Kansas State will turn Bramlage pink for the WBCA “Pink Zone” initiative as they host the Iowa State Cyclones. The Wildcats look to close out the month of February with a winning record and to remain in control of fourth-place in the Big 12. Kansas State achieved a milestone with a 69-64 win at Nebraska on Feb. 19, as they became the 13th program in NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball history to record 800 or more wins.
The Cyclones storm into town as winners of the three of their last four contests and will attempt to win just their third road game of the season, as they are 2-6 away from home and 1-5 in the Big 12. ISU is looking to cap its first win in Manhattan since 2007. ISU is also going for its fifth-straight 20-win season, which has only been done once before (1998-2002). Iowa State is now 19-8 overall and 7-6 in the Big 12.
Last Time They Met
K-State @ Iowa State on February 13, 2011 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA.
The Cyclones hit seven free throws in the final minute-and-a-half of the game and got 25 points from Kelsey Bolte to beat the Wildcats 61-53. Bolte scored eight of the Cyclones’ first 16 points as Iowa State took an early 16-12 lead. The Wildcats answered back and took a 19-18 lead later in the half. After an 11-2 run, the Cyclones gained a 38-27 lead at halftime. Both teams struggled to start the second half as Jalana Childs made the only field goal in the first five minutes. Childs led the Wildcats with 21 points and five rebounds. Brittany Chambers added 19 points. For the Cyclones, Anna Prins added 10 points and Hallie Christofferson had eight points and 11 rebounds.
Last Game Out
(3) Baylor 75 K-State 48(Ferrell Center - Waco, TX. 2/23/2011)
The Lady Wildcats took a hard loss from Baylor on Wednesday when they were held to 48 points to the Lady Bears’ 75. Baylor (25-2, 12-1 Big 12) came out hot scoring the game’s first seven points and led 22-6 only eight minutes in. Kansas State pulled within 10 points in the first half but never got closer. The Lady Bears were supported by a 53.8 percent shooting effort compared to K-State’s 37 percent. The Wildcats were led by Jalana Childs, who tied her career-high with 22 points on 9-16 shooting, and Brittney Chambers, who added 15 points. Baylor’s Brittney Griner had 21 first half points, finishing the game with 26 total. Melissa Jones added 11 points and nine rebounds for Baylor.
(25)Iowa State 66 Texas 57 (Hilton Coliseum - Ames, IA. 2/21/2011)
Iowa State defeated Texas, 66-75, in overtime in Ames on Monday. It was a back and forth contest between the Cyclones and the Longhorns, with the lead changing 11 times and the score tied 11 times. The Cyclones were quick out of the gate at the start of overtime and three inside baskets and a pair of missed Texas’ three-point attempts followed by a Kelsey Bolte big time trey put the game out of reach for the Longhorns. Iowa State’s Chelsea Poppens scored a career-high 23 points with a game-high 13 rebounds. Anna Prins added 13 points. Texas made 10 3-point field goals but Iowa State outrebounded (44-27) and outscored Texas in the paint (34-18) that helped overcome the Longhorn’s sharp perimeter shooting.
Keys To Victory
K-State
Depth: In order to match Iowa State, Kansas State needs help from the bench. The Cyclone’s bench is outscoring its opposition by over four points per game and is contributing 17.1 points per game, or 25.8 percent of their scoring.
Sharp from the start: It is key that the Lady Wildcats come out ready to play right at tip off. The Cyclones are 17-0 this season when leading at half. That means K-State has no time to slack and little room for error, especially in the beginning.
Defense: Cyclone’s Kelsey Bolte averages 19.7 points per game and is one of the nation’s top shooters. She’ll most likely get hers, so it is in K-State’s best interest to shut down other players while limiting Bolte.
Iowa State
Execution: Iowa State will have to take advantage of every possession and execute their offense. Last game the Cyclones were 21 of 26 from the foul line to K-State’s 3 of 4. If they’re not scoring from the foul line this game, they will have to earn their points elsewhere.
Inside Presence: The Wildcat’s recent wins can be traced to its success at scoring in the paint and preventing its opponents from doing just that. K-State is scoring 26.2 points per game in the lane while holding their opponents to 23.5 points per game. Iowa State needs to buckle down and have strong presence in the paint.
Rebounding: K-State is known for having their guards attack the boards and is being lead in rebounds by guard Brittany Chambers. Iowa State will have to block out all five of K-State’s players on the court and limit their second-chance opportunities.
--Kylee Nacarrato
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Men's Game #28: (21) Missouri (21-6) @ K-State (19-9)
The Kansas State Wildcats will go for their fourth win in a row and sixth in their last seven games when they welcome the #21 team in the nation, the Missouri Tigers, into Bramlage Coliseum Saturday morning at 11 on ESPN. Missouri has had a solid season, staying ranked in the polls during the duration of the season while holding down the #4 seed in the Big 12. The only real knock on the Tigers so far this season has been their inept ability to win conference games on the road. Missouri has only won one game on the road in the Big 12 Conference—and that was on last Saturday, February 19th, against Iowa State 76-70. On the other hand, K-State has turned their season from a disappointment to having a solid chance at making the NCAA Tournament winning recent games against #1 Kansas (at the time), Oklahoma, and a big road win against Nebraska in Lincoln this past Wednesday. Although both teams appear to be NCAA Tournament-bound, Missouri has the last laugh in this match-up. On January 17th, Missouri took care of the Cats with little to no trouble.
The Last Time Out...
(24) K-State @ (14) Missouri (Mizzou Sports Arena - Columbia, MO 1/17/11)
The first time these two teams played, Missouri beat the Cats 75-59 in what was a terrible game for the Cats. K-State had 23 turnovers, were just 3 for 16 from the three-point line and gave up 43 points in the first half to Missouri. MU held K-State to just 28 first-half points due to their “ Fastest 40 minutes” , which means that Missouri pressures the ball for all 40 minutes of the basketball game. Two bright spots for the Cats were Jacob Pullen and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts. Henriquez-Roberts scored 14 points and had six rebounds, an assist, and two blocks. Pullen scored 16 points and only had two rebounds. Marcus Denmon led the Tigers in scoring with 14 points from shooting 4 for 9 from the field, had four rebounds and three steals. Phil Pressey, who had on a glove on his shooting hand to protect a broken finger at the time, scored 13 points and went 3 for 5 from three point range. Before the keys of victory and prediction, let's see how K-State and Missouri did in their last games. K-State got the victory they needed to solidly a spot in this year's NCAA Tournament.
K-State 61 Nebraska 57 (Bob Devaney Sports Center - Lincoln, NE 2/23/11)
K-State was already in the NCAA Tournament to many in the College Basketball world, including Joe Lunardi who does Bracketology on ESPN as a #9 seed in the East Region. Others thought that the Cats needed to do more work in order to get in. Either way, the Cats went into Lincoln and got a big victory against Nebraska, with a 61-57 win. This win will without a doubt put the Cats into the tournament. Jacob Pullen continued his consistent play over the last few weeks by scoring 27 points, with 20 coming in the second half. In the last three games, Pullen has scored 38 against Kansas, 27 against Oklahoma and 27 more vs. Nebraska for an average of 30.6 per game Rodney McGruger chipped in and scored 11 points for the Cats. The Huskers were held to 35% shooting and were forced into committing 17 turnovers. This was the final regular season game between K-State and Nebraska as members of the Big 12, due to Nebraska moving into the Big 10 Conference starting next season. K-State leads the all-time series against Nebraska, holding down a 126-93 record against them. Missouri's last game was at home, which in Columbia they're unbeaten, and that continued in their last contest this past Wednesday.
(21) Missouri 77 Baylor 59 (Mizzou Sports Arena - Columbia, MO 2/23/11)
Missouri and Baylor are on two different planets when it comes to college basketball in the 2010-2011 season. On one hand, Missouri is only playing for seeding in the NCAA Tournament since they have all but punched their ticket to the tournament due to consistent play all season. Baylor on the other hand, are playing for their NCAA Tournament lives every game they play. They did not help matters when they lost to Missouri 77-59 in Columbia this past Wednesday night. The only way the Bears can get into the tournament at this point is if they can win the Big 12 Tournament next weekend in Kansas City. Lawrence Bowers led the Tigers with 20 points, nine rebounds, six steals and 2 blocks. Ricardo Ratliffe chipped in with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Quincy Acy was the leading scorer for Baylor, scoring 13 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out an assist, two steals and two blocks. LaceDarius Dunn only scored 12 points from 4 for 14 shooting for Baylor. Here are the MU/K-State keys to victory, starting with Mizzou.
Keys to Victory:
Missouri
Turn defense into offense: This key to victory is a double-edged sword. If the Tigers can do a good job of applying the “Fastest 40 Minutes” and pressure the Cats' ball handlers, they can cause a lot of problems for K-State. If not, the Cats will have a lot of easy baskets off of MU's press and could win the game by double figures.
Ricardo Ratliffe: Ratliffe just came off of a huge game for the Tigers, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds inside the post. The big man has been in double figures in six of his last seven for Mizzou. If he continues to score with that type of efficiency against the likes of Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, the Tigers have a good shot at leaving Manhattan with the victory.
Guards: Missouri needs to get Marcus Denmon going early, especially from the perimeter. He and forward Lawrence Bowers are deadly at penetrating the interior of opposing defenses. If both can attack the rim early, it will eventually open the whole floor for the Tigers offense to operate and knock down shots.
K-State
Handling the “Fastest 40 Minutes”: At times this season, the Cats have handled the ball very well; however, there's been other times when K-State is sloppy with the basketball. The Cats can't afford to turn it over 15+ times against Missouri, or else the Tigers will make them pay.
Jacob Pullen distributing: Pullen's scored 38, 27 and 27 in his last three games, showing a level of consistency not seen from him much this season. Mizzou will be harrassing him all afternoon. That's going to open things up for guys like Will Spradling and Rodney McGruder. Don't expect Pullen to have as big of a scoring day as he's had in the past three games. Keep in mind though that he is still one of the best distributors on this roster. It'll be up to the young guns to knock down some big shots and help alleviate some of the scoring burden from Pullen.
Rebounding: With Bowers/Ratliffe's athleticism, Kelly, Samuels and Henriquez-Roberts will have to hit the glass harder than they have in recent weeks. The key will be staying composed and not getting into foul trouble for the trio of Wildcats.
Prediction: K-State wins, 70-62.
-Paul Payton, Wildcat 91.9 Sports Staff
The Last Time Out...
(24) K-State @ (14) Missouri (Mizzou Sports Arena - Columbia, MO 1/17/11)
The first time these two teams played, Missouri beat the Cats 75-59 in what was a terrible game for the Cats. K-State had 23 turnovers, were just 3 for 16 from the three-point line and gave up 43 points in the first half to Missouri. MU held K-State to just 28 first-half points due to their “ Fastest 40 minutes” , which means that Missouri pressures the ball for all 40 minutes of the basketball game. Two bright spots for the Cats were Jacob Pullen and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts. Henriquez-Roberts scored 14 points and had six rebounds, an assist, and two blocks. Pullen scored 16 points and only had two rebounds. Marcus Denmon led the Tigers in scoring with 14 points from shooting 4 for 9 from the field, had four rebounds and three steals. Phil Pressey, who had on a glove on his shooting hand to protect a broken finger at the time, scored 13 points and went 3 for 5 from three point range. Before the keys of victory and prediction, let's see how K-State and Missouri did in their last games. K-State got the victory they needed to solidly a spot in this year's NCAA Tournament.
K-State 61 Nebraska 57 (Bob Devaney Sports Center - Lincoln, NE 2/23/11)
K-State was already in the NCAA Tournament to many in the College Basketball world, including Joe Lunardi who does Bracketology on ESPN as a #9 seed in the East Region. Others thought that the Cats needed to do more work in order to get in. Either way, the Cats went into Lincoln and got a big victory against Nebraska, with a 61-57 win. This win will without a doubt put the Cats into the tournament. Jacob Pullen continued his consistent play over the last few weeks by scoring 27 points, with 20 coming in the second half. In the last three games, Pullen has scored 38 against Kansas, 27 against Oklahoma and 27 more vs. Nebraska for an average of 30.6 per game Rodney McGruger chipped in and scored 11 points for the Cats. The Huskers were held to 35% shooting and were forced into committing 17 turnovers. This was the final regular season game between K-State and Nebraska as members of the Big 12, due to Nebraska moving into the Big 10 Conference starting next season. K-State leads the all-time series against Nebraska, holding down a 126-93 record against them. Missouri's last game was at home, which in Columbia they're unbeaten, and that continued in their last contest this past Wednesday.
(21) Missouri 77 Baylor 59 (Mizzou Sports Arena - Columbia, MO 2/23/11)
Missouri and Baylor are on two different planets when it comes to college basketball in the 2010-2011 season. On one hand, Missouri is only playing for seeding in the NCAA Tournament since they have all but punched their ticket to the tournament due to consistent play all season. Baylor on the other hand, are playing for their NCAA Tournament lives every game they play. They did not help matters when they lost to Missouri 77-59 in Columbia this past Wednesday night. The only way the Bears can get into the tournament at this point is if they can win the Big 12 Tournament next weekend in Kansas City. Lawrence Bowers led the Tigers with 20 points, nine rebounds, six steals and 2 blocks. Ricardo Ratliffe chipped in with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Quincy Acy was the leading scorer for Baylor, scoring 13 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out an assist, two steals and two blocks. LaceDarius Dunn only scored 12 points from 4 for 14 shooting for Baylor. Here are the MU/K-State keys to victory, starting with Mizzou.
Keys to Victory:
Missouri
Turn defense into offense: This key to victory is a double-edged sword. If the Tigers can do a good job of applying the “Fastest 40 Minutes” and pressure the Cats' ball handlers, they can cause a lot of problems for K-State. If not, the Cats will have a lot of easy baskets off of MU's press and could win the game by double figures.
Ricardo Ratliffe: Ratliffe just came off of a huge game for the Tigers, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds inside the post. The big man has been in double figures in six of his last seven for Mizzou. If he continues to score with that type of efficiency against the likes of Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, the Tigers have a good shot at leaving Manhattan with the victory.
Guards: Missouri needs to get Marcus Denmon going early, especially from the perimeter. He and forward Lawrence Bowers are deadly at penetrating the interior of opposing defenses. If both can attack the rim early, it will eventually open the whole floor for the Tigers offense to operate and knock down shots.
K-State
Handling the “Fastest 40 Minutes”: At times this season, the Cats have handled the ball very well; however, there's been other times when K-State is sloppy with the basketball. The Cats can't afford to turn it over 15+ times against Missouri, or else the Tigers will make them pay.
Jacob Pullen distributing: Pullen's scored 38, 27 and 27 in his last three games, showing a level of consistency not seen from him much this season. Mizzou will be harrassing him all afternoon. That's going to open things up for guys like Will Spradling and Rodney McGruder. Don't expect Pullen to have as big of a scoring day as he's had in the past three games. Keep in mind though that he is still one of the best distributors on this roster. It'll be up to the young guns to knock down some big shots and help alleviate some of the scoring burden from Pullen.
Rebounding: With Bowers/Ratliffe's athleticism, Kelly, Samuels and Henriquez-Roberts will have to hit the glass harder than they have in recent weeks. The key will be staying composed and not getting into foul trouble for the trio of Wildcats.
Prediction: K-State wins, 70-62.
-Paul Payton, Wildcat 91.9 Sports Staff
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Women's Game #24: Colorado (12-11) @ Kansas State (16-7)
The Colorado Buffaloes go for a season split and their first road win as they travel to Manhattan to face the Wildcats. K-State comes off of two straight losses, including their first home setback of the season against Texas on Feb. 9, making them 11-1 in Bramlage. The Wildcats have won 5 of the last 6 meetings against CU, but the Buffaloes took away a 63-57 win in the last meeting in Manhattan. CU is 12-11 overall and ranks eighth in the Big 12 standings at 3-7, already matching their league wins from last year. K-State comes into the contest ranked fourth place in the Big 12 standings at 6-4, with a 16-7 overall record, already surpassing the 14 overall wins in the 2009-2010 season. The Wildcats look to earn the program’s 799th victory and will attempt to become the 13th team in NCAA’s women’s basketball history to capture 800 wins.
The Last Time Out
K-State @ Colorado on January 26, 2011 at Coors Event Center in Boulder, CO.
K-State fought for their 72-59 victory over CU the first time the two teams met up this season. Defeating the Buffaloes put the Wildcats in lead of the overall series at 34-33. K-State came out hot in the first with an early 12-0 run, keeping their lead all through the half. The Wildcats stayed on top for most of the game, but CU didn’t make it easy for them, tying the game with 10 minutes to go in the second half. Eight straight points down the stretch for K-State put the game out of reach. The Wildcats shot 48-percent in the contest and forced 17 Colorado turnovers, eight coming from steals. Both teams finished with 33 rebounds apiece. Brittney Chambers led a group of four Wildcats in double figures, with Jalana Childs adding 17, Taelor Karr with 13, and Kelsey hill with 12.
K-State 53 Iowa State 61 on February 13
This past Sunday the Wildcats tried to rally back in the second half to overcome an 11 point deficit at Iowa State, but were taken down 61-53. Iowa State was 21-of-26 from the free throw line compared to K-State’s 3-of-4. K-State cut down the Cyclones lead by two with 3:45 to play, but Iowa State’s 9-of-12 free throws ended it for the cats. Despite being sidelined for foul trouble, Jalana Childs pushed the Wildcats with 19 second-half points and career-high-tying 21 points for the game. Brittany Chambers helped to keep her team in the game scoring 15 first-half points and 19 overall. She also added four rebounds and three assists.
CU 44 Texas Tech 72 (Boulder, Co. 2/12/2011)
CU couldn’t handle the Lady Raiders and shamed the Buffs in a 72-44 victory. Colorado turned in a season low in points and a season high in turnovers with 44 and 28 respectively. Tech scored 21 points off their 19 first half turnovers. CU had a thin roster of eight players with the absence of senior guard Chelsea Dale. Britney Spears was the only player to reach double figures with 12 points. Tech shot 63.6 percent from the field in the first half and 75 percent beyond the arc.
Keys to Victory
K-State
Perimeter shooting: The cats presence beyond the arc of 5.7 three-point field goals made per game falls short of past seasons. CU’s defense is allowing just 28.4% from beyond the arc, but Brittany Chambers and Taelor Karr are big time 3-point line threats. If they get hot, it could be a long night for the Buffaloes.
Defensive Pressure: K-State needs to bring some tenacious defense to the court and put the pressure on Colorado to force turnovers like they did the first game.
Rebounding: Colorado’s rebounding could be a major factor in the game. They are currently averaging 39.9 rebounds per game while allowing just 34.4 per contest. This means the Wildcats need to make sure they match up with CU and eliminate second chance opportunities.
Colorado
Ball protection: Last match up against the cats they allowed for 17 team turnovers, eight of those via steals. They must be smart with the ball and limit the amount of mistakes or else they will create unearned offensive opportunities for K-State.
Spears and Jefferey: Brittany Spears and Chuck Jefferey have made Colorado the only school in the Big 12 with two players sporting seven or more double-doubles this season. They need to play to their potential and score and rebound at every given opportunity.
Rebounding: Colorado needs to keep up their rebounding and make sure they are consistent with it to stay in the game.
-Kylee Naccarato, Wildcat 91.9 Sports Staff
The Last Time Out
K-State @ Colorado on January 26, 2011 at Coors Event Center in Boulder, CO.
K-State fought for their 72-59 victory over CU the first time the two teams met up this season. Defeating the Buffaloes put the Wildcats in lead of the overall series at 34-33. K-State came out hot in the first with an early 12-0 run, keeping their lead all through the half. The Wildcats stayed on top for most of the game, but CU didn’t make it easy for them, tying the game with 10 minutes to go in the second half. Eight straight points down the stretch for K-State put the game out of reach. The Wildcats shot 48-percent in the contest and forced 17 Colorado turnovers, eight coming from steals. Both teams finished with 33 rebounds apiece. Brittney Chambers led a group of four Wildcats in double figures, with Jalana Childs adding 17, Taelor Karr with 13, and Kelsey hill with 12.
K-State 53 Iowa State 61 on February 13
This past Sunday the Wildcats tried to rally back in the second half to overcome an 11 point deficit at Iowa State, but were taken down 61-53. Iowa State was 21-of-26 from the free throw line compared to K-State’s 3-of-4. K-State cut down the Cyclones lead by two with 3:45 to play, but Iowa State’s 9-of-12 free throws ended it for the cats. Despite being sidelined for foul trouble, Jalana Childs pushed the Wildcats with 19 second-half points and career-high-tying 21 points for the game. Brittany Chambers helped to keep her team in the game scoring 15 first-half points and 19 overall. She also added four rebounds and three assists.
CU 44 Texas Tech 72 (Boulder, Co. 2/12/2011)
CU couldn’t handle the Lady Raiders and shamed the Buffs in a 72-44 victory. Colorado turned in a season low in points and a season high in turnovers with 44 and 28 respectively. Tech scored 21 points off their 19 first half turnovers. CU had a thin roster of eight players with the absence of senior guard Chelsea Dale. Britney Spears was the only player to reach double figures with 12 points. Tech shot 63.6 percent from the field in the first half and 75 percent beyond the arc.
Keys to Victory
K-State
Perimeter shooting: The cats presence beyond the arc of 5.7 three-point field goals made per game falls short of past seasons. CU’s defense is allowing just 28.4% from beyond the arc, but Brittany Chambers and Taelor Karr are big time 3-point line threats. If they get hot, it could be a long night for the Buffaloes.
Defensive Pressure: K-State needs to bring some tenacious defense to the court and put the pressure on Colorado to force turnovers like they did the first game.
Rebounding: Colorado’s rebounding could be a major factor in the game. They are currently averaging 39.9 rebounds per game while allowing just 34.4 per contest. This means the Wildcats need to make sure they match up with CU and eliminate second chance opportunities.
Colorado
Ball protection: Last match up against the cats they allowed for 17 team turnovers, eight of those via steals. They must be smart with the ball and limit the amount of mistakes or else they will create unearned offensive opportunities for K-State.
Spears and Jefferey: Brittany Spears and Chuck Jefferey have made Colorado the only school in the Big 12 with two players sporting seven or more double-doubles this season. They need to play to their potential and score and rebound at every given opportunity.
Rebounding: Colorado needs to keep up their rebounding and make sure they are consistent with it to stay in the game.
-Kylee Naccarato, Wildcat 91.9 Sports Staff
Monday, February 14, 2011
Men's Game #26: #2 Kansas (24-1) @ K-State (16-9) Preview
The Sunflower Showdown will take place once again, as the #2 ranked Kansas Jayhawks come to Manhattan searching for a regular season sweep of the Kansas State Wildcats. To this point in the season, KU and K-State are going in opposite directions. KU (24-1) is having one of their typical great seasons, only dropping one game thus far. The Jayhawks one and only setback came to the Texas Longhorns in the friendly confines of Allen Fieldhouse by a score of 74-63. The loss ended the Jayhawks then-NCAA best 69-game homecourt winning streak. On the other end, the Cats’ season to this point has been a disappointment. K-State came into the season ranked #3 in the nation in the pre-season polls and were also the pre-season pick to win the Big 12. With a 16-9 overall record and a 4-6 record in Big 12 Conference play, they are playing well-below expectations.
The Last Time Out…
K-State @ Kansas on January 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
The first time the two teams played, KU dominated from start to finish, winning 90-66 over the Cats. This was KU's 181st victory against the Cats in a rivalry that has been around since 1907. KU had dealt with the death of Thomas Robinson's mother throughout the week leading up to the game, but did not show any signs of fatigue on the court. The Jayhawks stormed out to a 15-2 lead to start the game and never looked back. Markieff Morris scored 20 points and grabbed 9 rebounds while Thomas Robinson scored 17 points and 9 rebounds. Jacob Pullen, one of the few bright spots in the game, scored 21 points while moving into second on the K-State all time scoring list. Since Big 12 play began, KU is 34-2 overall against K-State. Leading up to the second KU/K-State game this Monday, KU did not have a problem with their most recent opponent.
Kansas 89 Iowa State 66 (Lawrence, KS 2/12/2011)
This past Saturday, KU took care of business by beating Iowa State 89-66 at Allen Fieldhouse. Bill Self’s squad Jayhawks shot an impressive 52% from the floor and at one point, cruised out to a 33-12 lead that they never relinquished. Marcus Morris led the Jayhawks with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Tyshawn Taylor and Markieff Morris chipped in 14 points each. The Jayhawks also dominated the rebounding battle, grabbing 43 total rebounds to the Cyclones 31. KU improved to 24-1 overall, 9-1 in the Big 12 while Iowa State fell to 14-11 and 1-9 in the conference. The Jayhawks will be coming into Bramlage Coliseum on a high, having won six in a row by an average margin of 18.3 points per game.
Colorado 58 Kansas State 56 (Boulder, CO 2/12/2011)
K-State sophomore Rodney McGruder connected on a three-pointer as the final 1.1 seconds clicked off to give the Cats what looked like a 59-58 win over Colorado at the Coors Event Center. The officials reviewed the play to determine whether or not the ball had left McGruder’s hand before time expired. After approximately three minutes the officials ended up waving off the basket, allowing Colorado to escape with a 58-56 win. Junior forward Jamar Samuels led the Cats in scoring with 13 while Jacob Pullen contributed 12 points of his own. The Buffaloes were paced by senior guard Cory Higgins, who scored 17 points, while Levi Knutson chipped in 16. K-State fell to 16-9 on the season and 4-6 in the coneference. Colorado improved its overall record to 16-10 and 5-6 in the Big 12. This is the first time Colorado has swept K-State since the 2003-04 season.
Keys to Victory
K-State
Rebounding: If the Cats can get consistent rebounding, they'll be able to stay in the game and have a chance.
Post-play: The Cats' post-play has been very inconsistent all season. With the Morris Twins coming to town, Jamar Samuels, Curtis Kelly, and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts will each have to play at the top of their game and not let the Morris twins own the paint.
Shooting: The Cats need to score, and score efficiently in order to beat KU. The Jayhawks lead the nation with a 52.3 field goal percentage, and average 83.9 points per game. That means the Cats will not be able to afford any shooting droughts like they have had in previous games.
KU
Depth: The Jayhawks' bench needs to show up and play well to take care of the Cats. Travis Relaford, Mario Little, Elijah Johnson, and Jeff Withey all need to play well, especially with Josh Selby and Thomas Robinson not available due to injuries.
Perimeter shooting: Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed are big-time three-point threats for the Jayhawks and if they can get going, it will probably be a repeat of the other game this season in Lawrence.
The Morris twins: Marcus and Markieff Morris need to rebound and score when they have opportunities so they can wear down the thin K-State front-court and open up opportunities for KU's outside shooters.
Prediction: KU wins, 75-58.
-Paul Payton, Wildcat 91.9 Sports Staff
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