Quick Hitters: Kansas State

I will be honest, I expected K-State to put up more of a challenge than that. I think I let on as much in my preview. I was sorely mistaken as the Kansas State Wildcats were once again outclassed and outmatched in nearly every facet of the game. Here are some quick takeaways from Saturday’s spanking.

1. Total domination. This was an all-out trouncing. KU led in almost every conceivable category and most of the time it wasn’t close. The one thing you can give KSU is that they had a better free throw rate and made one more free throw overall, but KU was the victor in major factors like eFG%, TO%, and offensive rebounding % as well as in smaller factors such as rebounding (33 to 25), assists (20 to 6), steals (4 to 1), blocks (6 to 1) and so on.

2. The Defense looked better than it was. I think everyone who came away from this game thought KU’s defense looked pretty good compared to some more recent games. I think KU forced KSU into a couple of shot clock violations or near shot clock violations. Those tend to stand out in people’s minds. There were just as many possessions where KU gave up quick layups and dunks that are harder to remember. For the game, KU was actually under its season averages for steals and blocks and just slight better in total effective FG% giving up 45% to KSU. Remember that that measure gives more weight to made threes and KSU only had 1 of 11 of those go down.

3. New energy abounds. I will give KU credit for putting the non-conference season to bed and not looking back. The team seems to have renewed energy in the two Big 12 games thus far. Wayne Selden is playing great, Wiggins has been more assertive, Perry is back on track, Tharpe is dishing the ball (9 assists to 0 turnovers) and running the offense with confidence, Conner has made shots, Black and Traylor aren’t hurting the team when they are in the game and on and on it goes. The team looks to have come together in a meaningful way since the league started. That’s good, because the next three games stretch is harder than any KU has faced this year or in recent memory.

What to Watch for Recap 

1. “Grind it out” or “run and gun”? KU dictated the pace in this one. Each team had 63 possessions but KU was 41% more efficient with its chances.

2. Can Foster and the gang handle the Phog? Foster did not have a very good showing. His 7 points in 23 minutes was well under his season average and he shot just 25% from the floor. Wiggins’ length and athleticism bothered him all afternoon. He didn’t even get his first field goal late into the game and it was a put-back dunk when KU didn’t block out.

3. Selden sighting? Selden put together another great performance. It looks like he may have finally found his way. I will need to see another game or two like this in the next three outings to be 100 percent confident in that assertion, however.

Beware of the Blog’s Player of the Game is Wayne Selden. It was a tale of two halves for Selden and Wiggins. Selden was the dominant one in the first half, and Wiggins put the game out of reach in the second. Both had all around great games. The for the second game in a row goes to Selden. In addition to his 20 points, he added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and the highest +/- on the team. But Wiggins has a great performance, too… so that isn’t to be overlooked.

Current Standings:

• 1. Andrew Wiggins (5)
  
• 2. Perry Ellis (3)
  
• T-3. Joel Embiid (2)
  
• T-3. Frank Mason (2)
  
• T-3. Wayne Selden (2)
• 4. Tarik Black (1)

You let the whole team down Joel Embiid. Embiid played a good game, but a lapse in judgement when he gave an opposing player a forearm to the face lands him in the doghouse. It was unnecessary and boneheaded. It also could have cost KU a lot. Had the Wildcat retaliated, it would have been classified as a fight and Embiid would miss the Iowa State game, a game that has significant league implications. Embiid is smarter than that.