Kansas State (26-6, 14-4 Big 12) and Oklahoma State (24-7, 13-5 Big 12) will meet for the second time in the one week, but this time a ticket to the conference tournament championship game is on the line.
The Wildcats have only been in the championship game once before when they lost to Kansas in 2010. This time around they have a share of the regular season title and will be looking for redemption over the Cowboys.
Number three-seeded Oklahoma State is one win away from making their first championship game since 2005.
The Cowboys will be looking to start point guard Marcus Smart to have a big game once again against the Wildcats. Smart had 21 points in the quarterfinals and will look to hit the 20-point mark for the fourth game in a row. Smart is 7 for 11 from the field in both of the previous games this year, adding 21 points, six assists and six rebounds last Saturday against the Wildcats. Smart has been named conference player of the year and rookie of the year this year and will need to back up his awards with another clutch performance if the Cowboys hope to make the finals.
Michael Cobbins has been averaging 6.3 rebounds per game, but will need to make sure he can keep Rodney McGruder out of the paint and give the Oklahoma State offense a little room to spread out the offense.
McGruder for Kansas State will look to finally knock off the Cowboys, averaging 15.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds so far this year. He is shooting 50 percent against the Oklahoma State defense this year with 50 points and nine rebounds in their last two meetings.
A big game for McGruder could see him pass Cartier Martin for seventh on the all-time scorers list for Kansas State, needing just 27 points to surpass Martin.
The last time these two teams met in the Big 12 tournament, the Wildcats were victorious 83-64, back in 2010.
The game is available live on WatchESPN with coverage starting at 9:30 p.m.
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