clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Breaking down Kansas State roster ahead of Sweet 16 vs. Michigan State

We go over the Wildcats’ roster and break down everything you need to know about the top players.

Kentucky v Kansas State
Keyontae Johnson of the Kansas State Wildcats holds the ball during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 19, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

The Kansas State Wildcats escaped a tough round of 32 contest against Kentucky to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018. The Wildcats now face the No. 7 seed Michigan State Spartans, who eliminated USC and Marquette to get to this point. Here’s a look at Kansas State’s roster ahead of Thursday’s matchup.

Kansas State roster breakdown

Best player

It’s a tough call here between Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell, but the latter does get the edge since his impact is far less reliant on his shot going down. Nowell was brilliant against Kentucky, although Johnson did ultimately have the dagger basket. Nowell’s ability to see the floor and find open shooters will be key against Michigan State’s compact defense.

Unsung hero

It’s hard to say Desi Sills is an unsung hero, as the senior has put together plenty of massive moments in his career. However, he’s certainly taken a back seat to Johnson and Nowell in this year’s campaign. Sills worked through an injury in the round of 32 and eventually did log 29 minutes. His stat lines are not impressive but he knows where to be and how to move the ball in this offense, which is important for K-State.

Kansas State roster

Player # Class Pos Height Weight Hometown High School RSCI Top 100 Summary
Player # Class Pos Height Weight Hometown High School RSCI Top 100 Summary
Keyontae Johnson 11 SR F 6-5 229 Norfolk VA Oak Hill Academy 69 (2018) 17.5 Pts 7.0 Reb 2.2 Ast
Markquis Nowell 1 SR G 5-7 155 Harlem NY St. Patrick HS 17.1 Pts 3.5 Reb 7.8 Ast
Nae'Qwan Tomlin 35 JR F 6-10 210 Harlem NY Urban Assembly School (NY) [Did not play] 10.3 Pts 5.8 Reb 1.1 Ast
Desi Sills 13 SR G 6-1 202 Jonesboro AR Jonesboro HS 8.8 Pts 3.6 Reb 2.3 Ast
Camryn Carter 5 SO G 6-3 185 Donaldsonville LA Oak Hill Academy 6.4 Pts 2.9 Reb 1.5 Ast
David N'Guessan 3 JR F 6-9 205 De Lier Netherlands Mt. Zion Prep 6.4 Pts 3.7 Reb 0.8 Ast
Ismael Massoud 25 JR F 6-8 220 East Harlem NY MacDuffie School 5.1 Pts 1.7 Reb 0.5 Ast
Abayomi Iyiola 23 SR F 6-9 230 Atlanta GA Greenforest Christian High School 3.6 Pts 3.0 Reb 0.3 Ast
Tykei Greene 4 SR G 6-4 205 Queens NY Long Island Lutheran (NY) 2.8 Pts 2.0 Reb 0.3 Ast