After losing to eventual national runner-up Butler in last season's Elite 8 Regional Final, Kansas State was expected to make much more noise here in the 2010-11 season.
Sitting at 17-9 (5-6) for 6th in the Big XII, Kansas State was looking nothing like they did last season. With newly #1 Kansas coming to town last night, there was something in the air at Bramlege Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas.
The unranked Wildcats blistered #1 Kansas (24-2, 9-2) on the same day they were voted as the #1 team in the country. That sure was short-lived! Jacob Pullen drilling the Jayhawks for 38 points on 5-for-6 behind the 3-point arc and 15 of 19 from the charity stripe. Kansas State's defense held Kansas to two players in double-figures, Tyrel Reed with 14 and Marcus Morris with 13.
Avenging a 24-point loss from just 16 days ago, Kansas State has now raised some eyebrows across the college basketball nation. Even though they trail teams like Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Missouri and Baylor in the Big XII standings currently, anything can happen at this point in the season, especially with at-large NCAA Tournament bids on the line and conference tournaments playing a big role in those bids. KSU may have to either win a couple games in the Big XII tourney or at least a couple games in order to secure an at-large bid to the Big Dance.
But honestly, let's not all jump on the Kansas State bandwagon just yet. There really aren't a whole lot of people out there that were sold on the Kansas Jayhawks being #1 to begin with on Monday. Some thought that Ohio State should stay in the top spot with their one loss. Others think that Texas deserved the #1 ranking. Pittsburgh also got some consideration, but Kansas leaped into the #1 ranking, but that won't last long with being upset on the same day by in-state rival Kansas State.
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