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BIG 12 13
Words from the Big 12 Writers from around the conference weigh in on their teams
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Wildcats' senior day spoiled by loss
By Ashley Dunkak K-State Collegian — Monday, March 8
MANHATTAN — K-State finished its schedule with an 85-82 overtime loss to Iowa State on senior night. The Wildcats have now lost two in a row for the first time this season. The team still has the Big 12 Conference and NCAA tournaments to go, but K-State will not be back to Bramlage.
"The season's over," said coach Frank Martin. "The six months of screaming and running and challenging and teaching — that's over.
"Now we have one or two scenarios: we play nine more games or you get two losses, whichever comes first."
The Big 12 and NCAA both have single elimination tournaments, so the length of K-State's stay in the postseason depends upon the outcome of each game. Junior Curtis Kelly said he thinks the team will have less positive national attention after back-to-back losses.
"The differential we lost by in Lawrence and us losing here at home to the second-worst team in the conference, I think that people are going
to start to wonder about us a little bit more," Kelly said. "A lot of people thought that we were that team to beat, one of the come-up teams in the NCAA Tournament and the Big 12 Tournament. Now I think that people are probably going to doubt us a little bit."
Statistically, a lack of effective shooting was the most obvious reason for K-State's home loss. The team shot 34.3 percent from the field and hit only 3-of-23 shots from behind the arc. While it was one of the team's better efforts as far as free-throw shooting, the Wildcats collectively missed nine. Guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, who scored 17 and 27 points respectively, provided the bulk of the scoring, along with Kelly, who had 19 points. However, they were the only K-State players with double figures.
"I think our spacing has been real bad." Kelly said. "I think we get lost while we're in the motion of a play."
He said K-State also has offensive lapses when the team does not make shots it should. Those are costly, he said, especially playing against Big 12 teams.
Junior guard Jacob Pullen shoots during Kansas State's game against Iowa State on Saturday in Manhattan. Pullen finished with 27 points, but the Cyclones defeated the Wildcats 85-82 in overtime.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ISSOURITIGERS
Jayhawks cast shadow on senior day
Weston White/KANSAN
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
By Sean Leahy
The Maneater — Saturday, March 6
www.themaneater.com
COLUMBIA, Mo. — As the remaining minutes of Missouri's loss to Kansas dripped from the clock, Tiger fans had little to cheer about. The game was out of the Tigers' reach and No. 2 Kansas was about to sweep the season series.
But as seniors J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor and Keith Ramsey were subbed out, the crowd rose to its feet in appreciation. Despite the feeling surrounding the score, the moment's significance was not lost on what was left of a sell-out crowd: The trio had played its last minutes on Norm Stewart Court.
Earlier in the day, the three players were honored for their contributions to Missouri throughout their careers. But on a day when
Missouri senior guard Zaire Taylor tries to make a pass around Kansas sophomore forward Markieff Morris on Saturday. The Jayhawks defeated the Tigers 77-56.
Missouri never really got it going offensively, the seniors compiled relatively quiet statlines.
Ramsey might have had the best showing of the three. In 36 minutes, Ramsey put up eight points on 50 percent shooting and pulled down six rebounds. Tiller scored nine points but turned the ball over four times, and Taylor managed five points on 2-of-9 from the field.
For Tiller, there were no preconceived notions of the game being easier because it was Senior Day.
"Really today, minus the Senior Day,the last time we play on this court,this is a big game."Tiller said."[The Jayhawks] weren't going to come in here and just because it's Senior Day they're going to take it lightly on us, or try to give us the game because it's our last time playing here. We had to come in with the same mindset."
With No. 1 Syracuse falling to Louisville on Saturday, Kansas might well replace the Orangemen at the top of the rankings. The Jayhawks finished the regular season 29-2 overall and 15-1 in Big 12 play.
THE WAVE MARCH 10,2010
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