KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Big 12-leading Kansas State men's basketball team (19-6, 9-3 in Big 12) stumbled on Saturday at home against Iowa State. The Wildcats entered that game ranked No. 18 and hoped to extend their one-and-a-half game lead in the conference. However, the Cyclones, who were previously ranked No. 23, imposed their will inside of Bramlage Coliseum. Iowa State (19-6, 8-4 in Big 12) defeated K-State 78-64.
Not only did they lose the game, but they lost preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and senior forward Dean Wade. He went down as he limped off the court with an apparent injury to his right foot. The Wildcats suffered the largest slide, of any team currently ranked, in this week's new Associated Press top 25 men's college basketball poll. They are down five spots to No. 23. Iowa State is up to No. 19 in the new poll.
K-State plays at West Virginia at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 18.
The Kansas Jayhawks (20-6, 9-4 in Big 12) have regained their mojo, winning their third straight game by defeating West Virginia on Saturday 78-53 at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks were previously ranked No. 14. However, they have moved up two spots to No. 12 and are only one-half game behind K-State for the Big 12 conference lead. Kansas fans are sweating more than normal this year. The Jayhawks have clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular season conference championship the last 14 seasons. However, that streak is currently in jeopardy.
Kansas plays next at No. 14 Texas Tech at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Kansas and K-State will face each other again this time at Allen Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25. That game can potentially determine which team wins the regular season conference championship.
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 17, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:
Record Pts Prv
1. Duke (58) 23-2 1594 2
2. Gonzaga (6) 25-2 1502 3
3. Virginia 22-2 1476 4
4. Kentucky 21-4 1383 5
5. Tennessee 23-2 1376 1
6. Nevada 24-1 1240 7
7. Michigan 23-3 1150 6
8. North Carolina 20-5 1129 8
9. Houston 25-1 1085 9
10. Michigan St. 21-5 1046 11
11. Marquette 21-4 987 10
12. Kansas 20-6 801 14
13. LSU 21-4 773 19
14. Texas Tech 21-5 733 15
15. Purdue 18-7 699 12
16. Florida St. 20-5 525 17
17. Villanova 20-6 519 13
18. Louisville 18-8 507 16
19. Iowa St. 19-6 426 23
20. Virginia Tech 20-5 408 22
21. Iowa 20-5 389 21
22. Wisconsin 17-8 250 20
23. Kansas St. 19-6 249 18
24. Maryland 19-7 211 24
25. Buffalo 22-3 164 25
Others receiving votes: Cincinnati 99, Wofford 32, Auburn 21, Washington 20, Mississippi St. 2, St. John's 2, Mississippi 1, Yale 1.
