As I noted in last Wednesday’s edition of CBS Sports Top 25 And 1, Kansas State was picked out of the league’s 10 head coaches in a preseason poll to finish bottom of the Big 12 rankings. It was the by-product of a few different things. The Wildcats won just 14 games last season and were head coached for the first time. Also, no one knew exactly what to expect from Florida transfer Keyontae Johnson, who hadn’t played since December 2020 after collapsing during a game against Florida State.
But here we are, more than two months into this season, and it’s becoming abundantly clear that even if it was reasonable in October to forecast KSU as last in the Big 12, the Wildcats actually aren’t Landing low in the standings is a likely scenario.
This team is really good.
That’s the key takeaway after Saturday’s 97-95 overtime win at Baylor that put Kansas State 14-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12. These Wildcats are undeniably more talented than most last season.
It all starts with Johnson. The fact that he had entered this season after not playing for almost two years following his collapse made it reasonable to wonder what kind of player he would be. However, after fifteen games this season, we know he’s more or less the same player — and arguably a better player — than he was when he was named SEC Player of the Year ahead of the 2020-21 season. That explains a lot. Kansas State’s top scorer is a former preseason SEC Player of the Year who has emerged as a contender for Big 12 Player of the Year.
Additionally, Markquis Nowell has developed into one of the best point guards in the nation. He finished with 32 points and 14 assists in Saturday’s win in Baylor after 36 points and nine assists in Tuesday’s win in Texas. He becomes only the third Division I player in the last 10 seasons to have more than 65 points and more than 20 assists in every two-game span. The only others to make it are NBA All-Stars Ja Morant (Grizzlies) and Trae Young (Hawks). based on research by Jared Berson.
Additionally, Kansas State’s third-top scorer (Nae’Qwan Tomlin) is a JUCO All-American, and the Wildcats’ fourth-top scorer (Desi Sills) started for an Arkansas team that made the Elite Eight two years ago. In other words, the front of this squad is experienced and talented — and the freshman coach who pulled it all together, Jerome Tang, has proven so effective in the role after spending 19 seasons as an assistant at Baylor was listed several times as a potential candidate for the Texas job.
It’s a great story. It was fun to watch.
It compelled me to rank Kansas State #7 in the updated CBS Sports Top 25 and 1 daily college basketball rankings as of Sunday morning, based on a resume with a 4-1 record in quadrant 1 with no extra losses. Away wins in Texas and Baylor, which extended Kansas State’s winning streak to eight games, are massive. No program in the country has two road wins as good as this one. And Kansas State’s 3-0 start in the Big 12 has propelled the Wildcats to the top of the league standings as Kansas and Iowa State head into a week where they face Oklahoma State (Tuesday) and at TCU (Saturday) will play.
Itching for more college hoops analysis? Listen below and subscribe to the Eye on College Basketball podcast as we take you beyond the hardwood with insider info and instant reactions.
Top 25 and 1 rankings