No breaks for K-State early in Big 12 schedule

Of the 10 teams left in the Big 12, Kansas State probably drew the toughest start. The Wildcats opened on the road against Kansas, the seven-time defending Big 12 champion. Then, Kansas State at least got to return home for games against Missouri and Baylor, though both opponents were among the last four unbeatens in Division I. The homestand was launched by handing the Tigers their first defeat, 75-59. "Gotta love the Big 12," Kansas State coach Frank Martin said. "Go on the road, play a top-15 school. Come home, play the seventh team in the country. Then enjoy this a whole lot so you can play the fourth team in the country." NOTES: --Freshman Thomas Gipson earned a spot in the starting lineup early in the season when he led Kansas State underneath and influenced play with his strong body. But as the Wildcats began facing bigger, and better, opponents, the 6-foot-7 forward was not as effective. To remedy the issue, Martin removed Gipson from the lineup for the Missouri game and replaced him with junior Jordan Henriquez. The switch inspired both players. Henriquez posted 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Gipson, who went scoreless against Kansas, bounced back to contribute nine points and five rebounds. "I made a decision and both of those guys handled it like big-time champs," Martin said. "They were awesome. They both impacted the game in a very powerful way." --The victory against Missouri was the second against a ranked opponent for Kansas State, which earlier beat then-No. 17 Alabama. In his fifth season as Kansas State coach, Martin has 18 victories against ranked opponents. BY THE NUMBERS: 14 -- Home-court winning streak for Kansas State in Bramlage Coliseum, through Jan. 8, the longest string since the arena opened in 1988-89. QUOTE TO NOTE: "We really got after it (in practice following the Jan. 4 loss at Kansas). That toughness that we had in practice, we brought that to the game. I feel like Missouri hadn't seen a team that really got up and pressured like we did." -- Kansas State G Will Spradling. STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL THIS WEEK'S GAMES: vs. Baylor, Jan. 10 KEY MATCHUPS: At 15-0 overall, Baylor is off to the best start in its history. Included are wins against Texas A&M and Texas Tech to open Big 12 play. A long, athletic front line makes the Bears' zone difficult to penetrate. F Perry Jones skipped the NBA Draft to return for his sophomore season, and he is part of a balanced attack that features five scorers averaging double figures. G Pierre Jackson, a junior college transfer, comes off the bench but is the primary point guard. at Oklahoma, Jan. 14 KEY MATCHUPS: The game will be the first against Oklahoma since Lon Kruger took over as the Sooners' coach. Kruger was an All-Big Eight guard for the Wildcats, whom he later coached to four NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons from 1986-90. Oklahoma is thin on talent and off to an 0-2 conference start following double-digit defeats to Missouri and Kansas. G Steven Pledger is an outside threat, while F Andrew Fitzgerald and F Romero Osby are tough on the glass. FUTURES MARKET: Although G Rodney McGruder is capable of big nights scoring, he is inconsistent and must work to get baskets off stick-backs and penetration, in addition to open jumpers. When he struggles, the Wildcats need garbage points underneath to help boost the attack. PLAYER NOTES --Senior F Jamar Samuels, who missed the first two games of the season because of a suspension, failed to score in double figures for just the second time after recording just seven points against Missouri. --Sophomore G Shane Southwell played 25 minutes as a reserve against Missouri and led the Wildcats with six assists. He added four points and five rebounds. --Junior G Rodney McGruder led the Wildcats in scoring for the fourth consecutive game with 20 points against Missouri. Over that four-game stretch, McGruder was 12-for-13 from the free throw line.