Rapid recap: Reasoning for new Kansas State lineup
Kansas State starting five
Kansas State used its fifth starting lineup of the season in Stillwater. Instead of David N’Guessan and Will McNair in the starting five, Jerrell Colbert and Dai Dai Ames were inserted into the first group. It was the first career start for Colbert and fourth of the season for Ames.
N’Guessan did not even play until the second half. The senior is dealing with a knee injury. K-State head coach Jerome Tang said that they hoped to not have to play him at all because of the pain he had been undergoing. But N’Guessan was begging to play and help out his guys and logged 14 minutes.
The energy was good to start the game for Kansas State. With four guards on the floor, the Wildcats were able to get the ball moving. However, shots did not fall once again and the struggles from the field continued.
With that being said, Tang believed they moved the ball better and started better with the new five.
Either be the victim or hero
Losing to Oklahoma State now makes it four consecutive losses for K-State. It does not get any easier for Kansas State, as they now get Kansas on Big Monday.
Tang said losing isn’t ever fun. It sucks when you lose after you’ve lost three straight and it sucks when you lose after you’ve won 10 straight. The Kansas State coach went as far as to say his team can choose either to be victims or stars.
He remains insistent that his team will choose to be the stars of their movie the remainder of the season.
K-State’s defensive collapse
The K-State offense responded well after scoring just 27 points in the first half. They produced 45 points in the second half. However, the game’s final 20 minutes is when the Kansas State defense wilted. They couldn’t keep anyone in front and allowed too much penetration that contributed to open three-point shooters.
The temporary answer to that was to go zone because that takes away the driving lanes that Oklahoma State was exploiting. Eventually, Mike Boynton and his staff delivered the response to the zone and the Cowboys were clicking again.
Oklahoma State scored 46 points in the second half and made six three-pointers after only making three in the first half. The Cowboys moved the ball well in the second half and were hitting shots. Javon Small and John Michael Wright combined to hit five of the three-pointers themselves in the second half.
Oklahoma State did leave the door open for K-State by missing free throws near the end of the game. Tang even pointed out his team did not guard anyone in the second half.
