Kansas State March Madness Predictions
Article Updated March 14th, 2010
Another Wildcat team making headway through the NCAA this year are the Kansas State Wildcats. This is a school that will be looking to make a serious name for themselves at this year's tournament, especially since the Wildcats have not got past the 2nd round of the tournament since 1988. Kansas State made a return to the NCAA March Madness Tournament in 2008, after missing the tournament for 12 straight years, with first round exits in the 96', 93' 90' and 89' seasons. Kansas State won their first two games of the Big 12 tournament, before falling to a very strong Kansas Jayhawk team in the championship game. With a 26-7 overall record the Kansas State Wildcats are projected to be a #2 seed in the tournament this year.
Kansas State Wildcats Tournament Prediction
As mentioned earlier, this Kansas State team is look to make a name for themselves in this tournament, due to their sparse tournament appearances through the last few decades. In 23 tournament appearances, the Wildcats have made 4 Final Four appearances, but have yet to win an NCAA Championship. An overall tournament record of 28-27 certainly does not suggest the Wildcats will be favorites in March, but it does suggest inexperience in this situation. Many schools ranked behind the Wildcats have much more tournament experience, and I believe that can make a difference down the stretch in such a tournament as this. Do not expect the Kansas State defense to propel them to any major feats, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them knocked off before the Elite Eight round.
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blog comments powered by DisqusArticle Written February 23rd, 2010
Team Offense - A Wildcat offense that averages 80.9 points per game is good for the #8 spot in the country on offense. The Wildcats have not scored more than 95 points in a single game all season long, but found scoring consistency during a 10-game win streak that ran from November 22nd to January 3rd. The Kansas State offense, however, needs to find another gear if they have any hopes at a serious run in this tournament, as their field goal percentage and 3-point percentages need to improve dramatically to play with the powerhouses in this tournament. Junior Guard Jacob Pullen leads the way on offense for the Wildcats as he averages 18.5 points per game while collecting 2.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game as well. Another key contributor on offense for Kansas State is Senior Guard Denis Clemente, who is 2nd in team scoring with 16.1 points per game, but leads the Wildcats with 4.1 assists per contest. The Wildcats will look to expand on their 11.8 point scoring margin this season in order to separate themselves from the rest in the Big 12 and entire NCAA.
Team Defense - If Kansas State has any dreams of mowing their way through this tournament, it is their defense that needs to make the biggest improvements and adjustments in order to set themselves up for a strong tournament run. Their 69.2 points per game given up on defense is in need some some serious improvement, as that number is currently good for the 195th ranked defense in the nation. In fact, the Wildcats do not rank near the top in any defensive category, and that could very well be their Achilles heal going into the 2010 NCAA tournament. The defensive rebounding has also been sub-par for the Wildcats, as Junior Forward Curtis Kelly leads the Wildcats with 88 defensive rebounds on the season, while adding 50 blocks on the campaign as well. Not to totally bash the Kansas State defense as it clearly has not been terrible, however I believe defense is the key to success in a tournament set up such as this, with many powerhouse-type offenses looking ready to explode in March.
