Rapid Recap: Kansas State has dudes

KANSAS STATE LIMITS TURNOVERS

Kansas State kept turnovers down in the Round of 32 win over Kentucky. K-State had just eight turnovers for the game, four in each half. When the Wildcats have less than 11 turnovers this season, they are undefeated.

Getting shots up is an important factor for any offense, and when Kansas State gets a lot of shots up, they are tough to stop.

Defensively, K-State was swarming and forced 16 turnovers, including 11 in the first half alone. When shots were not falling for the Wildcats, their defense kept them in the game by forcing turnovers. That was especially the case in the game’s first 20 minutes.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TANG AND NOWELL

There was a point in April of last year when Markquis Nowell and Ish Massoud were the only Kansas State players on the roster. Jerome Tang’s goal for the season was to make the NCAA Tournament and provide that reward to that duo.

When he and his senior guard went out to lunch, he told Nowell he was going to do everything in his power to make the NCAA tournament. Nowell responded by saying that he doesn’t care if K-State only had five players on the roster, they were going to make the tournament.

He pointed to Kemba Walker winning the National Championship with an inexperienced team.

Nowell’s confidence in himself and the team made the Kansas State coaches want to work that much harder to put together a roster capable of doing big things out of respect for him and knowing what he deserved.

K-STATE HAS DUDES

It is not just a saying for the fans before the game. K-State has dudes. Just ask the head coach.

Nowell and Keyontae Johnson were both first team All-Big 12 picks and made All-American teams. Desi Sills has won everywhere he has been. There may not be a player in the Big 12 with as high of a ceiling as Nae’Qwan Tomlin.

Massoud has hit big shots for Kansas State against Baylor, Oklahoma State and now Kentucky.

They have all put in the work and time, and that is why it is unfolding to plan. K-State wanted to trust their work and expected to play great on Sunday afternoon. It is not fake confidence projected by the Wildcat players. They really do expect to win and play well.

SECOND HALF SPURT

Nowell put on an absolute clinic in the second half for Kansas State against Kentucky.

23 of the senior guard’s 27 points came in the second half where he was also 50 percent from the floor. He was taking advantage of what Kentucky was giving him. After a first half where he was driving to pass, he was more aggressive and in attack mode and hunting his own shot in the final 20 minutes.

Nowell admitted that the motivation of potentially going home to play in New York gave him extra juice in the second half.