Branshea Brown saw this coming.

The Kansas State forward realized at the end of her freshman season a year ago that her sophomore campaign could and would be very different.

Gone are four big-time players for the Wildcats, including forward Marlies Gipson. The face of the Wildcats, as Brown knew them, was going to change this season, dramatically.

Kansas State’s Branshea Brown looks for a shot against Fort Hays State during an exhibition game on Nov. 3 at Bramlage Coliseum. Staff photo by Rod Mikinski

Now, the same can be said for Brown herself.

Brown decided in the offseason that she wanted to take that next step forward to prepare for this season, a season in which she knew there would be an increase in playing time and a greater responsibility as K-State forged ahead with just nine players on its roster.

"I asked him how much it would help if I lost a few pounds — would it make me faster — and then how to do it," said Brown, who also goes by Brandy. "I've just been watching my diet and then working as hard as I can during workouts.

"There isn't anyone else to help take up the slack. We have nine players this year. It's not like last year when we had all those players. Everyone has to play a factor in everything, count more on each other as a team."

Though the 6-foot-2 Brown hasn't necessarily lost a lot of weight, she has toned up, become faster and even stronger.

"She's a beast — in the weight room and on the court," her teammate Jalana Childs said. "She can hurt people. In pick-up games, she knocks me down. She plays a very physical game.

"I want to see her knock some other people down."

The secret to Brown's offseason transformation rests in a lot of the work she did with K-State's strength and conditioning coach Scott Greenawalt.

"I wanted to get it done, our reps, our conditioning," said Brown who averaged 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 6.6 minutes a game last season. "When I got tired, I didn't let a mental block stop me. I just kept going and made myself do it.

"Coach Scott is a tremendous help. He helped find my weaknesses and get me stronger and faster."

While the work in the weight room was beneficial, so was the work done at the kitchen table.

"I wasn't eating right. I ate a lot of fast foods and fried foods, especially once I got up here in college," Brown said. "I still eat it some, but not as often or as much. I know how to push myself too and how to work it off."

As much body sculpting as Brown has already done, Greenawalt said she isn't close to her peak yet.

"She has leaned up quite a bit, maybe only lost 5 pounds, but has added some muscle mass," he said. "She's a lot stronger than she was a year ago. She's in better shape and she's not at her peak yet. She's going to get better yet. She has tremendous potential. I think everyone here recognizes that."

A lot of that potential is based on pure athletic ability that has prompted KSU head coach Deb Patterson to declare theWalterboro, S.C., native the most physical player she's coached at K-State.

"Brandy is really one of the best athletes we've ever had in our program," Patterson said. "She's so explosive and so strong. Everybody knows that when Brandy gets up a head of steam, you don't want to be anywhere near her. The key for her is to pull together that speed with the finishing — put a little bit of finesse into that explosiveness.

"Brandy can literally move people three feet of contact. If you hit Brandy, you're going to move."

The mantra Brown hasn't been able to escape though is the constant reminder to slow down and be patient, something all young players seem to struggle with as the they adjust to the rigors of the faster-paced college game.

"She's always been strong, but I think part of her weaknesses last year is that she rushed through things, was a little out of control, which you can see from some of the fouls she was getting called for," senior forward Ashley Sweat said. "We need to keep her on the court because she brings that physical dimension to the team that we haven't had."

Brown's workload has doubled this season as she is averaging 12 minutes per game through the Wildcats' first two contests — a pair of losses to Indiana State and Arkansas State. Brown, while still struggling to stay out of foul trouble, is averaging 5.5 rebounds and two points a game off the bench.

"She has worked extremely hard and has seen the window of need that this basketball team has for her," Patterson said. "She's not selfish at all, all about helping the team, and wanting to be accountable and help make us better. That gives you a chance."

The Wildcats host Washington State on Friday at 7 p.m., still looking for that first win of the season. Already K-State is off to its worst start since the 1991-92 season. The last time K-State started the season 0-3 was during the 1974-75 season.

Sweat named to Naismith watch list

Kansas State senior forward Ashley Sweat earned her third preseason national honor on Wednesday as she was named to the preseason watch list for the 2009-10 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T.

Sweat is one of 50 NCAA Division I women's basketball players selected to the candidates list, including seven players from the Big 12 Conference.

Sweat, a 2009-10 preseason Wooden Award candidate and 2009-10 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award candidate, has climbed the ranks of the K-State career scoring and rebounding lists through the first two games this season. The product of McPherson has tallied 1,323 points in her career to rank 10th in school history and has hauled in 458 rebounds in her career to rank 28th. She also moved into the top-10 in career blocks with 54 for her career and is seventh in school history for free throws made in a career with 305. She is the seventh player in school history to tally 1,000 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a career.

Following a 2009 season, which saw Sweat average a career-high 16.5 points per game and 5.1 rebounds, she was recognized by the league's coaches with her first All-Big 12 first team honor.