K-State Wildcats vs. Bellarmine Knights: Basketball lineups, TV, odds and prediction

Kansas State will try for its first win of the season at 7 p.m. Friday, when the Wildcats play host to Bellarmine at Bramlage Coliseum.

Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, plus a game prediction.

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan

TV: ESPN+

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Betting line: K-State by 17.5

Over/Under: 145.5

STARTING LINEUPS

About Bellarmine (0-1):

The Knights opened the season with a 91-57 loss at Washington. The game was somewhat competitive in the first half, but the Huskies pulled away from there.

Bellarmine is a senior-laden team with lots of experience on its roster. But the Knights don’t feature much size. Only two players stand 6-foot-7 or taller. That shows up when they try to score and defend in the paint, as Bellarmine ranks 245th nationally in two-point offense (36.8%) and 259th nationally in two-point defense (68.4%).

The Knights opened last season with a 67-66 win at Louisville, so they do have some positive experience against power-conference teams. But they also have lost by double digits against Clemson, Duke, UCLA, Kentucky and Washington since then.

About Kansas State (1-0):

The Wildcats got off to a disappointing start to the season when they lost to the USC Trojans 82-69 earlier this week in Las Vegas.

K-State made just 31% of its shots and never found much offensive rhythm in that game. Jerome Tang’s team will look to change that at home against Bellarmine.

Tylor Perry led K-State with 22 points, six rebounds and six assists in the first game, with Cam Carter adding 15.

The Wildcats will not be at full strength for this game, as Nae’Qwan Tomlin (suspended) and Ques Glover (injury) both remain sidelined.

Prediction

The Wildcats were overmatched from a talent perspective in their first game of the season against USC.

Things will be flipped in their favor against Bellarmine on Friday.

K-State will be the far superior team in this matchup, even with two of its usual contributors missing from the lineup.

This is a nice opportunity for Jerome Tang’s team to log its first win of the year, and to do so comfortably.

Tylor Perry and Cam Carter were K-State’s only two reliable scorers against the Trojans, but offense will come much easier against an inferior opponent at home. Expect K-State forwards David N’Guessan, Taj Manning, Will McNair and Jerrell Colbert to all score inside.

The Wildcats mostly demolished mid-major opponents at home last season, winning all five such matchups by an average margin of 24.6 points.

I trust that K-State will find similar success against a Bellarmine team that is playing its second road game of the week.

K-State 83, Bellarmine 62

Last game prediction: USC 77, K-State 73 (Actual: USC 82, K-State 69)

Season Record: 1-0

Season Record ATS: 1-0

Season Record O/U: 1-0