K-Stated

Frank Martin summed it up. For the third year in a row, for the third time he’s been part of a Kansas State coaching staff leading the Wildcats into Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks jumped out to a huge lead, putting the visitors in a major hole.

They didn’t dig out in Bob Huggins’ first and only year. Last year, Mike Beasley’s 39 points weren’t enough. And last night, they fought back but that, too, wasn’t enough.

If you take one thing away from last night, it’s how Jamar Samuels responded in his first taste of this rivalry. He is, at the moment, K-State’s best interior presence, which is a testament to his intensity and potential, not his actual skill level. He, in Martin’s vernacular, tries, and it’s clear the K-State coach loves that about the freshman, who should only improve as his playing time is certain to rise – especially with Darren Kent and, to a lesser extent, Dominique Sutton currently in the doghouse.

And Luis Colon? How can you not root for that guy? What I wished they’d done more was feed Ron Anderson more in the paint, because his combo moves were a tough cover for all of KU’s bigs, Cole Aldrich included. But Anderson was active, grabbing eight rebounds.

But there has to be more production from the guards. Has to. The Star’s Blair Kerkhoff made a great point afterwards as we were waiting to speak with the Wildcats – it’s not enough for K-State’s guards to simply match what the other team’s backcourt does, which might be the case with the Wildcats’ big men. For the frontcourt, to be able to do that every night would spell success. But for Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente and Fred Brown, they have to be better than the opposition EVERY night or this thing doesn’t work.

The defense was solid. The turnovers were down.

Pullen was asked if this was too much to overcome, and the sophomore guard scoffed, saying those type of questions weren’t being asked of North Carolina, which also happens to be 0-2 in conference play.

Then again, the Tar Heels have as many as four, possibly five future pros in their starting lineup – things are going to turn around in Chapel Hill. Can the same be said in Manhattan?

Saturday in Lincoln is immense. Martin keeps reminding us how “resilient” this team is, and the Wildcats will have another chance to prove it at Nebraska, which is small, scrappy and defensive-minded. It should play to K-State’s strengths, but then again, we also thought guard play should be one of K-State’s strengths.