Kansas.com: Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State knocks off No. 18 Dayton

KELLIS ROBINETT — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:40 CST

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The Kansas State basketball team defeated Dayton 83-75 on Sunday to take third place at the Rico Tip-Off.

By beating the 18th ranked Flyers, the Wildcats picked up their first nonconference victory over a ranked opponent since 2000.

Jacob Pullen led all scorers with 26 points, and backcourt teammate Denis Clemente added 21 in front of his friends and family.

Nebraska ends Kansas State's season

BLAIR KERKHOFF — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:48 CST

LINCOLN, Neb. — This was all or nothing for Kansas State because a Wildcats loss meant no division championship and no bowl game.

And the loss happened, 17-3 to surging Nebraska, which will meet Texas in the Big 12 title game.

But for Kansas State this season wasn’t for nothing. Although the Wildcats’ 6-6 record meant a mere a one-game improvement over last season, the feeling is vastly different, upbeat because of a program rejuvenated by Bill Snyder.

Clemente rises beyond neighborhood

KELLIS ROBINETT — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:43 CST

TOA BAJA, Puerto Rico — In the center of Pajaros, the neighborhood where Denis Clemente grew up, there is a baseball field.

It is surrounded by chain-link fence and stadium lights. The field is as green as the tropical forests visible in the distance.

Nearby is a store with the words "farmacias plaza" on its front, a concrete restaurant without doors, and a string of low-income houses that for the most part have bars guarding their doors and windows.

Wildcat report

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:53 CST

First quarter

Key play: Grant Gregory hit Brandon Banks over the middle for a 13-yard gain and 15 yards were tacked on because of a horse collar tackle. The sequence helped set up Josh Cherry’s 44-yard field goal.

Key stat: On Nebraska’s answer drive, the Huskers went 56 yards on 16 plays in 7:37. It kept the Wildcats off the field for more than a half of the quarter.

Kansas State-Nebraska box

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:22 CST

Scoring

Kansas State (6-6, 4-4) 3 0 0 0 — þ3

Nebraska (8-3, 5-2) 3 7 7 0 — 17

Mississippi hands Kansas State its first loss

KELLIS ROBINETT — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:46 CST

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Denis Clemente raced upcourt with the basketball, stopped inches short of the three-point line and swished a jumper.

During his time at Kansas State, making shots like that are what the senior guard has done best. Anytime the Puerto Rico native can utilize his speed and find open space before opposing defenses get back and organized, he is dangerous.

Friday was no different, and he scored 17 points. But he took too long to find his offensive groove and Mississippi defeated K-State 86-74 in the semifinals of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Unpleasant host awaits Kansas State in Lincoln

KELLIS ROBINETT — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:01 CST

Nebraska's Memorial Stadium remains a venue opposing football teams dread.

The place is always packed — the Cornhuskers have sold out a record 302 consecutive games — with more than 81,000 rowdy fans, and Nebraska feeds off the crowd for victories.

Kansas State veterans admit playing at Nebraska is a chore. Since 1968, the Wildcats' only win at Nebraska was in 2003. Their last trip to Lincoln, in 2007, was a 73-31 defeat.

Shocker women dissect opponent in home win

TAYLOR ELDRIDGE — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

Morgan Boyd wasn't even open.

The Olathe native had a Western Illinois defender close, though preoccupied with what appeared to be a play designed for Haleigh Lankster in the corner.

Instead, Wichita State senior Marisah Henderson zipped a pass down the middle of the lane to Boyd for a lay-in. The pass froze the five Leatherneck defenders and was instrumental in starting an early run for the Shockers' first win of the season, 70-45 on Friday night in Koch Arena.

Nebraska, Kansas State statistics

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

K-STATE AT NU

6:45 tonight at Memorial Stadium (81,091), Lincoln, Neb.

Radio: KFTI, 1070-AM

Wildcat report

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:45 CST

Friday’s box score

MISSISSIPPI (86)

Min Fg-a Ft-a R A TO F TP

Kansas State opens tournament with victory

KELLIS ROBINETT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:35 CST

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Denis Clemente missed 9 of 11 shots and Jacob Pullen made just four. Normally, that's an awful sign for the Kansas State basketball team. Anytime it doesn't get good point production out of its two best guards, the Wildcats are beatable.

But on Thursday, the Wildcats got by with a combined 21 points from their vocal leaders and defeated Boston University 80-70 in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-off.

Rodney McGruder was the main reason why.

Kansas State-Nebraska regains its luster

KELLIS ROBINETT — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:02 CST

Like an important moment in history, Kansas State center Wade Weibert can remember exactly where he was when K-State and Nebraska used to play for division championships on a yearly basis.

The Big 12 conference was young back then, and the North division was considered the class of the league. Wildcats vs. Cornhuskers was always a big deal, just as it is in this year's winner-take-all meeting.

There was the time No. 2 K-State beat No. 11 Nebraska 40-30 in 1998. Weibert watched that game in his grandparents' living room.

Kansas State at Nebraska

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:08 CST

What's at stake

Everything. The winner will win the Big 12 North, move on to play for the conference championship and then in a bowl game. If K-State loses, its season is over.

Cheers if ...

Wildcat report

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:15 CST

Thursday’s box score

BOSTON UNIVERSITY (70)

Min Fg-a Ft-a R A TO F TP

Bill Snyder's return has united the Kansas State football team

KELLIS ROBINETT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:40 CST

MANHATTAN — The Cat Pack — Kansas State players linking arms and jogging from midfield to the locker room after games — is going strong 20 years after its debut.

"I've never seen that anywhere else in my life, and I watch a lot of football," quarterback Grant Gregory said. "But it's pretty cool. The crowd goes nuts every time we do it. It really brings us together."

It's one of the oldest Bill Snyder traditions, used to symbolize team unity.

Two Cats get chance to go home

KELLIS ROBINETT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:38 CST

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — It's not often that Denis Clemente gets to speak with the media in his native language, so when a Spanish-speaking newspaper reporter from Puerto Rico requested an interview last week, he smiled and grabbed his phone.

The reporter wanted to ask Clemente, Kansas State's senior guard, what it's going to be like returning to his home and playing in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Clemente has requested 54 tickets for the tournament, so he mostly spoke — in Spanish, of course — about how much fun it's going to be to play in front of old friends and family. Some of whom, including his grandmother, a few cousins, his uncle and his aunt, have never seen him play in a competitive game.

Boston U. vs. Kansas State

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:38 CST

Boston U. (0-2) Ht. Yr. PtsReb

F John Holland 6-5 Jr. 20.5 8.5

F Jake O'Brien 6-8 So. 6.0 5.0

For KSU, it's beat NU or the season's over

kellis robinett — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:05 CST

MANHATTAN — From here, the Kansas State football team can go in two directions.

Beat Nebraska on the road in their season-finale and the Wildcats will travel to Dallas to play for a Big 12 North championship, and then to some exotic locale to partake in a bowl game.

Lose to the Cornhuskers and their season is finished. There is no in between.

Wildcats roll to win at Bramlage

Kellis Robinett — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:25 CST

MANHATTAN — For the second straight game, Kansas State meticulously blew out a mid-major opponent at Bramlage Coliseum.

And for the second straight game, Wildcats coach Frank Martin wasn't thrilled about the way his team played.

But unlike K-State's season-opening win, he wasn't angry in his post-game news conference on Sunday. Maybe that's because the Wildcats didn't show any glaring weaknesses on their way to an 82-50 victory over Western Illinois.

Wildcat report

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:24 CST

Sunday’s box score

WESTERN ILLINOIS (50)

Min Fg-a Ft-a R A TO F TP