Kansas State basketball, after a 10-day hiatus, is set to face an unbeaten Drake team at T-Mobile Center. The Wildcats, with a record of 6-3, are looking to bounce back from a second-half collapse in their previous game against St. John’s. On the other hand, Drake, under first-year coach Ben McCollum, has started the season with a 9-0 record, winning against notable opponents like Miami (Fla.), Florida Atlantic, and Vanderbilt. McCollum brought four starters with him, including top scorers Bennett Stirtz, Daniel Abreu, and Mitch Mascari. The Bulldogs also have five players from the Kansas City metro area on their roster.

Watch Kansas State Basketball vs Drake Live on ESPN+

K-State is playing without backup forward Achor Achor, who left the team for personal reasons. Villanova transfer Brendan Hausen leads the Wildcats in scoring with 15.2 points per game, followed by super-senior forward David N’Gussan with 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds.

Wildcats Continue to Struggle

Drake has been on fire, hitting 5 of 9 shots and assisting on each basket, leading 14-4 with 11:48 left in the half. K-State, on the other hand, is struggling, shooting 2 of 10 and 0-for-5 from 3, with three turnovers.

Mobi Ikegwuruka Makes an Appearance

Mobi Ikegwuruka, who was sidelined with an injury, made his first appearance off the bench along with Dug McDaniel for David Castillo at the point two minutes into the game. This gives a boost to the Wildcats' lineup.

A Terrible Start for K-State

Drake raced to a 9-0 lead, forcing Jerome Tang to take a timeout with 15:27 left in the half. The Wildcats are shooting poorly, 0 of 5, including three 3-pointers, and have turned the ball over twice. Drake, on the other hand, is shooting 4 of 6 with a 3-pointer and looks like the better team so far.

Freshman David Castillo Gets His First Start for K-State

The Kansas State point guard merry-go-round continues. True freshman David Castillo gets his first career start tonight against Drake, making him the Wildcats’ third point guard to open a game this season. CJ Jones started eight of the previous nine games and Dug McDaniel one. Interestingly, Castillo played just two minutes in the last game. The other starters for the Wildcats tonight are the usual: guards Brendan Hausen and Max Jones, with Coleman Hawkins and David N’Guessan at forward.

Kansas State vs Drake Game Time Today

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 17Time: 7 p.m.Location: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas State vs Drake Prediction

K-State is a slim favorite but desperate for a victory to build momentum heading into Big 12 play. However, Drake has outscored its opponents by nearly 20 points per game and ranks second nationally in scoring defense. Giving a slight edge to the Bulldogs, the prediction is Drake 70, Kansas State 65.

Kansas State vs Drake Betting Odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Tuesday afternoon:Spread: Kansas State -1.5Over/under: 134.5 pointsWe occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.