K-State Basketball
Big doesn't begin to describe K-State's 57-56 win over Baylor on Saturday in Waco. The win ended a three-game losing streak and, for the time being, shores up K-State's NCAA Tournament résumé.
Speaking of the Dance, on Friday Austin Meek wrote that K-State was trending toward the opening games in Dayton, if it made the tournament at all. Take care of business the rest of the way, and the Wildcats shouldn't need to be concerned about that.
In other words, the Wildcats took advantage of one of their few remaining opportunities to pick up signature wins. Not that K-State is lacking in that department compared to most of its bubble companions, but knocking off another top-10 team never hurts.
With the win, K-State reversed the close-game curse that has haunted it all season. Let's hope it's the type of win that snaps the team out of their previous rut.
Much-maligned junior Jordan Henriquez played a big part in K-State's crucial win. Two of Henriquez's three blocked shots in the game came in the closing minutes.
K-State Women's Basketball
Tasha Dickey led K-State to another win over Texas, as the Wildcats routed the Longhorns, 65-45, Saturday in Manhattan.
K-State Baseball
The Bat Cats kicked off the season with a win, but dropped to 1-1 with a loss Sunday to Cal State-Bakersfield. The series concludes today at 4:00 p.m.
College baseball teams are finally adjusting to the new bats that were introduced last season.
Big 12 Basketball
Oklahoma State put Texas back on the bubble with a 90-78 win over the Longhorns in Stillwater, keyed by Keiton Page's 40 (!) points ... Missouri took care of business in its first win over Texas A&M in College Station since 2001, beating the Aggies 71-62 ... Iowa State swept Oklahoma with an 80-69 win in Ames ... and KU won a forgettable game in Lawrence over Texas Tech, 83-50.
0 recs | 43 comments
The Cats had lost two in a row, not three - @ UT and then home against KU. They had beated the awful Dog Lovers and TTs the week before.
Team report – http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=teamreports-2012-ncaab-kab
Sean T - February 20, 2012
You mean stopping a three-game losing streak isn't the same...
…as avoiding a three-game losing streak? I’m mentally non-functional sometimes. Thanks for pointing that out.
TB - February 20, 2012
I'm happy to help. I appreciate you getting these up and running all the time, usually before I'm even up.
Sean T - February 20, 2012
You. Are. Welcome.
The Purple Store
BlackCats - February 20, 2012
Welp, there goes my savings account.
MadCat - February 20, 2012
Purple silk boxers, welcome to my repetoire.
dcchiefcat - February 20, 2012
That would go great with the sloped back purple chaise lounge.
FWIW
MadCat - February 20, 2012
But where is the purple silk smoking jacket Hef?
mac attack ict - February 21, 2012
Thank god we won
This win couldn’t have come at a better time. Its amazing how one game can turn around all those negative thoughts. The best part is I actually was able to watch it in KC.
motown wildcat - February 20, 2012 via Android app
The K-State Way
It’s nice to know that K-State is still on Tom Shatel’s mind.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20120218/BIGRED/702189744/1140#shatel-time-to-transform-nu-hoops-has-come
classlesscat - February 20, 2012
The part about Tom Osborne's integrity is good for a long belly laugh.
Great integrity, as long as you overlook the punks and thugs he continued to play while they faced charges of assault, physical abuse and whatever else you can think of.
ArkieCat - February 20, 2012
Wow and they act as if we were the petty ones?
MeatGeek - February 20, 2012
Wow... not the Martin way, huh?
iCatDormRat - February 20, 2012
Nebraska fans conveniently forget...
…that K-State’s 20 years in the wilderness were the worst 20 years K-State has ever had in basketball, but would have been considered an average stretch of play by Nebraska’s standards.
TB - February 20, 2012
ISU with success really puts them over the top with envy.
Catbacker98 - February 20, 2012
They also don't care to notice that
almost none of Delonte’s guys are even still on the, and he is no longer with the program (hmmm, interesting). And that Jacob was a 3-star kid who was tough, learned a ton, and got molded into a great player by Frank Martin (sounds like a good coach to me).
Also, like you say TB, K-State has tradition to fall back on. Hall-of-Fame guys like Tex Winter and Jack Hartman roamed the sidelines, and guys like Bob Boozer (only man in college who could shut down Wilt), Rolando Blackmon, and Mitch Richmond played here. Yeah, there was that troubling time after the move to Bramlage and Lonnie left, then Altman was on too short a leash, then someone (who was the AD at the time???) made the ginormus mistake of hiring Tom Asbury. But if you forget the 90’s and early 00’s (and who hasnt?) there is a lot of history and winning tradition there. NU doesnt have that, whatsoever. As dominant as they were on the gridiron, they were equally as unimpressive on the hardwood. From Wikipedia:
jtarkman - February 20, 2012
Jamar and Rod were both Delonte, right?
Sean T - February 20, 2012
Yeah, thats right
and JO and Paradox were partially recruited by him too.
But so were:(fully) Beasley, Ron Anderson, Dom Sutton, Wally Judge and (partially) Nick Russell, and Jacob Pullen.
So at least he was doing his job, unfortunately only 2 (Beasley, McGruder; jury is still out on Jamar) have really panned out like we thought they would (or should). I guess that’s not absolutely terrible, and we really shouldn’t be too mad at the guy, but the Wally Judge disaster (along with Ron Anderson doing well elsewhere and Dom leaving) was a lot to take.
jtarkman - February 20, 2012
Why would such a history-minded fanbase do that to themselves?
MadCat - February 20, 2012
bracketology puts us as a 9 seed today
it’s good to be in the tourney, but i’d prefer to be a 6 seed (not likely) or an 11-14 seed. That 8-9 seed is the kiss of death and all but ends any chance of a sweet 16.
k-stater86 - February 20, 2012
Agree
A six or and 11 seed would set us up with some winable games.
iCatDormRat - February 20, 2012
But one #1 usually loses in the 2nd round (insert KU joke here:________________)
Why not have the Cats beat that slimeball Calipari, or devour Boeheim’s zone (every time I think about how the Cats smoked Baylor’s zone I cry a little)? MU/KU won’t be in the same region as the Cats, and to be honest, I want no part of Tom Izzo.
Sean T - February 20, 2012
Would you rather have Duke?
Catbacker98 - February 20, 2012
Thats a tough one.
I tend to think that duke may be slightly over rated and they would have a worse record if they played in the big 12, big 10, or even sec.
EMAW 4 Ever (iphone) - February 20, 2012 via iPhone app
Not overrated. I want no part of them.
FSU is not a good candidate either.
Catbacker98 - February 20, 2012
Syracuse zone
is a terrible matchup for a team that struggles to shoot 30% from beyond the arc
ksu&warpaint - February 20, 2012
We'd definitely need to get a couple players hot, but we have players with the talent
And it’s a mistake to think you have to shoot over a zone. In fact, that’s exactly the mistake zones try to force you into, and why Syracuse’s defense is so good. The key is getting good play at the high post and short corners.
smitty3268 - February 20, 2012
I want no part of a Syracuse zone...we don't have the ball handlers / passers to force it to move.
I don’t think 57 points will beat Syracuse.
mac attack ict - February 21, 2012
Can't put my finger on it.
The Orange don’t scare me.
BlackCats - February 21, 2012
We destroyed Baylor's zone in the first game
Syracuse would be better, and I doubt we’d win. But i’m not especially afraid of their zone – I wouldn’t pick us to beat any top 10 team, not just Syracuse. (Baylor is not a top 10 team).
smitty3268 - February 21, 2012
And they aren't very long.
BlackCats - February 21, 2012
So at this point I am assuming that
The lack of depth in pitching is really going to hurt the bat cats this year as they just fell 7-3 to CS-Bakersfield? To much to ask for a fourth straight regional appearance you think?
Kohawk84 - February 20, 2012 via iPhone app
To be fair Bakersfield has had some decent teams
so I wouldn’t say that’s a bad loss, necessarily. Hill only had for for-sure starter going int the season in Applegate, so I suspect these first few series will be spent trying to figure out the rest of the rotation. Biggest losses from last year are Marshall and Allen (reliever and closer), and those guys are often tough to replace. There’s a reason that MLB clubs pay those guys lots of money to only pitch 1-2 innings a game (in general)
jtarkman - February 20, 2012
Hill clearly knows what he's doing. This is WAY too early in the season to make any kind of judgements on what the team will look like come May, but the pre-season stuff I've read says the same thing.
Hill needs to find pitching. I’m sure he will, but it will take a while.
Sean T - February 20, 2012
He needs to find Saturday/Sunday and mid-week starters
I have a feeling that Matt Applegate is going to put up A.J. Morris-like numbers this year
jtarkman - February 20, 2012
You think so? That would be awesome. Even 75% of Morris would be fantastic.
What about Kayvon Brazamahandezsaslkjavoier? My buddy’s high on him this season.
Sean T - February 20, 2012
Has been a reliever ever since he pulled his hammy a couple years ago
he was on his way to becoming a star, but didn’t have the same pop last year. I would love to see him start though, I think he could be a solid Sunday/Mid-week starter
jtarkman - February 21, 2012
Ha ha ha
I hadn’t heard this about Finney: ""Sadly enough, I get told that all the time," Finney told The Wichita Eagle in August. “I guess I look like a coach. Between wrestling and football, people are always coming up to me and asking, ‘Are you a coach?’ No, I’m a player. A freshman, actually.”" – http://cnnsi.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/02/20/all-two-star-team/index.html?sct=cf_t11_a0
Sean T - February 20, 2012
I know with the Tiggers leaving the unholy alliance was thrown out the window...
But have we officially entered “Hate
WeekDay”?BlackCats - February 20, 2012
The way I see it this game is really a no lose.
If we win we win, but if we lose than there is still a chance that mizzou will end ku’s conference championship streak, which as a k-stater living just outside of larryville is something I would really like to see happen.
EMAW 4 Ever (iphone) - February 20, 2012 via iPhone app
This is one case where I am not actively rooting against the Jayhawks.
I don’t want Mizzou to win this conference on the way out.
So for me, this is not a no-lose situation. If we lose, that is a loss with zero silver lining for me.
ChrisP Wildcat - February 20, 2012
Yep, I'd rather have the blue birds win another one than have MU holding that championship over us for all time.
But if they do win it, i suppose it’s a silver lining that the KU streak will be broken.
smitty3268 - February 20, 2012
I'm hoping for us to sweep Mizzou
And Mizzou to sweep KU as unlikely as that probably is. If KU wins the deal because of us, we sure as hell won’t hear as much talking from them as usual and even if we do we can brush it off with a laugh.
MeatGeek - February 20, 2012
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