No. 13 Arizona, Kansas State Meet in Big 12 Battle of Streaking Teams

Two of the hottest teams in the Big 12 collide Tuesday night as No. 13 Arizona visits Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan.

Arizona (17-6, 11-1 Big 12) enters on a six-game winning streak, fresh off an 82-73 victory over No. 13 Texas Tech on Saturday. Meanwhile, Kansas State (12-11, 6-6) has won five straight games, including an 81-73 upset over No. 16 Kansas at home.

This matchup features one of the best road teams in the Big 12 against one of the toughest home teams in the conference.

Arizona’s Road Dominance & Adjustments

Arizona has been dominant on the road, going 5-1 in conference play away from home. They avenged their only Big 12 loss by taking down Texas Tech, a game in which they attacked the paint instead of settling for 3-pointers—a key adjustment from their earlier defeat.

Coach Tommy Lloyd emphasized the need for physicality inside, and it worked.

“I thought we did a much better job today just kind of asserting our physicality on them across the board,” Lloyd said.

Caleb Love, Arizona’s leading scorer, struggled from deep (1-of-6 from three) but made up for it with 16 points, strong drives, and aggressive defense. His ability to lock down opposing guards has been key, and he helped limit Texas Tech’s Chance McMillian to just eight points.

Point guard Jaden Bradley was equally impactful, finishing with 16 points, five assists, and five steals while committing just three turnovers over his last two games.

Kansas State’s Home-Court Strength

Kansas State has found its groove at the right time, posting its longest conference win streak since 2018-19.

Coach Jerome Tang has an impressive 12-3 record at home vs. AP Top 25 teams, including 3-1 this season. He knows momentum is key but wants his team to stay focused.

Forward David N’Guessan has been on fire, scoring 20 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He also led the team with seven rebounds in the win over Kansas.

Point guard Dug McDaniel, a Michigan transfer, had a career-high 11 assists vs. Kansas, showing his growing confidence as a floor leader.

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Who Has the Edge?

• Arizona’s Keys to Victory:
  • Keep attacking the paint instead of relying on outside shooting.
  • Continue elite defensive efforts from Love & Bradley.
  • Maintain composure in a tough road environment.
• Kansas State’s Keys to Victory:
  • Ride the home-court momentum and high-energy crowd.
  • Get N’Guessan going early inside.
  • Limit turnovers and take advantage of transition opportunities.

Both teams are playing their best basketball, setting up a must-watch Big 12 showdown. Will Arizona’s road dominance continue, or can Kansas State defend its home court once again?