Return of Kansas State forward David N'Guessan will bolster Wildcats' frontcourt vs. Kansas
LAWRENCE — The last time Kansas State and Kansas met on a basketball court two weeks ago, David N'Guessan never left the bench.
K-State still managed to win the game, ending a seven-game losing streak against the Jayhawks with an 83-82 overtime decision that set off a court-storming celebration by Wildcat fans in Bramlage Coliseum.
N'Guessan, a 6-foot-9 junior forward from the Netherlands, was relegated to a cheerleading role, still nursing a right ankle injury that sidelined him for all but three minutes of K-State's first eight Big 12 Conference games.
In his absence, the No. 5-ranked Wildcats (18-3) still won six of those games and sit atop the Big 12 standings alongside Iowa State and Texas, heading into their Sunflower Showdown rematch with KU (17-4, 5-3). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Still, K-State missed N'Guessan's speed and quickness on the interior, both offensively and defensively. That was evident upon his return to the starting lineup Saturday, when he scored nine points in just 19 minutes during the Wildcats' 64-50 home blowout of Florida in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge series.
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"(He brings) energy, great running the floor, his speed and his position," K-State coach Jerome Tang said of N'Guessan, who started 11 of 12 games before hurt prior to the Big 12 opener against West Virginia. "I don't know a lot of guys that are as fast (or) as quick at the positions that he can play, and defensively he covers a lot of mistakes.
"We're not in rotation as much (defensively) so we have better block-out assignments, and so that really helps."
N'Guessan had just one rebound against Florida, but guards Markquis Nowell, Cam Carter, Desi Sills and Tykei Greene combined for 21, in large part because they didn't have to rotate of their man defensively. And the other big men — Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Ismael Massoud and Abayomi Iyiola had 14 between them after they were shut out on the boards the previous game at Iowa State.
N'Guessan, whose injury limited his cardio training, said he expects to be back in shape soon enough.
"It felt good," he said of his return. "I got a little tired after the first couple of minutes, but I'm just happy to be back.
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"I don't think I'm that close to where I was when I got hurt, but a couple of more practices, I'll be back. It's just a matter of time, just getting more and more reps. Just running up and down more at practice and really getting the game-time feel."
Point guard Markquis Nowell especially benefitted from his return, picking up eight assists in the first half, when N'Guessan scored all of his points.
"We play at a faster pace (with N'Guessan)," Nowell said. "I feel like David gets out in transition (and) he has a really good feel for around the rim, so I'm just happy he's back.
"He does everything — all the little things that we really need from a big guy."
The key now, Tang said, is for N'Guessan to bounce back Tuesday on short rest.
"I'm interested to see how his body recovers for Tuesday, because you're always going to energy that real first game back where you play" Tang said. "And it's just how we can have him recovered for Tuesday."
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Kansas State ready for Allen Fieldhouse
Kansas State has lost 16 straight times in Lawrence, with the last victory coming in 2006, but Tang is convinced the Wildcats' Big 12 schedule so far will have them ready for another capacity crowd at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Wildcats held their own in a hostile environment last Tuesday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, losing just 80-76, and already have road victories at Texas and Baylor. And then there is Bramlage Coliseum, which has been sold out for the last four games.
"We've had some great venues in this league," Tang said. "It's no longer just one place that's got a great home-court advantage, and the fact that we get to play in front of one all the time, we're used to a big crowd.
"So I think that's going to help our communication."
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K-State forward Keyontae Johnson, who leads K-State in scoring with 18 points per game and rebounding with a 7.7 average, said the Wildcats won't approach the road version of the Sunflower Showdown any differently.
"We're just going to come in (Sunday), practice and watch film," he said following the Florida game. "Just go 1-0, go to KU (and) we're going to give it our all.
"We're going to go out there and compete — play the basketball we've got to play."
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball takes on Kansas in Sunflower Showdown
