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OKLAHOMA CITY — At this time two years ago, as Kansas State prepared to take on Southern California in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, all Jamar Samuels could do was lift weights.
That was his way of coping with anxiety.
Sitting out with a redshirt, that's something he had plenty of. Sure, he made the trip to Omaha with the rest of his teammates and was present for all of the Wildcats' practices and games, but that wasn't enough. He never felt like he was part of the action.
"I didn't do anything," Samuels said. "I spent a lot of time in the weight room and ate a lot of chocolate chip cookies. That's what I remember doing. I'm happy I'm not redshirting now, because I won't have to do all the things I did back then. I can focus on playing basketball."
As seventh-ranked K-State readies for a 1:50 p.m. tournament game against North Texas at the Ford Center today, Denis Clemente and Curtis Kelly are feeling those same emotions.
Even though the Wildcats experienced March Madness two years ago, only four players on this K-State roster made it on that floor. Five freshmen have never had the chance to play on college basketball's biggest stage, and three core players are yet to be a part of it with the Wildcats.
Two years ago, Clemente didn't play because he was sitting out as a transfer from Miami. He watched the Wildcats defeat USC on TV in Miami with family and friends.
"I couldn't travel with the team, so I was back home, relaxing," Clemente said. "I just remember yelling like I was at the game. Two years later, look at where I am. I'm here."
Kelly, a transfer from Connecticut, didn't have to go through the agony of not being left out of the NCAA Tournament that year, but he's quick to say there are worse ways to go through March Madness. Like losing in the first round.
"I played a little bit two years ago with UConn, and things didn't go well," Kelly said. "We lost to San Diego. I'm not trying to let deja(gra) vu come about again."
Samuels and Clemente will do everything they can to help. So will guard Jacob Pullen, who knows what it's like to overcome nerves in your inaugural NCAA Tournament game.
Before taking the court against USC as a freshman, he admits to shaking on the bench and being caught up in the moment.
"It was something I had been dreaming about my whole life," Pullen said. "It's a great experience. It's something that people should be nervous about. Big lights, center stage. What I told them was that even if they're nervous, just try to get over it after the first media timeout and play strong the rest of the way."
K-State coach Frank Martin doesn't think that will be a problem. Even though a handful of his players missed out on the Wildcats' two NCAA Tournament games of 2008, they have plenty of veteran teammates to turn to for advice.
Many of them also played in the NIT a year ago, and if they still need more experience, they can feed off the brutal regular-season schedule they faced.
Of K-State's 33 games, 14 came against teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats went 9-5 in those games.
"That alone I think says we'll be ready for whatever tomorrow brings," senior guard Chris Merriewether said. "We've played in some really big-time environments this year. Denis played in those games, Curtis played in those games and Jamar played in those games. They'll be good to go."
