Kansas St. 12/30 7:00 CBSSN

[Lobot]

The Bearcats will visit the octagon of doom in Manhattan. Check your TV setup. This is one of the games that landed on CBS Sports Network for some reason with the new TV package.

The Wildcats are 6-5 coming in and have dropped 3 in a row including a drubbing at the Roundhouse in Wichita this past week.They have not beaten a power conference basketball team yet during the non-conference season. I have not watched them but others familiar with them agree with the media opinions on K State in that something is horribly wrong here. They spent a ton of money in the portal and brought some good pieces to the Little Apple but the team has not jelled at all and they don't play together. They were expected to be really good this year based on the roster and it just hasn't happened. Starter Achor Achor has already left the team for personal reasons and the status of Dug McDaniels is in question as he did not play in one game by coaches decision and was only on the floor for 5 minutes vs. the angry wheat on Saturday.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...tats/_/id/2306

[swilsonsp4]

K-State are reeling, having lost seven of their last eight games. That has caused their NET ranking to plummet to #132. Presently, that makes UC's failure in Manhattan a teetering Q2 loss, as the lowest Q2 position for a road game is #135.

The Wildcats are likely to drop considerably further over the next five games, making our game there our only Q3 loss. Here's K-State's upcoming schedule:

Today: @ KS;
Wed, 1/22: @ Baylor
Sat, 1/25: WV
Wed, 1/29: OK State
Sat, 2/1: @ IA State

If that wasn't enough, try the next five:

Tue, 2/4: @ ASU
Sat, 2/8: KS
Tue, 2/12: AZ
Sat, 2/15: @ BYU
Mon, 2/17: @ UT

Fortunately, there’s no way the Wildcats could drop below #240, which would make them a Q4 road foe. They’re not the only struggling team. There are tons of MEAC, SWAC, NEC, etc. teams that populate the lower ranks of D1, with no chance to move up significantly, since they play only their also-struggling conference mates the rest of the way.

Looking at all of this positively, maybe KSU can pull off a couple upsets. Think of this as a basket of opportunities!

[sedz]

I stand by the comment that it was a bad play, and on the break you have to score there, forget the acrobatics and get a high percentage shot. As far as coaches, many of our past leaders would have been pulled DDT out for doing that, Huggs might have given him the Eric Martin walk of shame. That wasn’t the only time they failed to score on a break, and players should be held accountable for being selfish.

Nah, players did that under Huggins too. The one that sticks out in my mind is when James White threw his breakaway dunk off the backboard in the second round of the 2005 NCAA tournament against Kentucky.

[sedz]

I'm late getting to this one. Our second game of the season scoring less than a point per possession, and also our second game of the season allowing more than a point per possession. So we were not great on either side of the ball. Most alarming on the offensive side of the ball is that we simply don't get to the free throw line. With no post offense and guards who prefer midrange shots, we're avoiding the most efficient spot on the floor. That's a pattern for Wes Miller teams, so I don't expect it to change.

Mitchell was our best player with 3.4 net points on 15 points and 11 boards. Dan and Day Day were the only other players with a positive impact, with Day Day leading our team in defensive BPM.

Simas had the worst game with negative 4.6 net points. If he's not making threes he's a negative impact player. Only 4 points and 2 rebounds in 31 minutes, and he was the only player with a negative defensive BPM. Hickman was second worst, but at least he provides some defense.

[leeraymond]

I don't believe in judging by NCAA tournament results, too much of a luck factor to judging 1-2 NCAA tournament games. What matters is making the NCAA tournament and the seed you get. Put yourself in a position where the odds are in your favor.

If we don't make the NCAA tournament this year, it should be Wes's last year here. If we make it this year, Wes should get another year or two to get us there as a high (5+) seed. If he fails to do that it's time to move on.

Interesting comment. Regardless of the wins and losses this season, Miller is going to have AT LEAST one more year. The school cannot afford to lose the BIG-TIME recruit, Shon Abaev, who signed with UC AND MILLER. If Miller is fired, Abaev walks away from his scholarship and NIL deal. He would have many college basketball coaches, and maybe some pro coaches, chasing him down to play with their organizations.

We should NOT panic from this loss. Just as Villanova found themselves with their UC win, I think the same can be said about K-State. Villanova has gone 4-1 since they beat UC. K-State is a pretty good team and will have a similar fate to Villanova. They are going to win their share of the games in the conference, regardless of their non-conference losses. UC is going to be just fine. Don't panic, at least not yet.

[leeraymond]

This was a surprising loss, huh? A number of really good points have been posted. Here are a few of my comments:

1) Teams that play two big men with good size are a problem for UC. Both Villanova and K-State play with two sizable big men in the paint. Mitchell is NO match for those types of 4-men. Neither is Simas. Luckily the BIG XII has some diversified front lines in the conference. However, Iowa State may be a problem with their 6'9" 240 and 6'11" 274 front line. Colorado may also be a problem with a 6'10" 268 big man.

2) UC may have to play both Aziz and Page at the same time in certain BIG XII games this season to win those games.

3) Simas has been the team's best scorer. UC will have a HARD time winning if Simas does NOT shoot the ball. Simas has got to step up his play. He has got to begin to shoot the ball EVEN IF THERE IS A HAND IN HIS FACE. Simas still has to take those shots. He only shot the ball 6 times against K-State. That is not enough.

4) I think Betsey is going to be a pretty good player before he leaves UC. However, over the course of UC's toughest games, Betsey has logged 29 minutes and has scored 3 points and grabbed1 rebound. Reed logged 16 minutes in the VU game and scored 6 points with 3 rebounds. Since that game, Reed has only played ONE MINUTE in the X game. Reed did NOT play in the Dayton and K-State games. I hope that Miller does NOT handle Josh Reed the way he handled Ody Oguama and Ezikpe. Reed has the size and heart to really help the team. Why would any coach play Betsey before Reed?

5) UC was NOT ready to play the K-State game. Also, the matchups did NOT favor UC. The BIG XII is a league with 16 teams. My guess is that UC will match up well with most teams in the conference. The question is can they win those games? There are some very good teams in the BIG XII from top to bottom. UC better watch out.

6) Last comment. UC has got to strike the first blow and keep striking. UC let K-State dictate how the game was played. K-State went on to control the tempo of the game. There was never a feeling that UC could win that game. Is that the players fault or the coaches fault? The current core of UC players has now been in this UC system for many big games. A large part of winning is about winning those games that you are SUPPOSED to win. Miller has a history of being upset. I knew that he would NOT get through the season without being upset at least once. UC still has enough to win in the BIG XII. The question is, has UC learned how to win?

[Lobot]

Some guys just naturally have a lower motor, no matter hard they train, they still lack the stamina to go 100 mph the whole game. Big guys especially seem to have the problem, I remember all the abuse Yancy got here and elsewhere. It’s not always lack of effort.

That's better comp than I was thinking about. I was thinking Jermaine Lawrence.

[longtimefan]

He has the potential to be really good. Talented but low motor and I don't think you can teach that. That was the knock on him coming in.

Some guys just naturally have a lower motor, no matter hard they train, they still lack the stamina to go 100 mph the whole game. Big guys especially seem to have the problem, I remember all the abuse Yancy got here and elsewhere. It’s not always lack of effort.

[Lobot]

I'm going to watch the game in full finally no thanks to Spectrum but based on what I did see last night and y'alls reaction to the game and refs , you'd think we'd never played a road game in this conference.

[Lobot]

Is Page lazy or just not very good?

He has the potential to be really good. Talented but low motor and I don't think you can teach that. That was the knock on him coming in.

[longtimefan]

Ok, it is really disappointing to lose
a close game. I have been a UC fan since 1968, Tay Baker and the Missouri Valley Conference. But I hate seeing these coaches disrespected by certain commentators. I don’t appreciatethe “ the profanity comment by longtime fan. Look these coaches are dealing with new tougher conference, Portall, NIL etc. Cut these coaches and players a break. Satterfield and Miller are good coaches and are doing their best in todays
college sports environment.

You’re right. I actually thought that comment would be caught by the software. I stand by the comment that it was a bad play, and on the break you have to score there, forget the acrobatics and get a high percentage shot. As far as coaches, many of our past leaders would have been pulled DDT out for doing that, Huggs might have given him the Eric Martin walk of shame. That wasn’t the only time they failed to score on a break, and players should be held accountable for being selfish.

[JBB]

Also, Fickell and Brannen left with the cubhard bare. Both Satterfield and Miller have had to work their tail off recruiting players to perform at the Big 12 level, not the AAC. The Cats will learn from this loss last night and will get better as the year goes on. I just hate to see us act like a bunch of UK fans

[JBB]

Ok, it is really disappointing to lose
a close game. I have been a UC fan since 1968, Tay Baker and the Missouri Valley Conference. But I hate seeing these coaches disrespected by certain commentators. I don’t appreciatethe “ the profanity comment by longtime fan. Look these coaches are dealing with new tougher conference, Portall, NIL etc. Cut these coaches and players a break. Satterfield and Miller are good coaches and are doing their best in todays
college sports environment.

[zykarious]

If we don’t win two of the next three, I suspect it’s Not In Tournament time again. Honestly I don’t see the fire, the respect and accountability in Wes that I’d like to see. The substituting patterns have always frustrated me about Wes. To some extent it feels like UC’s been in one long rebuild from Huggs, with the exception of the one Sweet 16 year, upsets in the tournament with zero deep runs. To me, this is a decisive year for Wes, not only to make the tournament, but to at least win 1-2 NCAA tournament games. He hasn’t won an NCAA tournament game in nearly 15 years as a HC. That’s a real measuring stick to me.

I don't believe in judging by NCAA tournament results, too much of a luck factor to judging 1-2 NCAA tournament games. What matters is making the NCAA tournament and the seed you get. Put yourself in a position where the odds are in your favor.

If we don't make the NCAA tournament this year, it should be Wes's last year here. If we make it this year, Wes should get another year or two to get us there as a high (5+) seed. If he fails to do that it's time to move on.

[Bearcat93]

If we don’t win two of the next three, I suspect it’s Not In Tournament time again. Honestly I don’t see the fire, the respect and accountability in Wes that I’d like to see. The substituting patterns have always frustrated me about Wes. To some extent it feels like UC’s been in one long rebuild from Huggs, with the exception of the one Sweet 16 year, upsets in the tournament with zero deep runs. To me, this is a decisive year for Wes, not only to make the tournament, but to at least win 1-2 NCAA tournament games. He hasn’t won an NCAA tournament game in nearly 15 years as a HC. That’s a real measuring stick to me.