My take, Texas A&M

First off, I’m not a big fan of College Station.

Regardless, it was a successful business trip for Kansas State, which seems to be surprising the college basketball world with this five-game winning streak.

Not going to say I anticipated all of this, but I’m not shocked, either. The truth is, most of the league’s teams are very similar this year. There is one good, borderline (but not really) great team in Oklahoma. There is another team that has minimized its deficiencies and maximized its home-court advantage in Kansas.

And then there is everyone else. As I wrote before, and was mocked by one of you in particular, I was not surprised to see K-State win in College Station. The Aggies aren’t especially talented, and really, who in the conference is?

OU has the league’s best player (Blake Griffin) and its best freshman (Willie Warren). KU has the league’s best guard (Sherron Collins). Any coincidence those teams are undefeated in Big 12 play?

What does this have to do with K-State, you might be wondering. What I’m suggesting is, if the Wildcats handle the rest of their business at home and manage to steal one road game, I think a top-four finish in the conference is possible, and that would also mean an NCAA Tournament berth would be in the offing.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, no?

This team has been a joy to watch, especially Saturday. It never came undone, and what I love the most is that because everyone knows their roles and plays them so well, it’s almost become stars for doing so.

Denis Clemente is terrific, as valuable as anyone on the team. Jacob Pullen is maddeningly inconsistent, almost the opposite of Fred Brown, who is lethal from three-point range. And so it is with K-State – when one guy, say Pullen, isn’t effective, the other two guards usually pick up the slack.

It’s the same in the frontcourt. How about Darren Kent’s game against A&M’s big men? I thought the Aggies would have a clear advantage Saturday, but DK worked and was aggressive, off-setting a mediocre statistical afternoon from Luis Colon.

Some fans are still in denial, wondering when the wheels will undoubtedly fall off. All I know is, the past three weeks have shown the Wildcats how to win, and they’ve adhered to the script for five consecutive games. There’s no reason to veer off course Wednesday against Texas Tech, and then comes the rematch with KU at Bramlage Coliseum…

Got predictions? Let’s start KU week off the right way. Whoever is closest with winner and score and, in case of tiebreaker (how? I’m not sure), let’s throw in number of points for Fred Brown, wins a Michael Beasley Miami Heat bobblehead I picked up when I was in Miami a couple of weeks ago working on a story.

50 Comments

  1. Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:30 pm | Permalink

    68-64 Katz. Brown with 11.

  2. MikeCats
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:38 pm | Permalink

    76-71 Cats, Clemente w/ 22

  3. clayfro
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm | Permalink

    74-66 brown 11

  4. clayfro
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:47 pm | Permalink

    cats win

  5. cbayne05
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:47 pm | Permalink

    KSU 83 ku 79
    Fred Brown 13

  6. clayfro
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:48 pm | Permalink

    74-66 brown 11 cats win

  7. Turnksu
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 1:51 pm | Permalink

    KSU 78, KU 72. Brown 7

  8. shox2424
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:11 pm | Permalink

    I like the Cats 76-68. Downtown Freddy goes for 16.

  9. NatureBoy
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:14 pm | Permalink

    67-66 Cats

    Fred Brown 9

  10. jthutch
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:21 pm | Permalink

    KSU 74

    UKjr 70

    Fred has a huge night with 22 pts.

  11. SunTzu
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:33 pm | Permalink

    65-62 KSU

    Brown 9 points

  12. HugeCat
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:43 pm | Permalink

    KSU 72
    Uk 69

    Fred Brown 9

  13. Pete
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:45 pm | Permalink

    71-70 KU

    Fred has 12

  14. Spacecat98
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 2:48 pm | Permalink

    KSU 75
    Guest 68

    Brown 13 pts

  15. ronbeat
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 3:20 pm | Permalink

    77 – 73 K-State
    Down Town with 17

  16. ronbeat
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 3:23 pm | Permalink

    how do we get Self’s credit card pushin mug off of this site? iT’S sick man.

  17. jester
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 3:40 pm | Permalink

    I want’s pops take on the cats.

  18. C_Hill
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 3:40 pm | Permalink

    71-64 State
    Freddy’s Frozen Custard with 10 AND Denny with 18 in the second half.

  19. tk
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 3:53 pm | Permalink

    KU 73
    K-State 65

    Fred Brown posts 9.

  20. BigErn
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 4:32 pm | Permalink

    KSU 79
    Visitors 69

    Brown with 15

  21. BigErn
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 4:33 pm | Permalink

    I second getting Self’s portrait off the site.

  22. ksu4ever
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 4:59 pm | Permalink

    KSU 70 KU 63
    Fred with 12

  23. JoshAllen
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 5:13 pm | Permalink

    KSU 81 – KU 76
    9 for Fred. Gotta be multiples of 3.

  24. earp
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 5:22 pm | Permalink

    84-75 katz. Brown w/ 15.

  25. bmartin60
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 6:17 pm | Permalink

    KSU-68, KU-62 Brown, 13. Hope to see Jester at the game.

  26. nickaustin37
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 6:19 pm | Permalink

    KSTATE 63
    KU 56
    Fred Brown 12

  27. HulaGirl
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 8:00 pm | Permalink

    KSU – 78
    KU – 70
    Fred gets 12

  28. Kst8Dan
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 8:45 pm | Permalink

    KSU 70 KU 62 – Brown 17

  29. SpreadsheetBoy
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 9:42 pm | Permalink

    KSU: 87
    KU: 80

    Brown: 16

  30. brose84
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 11:19 pm | Permalink

    KSU:78
    KU:75

    Brown:11

  31. ksucat24
    Posted February 9, 2009 at 11:24 pm | Permalink

    KU 66, KSU 60
    Fred with 7

  32. sys
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 2:18 am | Permalink

    that’s a shame that you were mocked by a ksu fan, simply for believing in the katz.

    ku 73
    ksu 62

    brown 10

  33. cireksu
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 6:47 am | Permalink

    72-61 Hawks

    Brown with 7

  34. lfeyh
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 8:24 am | Permalink

    KSU 64, KU 61 (Brown w/ 6 points)

  35. BG_Cat
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 8:41 am | Permalink

    Kansas State-74
    Kansas-69

    Fred Brown-15 points

  36. noticeotis
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 9:53 am | Permalink

    KSU 75
    KU 70

    Brown 10

  37. rockparkcat
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 11:21 am | Permalink

    KSU 69-65 Brown gets 11

  38. gwilhite
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 12:24 pm | Permalink

    K-State 67
    K-Who 64
    Brown has 11

  39. houcat
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 12:37 pm | Permalink

    What’s not to like about College Station?

    KSU 82
    KU 76

    Brown – 10

  40. dudekc
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 1:10 pm | Permalink

    KSU 74
    KU 69
    Brown with 14
    and I’m still waiting for last year’s prize.

  41. prpl4ever
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 1:23 pm | Permalink

    KSU-77
    Chickenhawks-61
    Fred Brown-9
    and Self gets a technical along the way:)

  42. gunnar1073
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 3:53 pm | Permalink

    KSU – 82
    KU – 67

    Fred Brown with 16

  43. GP76
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 6:09 pm | Permalink

    KSU 74
    KU 61
    Downtown with 11

  44. chiefsfan42
    Posted February 10, 2009 at 7:43 pm | Permalink

    KSU- 81
    KU – 60

    Brown- 24

  45. CrushNasty
    Posted February 11, 2009 at 1:29 am | Permalink

    uk – 67
    ksu – 63

    Freddy B – 8

  46. squeak49
    Posted February 12, 2009 at 4:03 pm | Permalink

    K-State 74, KU 69.

    Fred Brown: 14 pts.

  47. mwn
    Posted February 12, 2009 at 5:12 pm | Permalink

    K State 76
    ku 64

    Fred 9

  48. tgviss
    Posted February 12, 2009 at 9:13 pm | Permalink

    K-State 82 uk 71 Brown 11

  49. sethlloyd
    Posted February 13, 2009 at 10:16 am | Permalink

    Cats 79-71 Brown 8 points

  50. dkmathews
    Posted February 14, 2009 at 9:26 am | Permalink

    KSU 78
    ku 69

    Fred Brown 16 pts