By Paul Gotham

Thursday night’s west regional semi-final at Energy Solutions Arena lacked the sex appeal offered by so many of the games in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Fans looking for magnetic story lines about a shepherd boy and a Philistine giant need not bother. The game offered not a one or a double digit seed.

Instead, Frank Martin’s Kansas State Wildcats and Chris Mack’s Xavier Musketeers carried the common tags of two and six seed – not much cause for excitement amongst casual fans.

Outside Cincinnati and Kansas City, CBS relegated the game to the occasional glimpses decided upon by a  producer.  Fans outside those regions relied upon a live stream online.

The match offered no catchy personalities. Fans can search both rosters. There is not much hype to be found. Kansas State has Jacob Pullen. He inspires denizens of the Fred Bramlage Coliseum to wear mock beards. Xavier’s Jordan Crawford created a stir last summer when he posterized a king.

Other than that, bracket aficionados could dismiss this game as another line on their sheet.

What the game lacked in allure, it made up for with substance.

Pressuring the ball, contesting every shot, and pounding the glass K-State sprinted to an early lead. Wally Judge tapped in a Jamar Samuels miss, and the Wildcats led by 15 after eight minutes of play.

Then, almost as consequence of their aggressiveness, the Wildcats’ lead dwindled. Fouls mounted as the Musketeers got up from the canvas and took a one-point lead at half-time.

Kansas State found their second wind during half time.

Denis Clemente’s layup less than 20 seconds into the second stanza marked the first of seven lead changes over the twenty minute span. K-State stretched their lead to seven with less than nine minutes remaining.

Xavier fought back and reclaimed the lead on Crawford’s three pointer with 2:20 to go.

Free throws by by Pullen and Curtis Kelly along with a three pointer from Pullen gave the Wildcats a three-point in the final minute.

Xavier was not to be denied.

With time winding down, Terrell Holloway came off a high-ball screen set by Crawford. The play gave Crawford a chance to roll into space for a game-tying three. Instead, Pullen followed the Xavier shooting guard, and his teammate, Chris Merriewether reached to stop Holloway. It did not matter that the Xavier point guard was 25 feet from the basket. As soon as the contact was made, Holloway went into his shooting motion. Xavier’s point guard followed one of the game’s oldest rules of thumb: if you have the ball and get fouled, take a shot. The sophomore calmly sank three free throws to send the game into overtime.

The dizzying pace continued in the extra round.

Xavier scored first. Holloway found Crawford on an alley-oop.

K-State responded. Kelly hit an open jumper from the free throw line. A minute later, he converted two from the charity stripe. The Wildcats maintained the lead for the next three minutes.

Xavier, though, had more dramatics in them.

Down three, Crawford caught the ball at the top of the key and dribbled to the right side of the floor. K-State’s defense gave him nothing, so he took it – a thirty foot jumper that hit nothing but net. The Wildcats played their best defense, and Xavier was just better.

The flurry continued from there as the combatants traded leads in the second overtime.

Pullen’s second consecutive trifecta gave K-State a three-point lead with 35 ticks in the game. Pullen executed a perfect L-cut. Clemente handled the ball on the opposite foul line extended, Pullen cut to free throw line before stepping back on the perimeter. With the ball in flight, Pullen nimbly set his feet in perfect timing with ball’s arrival – step, catch, step, lift, and release. It was a polished move created by hours of practice.

Xavier got its chance to tie, but an open look rimmed out. Kansas State secured the rebound and converted free throws to win.

Martin and Mack met at mid court. The words they exchanged were inaudible. It does not matter. Their body language said it all. The two coaches knew the importance of what they just accomplished. Their teams played the game to its fullest.

Dr. James Naismith gets credit for creating the game. A physical education teacher in Massachusetts, he was given the task of creating an indoor game to help students cope with the long winters. What at first was a simple activity designed to help students make productive use of their time became more than that. Naismith, a minister, saw the game as an opportunity for spiritual growth. Human beings bonded by a common interest and growing through competition. Opponents giving their best, and, as a result, everyone improving together.

The game has changed a little since Naismith’s introduction. Iron rims and nets replaced peach baskets. A shot clock dictates flow. Tattoos have become commonplace. But the game can still have the same impact. Thursday night, the Xavier Musketeers and Kansas State played the game the way it was intended.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City is the location for the West Regional final battle between Brad Stevens and his No. 5 seed Butler Bulldogs (31-4) and Frank Martin’s No.2 seed Kansas State Wildcats (30-4).

Plot: Horizon League faces off with the Big 12 for a spot in the Final Four.

Sub-plot: Butler plays in the first regional final in school history. K-State’s 12th trip to the Elite Eight is the first one in more than two decades.

Butler has not lost a game since December. A streak that covers 23 games.

Flashback: Tonight’s game marks the first meeting between the two schools. K-State downed two Horizon League opponents this season – Cleveland State (85-56) and Loyola Chicago (92-54). K-State punched their 24th dance ticket this year.

Butler is making its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance.

Foreshadowing: Twenty-one Wildcats have earned paychecks in the NBA. Current stars include Michael Beasley, Cartier Martin, and Bill Walker. Butler still awaits its first NBA guy.

Conflict: Thursday night, Butler held a Syracuse team that averaged over 81 a game to 59. For that trend to continue, the Bulldogs will need to keep K-State off the glass. The Wildcats grabbed 15 offensive rebounds in their thriller over Xavier.

Butler will also need to control Kansas State’s quick back court tandem of Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen.

K-State’s 1,084 trips to the free throw line ranks number one in the nation. It’s no coincidence that Pullen and Clemente lead the way with 447 and 485 respectively. Nobody on the rest of the roster comes within 200 free throw attempts. The strategy is nothing new. The Wildcats want to stretch the floor and drive into open spaces.

Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly do the damage inside for the Wildcats. The two contribute 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Gordon Hayward leads four Bulldogs in double digits. The silky smooth swing man provides versatility to the lineup. At 6′9″, Hayward can go inside and get work done. He averages almost nine boards a game and can finish in the paint. Hayward has also hit 42 trifectas on the season.  Stevens has called on Hayward to run the offense from time to time.

Matt Howard adds 12 points and five rebounds. He is text-book type of player in the paint whose work could be a how-to video used at summer camp.

Shelvin Mack leads the Bulldogs with 65 three pointers. Mack hits 40 percent from long range.

The only senior in the lineup, Willie Veasley, chips in 10 points and four rebounds.

Ronald Nored runs the point at just a touch under 2 : 1 assist to turnovers.

Zach Hahn needs to have a big night if the Bulldogs want to stick with the Orange. Hahn hits 42.3 percent from long range.

Resolution: Butler surprised a complacent Syracuse team. Kansas State will not overlook the Bulldogs. Many might expect the Wildcats to show some signs of fatigue after their double overtime win against Xavier. Martin will not allow that. Butler’s success will not easily convert to success against Kansas State. The Orange zone draws in opponents and creates turnovers through traps. Kansas State will defend Butler 40 feet from the basket. Can the Bulldogs respond? Stevens will chalk tonigh’t game up as a learning experience. Butler returns four starters next year and this trip to the Elite Eight could propel them further next year.

Kansas State wins a game decided by single digits.

Got any comments about the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City is the site for the West Regional semi-final tilt between Chris Mack’s No. 6 seed Xavier Musketeers (26-8) and Frank Martin’s No. 2 seed Kansas State Wildcats (28-7).

Plot: Atlantic 10 clashes with the Big 12 for a spot in Saturday’s regional final.

Sub-plot: Revenge is in the air. K-State thumped Xavier, 71-56, back on December 8th.

Flashback: Xavier holds a 4-3 advantage in a series that dates back to 1961. Jacob Pullen dropped 16 and Curtis Kelly added 14 when the foes met at the Fred Bramlage Coliseum earlier in the ledger. Tyrone Hill, Derek Strong, and Aaron Williams led the Muskies as they topped K-State 87-79 in the first round of the 1990 tournament.

Xavier has earned 21 NCAA Tournament berths, including last year’s Sweet Sixteen run and Elite Eight showings in 2008 and 2004. K-State punched their 24th dance ticket this year. With a victory over BYU, the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 17th time in school history.

Foreshadowing: Sixteen Musketeers have played in the Association, including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey, and David West. Twenty-one Wildcats have earned paychecks in the NBA. Current stars include Michael Beasley, Cartier Martin, and Bill Walker.

Conflict: K-State’s 1,055 trips to the free throw line ranks number one in the nation. It’s no coincidence that their lightning-fast guards, Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente lead the way with 447 and 485 respectively. Nobody on the rest of the roster comes within 200 free throw attempts. Xavier averages nearly 19 fouls per game.

Against BYU, Pullen and Clemente combined to hit all 13 of their free throws. The tandem also hit 10 of 21 shots from behind the arc. The strategy is nothing new. The Wildcats want to stretch the floor and drive into open spaces. Xavier’s guards will need to keep Pullen and Clemente in check.

Usually, Dante Jackson draws the assignment of defending a player bigger than himself. Thursday, Jackson will need to keep up with Pullen and get a hand in his face.

Martin goes 10 deep on his bench. Eight Musketeers play 16 minutes or more with Andrew Taylor playing just under 10 minutes.

Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly do the damage inside for the Wildcats. The two contribute 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Both teams hold a +5 in rebounding margin.

Jordan Crawford leads the Muskies with 20 points. He adds almost five rebounds and three assists. The shooting guard leads the X-Men with 76 from behind the arc and hits 40 percent from long range. Crawford mixes his game well for a deadly combination. He can hit from 20 feet and go off the dribble depending upon the situation.

Terrell Holloway has ignited the Xavier offense all season. The sophomore point guard maintains a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. Holloway finishes 85 percent of his free throws.

Jason Love is nothing short of dominant in the paint. When on, the senior’s jump hook can be indefensible. Love scores 11.8 and grabs 8.5 boards.

Jamel McLean averages eight points and seven rebounds. The junior plays his best against the best. McLean has four double-doubles this season, including performances at Wake Forest and Charlotte. McLean has six double-digit rebounding nights and eight double-digit scoring games.

Dante Jackson rounds out the starting five for Xavier. The junior scores six and grabs three rebounds. Jackson draws the toughest defensive assignment.

Kenny Frease, Mark Lyons, and Brad Redford log valuable minutes off the bench.

Resolution: K-State got the better of Xavier earlier this season. That was then. This is now, and this game is on neutral court. The Wildcats out-rebounded Xavier 39-30 in the win. McLean played 17 minutes and Taylor logged four.  That game came during a time when McLean needed to re-focus. McLean grabbed 14 boards in the opening round win against Minnesota. Pittsburgh tried to neutralize the junior’s impact, but that cleared the way for Love who scored 14 and grabbed eight boards in Sunday’s win. Taylor does not post the numbers, but his presence has paid dividends over the last month. Xavier’s guards will contain Pullen and Clemente. The Musketeers punch a ticket to the Elite Eight.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Don’t sweat the small stuff…

…unless you lose a conference game in overtime, at home.

Preparation for a basketball game does not get much more basic than free throw box outs. Defensive players wait for the shooter’s release, step in front of the opponent, and maintain contact. Easy. Right?

Saturday night, that concept cost Kansas State a win over Kansas. On two occasions late in the second half, Kansas State players committed free throw lane violations. One to no consequence. The other resulted in a point for Kansas.

Remember, the game went into overtime.

The Wildcats misfortunes in the lane did not stop there. Twice, the Jay Hawks rebounded their own missed free throws. One time, with two minutes remaining in regualtion, Brady Morningstar grabbed a Cole Aldrich miss and reset the offense. Eventually, Tyshawn Taylor hit two free throws and Kansas led 69-66.

In overtime, Aldrich grabbed a Sherron Collins missed free throw. Again, the Jay Hawks reset the offense, and the Wildcats committed a foul.

How much rebounding work do you think the Wildcats did the next day in practice?

Cornell in the Top 25

It took 59 years, but the Cornell Big Red made the rankings. This week’s ESPN/USA Today poll had Cornell ranked 25th. The Big Red just missed earning a spot in the AP poll.

Princeton’s ’97-’98 team was the last Ivy League school that earned a spot. The Tigers finished eighth in the final poll of that season.

Cornell spent some weeks in the rankings during the 1950-51 campaign.

Cornell currently ranks 36th in the RPI.

It’s official; Carolina is rebuilding

Over the weekend Carolina lost to Virginia, 75-60. With the defeat, the Tar Heels have dropped four of five and have fallen to 13-8 overall. Any chance last week’s snub from the rankings provided motivation proved futile. The Heels continue to struggle. That’s what happens when you lose a boat load of first round picks.

Things don’t get better any time soon for Roy Williams and his Heels. UNC plays their next two on the road – tomorrow at Virginia Tech and Sunday at Maryland.

This can not be good though. It only means one thing. The biggest game(s) of the season for the Heels will come on February 10th and March 6th when they play Duke. The Heels can erase a mediocre season by spanking their Tobacco Road rival.

Who says you can’t go home?

With a conference record of 1-8 and an overall mark of 8-13, it’s hard to imagine that the DePaul Blue Demons once had a proud basketball tradition. From 1976 to 1989 the Blue Demons missed the NCAA Tournament just twice. Keep in mind, ‘The Dance’ consisted of just 32 teams through the 1978 season. DePaul reached the Elite Eight in ’78, the National Semis in ’79 and made Sweet Sixteen appearances in ’84, ’86, and ’87.

Since 1992, the Blue Demons have made just two appearances: 2000 and 2004.

As a freshman, Mark Aguirre led DePaul to the National Semi-Finals in 1979.  They lost 76-74 to Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores. Aguirre knows a thing or two about DePaul hoops.

According to Chicago Breaking News, the former NBA all-star and current assistant for the New York Knicks is interested in the job.

It would be nice to see DePaul return to prominence. Is Aguirre the man for the job?

How valuable is a coach?

Sometimes, it is easy to overlook the wisdom of the guy on the sidelines.

UConn’s recent struggles should serve as a reminder that a coach has value.

The Huskies won’t take Jim Calhoun for granted. With the hall of fame coached sidelined for medical reasons, the Huskies have dropped their last three games. With a record of 13-9, UConn’s chances for the NCAA Tournament are starting to look bleak.

Niagara’s Tyrone Lewis

ESPN’s Dana O’Neill did a great story on Tyrone Lewis from Niagara University. When you get a chance, click here to give it a read.

1st Team All Casey

PG Scottie Reynolds – Villanova

SG Jeremy Hazell – Seton Hall

SF Wesley Johnson – Syracuse

PF Al-Farouq Aminu – Wake Forest

C Cole Aldrich – Kansas

2nd Team All Casey

PG – Sherron Collins – Kansas

SG  Jordan Crawford – Xavier

SF  Evan Turner – Ohio State

PF  DeSean Butler – West Virginia

C Greg Monroe – Georgetown

Got any college basketball splinters? Share them here.