Know Your Foe: Kansas State Basketball Players to Watch
The TCU Horned Frogs take on the Kansas State Wildcats on Thursday, March 9 in the Big 12 Tournament. Here are some key players on the Kansas State team that TCU fans should know before the game.
#1 Markquis Nowell
Three-star Guard from Harlem, New York. Senior
Don't let his size fool you one bit. Nowell stands at 5-8 160 lbs. and is one of the best guards in the country. He is a very dynamic player and can do it all. Nowell leads the team in scoring and assists. He is a very experienced player with quick acceleration making him very tough to keep out of the paint. However, driving to the rim is one of many things he can do he is a decent three-point shooter and an outstanding player at drawing fouls. This is huge for K-State because he is also an excellent free-throw shooter. However, TCU must up the defense, so he can't establish a rhythm. The last time the two teams met, The Frogs kept could not stop him. Nowell was utterly different from the first time the two teams met; he scored 18 points. The Frogs need to disrupt his rhythm if they want to win. I expect TCU will have a similar gameplay as the first game they played versus Kansas State, especially with Mike Miles Jr. back.
| Markquis Nowell | 2022-23 Season Stats Average |
|---|---|
Points | 16.8 |
Rebounds | 3.6 |
Assists | 7.8 |
Field Goal % | 39.8% |
#11 Keyontae Johnson
Four-Star Forward from Norfolk, Virginia. Senior
You may have heard of Keyontae Johnson before this season. After collapsing on the court while on his previous team, the Florida Gators, he has had a fantastic comeback. Johnson has been a massive addition to this Wildcats roster. He is built like a linebacker standing at 6-5 225 lbs. Johnson uses his size to his advantage to get rebounds and play defense. He doesn't always need the ball in his hands but is a great scorer. TCU must contain him because he and Nowell can be a scary duo. Jonson had a very productive game against TCU last game. However, unlike the first game, the Frogs could not take away his help, so the game got out of hand. The Frogs must slow down Nowell and Johnson to be successful.
| Keyontae Johnson | 2022-23 Season Stats Average |
|---|---|
Points | 18.1 |
Rebounds | 7.7 |
Assists | 2.1 |
Field Goal % | 52.3% |
#35 Nae'quan Tomlin
Three- star Forward from Harlem, New York. Junior
Tomlin is a very athletic forward who can score and play solid defense. He scores well in the interior and can make defenses pay, especially on smaller players. Tomlin is also a powerful dunker who can make the rim shake. TCU will need to keep him from getting established in the paint. The Horned Frogs did a great job of keeping Tomlin from scoring. TCU did improve on keeping him from getting as many rebounds. However, the Frogs struggled offensively in the last game, so It didn't help. The Frogs must continue to block him out and keep him from getting the rebounds because he can be dangerous in the paint.
| Nae'quan Tomlin | 2022-23 Season Stats Average |
|---|---|
Points | 10.4 |
Rebounds | 5.8 |
Assists | 1.2 |
Field Goal % | 45.3% |
#5 Cam Carter
Four- star Guard from Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Sophomore
Carter is an excellent young player who is getting better each game. He is swift and can help set up plays. Carter is also a good shooter, especially with mid-range shots. He can be dangerous, so the Frogs must watch him. Carter has not been too much of a factor here lately. Besides ball movement, he hasn't been very productive, only averaging 6.7 points per game. This does not mean TCU should take him lightly because he is a very talented player, and if he establishes a scoring rhythm, he could be a problem. Cam Carter was not much of a factor last game versus TCU. He only scored seven points and only had one assist. TCU has done an excellent job keeping Carter's game to a minimum. If they can keep Carter from scoring, that will be an excellent start for the Horned Frogs.
| Cam Carter | 2022-23 Season Stats Average |
|---|---|
Points | 6.7 |
Rebounds | 3.0 |
Assists | 1.5 |
Field Goal % | 38.4% |
#3 David N'Guessan
Three- star Forward from De Lier, Netherlands. Junior
The 6-9 215 lb. forward transfer from Virginia Tech has found his way into the Wildcat starting lineup. He has consistently improved each game and become a more significant threat. I think the move by Kansas State is to have someone who can play a little more lockdown defense. TCU has not seen him before as he is returning from a foot injury. TCU must be prepared for a different Kansas State team because they will have prepared much more for The Frogs this time. N'Guessan had a decent game against TCU last game, scoring 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists. TCU has now seen his game and play style, so they must slow him down so they don't have another scorer to deal with.
| David N'Guessan | 2022-23 Season Stats Average |
|---|---|
Points | 7.3 |
Rebounds | 3.8 |
Assists | 1.1 |
Field Goal % | 65.7% |
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