Kansas State must recover quickly from Monday's 59-53 loss to Sunflower State rival Kansas because the road ahead is daunting.
As Wildcats try to end their two-game losing streak and push for an NCAA Tournament berth, they face consecutive road games against Top 10 teams, Baylor and Missouri.
Saturday's contest against Baylor is a rematch of the Bears' 75-73 win on Jan. 10.
Though Baylor (22-4, 9-4 Big 12) has not played up to its potential of late, the Bears have a roster replete with NBA talent. Sophomore forward/center Perry Jones III had 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting along with eight rebounds during that January contest.
A major weakness for Kansas State was on display against Baylor, as the Wildcats turned the ball over 20 times, including 13 off steals by the Bears. Kansas State (17-8, 6-7 Big 12) has committed at least 11 turnovers during each of its Big 12 games.
"That continues to be a problem," coach Frank Martin told the Lawrence (Kans.) Journal-World. "We make boneheaded plays."
While Kansas State must handle the ball better, Baylor's zone defense must do a better job containing junior guard Rodney McGruder. During the Jan. 10 game, he scored 30 points on 10-of-14 shooting.
The Wildcats hope that McGruder can bring them out of their offensive doldrums, as they have shot less than 31 percent during two of their past three games.
STAR WATCH: Senior forward Jamar Samuels, Kansas State's leading rebounder, had his best performance of the season against Kansas. Often guarding Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson, Samuels finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds and was surprisingly effective from the perimeter. Samuels entered the game having made just eight 3-pointers all year, but he hit four of six from behind the arc.
"Jamar's been awesome," coach Frank Martin told the Lawrence (Kans.) Journal-World. "The growth that he has shown over the last 4 1/2 years -- I hope my kids grow up like that during their college experience."
