By Jackson Schneider
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State Men's Basketball Head Coach Bruce Weber and select players spoke to media via Zoom on Wednesday to discuss the start of the 2020-2021 season.
This week, the Wildcats announced their revised schedule. The slate boasts 17 home games as well as the inaugural Little Apple Classic, in which K-State will open the season on November 25th against Drake and then face off with former Big 12 rival Colorado on November 27th.
With the Coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on the sports world, scheduling became difficult for many programs, with several still unsure of their start dates.
"It was tough to be honest," said Weber on the scheduling. "Just talking to all the schools and making sure they were in sync with the testing policy."
Weber went on to say how the team was still taking things in stride. "I would expect at least one change, if not more," he said. "Everyday something happens. Teams in different leagues still haven't made decisions on when they're starting, they're adding games in December, or they're having to change things."
The Wildcats are coming of a disappointing 2019-2020 season where they finished 11-21 overall and 3-15 in Big 12 play. Kansas State did however end the season on back-to-back wins, including a 53-49 win over TCU in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, prior to the sports world coming to an abrupt halt on March 12th.
"It's a motivator," said McGuirl about leaving last year unfinished. "We always knew last year that we had a lot of talent, but last year's in the past, we learned from it, everything happens for a reason. Now, it's just the mindset that it's a new team, new group, and we're just coming every day to work hard and get better."
Coach Weber mentioned that Mike McGuirl had taken on a leadership role, and McGuirl seconded that motion.
"I've been in college for three years, so I've been able to see the good and the bad of college basketball," said McGuirl. "I'm trying to take what I know from the good and really spread it to the rest of the team. I've got the greatest teammates I could ask for. They're really good people, they work hard, they all listen to the coaches, they're all coachable so I'm blessed to have teammates like this."
Dajuan Gordon was one that was also mentioned as a leader for the Wildcats. Heading into his sophomore season, it's clear to see Gordon wants to make an impact, but he says he just wants to follow McGuirl's lead.
"I try to help Mike lead," said Gordon. "I try to just set everything by example by just going hard, playing hard everyday, being a good person and trying to help everybody."
Kansas State has seen a large amount of roster turnover since last season, which Bruce Weber said has admittedly been tough to navigate during the pandemic because the team hasn't been able to do its normal team-building activities to help develop chemistry among the players.
"It's not easy. I think they enjoy each other," said Weber. "I think they all have camaraderie because they all have a purpose, and that's to get to the season and have a good season."
The Wildcats have just under a month to get to that season that has been so much in question over the last several weeks.
K-State will host Drake in the inaugural Little Apple Classic on Wednesday, November 25. The game time is still to be announced.
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