 (#5) Kansas State
VS
(#2) Kansas
Mar. 3rd , 2010
8:00 PM ET, ESPN
A rematch of one of the better game’s of this college basketball
season takes place in Lawrence, Kansas as the second-ranked Jayhawks
face off against their instate rival Kansas State. With their second
loss of the season on the road against Oklahoma State, Kansas dropped
to the second spot in the polls, but still has a firm hold for the time
being on one of the tournament’s four number one seeds. Kansas State
on the other hand is on the cusp of grabbing one of those seeds, as
they are currently ranked fifth in the nation, the first time in which
they have ever cracked the nation‘s top five. When they played earlier
in the season, the Wildcats gave the Jayhawks everything they could
handle, but Kansas ultimately came away with a 81-79 victory in
overtime. It needs to be stated that there is no love lost between
these teams, and the fact that both of these teams are ranked in the
top five should only add fuel to the fire.
The ascension of the Kansas State Wildcats to the realm of the
nation’s elite has been one of the better stories of this college
basketball season. Since their overtime loss to the Jayhawks a month
ago, the Wildcats have won seven in a row, adding to their 24-4 record
and 11-3 record in conference play. Head coach Frank Martin has one of
the hardest working teams in the country, and it reflects on both sends
of the floor. On the season the Wildcats are averaging 80.4 points on
45.8% shooting, including 35.9% from three, while holding the
opposition to 68.3 points on 41.3% shooting. While they aren’t nearly
as big as the Jayhawks on the interior, Kansas state holds their own on
the glass, outrebounding opponents by a margin of 6.4 boards per game.
Connecticut-transfer Curtis Kelly has been huge in this department
complimenting Martin’s strong guard play with 11.4 points, 6.5
rebounds, and 1.9 blocks, along with Jamar Samuels and his 11.9 points
and 5.2 rebounds. Against a team like Kansas that has such a decisive
advantage in the paint, the play of these two will be critical to the
outcome of tonight’s game. But what about those guards? If guard play
is so damn important come March, then Martin and company are in great
condition as the duo of Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente are as good as
it gets. Together, they account for 34.3 points and 7.9 assists, with
Pullen in particular representing a very real threat from downtown,
where he shoots 39.2%. When these guys get hot, Kansas State is almost
unbeatable, and that was the case when they met Kansas earlier in the
season. Pullen went off for 22 points, while Clemente chipped in with
13. It should also be noted that the Wildcats commit more fouls than
most teams in the country, but on the flipside, they go to the
free-throw line more than most as well. If they can dictate the pace
of the game in this manner, than the Wildcats may actually close the
deal this time around.
For all but a week of this season, the Kansas Jayhawks have been the
top-ranked team in the nation, but after their 77-85 loss in Stillwater
to the Cowboys, they now found themselves in the second spot in the
rankings. It’s not that bad for Kansas, who are still considered by
many as the country’s premier team, and more than likely will grab one
of the NCAA Tournament’s four number one seeds. Make no mistake, this
is still the most complete team in college basketball. Bill Self has a
tremendous blend of youth and experience, size and skill, and a
considerable amount of depth, which is why his team has put together a
27-2 record thus far. Offensively, they are dynamic, averaging 82.4
points on 48.8% shooting, including 40.0% from beyond the arc, but it
is on defense where they are truly special. The Jayhawks hold
opponents to 63.8 points on a remarkable 37.6% shooting, taking full
advantage of their great size and athleticism. They block 7.1 shots
per game and outrebound the opposition by a margin of 6.9 boards per
contest. Senior center Cole Aldrich anchors this group, leading the
team in rebounding (10.0) and blocks (3.7), while adding 11.4 points to
the mix. Twin forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris complement him
perfectly, combining for 19.0 points and 11.4 rebounds. Self has a
wealth of talent on the perimeter, and arguably the best point guard in
the country in the form of Sharron Collins. The senior is leading the
team in scoring (15.3) and assists (4.3), while improving his
three-point shooting to a very healthy 37.8%. Super-recruit swingman
Xavier Henry has been the x-factor, putting up 14.0 points, 4.2
rebounds, and a team-leading 1.6 steals. When you add players like
Brady Morningstar and Tyshawn Taylor to the mix, you have a quartet of
defenders on the perimeter that really get after their opponents.
Taylor was particularly effective against the Wildcats in their
previous meeting with twelve points.
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