The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[southernmetalhead]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Interesting how the schedule worked out with playing Dayton twice and Baylor non-conference. Good thing you have the Flyers number.

[Bigsheen]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Just read the last 12 pages in one sitting on the John. Excellent end to the season and great class. A little trouble to start that could come back to bite come seeding time but nonetheless I expect a spectacular season for KSU.

[superjames1992]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Well, I finally caught up. Great NIT run last season! I know it may have been disappointing to miss out on the Big Dance itself, but I think in the end you'll be more pleased adding an NIT Championship to your resume than what would have probably been a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament!

(Yes, that is a defeatist's attitude, haha)

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Interesting how the schedule worked out with playing Dayton twice and Baylor non-conference. Good thing you have the Flyers number.

Yeah, it gets a little annoying sometimes that the non-conference tournaments turn out that way. I'd prefer to play different teams. But at least they were high quality teams. Dayton was surprisingly tough both times.

Just read the last 12 pages in one sitting on the John. Excellent end to the season and great class. A little trouble to start that could come back to bite come seeding time but nonetheless I expect a spectacular season for KSU.

Glad I can provide some good ol' fashioned toilet reading. Ha.

But yes, I knew going in that my schedule would really test my team and possibly backfire completely. At least so far I'm not having a repeat of my first year at KSU, but I also haven't really beaten anybody either.

Well, I finally caught up. Great NIT run last season! I know it may have been disappointing to miss out on the Big Dance itself, but I think in the end you'll be more pleased adding an NIT Championship to your resume than what would have probably been a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament!

(Yes, that is a defeatist's attitude, haha)

I don't know about an early exit -- Gatling would have been healthy by the start of the tournament and the team was much better with him. He has my most consistent 3 point shot (yet, strangely, has one of the lowest consistency ratings on the team).

But I'll take the NIT Championship just the same. I had to beat some really tough teams to take it, so it's well earned. I don't want a chance to defend my title this year though.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Thanks to Mo for fixing/restoring this post.

Another Shot Hit, Another Missed

vs. #25

Kansas State knew it was scheduling a strong opponent in the offseason, but no one knew that the Oregon State Beavers would be this tough. This powerful. This past week they broke into the Top 25 rankings after starting 5-0, and from the looks of it the Beavers have no where to go but up. After facing a spirited effort from the host Wildcats, Oregon State opened up too big of a lead in the first half and held on to a 77-69 victory.

Oregon State rained threes on the Wildcats from start to finish

The story of the night? Threes. The Beavers got them wherever they wanted, and the Wildcats could not stop them. Oregon State was confident enough to rush shots from beyond the arc, but Sidney Redick could not miss, torching the home team for 5 threes in the first half. No one was able to step up, and Kansas State's deficit reached as high as 22 points.

After finding the perimeter game not working, Coach West tried to change strategies by taking the issue inside. Kansas State was able to get some traction in the middle, but untimely turnovers would stymie their comeback attempt. DaMarcus Ross and Esteban Kummer were especially vulnerable to getting the ball stripped -- often resulting in easy points in transition for Oregon State.

DaMarcus Ross fights for an offensive rebound in the second half

By the time Kansas State was able to sort out their defense, the game was already lost. All the Beavers had to do was run time down on the clock and convert points in transition. It was enough for them to preserve their early lead and exit Bramlage Coliseum with a win.

The lack of a hostile environment presented a great opportunity for Coach West's squad to earn a quality win over a Top 25 program. Instead, Kansas State's inability to close down on defense has knocked them down another peg. A trip to #5 Arizona looms later this week, and it is entirely possible that the Wildcats could drop back to .500 entering the toughest stretch of their schedule. These are the kind of November games that matter in March -- and Kansas State could only watch as Oregon State shot their way to victory.

Oregon State Beavers at Kansas State Wildcats
Nov 23, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#25 Oregon State (5-0)	55	22	77
Kansas State (4-2)	43	26	69

Oregon State Beavers
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
M. Terry	15	6-8	1-3	0-0	0	6	2	0	1	13
N. Borders	25	5-8	2-3	0-2	6	4	0	0	3	12
S. Redick	24	8-11	5-7	2-2	6	3	1	0	3	23
G. Irvin	20	0-0	0-0	0-0	2	2	0	1	1	0
C. Bowie	15	3-6	0-0	0-0	4	1	0	0	0	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
A. Stone	10	2-4	0-2	1-1	2	2	2	0	2	5
T. Pugh	11	1-3	1-2	0-0	0	1	0	1	0	3
E. Laurie	9	0-1	0-0	2-2	1	0	0	0	0	2
R. Meyer	4	2-3	1-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	5
J. Fowler	7	2-3	2-2	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	6
E. Hayes	4	0-3	0-1	2-2	0	0	0	0	0	2
D. Ricks	6	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	1	1	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		29-50	12-22	7-9	23	20	6	2	10	77

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	23	2-4	0-1	2-7	4	0	1	0	1	6
D. Bird	20	3-6	3-6	0-0	2	2	2	0	0	9
B. Gatling	22	1-5	1-4	0-0	3	1	0	1	1	3
D. Walls	22	6-12	0-1	6-10	5	3	1	2	1	18
D. Ross	20	5-7	0-0	5-6	3	0	1	3	3	15
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	7	1-2	0-0	0-0	1	2	0	0	1	2
E. Kummer	10	1-2	1-2	0-0	2	0	0	0	2	3
L. Burns	9	0-0	0-0	2-2	1	2	0	0	0	2
C. Weaver	7	2-3	1-2	1-2	4	2	0	0	0	6
R. Guzman	6	2-4	0-0	1-2	0	1	0	0	1	5
M. Mathis	2	0-1	0-1	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
M. Martin	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		23-46	6-17	17-29	27	13	5	6	10	69

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Fading Down the Stretch

#5 vs.

In a battle between Wildcats, the billing did not disappoint. This was a game that was not decided until the final minutes despite the Wildcats constantly building themselves to a stable lead, only to see it shot back down. Which Wildcats? The ranked Arizona squad who wants to get over their first loss of the season earlier this week, or the Kansas State squad that has been eating cupcakes for lunch but shrinking back from stronger competition?

DaMarcus Ross and Dandorriss Walls could not beat the Arizona defense early

The game started as expected. Kansas State came out tight despite Coach West's attempts to loosen up his squad. Before the game, he acknowledged that his young team was facing a hostile environment but added, "They need this kind of experience -- and if we can take the home crowd out early that could be the game."

Although West's big men were having trouble breaking through in the middle, his squad was able to compensate by breaking open for jump shots and hitting them. For awhile, Arizona, led by likely lottery pick Wesley Austin, was able to beat Kansas State's 1-3-1 by attacking the lane and base line. However, when West switched to a basic 2-3, Arizona stalled. Their shots started finding rim, and soon Kansas State stretched their first half lead to double digits.

Of course, Arizona was too good to let up for long. After some halftime adjustments, Coach Sean Miller had his team in attack mode. The Kansas State Wildcats came out looking to slow their transition game, which had only been marginally successful, and run the show from half court. That strategy proved ill fated, as threes from Austin and Stuart Slaughter and points off of turnovers quickly diced Kansas State's lead down to one.

With a time out, West reevaluated his strategy and urged his players to get tougher on defense and attack the basket harder.

Walls leaps over the Arizona defense for a critical putback

The results were immediate. DaMarcus Ross stopped playing as if to avoid fouls and started attacking the ball any time anyone came into the lane. All four of his second half blocks were critical, because they helped kick-start Kansas State's transition offense and led to points that helped Kansas State nurse back its lead. Meanwhile, Roger Guzman and Dandorriss Walls attacked the basket ruthlessly, and when they didn't get the ball in they at least got to the line.

But Arizona was not going to be knocked out that easily. Any time KSU thought it would just need one more bucket to stretch its lead, Arizona came through on defense. And on the other end of the floor, it did not matter that Conroy and a platoon of players stayed in good defensive position on the perimeter in the 2-3. Arizona would not be denied as they hit shot after shot after shot.

Thus, although Kansas State managed to build up a 10 point lead midway through the period, Arizona ensured that the game would be a fight to the finish.

Barney Conroy called his own number on the pick and roll in the closing minutes

Up 1, West had to calm his team down and refocus. Arizona was now fully committing to stopping Kansas State's turnstile transition game. It would be up to his collection of Freshmen and Sophomores to work within the offense to get quality buckets. As the clock ticked below two minutes, the home crowd urged the Arizona Wildcats to get the stop and possibly get their first lead of the game since the opening minutes. Junior College transfer Barney Conroy did not acknowledge the crowd, but instead dribbled the ball and focused on the shot clock. As it wound below ten seconds, he ran one of the simplest plays in basketball -- he called Ross over to set a pick, and then either Ross rolls to the basket or Conroy takes the shot.

All half, the Wildcats had been focusing on shutting down the paint. This time, before Ross even got far in his roll and before the defenders committed one way or another on defense, Conroy went ahead and took a shot from the top of the key. His feet were just inside the line, but the crowd took out a collective breath as the ball sank through the bottom of the net to make the score 65-62.

Branduinn Gatling three gives KSU a 6 point lead with a two minutes to play

From then on, it was the Gatling show. The towering sophomore stretched KSU's lead to 6 with an uncontested three with under two minutes to go. On the next possession, Conroy wound down the clock and found Gatling in the corner for another three to take Kansas State's lead to nine. Arizona hurried down the court with less than a minute to go but Slaughter's three point attempt bounced high off the rim and went straight into Gatling's outstretched hands. Arizona fouled, but Gatling cooly hit both free throws. Stuck in desperation mode after another quick miss, Arizona fouled again, this time with Walls coming up with the rebound and both shots at the line.

The Wildcats of Arizona did not know what hit them, but after working so hard to get back into the game they failed to score a point in the final three minutes. Instead, the unranked Wildcats of Kansas State took control by scoring the game's last 12 points, leading to an unlikely road victory by a final margin of 75-62.

Kansas State Wildcats at Arizona Wildcats
Nov 25, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
Kansas State (4-3)	40	35	75
#5 Arizona (6-1)	33	29	62

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	20	3-5	1-3	0-0	2	6	1	0	0	7
D. Bird	17	2-4	1-2	0-0	4	2	1	0	1	5
B. Gatling	20	6-13	5-10	4-4	2	3	1	0	1	21
D. Walls	21	5-10	0-0	3-4	6	2	0	1	1	13
D. Ross	21	7-13	0-0	1-1	8	4	0	4	1	15
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	9	1-3	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	2
E. Kummer	10	1-4	1-3	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	3
L. Burns	8	0-2	0-2	0-0	2	6	0	0	1	0
C. Weaver	16	2-2	0-0	0-0	5	2	0	0	0	4
R. Guzman	7	1-2	0-0	3-4	3	0	0	0	0	5
M. Mathis	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
M. Martin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		28-58	8-20	11-13	34	25	3	5	5	75

Arizona Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
S. Slaughter	21	7-12	2-4	2-2	1	6	4	0	1	18
W. Austin	24	3-7	3-6	0-0	3	2	0	0	2	9
F. Beacham	20	4-14	1-5	1-1	2	1	0	0	0	10
D. Guiang	23	1-8	0-0	2-2	6	0	0	3	0	4
G. Buboltz	16	2-3	0-0	0-0	4	0	1	2	0	4
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
E> Munir	13	4-7	3-4	2-2	0	0	0	0	0	13
S. nagata	13	1-3	0-0	0-0	2	1	0	0	0	2
E. Alleyne	9	0-4	0-3	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	0
E. Pritchard	4	0-0	0-0	2-2	1	0	0	0	0	2
I. Mouton	4	0-1	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
L. Carmichael	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	0
D. See	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		22-59	9-22	9-9	23	11	5	5	3	62

[TheNumber35]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the win. I was afraid that the young team you had assembled was starting to fade a little against the bigger competition, but Mr. Gatling is proving to be exactly what you need in close games. Are you going to start getting him the ball in crunch time a bit more? Because he seems to be proving he's cold blooded

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the win. I was afraid that the young team you had assembled was starting to fade a little against the bigger competition, but Mr. Gatling is proving to be exactly what you need in close games. Are you going to start getting him the ball in crunch time a bit more? Because he seems to be proving he's cold blooded

It's strange in a way, because Gatling has by far the lowest clutch factor of any of my 3 point shooters, and his consistency rating is not much better. But for whatever reason, when crunch time comes I can knock down shots with him again and again and again. I'll take it.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Men's College Basketball: Nov 30, 2018

The early season rankings are notorious for volatility. After all, pollsters are no longer looking at measurables and potential, but actual performance on the court. Some teams have met or exceeded expectations. Others? Well, fans of Clemson, Arizona, and Connecticut hope early season upsets are a blip on the radar screen and not a sign of things to come.

NCAA Hoops Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Nov 30, 2018
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	RECORD	RPI
1	1	West Virginia	8-0	3
2	2	Louisville	6-0	160
3	3	Charlotte	6-0	7
4	9	Memphis	2-0	25
5	10	St. John's	3-0	88
6	12	Ohio State	7-0	1
7	6	Oklahoma	3-1	15
8	13	NC State	4-1	11
9	14	Temple	8-1	94
10	16	Drexel	7-0	72
11	17	UCLA	8-1	139
12	19	Marquette	6-1	43
13	8	Villanova	5-2	14
14	11	Illinois	7-1	41
15	20	La Salle	5-0	12
16	4	Clemson	4-1	4
17	25	Oregon State	7-0	38
18	5	Arizona	6-3	57
19	21	Alabama	7-1	35
20	NR	Iowa State	7-1	83
21	22	Utah State	5-2	292
22	NR	Richmond	7-0	55
23	7	Connecticut	3-1	228
24	23	Notre Dame	7-0	9
25	NR	Washington	7-0	22

By far the most egregious loss of the week is awarded to Connecticut, who lost by double digits to Alabama A&M. Meanwhile, Temple and La Salle continue to continue to climb up the ranks, and Richmond joins them in the Top 25 to show this may be the year of the Atlantic Ten after all. Of course, don't tell that to the Big East: West Virginia and Louisville have been crushing their opponents so far this year and have yet to be tested or challenged despite playing quality competition.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Mid-Season Recruiting Update

After years of stellar recruiting, maybe Coach West had earned himself a break. With only two scholarships to hand out, there is not a lot of holes to plug in for the Kansas State Wildcats. There are not any urgent needs or pressing departures of players, and some thought that maybe West might try and sit on his scholarships unless the right player came along.

Kansas State Midseason Recruiting - 2018
NAME	POS	CLASS	HOMETOWN	HT	WT	CALIBER
#36 C.J. Worthington	PF #6	HS	Redding, CA	6'11	293

As a result, West turned some heads when he was able to announce an early commitment from Top 50 recruit C.J. Worthington. Although not as decorated as some of West's more recent recruits, Worthington is a huge body who will fill up the middle of the court and eventually work his way into the rotation. The Wildcats are already rich with depth and size, and with this signing they get richer.

However, this is a smart signing in the long term. It is very possible Worthington will red-shirt his Freshman year, but by the time he starts to grow into his own, the mainstays of Kansas State's front court will already be on their way out the door. Who knows whether DaMarcus Ross, Dandorris Walls, or even Roland Saunders (ed note: A+ potential) will be around after next season. C.J. Worthington may not be called to have an instant impact, but he may have some big shoes to fill by the time he breaks into the rotation.

As for West's remaining scholarship, there is little word on any specific recruits he may be targeting. However, an additional rotation player in the back court seems like the most logical building block, especially with Barney Conroy being the only true point guard on the roster.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

---

A Wealth of Weapons
vs. #21

Someone's going to leave the building wondering which team was ranked entering this game. Surprise surprise -- it's not the home team. But after Kansas State used a huge second half run to bury the Aggies 84-60, Utah State might not be ranked for much longer.

The game started out close enough, but largely because both teams came out undisciplined and sloppy. The opening minutes were marred by bad passes and missed opportunities with both teams combining for 7 turnovers.

Eventually the teams settled down, and it was the Wildcats who began to nose ahead on the lead. Kansas State had superior size and strength down low, and DaMarcus Ross, Dandorriss Walls, and Branduinn Gatling all had success attacking the basket. But what may have been more telling was the battle at the point. Utah State has one of the premier point guards in the country in Ed Wooden, but tonight he was shut down by Barney Conroy. The KSU Floor General was constantly in Wooden's face -- never letting him get an open look and always being able to keep up with him laterally so he could not break him down on the dribble.

It would be up to others on the Aggies' squad to keep pace on the road, and for awhile Trent Deberry and Dakota Fanning (yes, really) were able to muscle their way into points by finding open spots in Kansas State's zone. But the air in the area, and the tenor of the game, changed in the closing seconds of the half. Kansas State had worked hard to get a 5 point lead, but Fanning had cut it to 3 on a put back after rebounding over the Wildcats' defense. With seconds ticking off the clock, Branduinn Gatling lobbed the ball to half court where Barney Conroy turned around and caught the ball. He dribbled up the floor and had DaMarcus Ross streaking towards the baseline with a possible layup. Instead, Conroy drained final shot himself as time expired.

Barney Conroy created a huge momentum swing by hitting this halftime buzzer beater

There was something different about this six point lead, and when the Aggies came back onto the court in the second half it was as if the wind had been knocked out of them. After a few exchanged buckets, the Wildcats tightened up their defense and finally began to make a run.

Utah State had to double off of someone -- they chose Freshman Duncan Bird

It started with creating turnovers, but a few players in particular helped spark the Wildcats. L.L. Burns was sensational at the point, and having taken Coach West's advice to start to try and look for the pass first in order to open up his own shots later ended up tearing the Utah State defense to shreds. Burns' 9 assists were a career high, and in one stretch he had five straight assists to five different players.

In order to try and stop Kansas State's scoring punch, the Aggies made a strategic shift at the half to begin to double in the post. The strategy proved to be their undoing. The Wildcats were able to hit jumpers while Utah State could not respond on the other end, and once the Aggies began to tighten their defense on the perimeter Kansas State went back to attacking inside. A 17-4 quickly turned into a blowout, and Bramlage Coliseum rocked the rest of the night.

Utah State had no answers in the second half for Kansas State. The Wildcats showed no weaknesses, and by all accounts looked like the superior team as they rolled their way to victory. Some had questioned whether Utah State was over rated entering the season. Tonight Kansas State may have provided an answer. They were a class apart.

Utah State Aggies at Kansas State Wildcats
Dec 2, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#21 Utah State (5-2)	32	28	60
Kansas State (5-3)	38	46	84

Utah State Aggies
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
E. Wooden	24	1-6	0-2	2-2	1	5	2	0	1	4
R. Schultz	26	4-13	1-8	1-2	3	1	1	0	1	10
T. Deberry	24	4-15	1-8	0-0	4	2	1	0	1	9
D. Boyette	24	3-5	0-1	3-3	6	2	0	0	0	9
D. Fanning	22	4-8	0-0	3-3	9	1	2	1	1	11
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
A. Grafs	15	3-8	2-3	0-0	3	0	0	0	0	8
A. Lagana	9	2-6	1-3	0-0	1	2	0	0	0	5
G. Bailey	7	2-4	0-1	0-0	0	2	0	0	1	4
N. Fitzwater	-- DID NOT PLAY --
B. Schiffner	-- DID NOT PLAY --
J. Reyes	-- DID NOT PLAY --
C. Brittain	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		23-65	5-26	9-10	27	15	6	1	5	60

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	16	3-6	2-5	0-0	2	5	1	0	2	8
D. Bird	16	3-13	3-10	0-0	5	3	0	0	1	9
B. Gatling	19	8-15	3-8	2-2	7	3	0	0	2	21
D. Walls	17	4-6	0-0	2-2	4	2	1	0	1	10
D. Ross	15	6-10	0-0	2-2	7	3	0	1	0	14
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	8	3-3	0-0	2-2	2	1	1	2	0	8
E. Kummer	9	1-3	0-1	1-1	3	2	0	0	0	3
L. Burns	13	1-2	1-2	0-0	1	9	0	0	0	3
C. Weaver	14	2-3	0-0	0-2	2	1	0	0	0	4
R. Guzman	8	0-1	0-0	2-2	4	0	0	0	1	2
M. Mathis	11	1-2	0-0	0-0	6	0	0	0	0	2
M. Martin	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		32-64	9-26	11-13	43	29	3	3	7	84

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Nice win - I have a feeling the Wildcats are gonna be a force once all the young pieces have more time to gel with one another.

[superjames1992]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

C.J. Worthington looks Shaq-esque.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Officially 2 years on OS. Thanks for your support!

Not for the Faint of Heart

vs. #23

"Sometimes you have to step back and appreciate the moment. Win or lose, both teams left everything on the floor tonight. Tonight was great theater and the reason so many people love college basketball."

Coach West was unusually reflective after his team's game with Connecticut. Maybe it was a shock reaction -- maybe no one will ever really know for sure. But what is clear is that the Kansas State Wildcats have grown significantly since last year. They went toe to toe with arguably the best team in the country.

Connecticut beat KSU at their own game early by attacking the basket

Of course, Connecticut showed its continued anger on its "We lost to Alabama A&M?!?!" redemption tour. Kansas State was caught off guard early, and the Huskies responded by attacking the basket ruthlessly. The home team quickly found itself down 9 points with nothing going and nothing working.

But if there is one thing Coach West has been known for, at least on the court, throughout his career it is his ability to roll with the punches and make the right adjustments. Tim McLeod had been shredding the Kansas State zone early, so West switched to Man-to-Man. The Wildcats responded with an 11-0 run that brought them all the way back into the game.

The contest remained neck and neck, and no team was able to get much of a push or a lead. DaMarcus Ross got in foul trouble near the end of the first half and immediately at the beginning of the third, but Kansas State's platoon of big men picked up the slack. Dana Worthington and Roger Guzman were able to pick up the slack, but the Wildcats slowly found the game slipping away from them until Ross was able to come back on the floor halfway through the second period. His towering presence was key to shutting down was Connecticut was trying to do inside.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they were their own worst enemy in trying to take the lead. Although KSU was finally able to get things going on defense, turnovers kept them from getting anything going on the other end. Whether it was Dandorriss Walls getting stripped in the paint or Branduinn Gatling trying to force an extra pass instead of attacking the basket, the Wildcats squandered one opportunity after another to take the lead.

Eventually things started to look bleak. Connecticut led by six with less than four minutes to go. While there was plenty of time to get back into the game, Coach West would need to right the ship and his players would need to play with discipline.

Enter Barney Conroy. The Junior College transfer Point Guard had usually been content making passes and setting everyone else up. But those who pay attention to KSU practices know he has the capability to take over games, and tonight was one such match up. With Connecticut's back court attacking the basket and raining shots over the defense, Conroy took it upon himself to pull the sagging Wildcats with him.

Barney Conroy put the Wildcats on his back

The Wildcats had stopped having success in transition due to their inability to finish at the rim or hold onto the ball, so West told them to keep up the pace but work in the half court. The result was still typical -- Connecticut played tight defense and Kansas State missed a long shot. However, DaMarcuss Ross came down with a powerful offensive rebound over three Huskies and kicked the ball out to the wing to Clarence Weaver. No one was around Weaver, but the shot was well beyond the defender's range, so he passed the ball back to Conroy to reset the possession. Before UCONN's defense could set, Conroy caught the pass and hoisted the three as if it was nothing. It sank through the net and cut Connecticut's lead in half.
The points came rolling in soon after. First Ross was fouled and hit both free throws, then Gatling shot a three high over two defenders that found home. The Wildcats were peaking at just the right time, but Connecticut was too good to just hand over the game.

Phillip Barber gets Connecticut back in front with a heads up play and confident shooting

Kansas State managed to stop the Huskies on the next possession, and West had put Duncan Bird in at the point in order to rest Conroy and L.L. Burns. Bird is hardly the ball handler Conroy is, but it was through no fault of his that his pass to Branduinn Gatling was fumbled. Connecticut grabbed the loose ball, and Phillip Barber rushed down the floor. He had the basket available to him if he wanted it, but instead rose up and took an immediate three to put the Huskies back up by one.

Coach West immediately called a time out and got his floor general back on the court. Time wound down as both teams missed shots, and soon the clock was under a minute with the Wildcats still down 1. Sensing the urgency of the moment and feeding off the crowd, Conroy brought up the ball and got a pick at the top of the key from DaMarcus Ross. Conroy rolled to the right, and both defenders immediately pursued Conroy with both hands in the air. There was no clear shot and no clear passing lane.

Conroy shoots for the win despite two defenders closing on him

Conroy didn't notice. Without hesitation he hoisted his fourth three of the night. Like his other three, the shot was true and brought the home crowd to its feet. Kansas State was up by 2 with time winding down. Connecticut hurried down the court and tried to get DaMarcuss Ross to draw his fifth foul by driving straight at him. Instead, he blocked Monte Wooden's layup. Connecticut was forced to foul, and eventually the ball was in Conroy's hands for the one-and-one.

The point guard had not missed a shot all night, and he was not about to at the line. His two free throws put KSU up by four, but Connecticut got a quick three on the next possession by McLeod. Once again, the Huskies were forced to foul, and once gain, it was Barney Conroy heading to the line for the one and one. His two free throws brought Kansas State's lead back to three with 6 seconds left.

Connecticut had already burned its last time out, and they immediately inbounded the ball and ran down the court. Time ticked away, and the KSU defense made sure to stay in front of their assignments and not let anyone break free. Barber eventually worked his way up the court, but his last shot at the buzzer never had a chance. Kansas State 80, Connecticut 77.

A stellar defensive effort helped fuel Kansas State's come from behind victory, but without Conroy's effort, the Wildcats probably would not be leaving the court with their third straight win.

Connecticut Huskies at Kansas State Wildcats
Dec 5, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#23 Connecticut (4-1)	38	39	77
Kansas State (6-3)	36	44	80

Connecticut Huskies
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
P. Barber	23	8-14	2-5	1-2	0	10	1	0	1	19
T. McLeod	25	7-13	2-4	6-6	5	3	3	0	1	22
M. Wooden	22	4-7	0-0	0-0	5	3	2	0	0	8
D. Ibekwe	15	2-2	0-0	0-0	5	0	0	0	0	4
J. Sheridan	23	3-8	0-0	0-0	4	2	0	0	0	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
S. Manning	8	2-4	0-1	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	4
T. Eisentrout	16	3-7	0-2	4-4	3	1	1	1	0	10
A. Modica	10	0-4	0-1	0-0	3	0	0	0	0	0
D. nwoke	6	1-3	0-1	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	2
B. Phillips	3	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	2
E. Mackinson	-- DID NOT PLAY --
K. Schiffner	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		31-63	4-14	11-12	27	19	8	1	2	77

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	24	5-5	4-4	4-4	1	7	0	1	1	18
D. Bird	12	1-3	0-1	0-0	2	9	0	0	1	2
B. Gatling	25	4-11	4-9	2-2	7	2	0	0	2	14
D. Walls	21	3-8	0-0	0-0	2	3	0	3	2	6
D. Ross	15	6-7	0-0	4-6	5	0	0	1	1	16
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	16	5-10	0-0	0-3	4	0	0	0	0	10
E. Kummer	14	2-5	1-3	0-0	2	0	1	0	1	5
L. Burns	5	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	2	0	0	0	0
C. Weaver	11	3-6	0-0	0-0	3	2	0	0	1	6
R. Guzman	8	0-4	0-0	3-4	3	0	0	0	0	3
M. Mathis	-- DID NOT PLAY --
M. Martin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		29-59	9-17	13-19	30	25	1	5	9	80

[VandyRedskins21]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Good win against Connecticut!

And I know I'm really late on this, but congrats on the NIT Title and the outstanding recruiting class.