Kansas State @ Alabama preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 17, 2011 ) Alabama 58, Kansas State 71

A step away from conference play could be good for Kansas State, which is off to a rough start in the Big 12 and is coming off an ugly finish to a loss at rival Kansas. The Wildcats won't have forwards James Love or Antonio Gordon available when they visit Alabama as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge due to suspensions handed down following a brawl that spilled into the stands at the conclusion of Tuesday's contest.

Kansas State's DaJuan Gordon went for a steal and a layup in the final second of Tuesday's 81-60 loss to the Jayhawks and was blocked by Kansas' Silvio De Sousa, who stood over Gordon before being rushed by Gordon and guard David Sloan, sparking the fracas. "It should have been avoided," Wildcats coach Bruce Weber told reporters. "It's my guys -- it's my fault. They came here wanting to have a game, compete, and we didn't compete the way we needed to, and probably a little frustration, especially the young guys." The Crimson Tide come in hot with wins in three straight - all by double figures - and are coming home after pounding Vanderbilt 77-62 on the road last weekend. "We needed to get a road win," Alabama coach Nate Oats told reporters. "I know Vanderbilt is a little bit depleted with all the injuries, but I thought their kids played hard."

TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (8-10): The Wildcats followed an 84-68 home win over then-No. 12 West Virginia with the ugly performance at Kansas and are averaging 58.2 points in their five Big 12 losses. Senior forward Xavier Sneed (14.7 points) and junior guard Cartier Diarra (12.9) are the only two players averaging in double figures and the offense will be missing one rotation player in Gordon, a freshman averaging five points on 38.2 percent shooting in 19.7 minutes. Sloan was one of the few bright spots during Tuesday's loss, scoring in double figures for the first time this season with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

ABOUT ALABAMA (11-7): The Crimson Tide head into the weekend third in Division I in scoring offense at an average of 83.1 points and are led by guard John Petty Jr., who averages 16.7 points and totaled 43 points on 14-of-26 shooting - 9-of-20 from 3-point range - over the last two games. Petty scored 34 points in his first chance against a Big 12 foe this season - a 104-89 loss to Iowa State during the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in November - and scored 20 or more in five contests overall. Fellow guard Kira Lewis Jr. is just behind Petty at an average of 16.3 points and reached double figures in each of the last nine games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Gordon is set to miss three games for Kansas State while Love, who only appeared in one game this season, was suspended for eight games.

2. Petty owns four double-doubles and leads the Crimson Tide in rebounding (7.3).

3. Alabama lost at Baylor in the Big 12/SEC Challenge last season while the Wildcats lost at Texas A&M.

PREDICTION: Alabama 85, Kansas State 68