KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 / SPORTS /
NO.1 KANSAS 68
BALLREWIND
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Kansas State fans stormed the court following Monday night's victory over the Kansas Jayhawks. The Wildcats took the lead from the beginning of the game and handed Kansas its second loss of the season. K-State guard Jacob Pullen led the team with 38 points, including 15 points at the free-throw line in the 84-68 loss at Bramlage Coliseum.
Pullen pulls no punches in upset
BY MIKE LAVIERI
mlavieri@kansan.com
This was a Kansas State team that was supposed to be No. 3 in the nation. This was a Wildcat team that was supposed to contend for the Big 12 title. Sitting at 4-6 coming into the game, it seemed like all signs pointed anywhere but the NCAA tournament. But Kansas State found a way to defeat No. 1 Kansas 84-68 after a heartbreaking loss to Colorado on Saturday.
Before conference play started, senior guard Jacob Pullen said the Big 12 title comes through Manhattan, only to say two games later after quickly falling to 0-2 that he would not be playing in the NIT if that was the Wildcats' destiny.
On Monday night, Pullen was clutch. He scored 38 points, the most against a top ranked team since Antwan
Jamison scored 35 points in No. 2 North Carolina's victory against No. 1 Duke 97-73 on Feb. 5, 1998. Kansas had no answer for Pullen, who put the Wildcats on his back. Pullen had an opportunity to score 40, but he ran the clock down instead.
"Pullen is class all the way." Kansas Coach Bill Self said.
Kansas State coach Frank Martin said that this team is definitely a tournament team. Pullen, on the other hand, didn't know.
"I don't work with bracketologists." Pullen said. "I don't know what they'll say in the meeting. They might say that this is a fluke. You never know. We have to continue to win games. We have to find a way to win on the road, we have to find a way to win at home."
Pullen is focused on Saturday's home game against Oklahoma. He said the Wildcats defeated No. 1 Texas last season and then relaxed in its next
game losing to Oklahoma State 73-69 at home.
The last time Pullen and the Wildcats defeated Kansas was Jan 30, 2008 when Kansas State was ranked 24th and the Jayhawks were ranked second. That night was also the last time Wildcat fans stormed the court. On that night Jacob Pullen, Michael Beasley and Bill Walker took a position above fans on the scorer's table. Tonight, Pullen assumed that same position.
"We just saw them anticipating running on the court," Pullen said. "At the four minute mark we could see them running to the stairs, getting in position. That energy continues into our huddle."
Pullen said he was dreaming about this game before he went to bed Sunday night.
"This has been something on my mind along time," Pullen said. "I wanted to make sure we won this game."
Pullen said that this was a game that the team felt like they needed to win. Martin knows that this team has lost games, but knows that this team has won games. He said the Wildcats have played difficult teams on its schedule even though it sits at 5-6 in conference.
"If the tournament ended yesterday we should be a NCAA team and after today we're definitely a NCAA team," Martin said. "But unfortunately they're not passing out the bids tomorrow."
Self doesn't care what anybody says, he says the Wildcats are a tournament team and they are getting into the tournament.
"The way that they lost on Saturday and bounce back tonight, that's pretty good coaching," Self said.
— Edited by Danielle Packer
Game to remember
Jacob Pullen
Pullen had his best game as a Wildcat, plain and simple. His 38 points were the most against a top-ranked team since 1968, and he basically single-handedly clinched the Wildcats an NCAA Tournament berth, barring a brutal late-season collapse. He
Pullen
said after the game that he didn't look at bracket projections, but he knows in the back of his mind that this was a big one.
Game to forget
Tyshawn Taylor
Taylor was awful Monday night. He was crucial in the Jayhawks' 90-66 stomping of Kansas State at home, but he played the opposite role in Manhattan. Taylor turned the ball over six times against just one assist and was Tyshawn Taylor's primary victim all night long. Honorable mention to Markieff
Taylor
Morris, the leading rebounder in the Big 12, who failed to pull down a single rebound.
Quote of the game
"From a positive standpoint, we held them to 46 points if you take Jacob out of the equation."
"I'm leaving out of here not really recognizing the team that played tonight."
Self
Bill Self
Prime plays
FIRST HALE
17:46: Pullen hits a jumper to give Kansas State the lead for good. (5-6)
9:23: Tyshawn Taylor takes it strong to his right; he draws contact on the way up, hangs and hits a runner of the glass. He then connects on the free throw. (16-26)
5:22: Brady Morningstar gave a nice lab to Marcus Morris, who throws down the ally oop (32-24)
SECOND HALF
18:55: Tyshawn Taylor hits a layup to bring Kansas within five, that was the closest it got. (46-41)
5:55: Elijah Johnson gets called for a technical, effectively killing any Kansas momentum. (71-57)
Key stats
38
Jacob Pullen's 38 points were the most against a top-ranked opponent since 1968.
- Kansas State has defeated the No. 1 team in two straight seasons
Markieff Morris had zero rebounds, despite being the leading rebounder in the Big 12.
20
Kansas State's 20-point lead with 4:08 left was the largest Kansas deficit of the year.
.61
Kansas' .61 assist-to-turnover ratio was its worst since losing to Northern Iowa last year.
Kansas State led or was tied for the final 37:46 of the game.
37:46
3rd & KASOLD | 6th & WAKARUSA
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Junior forward Marcus Morris slams down a one-handed dunk off an ally-oop during the first half. Morris was one of only two hyawks to score in the double figures with 13 points while chipping in three steals in the 84-68 loss at Bramlage Coliseum Monday night.