Kansas-Kansas State: Key Areas to Focus on Heading into Saturday

Although the game is still several days away, eager fans are looking ahead to Saturday and wondering what their beloved Jayhawks may produce when they head to Bramlage Coliseum.

Following a rather easy and convincing win over the Missouri Tigers on Monday, the Jayhawks seem to be back to their sparkling form, as Cole Aldrich helped gift the Jayhawks with an easy victory. 

Kansas' leading man Sherron Collins is still red hot, and if there is one sole reason that the Jayhawks make the Final Four this year, he'd be it. 

With Kansas' only loss on the season having occurred nearly a month ago now, the Jayhawks' confidence is back, and they will need it come Saturday night when they are set to go one on one with the Kansas State Wildcats.

Players to Watch

Kansas Jayhawks: Xavier Henry

With 14.3 points per game this season, the young first-year freshman has made a name for himself at Allen Fieldhouse. Arguably not as dominant as Bill Self would like him to be during big games, Henry will certainly steal a few headlines this weekend.

Combined with Aldrich's newly found, rejuvenated rhythm, Xavier may be presented with the odd alley-oop opportunity in this game. For Xavier, the opportunity needs to be taken, and needs to be taken well. Turnovers aren't what Xavier is used to, but with a strong Wildcats defense, he may have trouble playing with his usual bouncing step.

Kansas State Wildcats: Denis Clemente

Another prolific guard in this game, Denis Clemente isn't the Wildcats' leading scorer, but he gets the job done nicely for Kansas State. Similar to Henry, 14.6 points per game is Denis' current average. As impressive as this might seem to the casual college basketball fan, Denis has only really turned it on in the latter half of this season. 

Having a decent game against Oklahoma State during the weekend, Clemente offered opportunities for the Wildcats, but they failed to capitalize at times. If the unpredictable Wildcats want a win at home, both Clemente and Jacob Pullen will have to be at their best.

Crowd Noise

Not the loudest arena, the Bramlage Coliseum can get pretty ugly at times. In case you missed the Texas-Kansas State game last week, I'll refresh your memory with one word: energized. The Wildcats fans resemble something of a soccer or wrestling fanbase: chanting is a must, and it is constantly loud. 

For the Jayhawks, they are fairly accustomed to loud noises. They play at Allen Fieldhouse, for god's sake. With this said, their in-state rivals will be pumped and ready for an upset. Expect nothing but distortion in your speakers this Saturday night.

Outcome

Personally I feel that the Jayhawks are better off playing this game in the paint. Field goals are great, but the Wildcats feed off any missed opportunity.

Giving the ball to Cole Aldrich won't be the worst option for the Jayhawks, as Cole is averaging 11.2 points per game. Sherron Collins' assists continue to add up over the course of the season, sitting at 4.3 per game. Maybe a Collins and Cole combo isn't the worst plan for Kansas.

As for the Wildcats, well, it's simple: Capitalize. After beating Texas and then losing to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the boat has been rocked a little lately in the land of Kansas State. Not to worry though—a win over No. 2-ranked Kansas will get them going and possibly give them a shot at March basketball. One game at a time though, and Jacob Pullen is the man to get it done for the Wildcats.

Expect noise, and expect mistakes. Neither of these teams have had a perfect season, so it may be a clash of two sloppy teams this Saturday rather than a clash of two elites. Either way, it is shaping up to be a rivalry game not to be missed.