On January 18, Kansas defeated Kansas State, 84-74 in Lawrence. The Jayhawks were led by Hunter Dickinson (25), Zeke Mayo (24), and Dajuan Harris (14). On Saturday, Kansas will head to Manhattan for the rematch inside Bramlage Coliseum

JayhawkSlant.com caught up with Kamden Tatkenhorst from EMAWOnline.com to get his thoughts on Saturday's Sunflower Showdown in Manhattan.

1) Kansas State has won four in a row. What's been the biggest key during this four-game winning streak?

K-State looks like a whole new team in these four games. Outside of the nail-biting win against Arizona State on Tuesday, they’ve blown every team in these wins. The Wildcats have played well on both sides of the floor, but I’d say the biggest key has been the defensive performance. K-State has only allowed 62 points per game in this four-game winning streak. The frontcourt duo of Coleman Hawkins and David N’Guessan have made it hard for teams to score inside. They shut down Iowa State to just 22 points in the paint. Every time Iowa State’s guards would penetrate, N’Guessan or Hawkins would be right there. KSU’s guards are starting to force way more turnovers than they did in the losing stretch. Dug McDaniel and Max Jones have started to buy in on the defensive side. Offensively, K-State has continued to play through Coleman Hawkins in the paint, but all five starters are impacting the game offensively. They are really playing well together at an important time of the year.

2) Saturday is a big game for both Kansas and Kansas State, what will be the biggest key for the Wildcats and who are a few players to keep an eye on?

2. It’s definitely a massive game for both teams. For the Wildcats, a win on Saturday would be their third straight Quad-1 win. With such a bad start to the season, it gives them hope that a postseason berth may be in reach. I think a big key for Tang’s team is the matchup in the paint. In the first game in Lawrence, Kansas dominated the inside. The Jayhawks out-scored the Wildcats by 12 in the paint and out-rebounded them by 10. Sure, that will happen with a player like Hunter Dickinson inside, but K-State allowed him to get too comfortable. He had a span in the second half of that game where he scored eight straight points down low. With K.J. Adams back in the fold for Kansas, Coleman Hawkins will have a tougher time scoring. Will K-State continue to be able to run offense through him despite the tough matchup? That will be another key as well.

I think in order for K-State to be successful on Saturday, they are going to need a big performance from Dug McDaniel. McDaniel just had nine points in the previous matchup. However, he’s played some of his best basketball lately. He didn’t score it well against Arizona State, but he finished with eight assists and nine rebounds. Before that, he scored 20 points against Iowa State and Tamin Lipsey. McDaniel has been more consistent as the season has gone on, but the Wildcats need a big performance from him. Coach Tang’s group is at their best with McDaniel on his A game.

3) The game in Manhattan is always electric and I expect this year to be no different. What is the mood of the team coming off a big win and what do you expect from the crowd?

The team morale has never been higher for Coach Tang’s group. If the ball bounced differently in Tempe, it could be a completely different story. However, this team sneaked out with a win, and the confidence is at an all-time high. It feels like this group has finally figured out their roles and playing them the way Tang wants. With the way I sound right now, you would think this team would be a solid NCAA tournament team, but instead, they find themselves with a .500 record. Still, this team is playing the best basketball they’ve played all season and should make for a great game on Saturday. If it weren’t for a horrific start against Kansas in the first game, the Wildcats would be looking to sweep the Jayhawks this season.

The Sunflower Showdown crowds always deliver, but I would expect this one to be on another level inside Bramlage Coliseum. The K-State crowds always come out in full force against Kansas. However, there is some extra juice going around. K-State’s hot play has rejuvenated this fanbase. It was just announced on Thursday that Michael Beasley would be at the game. The first game he’s been at in over a decade. Plus, it’s been awhile since a Kansas-Kansas State game in Manhattan has been on a Saturday. I think that should make for a loud crowd this weekend.

4) How do you see the game in Manhattan playing out?

With two teams coming off impressive wins, I expect this game to not disappoint. The last two Sunflower Showdowns in Bramlage Coliseum have both gone into overtime. I’m not sure if this one will, but I expect a highly competitive game from start to finish. I would not be surprised if either team wins. The Jayhawks may be too much to handle inside, but the Wildcats' speed on the perimeter may give fits. I think the team that gets hot from three will get the win on Saturday. Neither team shoots many attempts, but both teams have capable threats from deep. With that being said, K-State’s wing duo of Max Jones and Brendan Hausen have really shot it well lately, so I’ll take the Wildcats pulling out a nail-biter.