Most assumed that, after the departure of Michael Beasley and Bill Walker, Kansas State would return to a laughing stock in the Big 12 Conference and continue to allow people to run over them. But that wasn’t the case. Kansas State has had successful campaigns in both seasons following Beasley and Walker’s departure to the NBA, including an Elite 8 appearance this year. This Kansas State team did things that Beasley and Walker were unable to do.
This year, Kansas State was predicted to have a less than stellar season by being given a No. 39 pre-season ranking. After one of the best starts to a season in school history, the Wildcats finished non-conference slate with a 13-1 record, and a No. 11 ranking. After an early road bump in conference play at Missouri, the Wildcats went on to win 11 conference games—the most in a season since joining the Big 12 — and finished 2nd in the conference, with an 11-5 record and held the right to a first round bye in the Big 12 conference tournament.
In a rematch with Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament and steam rolling over the Cowboys, the Wildcats faced a tough Baylor team. Although they prevailed at the end, K-State knew they had a tougher challenge on their hands. Not only did they have to play back-to-back games on tired legs, but they had to face regular season Big 12 Champion Kansas in the tournament final.
The last time K-State and KU faced off, the Jayhawks embarrassed the Wildcats in Lawrence and sent them home with a 17-point loss. That game was history, and Kansas State looked for a different approach going into the game. The game was fought tough throughout and you could tell that fatigue was a problem, but the game was still decided in the last minutes and Kansas State fell short of its first ever Big 12 title.
After the conference tournament, Kansas State had acquired 26 total wins, the most in school history and, when the final poll was released, the Wildcats were ranked No. 7 to finish off a promising regular season. Kansas State hope it’s resume would impress the NCAA Tournament selection committee. With their 26 overall wins to compliment their 11 conference wins, the committee thought that the Wildcats well deserved a No. 2 seed in the Big Dance.
But all of the numbers and school records would mean nothing if K-State couldn’t do win in the NCAA Tournament.
Kansas State started its quest for the National Championship in the First Round against North Texas. Although North Texas seemed to be a poor opponent, that didn’t stop Frank Martin and his Wildcats from game planning tough. After extended time to game plan, the Wildcats used their size and speed to dump North Texas in the first round 82-62.
With a new task at hand, the Wildcats faced off against superstar Jimmer Fredette and BYU. The game meant a lot to Kansas State because a win would put the Wildcats in their first Sweet 16 since 1988. Jacob Pullen played one of the best games of his career both offensively and defensively and helped the Wildcats get to the Sweet 16 with a 12-point victory over BYU.
As much love as the Wildcats were getting nationally, head coach Frank Martin wouldn’t allow his team to feed into the media attention and forget about the task at hand. After BYU, the Wildcats had Xavier. Earlier in the season, Kansas State beat Xavier by 15 points in convincing fashion. Although the Wildcats held Xavier to 56 points in the first meeting of the season, Kansas State knew they were facing a much improved team in the Sweet 16.
Kansas State jumped out to an early fifteen point lead against Xavier, and to many Wildcat fans it looked similar to the first victory earlier in the season. Yet, the Wildcats couldn’t be advanced the Elite 8 just yet. Xavier guards Jordan Crawford and Terrell Holloway had other plans as they willed Xavier to a halftime lead.
After an evenly played second-half Kansas State and Xavier were tied and going into overtime. In that extra session, Pullen was able to put the Wildcats up by three, with his driving layup with just 19 seconds left in the overtime. That seemed to be just enough time for Crawford and Xavier. Crawford, mostly known for his dunk on Lebron James, drained a 35-footer to send the game in double-overtime.
In the second overtime, Pullen scored eight points and led his Wildcats to an epic 101-96 victory and their first Elite 8 birth in 22 years.
As the Wildcats fans soaked up this much needed win against Xavier, the Wildcats had a huge hurdle to jump: facing off against Butler for a spot in the Final Four. However, Kansas State, worn out from the double overtime win against Xavier, couldn’t pull out the energy needed to overcome the Butler team in the end. Kansas State’s dream season came to an end after Butler’s defense stifled the high-octane K-State attack.
The dream season began after beating then-No. 1 Texas on Big Monday in Manhattan, ending the longest winning streak in college basketball. This Kansas State team will go down in school history as the team with the most wins in one season, with 29 total, reaching the Elite 8 in epic fashion, and re-establishing school pride amongst K-State fans.
Seniors Denis Clemente, Luis Colon and Chris Merriewether will all depart this Kansas State basketball team, and the dynamic backcourt of Clemente and junior guard Jacob Pullen will be depleted without their speedy leader. Kansas State set the bar high this season and the Wildcats will expect nothing but the best from themselves in the years to come.
In 2010-11 look for another promising season from the Wildcats, as this young offense gained a lot of valuable tournament experience.
