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Kansas visists Kansas State in Big 12 showdown

Jan 30, 2008 - 3:55 PM No. 2 Kansas (20-0) at No. 24 Kansas St (14-4) 8:00 pm EST

MANHATTAN, Kansas (Ticker) - After breezing through the early part of its Big 12 Conference schedule, No. 2 Kansas looks to match the second-best start in school history when it visits No. 24 Kansas State on Wednesday.

Coming off an 84-49 drubbing of Nebraska on Saturday, the Jayhawks (20-0, 5-0 Big 12), are only two wins away from equaling their best start ever - 22-0 in the 1996-97 season.

Kansas has featured excellent balance, with seven different players leading the team in scoring, including five in the last six contests.

The Jayhawks have four players averaging double figures, led by Darrell Arthur, who is scoring just 13.4 points per game. He paced Kansas with 18 points against Nebraska.

The Jayhawks have won 28 straight regular-season games and are 34-1 in their last 35 contests.

After winning its first five conference games by an average of 23 points, Kansas could finally get a stiff test as Wednesday's contest is an early showdown for first place in the Big 12.

Kansas State (14-4, 4-0) remained unbeaten in conference play with an 82-57 win over Iowa State on Saturday.

The Jayhawks will have to contend with Michael Beasley, the nation's fourth-leading scorer, who had 33 points and 15 rebounds in Kansas State's victory over Iowa State.

"We're going to beat Kansas at home. We're going to beat them in their house. We're going to beat them in Africa," Beasley said before the season. "Wherever we play, we're going to beat them."

Beasley topped 30 points for the seventh time this season, tying him with Bob Boozer and Norris Coleman for the most 30-point games in a single season in school history.

Still, the Jayhawks have history on their side, winning a remarkable 24 straight games in Manhattan, dating to 1984.

Since then, Kansas State has defeated Kansas seven times, either in Lawrence or at the conference tournament. Overall, the Jayhawks have won 35 of the last 36 meetings against their Sunflower State rivals.