (76-66) on Nov. 11, 2007 and Emporia State (82-60) on Nov. 19, 2008. This will be the first official meeting with Fort Hays State since 1947, but the two teams played an exhibition game prior to the 2007-08 season with the Wildcats posting a 95-59 victory. The team has won 28 of their last 29 home games in the month of December dating back to the 2002-03 season, including 16 consecutive home wins in the month since Dec. 30, 2004.

The Wildcats were sluggish in their return to the court after the Thanksgiving break, posting a season lows in points (70), field goal percentage (42.4) and rebounds (38) to go with a season-high 17 turnovers in a 70-57 win over IUPUI on Saturday at the Sprint Center. However, the squad found a way in the second half, using a 14-1 run early in the frame to run out to a 20-point lead and hold on for their fifth victory of the season. The team concluded the month of November with a 5-1 record, tying the school record for wins in the month while also posting their highest winning percentage (.833) since going unbeaten in 2005-06. K-State was led once again by junior Jacob Pullen, who paced four players in double figures with a game-high 25 points. Pullen, who posted 20 or more points in consecutive games for the fourth time in his career, was solid all-around against the Jaguars with a season-best seven assists, six rebounds and three steals in 34 minutes. Junior forward Dominique Sutton posted a season-high 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting with six rebounds, while junior forward Curtis Kelly recorded his second double-double in three games with 11 points, 11 rebounds and a career-best five blocks. Senior Denis Clemente, who scored 12 points against IUPUI, eclipsed the 1,000-point barrier with two free throws just a minute into the game.

K-State is averaging just over 80 points per game (80.2 ppg.) on 46.5 percent shooting, including 32.7 percent from 3-point range, with 41.0 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 6.7 steals and 5.7 blocks per game. The squad has topped 80 or more points in four of six games, while hitting on 45 percent or better from the field on four occasions. Jacob Pullen leads four players in double figures at 17.8 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting from the field to go with team bests in 3-point field goals (11), free throws (38), free throw percentage (79.2), assists (24) and steals (10), while backcourt mate Denis Clemente averages 13.3 points per game on 33.8 percent from the field. Junior Curtis Kelly also averages 13.3 points to go with a team-high 8.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Jamar Samuels, who did not play against IUPUI, also is in double figures at 11.0 points on a team-best 63.3 percent from the field.

Projected Starters

Kansas State (5-1)

G - #0 Jacob Pullen (6-0, 200, Jr.)

G - #21 Denis Clemente (6-1, 180, Sr.)

F - #23 Dominique Sutton (6-5, 218, Jr.)

F - #24 Curtis Kelly (6-8, 239, Jr.)

C - #15 Jordan Henriquez-Roberts (7-0, 245, Fr.)

Fort Hays State (3-0)

G - #5 Dominique Jones (5-8, 175, Jr.)

G - #22 Orrin Greer (6-3, 205, Sr.)

G - #33 Corbin Kuntzsch (6-4, 190, Jr.)

F - #30 Ken Bowman (6-9, 240, Jr.)

F - #35 Tim Peintner (6-6, 200, Sr.)

K-State vs. Division II

Tonight’s game marks the third consecutive season that Kansas State has played host to a Division II team at Bramlage Coliseum. Third-year head coach Frank Martin made a commitment to play a Kansas member (Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, Washburn) of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association whenever possible in the regular season. This started with a 76-66 win over Pittsburg State on Nov. 11, 2007 before an 82-60 victory over Emporia State on Nov. 19, 2008. The squad also plays one of these teams in the preseason, including an 89-53 win over Pittsburg State on Nov. 8.

Series Information

This will be the fifth meeting between Kansas State and Fort Hays State on the hardwood with each school winning twice in the series. The teams haven’t met officially since a 60-32 win by the Wildcats in 1947. They have played several times during the exhibition season, including a 95-59 victory by K-State on Nov. 3 to kick off the 2007-08 season.

Scouting Kansas State

Coming off a third-place finish in the Puerto Rico Tipoff, Kansas State continued its momentum with a 70-57 victory over IUPUI at the Sprint Center on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats, which scored its fewest points off the season in the victory, led from start to finish in gaining their fifth win of the season. Junior Jacob Pullen, who had 26 in the win over No. 18/21 Dayton, continued his strong play with a game-high 25 points to go with a season-best seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. Junior Dominique Sutton added 14 points and six rebounds, while junior Curtis Kelly had his second double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Pullen leads four players in double figures for the season at 17.8 points per game.

Scouting Fort Hays State

Fort Hays State enters tonight’s game with a 3-0 record. The squad plays host to Newman College on Monday before heading to Manhattan on Tuesday. The Tigers are averaging 80.7 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting to go with 44.7 rebounds, 20.7 assists and 8.3 steals per game. The team has four players averaging in double figures led by senior Tim Peintner, who is averaging 14.3 points per game.

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