Why K-State coach Bruce Weber wants Wildcats to play smarter after TCU loss
Believe it or not, there is a lot that Kansas State basketball coach Bruce Weber still likes about his team following a 59-57 loss to TCU on Tuesday at Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats (7-7, 0-2 Big 12) are off to their worst start in five years and they are staring at what figures to be a long schedule of grueling conference games, but they are also playing hard and listening in practice. None of their losses have been blowouts. They might be close to a breakthrough.
But something needs to change before that can happen.
“I like our guys,” Weber said. “They care, they keep competing, I believe in them. We just have to get a little smarter.”
K-State’s latest defeat was an eye-opening one for Weber. This was the closest the Wildcats have come to beating a NCAA Tournament contender, and one play might have made the difference.
Take away some bad free-throw shooting (11 of 19), some sloppy turnovers (14) and a horrible sequence of events that allowed TCU to end the first half on a 12-2 run, and K-State likely would have celebrated its first conference victory of the season.
Instead, the Horned Frogs (11-3, 2-0) had an answer every time they needed one and the Wildcats lost another game in agonizing fashion.
The play that stuck with Weber the most caused him to stand motionless on the sideline with his mouth agape, as if he was paralyzed by what he just saw.
Here’s what happened: As the Horned Frogs tried to end the first half with a bucket, Xavier Sneed caused a loose ball that gave his teammates an opportunity to gain possession with about three seconds remaining. But no one aggressively chased the ball, and it ended up in the hands of TCU guard Jaire Grayer, who scooped it up and nailed a fadeaway three as time expired, giving his team a 35-25 advantage.
K-State fought back in the second half and fell one defensive stop away from forcing overtime after David Sloan hit a game-tying three with 13 seconds remaining. Kevin Samuel responded with a game-clinching layup on the other end.
But allowing TCU to end the first half with a big run and an important, buzzer-beating shot was too much to overcome.
“When you think about it, the last one was probably the difference in the game,” Weber said. “When you go back, that little play, that loose ball … Dive on it, don’t let them get off a shot off. Obviously, we didn’t do that and they jumped on it and made a big play.”
Weber didn’t think that was very smart.
“Go get it,” Weber said. “I would have (dived) on it. The officials are always on me for going on the court too much, but maybe I needed to dive on it and get a technical. Maybe I needed to wake up our guys and get them to play a little harder.”
This has been a disappointing season for Sneed, who had an opportunity to leave following his junior season and play professionally this year. He hoped to lead K-State back to the NCAA Tournament as a senior. Now, the Wildcats are simply fighting to regain a winning record.
He has played well in the past three games and continued his hot streak by scoring 19 points against TCU. He could use more help from his teammates.
Tuesday’s defeat proved that help can come in many different forms.
“We never know,” Sneed said. “It’s a fifty-fifty ball for a chance. It can go either way. It could be the possession that helps us win, so we just go tot be on our horse. Being more active, being more competitive. Just having that edge and that fight, especially now being at .500.”
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 11:56 PM.