K-State Wildcats vs. USC Trojans: Basketball lineups, TV info, odds and prediction
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Kansas State will open its season at 9 p.m. on Monday against USC. Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, plus a game prediction.
When: 9 p.m. Monday
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
TV: TNT
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: USC by 2.5
Over/Under: 142.5
STARTING LINEUPS
P | No. | USC | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 3 | Vincent Iwuchukwu | 7-1 | So. | 0.0 |
G | 0 | Kobe Johnson | 6-6 | Jr. | 0.0 |
G | 5 | 6-3 | Sr. | 0.0 | |
G | 10 | DJ Rodman | 6-6 | Sr. | 0.0 |
G | 1 | Isaiah Collier | 6-5 | Fr. | 0.0 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 7 | David N’Guessan | 6-9 | Sr. | 0.0 |
F | 15 | Taj Manning | 6-7 | Fr. | 0.0 |
G | 24 | Arthur Kaluma | 6-7 | Jr. | 0.0 |
G | 5 | Cam Carter | 6-3 | So. | 0.0 |
G | 2 | Tylor Perry | 5-11 | Sr. | 0.0 |
About USC (0-0):
The Trojans are ranked in the preseason top 25 thanks to a strong recruiting class that will play together for the first time on Monday.
Bronny James, the son of LeBron, got all the attention when he committed to USC, but Isaiah Collier was the No. 1 rated prospect in his high school class. James is not expected to play after he collapsed during a workout over the summer. Still, not many teams will have more talent than the Trojans this season. But experience may be an issue.
USC is coming off a season in which it won 22 games and reached the NCAA Tournament.
About Kansas State (0-0):
The Wildcats will open the season without senior forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who has been indefinitely suspended from the team following an arrest in Manhattan. But high-profile transfers Tylor Perry (North Texas) and Arthur Kaluma (Creighton) will make their K-State debuts in an exciting environment.
K-State looked sharp in its lone exhibition game of the season, as it crushed Emporia State 102-68 with Cam Carter leading all scorers with 20 points.
Prediction
K-State will open the 2023-24 college basketball season with a challenging matchup.
USC is one of the most talented teams in the country. That is why you will find the Trojans ranked in the top 25 of the preseason polls, and in the top 10 of some analytical predictions.
You won’t find many backcourts better than Isaiah Collier, Bronny James and Boogie Ellis.
If K-State can defeat USC on a neutral court, it will be a terrific sign that the Wildcats are ready to build on Jerome Tang’s impressive first season in Manhattan. But defeating the Trojans won’t be easy, especially without Nae’Qwan Tomlin in the lineup.
James watching from the sideline could make that less of a factor.
The Wildcats steamrolled Emporia State 102-68 in their lone exhibition game of the preseason last week and showed off the potential of their new offense in the process. This is a major step up in competition, though.
Both teams will experiment with different lineups and learn about themselves in this game. Without knowing everything about what both sides want to do, talent could be the deciding factor.
For that reason, USC is understandably favored in this game.
USC 77, K-State 73
