Path to a Big 12 title still exists for Kansas basketball
By Mike Norris
The streak is impressive, and is mostly due to the talent and coaching of Kansas. But let’s be honest, luck has played a role as well. Other teams have had numerous chances to stop it and failed to do so.
The conference right now is Kansas State’s to lose. They are on a bus heading through Lawrence, ready to knock the town off the Big 12 map and move the trophy to Manhattan.
But will they?
When the streak started, the Wildcats were just another W on the schedule for the Jayhawks. That all changed when Michael Beasley came to town and ended a 24-year winning streak for Kansas in Manhattan. While Kansas has still won 22 of 26 in the series since then, Beasley’s short stay with the Wildcats has brought them respectability over the past decade.
Kansas State has qualified for the NCAA Tournament eight times over the past 11 years after missing out the previous 11 seasons. But their only conference title came when they shared it with Kansas in 2013. They have not been able to put together a regular season better than the Jayhawks since the Big 12 was formed in 1997.
So the question remains: Will the Wildcats find a way to knock off Big Brother, or will they shrink in the spotlight like usual?
Even in 2013, when both finished 14-4, Kansas State was 0-3 against the Jayhawks, including a 16-point loss to the men from Lawrence in the Big 12 Tournament title game.
They will have plenty of chances to stub their toe, beginning with Saturday’s tilt against Iowa State. The Cyclones dropped a 58-57 game at home to the Wildcats on January 12th and they will certainly be out for revenge. Outside of a near-guaranteed win at West Virginia, Kansas State will have tough road games at KU and TCU — both which could result in losses.
However, it’s not likely they slip up at home, and they are a better team than TCU. Outside of a head-scratching loss to an under .500 Texas A&M team last month, no one has been able to figure out Dean Wade, Barry Brown and company.
Since the senior Wade, their best player while averaging 14 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, returned from an injury, the Wildcats have gone 9-0 in conference play, winning five on the road and holding opponents to around 59 points per game.
Kansas State could pull a Kansas State and hand the title to the Jayhawks by folding down the stretch. But if its floor leader Brown, who puts up 15.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and Wade have anything to say about it, that’s not happening.
If KU is going to win the Big 12, it better not count on Kansas State for any help. Unless of course you count losing at Allen Fieldhouse. In Lawrence though, they just call that another day.