Last night, it was Buchi Awaji in the second half and then Dominique Sutton at the end of regulation and overtime. And Jacob Pullen, who has been Robin to Denis Clemente’s Batman for most of the season, took the challenge and kept the Wildcats afloat.

And it’s the same thing with all of these guys, with the exception of Pullen. Every time something positive happens, their play is instantly elevated. Every time, especially with Awaji. True story – earlier this season, in Las Vegas, an NBA scout was watching the Wildcats. He was fixated on Awaji, asking me all about him. Remember, Buchi didn’t play much until then – and truth be told, he hasn’t played too much since, either. But the scout was blown away by him, convinced he was a star in the making because of his length, athleticism and efficient – mostly effortless – shooting stroke.

I believe the direct quote was, “Frank’s gotta play that dude.”

Not pretending to know what makes Frank Martin tick, but I’m guessing that if Buchi was prepared to help K-State sooner than he was, he would have been on the court. It’s not as if the Wildcats are that deep.

Anyway, I’m always struck by the timeliness of these performances. Denis Clemente is STRUGGLING with his shot right now, but it hasn’t hurt his effectiveness in other areas, mostly passing. Reality is, though, he has to score in order for the Wildcats to be dangerous, but at the moment, thanks to contributions from players like Awaji and Sutton, it can be off-set.

Which, in a typically overblown post, is the definition of team, no?

Nice to see DK bounce back last night. He’ll be needed against San Diego State. Don’t know where Jamar Samuels disappeared to, as well as Fred Brown, but it’s OK.

The Wildcats won, and the season continues. For at least another couple of days, possibly longer.

“Why is it that the writer for K State doesn’t even know that they will still probably get the fourth seed if they beat CU? OU beats O State at home. KU beats UT at home. K State beats CU at home. Three very likely events and KSU is the fourth seed. You need to do your homework. Or better yet, take two weeks off and then retire. You’re the worst.”

Yep, I made a mistake in today’s game story, suggesting the loss cost the Wildcats the No. 4 seed. I admit my mistake, and I’m not going to make any excuses. Shouldn’t have happened.

Anyway, I thought the Wildcats played well Tuesday, no doubt. But don’t you have to close that game out, especially if you’re making the case you belong in the NCAA Tournament field? Not piling on the Wildcats, or kicking them when they’re down, but that game was for the taking. They showed unbelievable poise for 36 minutes – I was fascinated watching every time Oklahoma State made a run, K-State calmly answered with a spurt to cut the deficit to a point or two – and then everything came undone.

This won’t make me popular, I’m sure, but since I’m contemplating following the gentleman’s advice above and retiring at the ripe age of 34, it shouldn’t matter – the Wildcats aren’t there yet. What was it that Frank Martin was saying after Tuesday’s game? He commended Byron Eaton, who played a fantastic game, for being a four-year starter.

Experience is a major factor, which Martin has been preaching since he became the head coach last year. That’s what’s missing – not actual on-court action, but the knowledge of winning games in those situations, of winning in those situations on the road, etc.

Don’t get wrong – this is a fun team. When Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen both have it going, K-State is tough to deal with. And the Wildcats still might do some damage in Oklahoma City. But I felt Tuesday conveniently encapsulated everything that is great about this team and also everything that is lacking.

And with that, I’m off to do my homework.

I walked away thinking the Kansas State coach realizes how rewarding this season has been, especially compared to last year, when outside observers believed his job was easy because of the existence of Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. In actuality, it was just the opposite, certainly for a first-year coach.

There is a question I tend to ask coaches and, sure, it might be a cliche. But I always wonder, is the job more satisfying when you coax more out of a group with minimal expectations or when a talented group finds success? I asked Martin this once and he was perplexed. In his mind, coaching is always coaching, but I bet if I’d asked him my question following Saturday’s game, his answer would have been heartfelt and thoughtful.

Are the Wildcats talented? There is athleticism to spare, but I don’t know if anyone would refined enough at either end of the court to qualify as talented. That, to me, makes 20 wins so much more impressive. 

Know how we, the media, always write about “buying in”? Well, K-State bought in so much, the Wildcats have sold out. It’s remarkable, really, how much they’ve trusted Martin, and how much he, although it may not seem it from game to game, trusts his players.

But now is when everything gets interesting. A solid case could be made that if K-State wins tomorrow night, the Wildcats should be in the NCAA Tournament. Why? Because the Big 12 should get at least four teams in the tournament, and K-State would be the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. Personally, I don’t think it’s that simple, and neither does Martin.

There is still work to be done, and if it’s more wins that it will take to impress the selection committee, fortunately for the Wildcats, there are more games left to be played. If K-State rips off a handful more victories, it would be difficult to deny the Wildcats a dance ticket. How many? Who knows for sure? 

But, in that scenario, K-State controls its own future, and Martin can live with that. He’s seen enough from the Wildcats to know what to expect, and there can’t be a better feeling for a coach – a second-year coach who now has 41 wins to his credit – than that.

Funny thing is, those were all things I know I’ve written or told people about the Wildcats. What happened? Why wasn’t it there last night? Is this just another step in the maturation process of a young team? Was this just a matter of a team not recognizing how the intensity level would rise for an opponent with possibly more at stake? 

It was mystifying. And it’s also way too many questions this late in the season.

Now, everyone take a deep breath. 

Because I know this to be true, NO ONE was anticipating a season of 20-plus wins. Well, no one besides Frank Martin, his staff, the Wildcats, assorted family members and a few others. Don’t throw the towel in yet – man, I’m wearing out the cliches here, aren’t I? – because there is plenty to play for. And what if K-State, as streaky as it gets, goes to Oklahoma City and something clicks? You don’t think the Wildcats, on a neutral court for everyone but Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, match up well with the rest of the league?

Failing all of that, however, an NIT bid shouldn’t be viewed as a disappointment. What could be a concern is all of the “must-win” talk that spewed from the mouths of Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. It’s nice to be aware, and they’re both good kids and all, but what now? Do you lay down against Nebraska because you think your goals are out of reach? We know Martin won’t allow that, right? Still…

Denis can’t do it all, and he shouldn’t be asked to do so. On a side note, after Martin spent so much time telling us how fast Clemente is, I agree – he has to be the fastest player in the country with the ball in his hands. It’s ridiculous.

It didn’t happen nearly enough with Prince and Freeman, and we saw how that ended. Prince is coaching special teams back at Virginia, and I think we’re all in agreement that this is not a promotion or a lateral move, unlike when some former K-State assistants left for “promotions.” As for Freeman, his pro day at K-State – need to get a date on this, Kenny Lannou – will probably be more vital than he anticipated. I don’t think he bombed at the Combine over the weekend, but reports suggest he wasn’t as impressive as he’d hoped.

Anyway, this is a basketball post, and Clemente, Pullen and Fred Brown have been closing games out for K-State. And I don’t see the trend ending anytime soon, either, and I’m looking ahead to next season when the Wildcats should have no less than the conference’s second- or third-best backcourt.

Isn’t the sign of a good basketball team its ability to win a road game when it doesn’t have its best stuff? I don’t subscribe to the tired, Tiger Woods-aided “A” game rhetoric because that’s always a discredit to the opponent. Always. If you don’t have your best stuff and you’re going to make a big deal of it, then don’t show up. You have to compete.

And for the past nine games, eight of which have resulted in wins, the Wildcats have competed. No doubt, and by now, that’s not a trend – that’s simply how things are. As for reaching the NCAA Tournament, sure, K-State is deserving – Frank Martin’s rant during today’s Big 12 coaches’ teleconference call was priceless – but perception is a real… problem. Did the Wildcats play anyone in non-conference? And if so, did the Wildcats beat anyone of consequence in the non-conference? 

All K-State can do is keep winning games. Isn’t “last 12″ a key component now for the Committee? If so, the Wildcats can make a compelling case for being one of the nation’s hottest teams if they piling up wins. Take care of Missouri in a couple of days – still have no idea of how that might play out because the Tigers don’t really impress me that much – and who knows? Closing out this five-game stretch without a blemish might be possible.

Have to be encouraged by Jamar Samuels almost finding his second wind. He’s so active, even if, as he admits, he’s not quite polished offensively. But K-State is fine with putting the ball on the rim – just as long as the Wildcats retrieve the misses, which they’ve been doing at a high rate. 

One win away from 20 for the third consecutive year – how can anyone critique what Frank Martin has done? He won’t win Coach of the Year – Bill Self has done an impressive job, as well as Jeff Capel, Mike Anderson and Doc Sadler – but he should be in the conversation. The haters are still out there – at Ames, there were people comparing Martin to former ISU coach Wayne Morgan, and the comparison wasn’t intended as a compliment. 

Can you imagine if, as it was rumored, that Tim Weiser had hired Gregg McDermott instead of Bob Huggins? From my vantage point Saturday, there are a lot of similarities between McDermott and former K-State coach Jim Wooldridge, and did K-Staters want four more years of Wooly? Wooly wasn’t quite in over his head, but compared to where K-State basketball is now, it’s remarkable to think  he was somehow, somewhat responsible for the current situation.

I gave away more tickets. Got some more pictures to post tomorrow, but first, a little background – I grew up in Vermont without a real connection or affiliation with any university or professional franchise. I went to Boston University, where hockey is the most successful sport. 

The passion for K-State athletics is startling… And I’m a little envious. When I start a family, a must will be living in or near a college town. I want my children to have some of the same experiences all of you have had.

That is all.

A lot – no, make that A LOT – confidence from the players about winning out the rest of the way. How do you all feel about that? 

There’s no reason to suggest Kansas State can’t rip off five in a row, but realistically, with next week’s road trip to Missouri, can it happen?

By the way, Pops said Dominique Sutton is the key to the team. If he plays well offensively, he puts so much pressure on the opposition. When he’s off, where does Frank Martin turn? To Chris Merriewether, who isn’t an offensive threat.

I don’t have much else aside from that. We all know the score. In other news, I’m keeping an eye on the Bryce Brown saga, and hopefully soon, I’ll be prepared to unveil my theory on the whole thing. Need to check on a couple of things in the meanwhile, but stay tuned.

The better team won Saturday, although that won’t be a foregone conclusion for much longer. Give Bill Self and his staff credit, and how do you not acknowledge KU doing enough to emerge from a seriously hostile environment – on and off the court, it turns out – with a victory, one Self suggested might be the best of the road variety since he’s been the Jayhawks’ coach?

Sure, it stings, especially since Kansas State had a 16-point lead in the first half. 

But I’m not as disturbed with this victory as, say, the Oregon loss. Or the setback to – take your pick – Kentucky or Iowa in Vegas. And that Baylor result is looking worse and worse, isn’t it?

So let’s boil this down. You can go in so many directions – some want to point at foul shooting, which doesn’t bother me so much. That comes and goes. I’d rather have players making plays.

I couldn’t get past the supporting casts. Marcus Morris averages 7.7 points per game. He went for 15 against the Wildcats. Meanwhile, Fred Brown and Jamar Samuels, each a shade under 10 points per game for K-State, combined for two against KU.

Call me crazy, but that’s a problem.

As for Denis Clemente, he’s a talent. He’s the best guard in the Big 12 not named Sherron Collins. But his competitiveness, the very thing that has turned the Wildcats’ season around, can be a detriment. In that sense, he’s not unlike Bill Walker, which is interesting because Frank Martin said K-State was looking for someone to fill Walker’s leadership void before Clemente climbed into the role.

Is he a bad kid? I spoke with some people at his last stop, the University of Miami, and while they remain tight-lipped on the reasons for his departure, they all spoke fondly of the native of Puerto Rico. In fact, they wish he was back with the Hurricanes, teaming with Jack McClinton to form one of the nation’s best backcourts.

Instead, he’s teaming with Jacob Pullen to form, arguably, the Big 12’s finest backcourt. And moving forward, we’ve always heard how in March, guard play is vital. Well, March is less than two weeks away. The Wildcats are wobbling on top of the proverbial NCAA Tournament bubble, and why does 23 wins seem like it might be the magic number? Six games remain, and tomorrow night’s game – with or without Clemente, who, without any inside intelligence here, might sit out Tuesday – against North Carolina Central is a lock.

Assuming K-State can win its remaining home games – the Wildcats should handle the Nebraska in Bramlage as the Cornhuskers have struggled away from Lincoln, and Colorado in the regular-season finale or, as it’ll be known around these parts, “Darren Kent Appreciation Day,” seems manageable – that would be 20 wins. But those road games? At Iowa State – Hilton is a tough venue, at Missouri – Pullen thinks K-State has that one locked up, by the way – and at Oklahoma State, which is always difficult at home.

Take two on the road, which might be a stretch, win one in the Big 12 Tournament, and the Wildcats will still be sweating through an anxious Sunday evening at Doe’s Eat Place. 

Thoughts? In or out? A long NIT run? Let me hear them. Also, did anyone pick KU to win? Who’s getting the Beasley bobblehead?

But then I relaxed because I realized that’s exactly what Frank Martin does – I’d just grown used to his act.

Wasn’t particularly impressed with the Red Raiders, but this was what Kansas State had to do Wednesday. In essence, it sent the right type of message to Kansas. When focused, Kansas State is dangerous. And when they, as Martin said afterwards, “don’t respect the game,” well, the Wildcats look vulnerable.

Suddenly, Saturday becomes simple – if K-State plays with energy and passion, the Wildcats win. If not, the Jayhawks prevail.

Don’t get into a talent discussion – the teams are more or less even in that department, and as far as athleticism goes, I’d give K-State the edge. KU will have the best player on the court, but the Wildcats will have the best collection of guards. 

More of the same in the frontcourt. Yes, Cole Aldrich is good, but the dropoff is steep after that. Plus, do you realize Darren Kent is averaging 13.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in his last three games? 

It’s odd – listening to assorted members of the media after the game, most fully expect K-State to win Saturday. There was no evidence of any KU mystique, and the Wildcats exhibited a quiet confidence in anticipation of the showdown.

You had to be encouraged by Dominique Sutton’s emergence as a viable offensive threat. With Sutton, when he’s aggressive on the offense, his confidence grows. And from an athletic standpoint, there are few ever on the court better. Last night, there were times when he simply blew by defenders, which was a case where he was simply assertive.

That Dominique Sutton needs to take up permanent residence in Manhattan. With that Dominique Sutton, the Wildcats are a dangerous team, especially with their ability to knock down three-pointers coupled with Luis Colon’s surprisingly good passing.

For the record, I like K-State Saturday. Double digits, too. Just haven’t been impressed with the Jayhawks. Well coached, a couple of nice players, but has home-court advantage ever meant more in a somewhat mediocre year of college basketball? Where was KU’s loss Monday? Where is KU playing Saturday?

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.