Big 12 Notebook: 'Cats take Manhattan

Jacob Pullen is one of the sparkplugs that has sparked Kansas State's fast start. (Icon SMI)

By Ken Cross, Lindyssports.com columnist

Manhattan, Kansas should definitely be on the national radar as coach Frank Martin has developed a deep, athletic squad which has won 12 out of it's last 13 in sporting a 17-2 mark as the Wildcats are currently No. 9 in the nation. KSU took steps toward asserting itself as a league favorite with the 71-62 win over Texas on this past Monday.

Holding opponents to 40.1% from the floor and out-rebounding them by 7.1 per game has been a stealthy recipe. The boards are Kansas State's calling card as the Wildcats average 40.4 rpg. and then take 16 off the offensive glass as they average 15 per night on offensive rebounds and 20 or more in three of the last five. Curtis Kelly leads at 6.3 rpg.

The Wildcats' defense thrives on turning opponents over and for the last three seasons, 25% of K-State's offense has come from finish off turnovers. This season, 22 ppg. come off an average of 18 forced turnovers per game. Under Martin, the Wildcats are 35-6 when scoring 20+ points off turnovers, 10-0 so far this year.

Martin has watched freshman Rodney McGruder turn into a consistent defensive stopper as the season has transpired.

"That is two games in a row where Rodney has done a heck-of-a job for us defensively,” Martin said in alluding to his play against Colorado and Texas last week.

The third variable in the success of this squad starts with the backcourt of Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, who is third in the Big 12 in scoring with 19.3 ppg. They average 33.6 ppg. through the first 18, but struggled in going 4-for-24 in the win over Texas. That is where the depth came into play as Jamar Samuels stepped up with 20 points and 12 boards while Kelly tallied 17 and eight.

"Jamar is a sophomore, Curtis has not played basketball for three years, and they both played with a lot of passion tonight," Martin exclaimed after the win over Texas, "I have been on Jamar’s rear-end for about three weeks now, because he is averaging less than two defensive rebounds a game. That was a big-boy game today, and he grabbed eight defensive rebounds."

Kansas State is a definite threat to the Final Four. The biggest key may be to execute consistently in the half court.

Meanwhile, Martin came into the spotlight as Bob Huggins' assistant at Cincinnati and then he came to K-State as Huggins took over for a year before going back to West Virginia, his alma mater. Martin was a high school coach in Florida and had a strong presence on the AAU circuit. It goes without saying that his patience, persistence, and knowledge of the game have been well rewarded.

"I have been in the league for 12 years and I have been here when it wasn’t that good and you just have to feel good for Frank Martin," Texas coach Rick Barnes explained after the game, "I think he is a guy that has had to do it the hard way and he has done a great job here. Since he has been here he has been pretty good and not just this year."

Longhorns Laments: Texas has been a magnificent defensive team all season and played well on the defensive end again despite the loss. Texas A&M held UT to 35.3% from the field last Saturday, but the 'Horns survived in overtime. Monday night, Texas shot just 36.8% and wasn't quite so lucky in the Bramledge Coliseum.

Barnes took the blame for the offensive woes himself.

"Defensively, we’ve been pretty good these last two games and I think we played well enough defensively to win this game tonight," Barnes said, "But offensively, the last two games have hurt us. It’s my fault and you can’t blame anybody but me because I’m in charge. We are a good team and we will bounce back.”

Free throw shooting has also been a bugaboo for Texas despite the 17-0 start and the No. 1 ranking. The Longhorns are just 31-of-55 in those last two games. It is a concern for Barnes and a stat that needs to improve. On the year, UT shoots just 62.4% from the line, 11th in the Big 12.

"The free throw line killed us," lamented Barnes, "We knew that we hadn’t been a great free throw shooting team all year. And when you’re down like we were, you’ve got to convert those."

From the Nest: Kansas was taken to the wire by Baylor on Wednesday night as the Bears defined the depth of this league. Ultimately, Marcus Morris was a huge difference as he scored 22 points and eight boards. He looks like he has stepped up play immensely with 61 points in his last three games after struggling with six in the two before that.

"That is probably the best game he has played since he has been at KU," Self said, "He’s too honest when he talks to the media. He says he has to play harder so the perception is that he doesn’t play hard. There’s a difference between playing hard every possession and competing every possession."

In the first three conference games, Morris has made 22-of-29 field goals while averaging 20.3 ppg. His eight field goals were his personal best.

Corn's-a-poppin': Nebraska was 12-3 in the non-league season, but has fallen on hard times by starting 0-3 in the Big 12. This could be the best Nebraska team since the 1997-98 team that featured Tyron Lue and was the last Nebraska squad to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

Doc Saddler's squad holds opponents to 41.8% from the field and a league low 59.8 ppg. Eleven Cornhuskers average double figures in minutes and only one, Ryan Anderson, averages double figures at 11.1 ppg.

Nebraska also shoots 40.3% from the three-point line as Eshaunte Jones has made a team high 30-of-65 shots.

Sadler says toughness, both mentally and physically will cure his team.

"We have to get tougher," commented Sadler, who has done a good job of making the program competitive as he now tries to push it into position to be a player in the league, "It's frustrating, I thought our guys played extremely hard, but once again it's free throws that are the biggest difference in this basketball game. We can't give points away."

NU shoots only 64.1% from the line on the year and made only 2-of-8 against the Cyclones.

Sadler is an excellent coach and if the Cornhuskers can get the free throw line and their lack of rebounding straightened out, they will be a tough out each night despite the 0-3 start.

Bourgeoning Big 12: After Kansas State's victory over Texas on Big Monday, the Big 12 may have finally raised the eyebrows of the college hoops nation as a league that has more than just a race between Kansas and Texas.

The Jayhawks are currently the only unbeaten team in league play, but upon further review, as many as seven or eight teams could step to the dance floor in mid-March.

The league carries the RPI's No. 1 conference rating and has seven teams in the RPI's Top 40, more than any other league. Eleven of the 12 teams have won over 61% of their games with eight at 70% or better.