Print edition: 
MANHATTAN — Who is the best perimeter defender on Kansas State’s basketball team?
In past years, Frank Martin needed little time to answer. Dominique Sutton was considered a defensive specialist during his three seasons with the Wildcats, and Jacob Pullen developed into one of the best defenders in the country as a senior. He didn’t even have to think about it.
But when you ask that question today, the K-State coach isn’t sure what to say.
“We haven’t had one in a while,” Martin said. “Our defense has slipped so much. I don’t know. We’re trying to redefine that right now.”
Until the Wildcats establish a go-to player on defense, and figure out how to get stops on a more consistent basis, the struggles they have experienced in recent games will likely continue. K-State (12-4 overall, 1-3 Big 12) is off to a slow start in conference play mostly because of poor defensive efforts.
In its four Big 12 games, K-State has allowed its opponents to make a conference- worst 46.9 percent of their shots.
Changing that number is one of Martin’s top priorities heading into an 8 p.m. game today against Texas at Bramlage Coliseum.
“It better change, or we won’t win,” Martin said. “Not only against Texas, but down the road against whoever else is on our schedule. Perimeter defense is where it starts. Our perimeter defense has not been good.”
So how do the Wildcats go about improving? It’s a difficult that process that won’t be made any easier by the Longhorns’ backcourt, which is led by J’Covan Brown. The junior guard leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.1 points per game and is coming off a 34-point game against Missouri. He has scored more than 20 points in eight games and eclipsed the 30-point mark twice.
“He’s one of the best guards in the league and he can score in a variety of ways,” K-State guard Jeremy Jones said. “We need to know what he does. He likes to go left, things like that.”
Improvement could be as simple as turning back the clock.
“This team doesn’t have to reinvent itself,” Martin said. “We just have to grasp reality and remember who we were when the season started.”
It wouldn’t hurt to have someone leading the way on the defense, though.
Sophomore guard Will Spradling has seen his teammates produce flashes of greatness on that side of the ball. It’s just a matter of players like Martavious Irving, Angel Rodriguez and himself producing on a more consistent basis.
“I feel like Martavious is (our best defender) when he wants to be,” Spradling said, “but there have been some games where he just hasn’t done a good job of it. Angel can be a great on-the-ball defender, too. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job.”
Rodney McGruder has also provided valuable defensive intensity at times. When pressed, Martin said McGruder has been K-State’s most consistent defender. But he has not been thrilled with any of his players.
“When somebody gets hot it’s hard to get them cold,” Spradling said. “We normally don’t let players get hot. That’s something we can’t let happen, especially against J’Covan Brown. If he gets hot, he’s going to be tough to stop. We’ll be ready. We’ll bring the intensity we need.”
