One minute, the Kansas State basketball team was leading by 14 points and doing whatever it wanted against Iowa State in an important road game. The next, it was frantically trying to get the ball up court for a desperation heave at the buzzer.
How does that happen?
The answer, as always, is complicated. The Wildcats lost a game they were firmly in control of for most of the second half, and now find themselves at 4-5 in Big 12 play and in need of a strong finish to prove themselves as a NCAA Tournament team.
It wouldn’t have taken much for K-State to avoid that fate, but three major things went wrong.
1. Frank Martin and Rodney McGruder took some jabs at the officials, and insinuated that they cost the Wildcats the game. They do have a bit of a point. Iowa State shot 26 free throws compared to 11 for K-State, and every close call went the Cyclones’ way down the stretch. But what else can you expect in the Big 12, where Texas coach Rick Barnes complained about a horrible no call at the end of a loss to Missouri a day earlier?
2. Martin made poor coaching decisions. Why did Thomas Gipson, who led the team in scoring with 13 points and played great against Royce White on the offensive end, play just 22 minutes when he had two fouls? Why did Martavious Irving play just 21 minutes after he scored 11 points in the first half? Why didn’t K-State foul White, a 51 percent free-throw shooter at the end instead of letting him use his amazing ball-handling ability to get to the basket and win the game? Martin could have done plenty differently.
3. Iowa State played well. The Cyclones look like a sure bet to reach the NCAA Tournament now that they have beaten KU and K-State in back-to-back games, and are dynamite at home. I can’t say enough about the home-court advantage it had at Hilton Coliseum. That place was loud, and players fed off the energy. White doesn’t play much defense, but he is as good an offensive player as I’ve seen all season. Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen are also solid.
I guess the next question to ask is where does this leave K-State?
In the short term, it leaves it regretting those two losses to Oklahoma. Lots of teams are going to lose to Iowa State. But if it had swept, or even split with, the Sooners last night’s loss wouldn’t have hurt so bad.
College basketball is down as a whole this year, and K-State has some quality wins. It won’t take a lot for the Wildcats to reach the NCAA Tournament. I would feel good about their chances with a .500 conference record.
There is plenty of time for them to meet, or surpass, that mark. But the remaining schedule is filled with difficult games. The Wildcats will need more poise than they showed on Tuesday.
Player of the game
Royce White. Not only did he hit the game-winning shot, he led Iowa State in five statistical categories.
Play of the game
Royce White hit a high-arcing shot on the baseline with 1.8 seconds remaining to give Iowa State the win. K-State could have fouled him, forced him to make free throws and taken its chances of making a last-second shot of its own. But it took its chances straight up and lost.
Statistically speaking
Saw a pretty good joke on twitter. “Hilton Magic is best defined as Iowa State making twice as many free throws as the other team even attempts.” Iowa State made 17 free throws. K-Sate attempted 11.
Do it again!
Thomas Gipson looked great when he got in the game. Now he just needs to convince Martin to let him play more.
How about a do-over?
Angel Rodriguez probably shouldn’t have been called for his fifth foul, because it was a charge and it came in the no-charge arc under the basket. But he made too many dumb fouls before that. His driving ability was a real asset in this game, but he was in too much foul trouble to stay on the court and use it.
Quote to note
“We were 1-3 a couple days ago. You didn’t see me pout and cry and complain that the season is lost. You’re not going to see me do it today … When you put your name on the dotted line you signed up to play 18 of them not nine, not six, not 12, not 18 of them. The next one is game No. 10. We’ve got to be ready to go. We’re at home.” — Frank Martin.