Kansas basketball vs. Kansas State: 3 things to consider ahead of matchup

LAWRENCE — Kansas men’s basketball has another rivalry matchup upcoming, as it travels to Manhattan to face Kansas State on Saturday for the first time this season.

Jayhawks assistant coach Norm Roberts said Friday the team has to embrace the atmosphere it’s heading into and enjoy it. Kansas has to know it’s its small group of people inside Bramlage Coliseum, against those there for the Wildcats. Earlier this season the Jayhawks welcomed the Missouri Tigers to Allen Fieldhouse, and one might expect Kansas to receive a similar hostile welcome that Missouri did.

Kansas is 15-2 overall and 4-1 against the Big 12 Conference this season, ranked seventh in the latest coaches poll and riding a three-game winning streak against No. 14 Iowa State, West Virginia and Oklahoma. Kansas State is 10-7 overall and 2-4 against the Big 12, but riding a winning streak of its own against No. 19 Texas Tech and No. 22 Texas.

►RELATED: Rundown: Kansas will host 'College GameDay' on Jan. 29 for men’s basketball game vs. Kentucky

►RELATED: Christian Braun says he ‘absolutely’ made friends during Kansas basketball’s win at Oklahoma

“I hope it’s like the K-State we know and it’s jumping there, and their fans are getting rowdy,” Kansas super-senior forward Mitch Lightfoot said. “And I think all of us can appreciate that, and playing in those environments is something I think these younger guys need to learn and learn to appreciate because not everybody gets the opportunity to do that and the hostile environments are usually the most fun to play in.”

Lightfoot indicated that the Jayhawks’ success on the road against the Wildcats isn’t a major topic of conversation within the team. He said if they go out there and compete, that’ll give them the best chance to win.

Kansas redshirt sophomore forward Jalen Wilson said he liked the atmosphere Kansas State had his freshman year, although he did not play in against the Wildcats that season. He added he didn't know the Jayhawks are 28-5 in games at the Bramlage Coliseum, and when told that record responded he didn’t feel pressure to keep the margin so wide.

“I mean, I think the pressure’s going to be on them more than us,” Wilson said. “I mean, I think we’re pretty comfortable in there, I guess. So, we’ll be fine.”

More: What channel is Kansas basketball vs. Kansas State? How to watch KU's game against K-State

Here are a few other things to think about, ahead of the 3 p.m. scheduled tip-off.

Norm Roberts expects Bill Self to be at the game

The Oklahoman reported Friday afternoon that it had confirmed Bill Self Sr., the father of Kansas head coach Bill Self Jr., has died at 82 years old. The Jayhawks’ coach had not been at media availability to preview the upcoming game, and Roberts had said, “He’s kind of tied up a little bit” and wasn't sick. But Roberts added as well that he did expect Kansas’ coach to be at the game Saturday against Kansas State.

The Oklahoman report said, “Funeral services are pending.”

Kansas State basketball has been competitive, despite flaws in its record

If the Wildcats’ recent wins against ranked opponents weren’t enough, three of their four losses in conference play have come by three points or less. And in the defeat that doesn’t fit that, against a Texas team it’d later beat the next time they played, Kansas State led at halftime. Lightfoot thinks the Wildcats have definitely turned things around.

“They’re playing as good as anybody in the league,” Roberts said. “And also, understand that the games that they lost were close games. I mean, they were in every single ballgame. And obviously they’re a well-coached team, they always are. They play aggressively, defensively they take you out of what you want to do, they pressure you out of what you want to do, and I think what’s really happening for them that’s been good is their guards are playing lights out.”

Kansas State has the conference’s leader in rebounds per game, in fifth-year guard Mark Smith. Roberts said Smith has taken his play to a different level, and in addition to rebounding is hitting open 3s and driving well. Roberts pointed to a focus in keeping the Wildcats out of the lane and not letting them have success off their shot-fake.

If Kansas State does go with a smaller lineup, Roberts said Kansas will need to put pressure on the Wildcats with the Jayhawks’ efforts offensively. Another key for Kansas’ offense, will be moving the ball quickly to create opportunities instead of probing to make plays and potentially turning the ball over. The Jayhawks’ size at the guard spots, with those like senior guard Ochai Agbaji and junior guard Christian Braun, in addition to someone like Wilson, also gives Kansas some versatility.

How available Remy Martin, Ochai Agbaji and Zach Clemence might be

The Jayhawks have been dealing with injuries that have affected multiple key pieces, like Agbaji (wrist), super-senior guard Remy Martin (knee) and freshman forward Zach Clemence (foot). Roberts said Agbaji’s doing fine and just sore, and that Martin was “full go” on Thursday. Roberts said Clemence is coming on a little slower, and not someone he knows would play against Kansas State.

“I’m not a doctor, but those guys look good,” Lightfoot said about Agbaji and Martin. “I think that we can get out there and hopefully play our best basketball as a team coming up soon. So, once we get to do that I think this team has some special heights we can reach.”

Lightfoot and Wilson both said they do feel the team is becoming closer, despite having to progress through Big 12 play with an injury-affected roster. Lightfoot pointed to having to figure out ways to win recently in close games. Wilson pointed to how they’ve played defensively after the loss at Texas Tech.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas basketball vs. K-State: 3 things to consider before the game