Kansas State vs. La Salle: Game Time, TV Schedule, Spread Info and Predictions

If there was any doubt that the Atlantic-10 was a basketball conference this season, the La Salle Explorers proved that on Wednesday night, knocking off a talented Boise State team in a "First Four" matchup that weeded the teams in the 2013 NCAA tournament down to 64.

No. 13 La Salle (22-9) put up 80 points on Wednesday night against the Broncos, and proved to the rest of the field that its scoring is going to be a matchup nightmare on the defensive end. The Explorers didn't have an answer for Anthony Drmic (28 points), but had two guards of their own—Ramon Galloway and Tyrone Garland—score over 20 points in an impressive win.

Waiting on the Explorers in the West region of the bracket will be the Kansas State Wildcats (27-7), part-winners of the Big 12 regular-season title and most recently runners-up in the Big 12 tournament championship to No. 1 seed Kansas.

Both teams will get a chance to survey the bracket landscape before Friday at 3:10 p.m. ET, when the action is set to tip off in Kansas State's stomping grounds. To prepare you for what should be an exciting matchup of tournament teams, check out all the information below before determining which team moves on in your 2013 bracket.

Game Information

Where: Kansas City, Mizz. 

When: Friday, March 22, at approximately 3:10 p.m. ET

Watch: truTV

Live Stream: March Madness On Demand

Betting Line: N/A as of midnight on 3/20/12

Kansas State Injuries (via USA Today): None

La Salle Injuries (via USA Today): C Steve Zack, foot, out indefinitely

What's At Stake?

Obviously, a berth in the Round of 32 is at stake here, where the winner of this game will meet the winner of No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 12 Ole Miss.

Bruce Weber has done a masterful job as the head coach this season for Kansas State, and looks to push his team over that final hump with a deep tournament run.

John Giannini, on the other hand, has been at his post since 2005 and has built this program into a winner that looks to win the 13th tournament game in its history and Cinderella its way to a championship for the first time since 1954.

The Explorers will come into this game riding high after their "First Four" win on Wednesday night, and for good reason. They shot an unreal 63.3 percent from the field—higher than their percentage at the free-throw line (58.3).

Kansas State might be the wrong matchup for that streak to continue, particularly because the Wildcats only allow just over 60 points per game this season. However, if there's one thing we know about Weber's team this year, it's that small teams with good guards have given it problems.

Kansas' guards have given K-State fits, and losses to Iowa State and Michigan also suggest that teams that play a lot of guards have a tendency to give the Wildcats matchup problems on the perimeter. With center Steve Zack out (foot) for the Explorers, expect to see more run-and-gun play from La Salle on Friday night.

Players to Watch

Kansas State: G Angel Rodriguez

The popular pick for player to watch will be swingman Rodney McGruder, who averages 15.7 points per game for this team and should be a second-round pick in the upcoming NBA draft. McGruder is the go-to guy for Kansas State, but I believe Rodriguez will have a bigger impact on K-State's chance.

Rodriguez, a sophomore from Puerto Rico, averages 11.7 points and 5.3 assists per game. When he's hot, he conjures up flashes of Minnesota Timberwolves guard J.J. Barea—quick to the basket, can create his own shot and dish to teammates despite his 5'11" frame.

However, when he's bad, he can shoot the Wildcats out of games.

Look no further than the team's last two losses (to Kansas and Oklahoma State) to see what kind of impact he can have when forcing the ball too much. Despite scoring in double digits in both games, Rodriguez shot a combined 6-of-28 from the field. 

Weber needs Rodriguez to be on his game on Friday, especially with the kind of high-octane offense La Salle brings to the table.

If Rodriguez is going to be successful, he must avoid sloppy turnovers and recognize when to pass to open shooters like Will Spradling, Shane Southwell and McGruder on the outside and when to attack the basket. If Rodriguez throws up wild shots in the paint and doesn't play the role of distributor, there's a good chance Kansas State gets blown out in Kansas City.

La Salle: G Ramon Galloway

Speaking of stud guards, Ramon Galloway is looking to make a name for himself in this tournament.

Galloway had 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in the opening round win over Boise State, only four points better than his season average of 17.0. With Zack hurting and fellow guard Garland coming off the bench in a supporting role, there's a good chance Galloway will have to star yet again for the Explorers to move on.

Not that he's not up for the challenge.

Galloway had 23 points against Duquesne and 29 against George Washington in wins down the stretch of the regular season; he certainly knows how to put the ball in the basket. However, in the team's last two losses (to Butler and Saint Louis), he had just 12 points combined and largely disappeared when he was needed the most.

However, Galloway also averages over four rebounds and three assists per game, and has the opportunity to impact the game in different ways on Friday night. He'll have to, because the Explorers are down a man and facing one of the most quietly-efficient teams in the country.

Prediction

Upset central?

La Salle certainly has the guns for it, the personnel that can give Kansas State problems and a lineup that can all score points in bunches.

However, the Wildcats are playing a virtual home game in Kansas City—something that can't be discounted at this stage of the season in college hoops. McGruder is also a senior, been to plenty of tournaments during his college career and has the scoring chops to give Kansas State the edge in the go-to-guy department.

No-doubt Weber has been hammering Rodriguez in practice this week about playing smart basketball, and the Wildcats can also take advantage of the absence of Zack by getting Jordan Henriquez involved early.

This is a scary game for Kansas State, and it should be on upset watch for most of the contest. But with the home crowd in tow and two guards that can rival what La Salle throws its way, Kansas State remains the team to beat. The Wildcats have Big 12 experience and is very underrated in terms of this year's most steady teams.

Kansas State survives, but for how long?

Kansas State 73, La Salle 70

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