Another nice one from
The Cap Journal. Good stuff about Yae.
NCAA tournament bid top priority for Martin
K-State's sixth man is sixth on K-State's all-time scoring list
By Tim Bisel
The Capital-Journal
Published Saturday, March 03, 2007
MANHATTAN — For all his made field goals, Cartier Martin can't help but lament Kansas State's near-misses.
The 6-foot-7 senior has enjoyed one of the finest individual careers in Wildcat history, but when he stops to reflect it his first thoughts turn to mediocrity.
"I just think we've always been a team that was right there, but we never quite got there," Martin said. "Now we're trying to get there still."
That's everything you need to know about Martin. With him, it isn't about his 159 treys or 483 field goals. It's all about we, all about team.
It will be again today when he and four other seniors play Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m. in their final regular-season game at Bramlage Coliseum.
With a win, the Wildcats (20-10, 9-6 Big 12) would clinch the No. 4 seed to next week's Big 12 Tournament and take a significant step toward reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.
"If we can win, I can finally say we got over the hump," Martin said.
Right or wrong, Martin believes one more victory will make K-State a lock to play in the NCAA tourney, which is exactly what he had in mind when he came to K-State in 2003 from Houston's Aldine Nimitz High.
Former coach Jim Wooldridge lured the top-100 recruit from heavyweights such as Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and OU.
"He's a special kid to me," said Wooldridge, who is now the major gifts development officer at Texas State. "You know, we went through a dogfight to get him. He came to us with the attitude that I'm excited about being here, I want to make things better and I want you to help me improve."
That attitude never changed. Martin overcame a stress fracture in his foot as a freshman and a sliced finger as a sophomore and a suspension last May for an unspecified conduct violation.
But nothing better illustrates Martin's willingness to contribute in any way than his role this season. Since mid-January, he has started on the bench because coach Bob Huggins says he can't afford to have Martin and junior David Hoskins saddled with early foul trouble.
Not once has the Big 12's No. 8 scorer balked about being No. 6 in the Wildcats' rotation.
"Cartier's been terrific with me," Huggins said. "Cartier's bought in to what we're trying to do and he's worked really hard. The way he goes about things has been very positive."
The appproach has helped Martin position himself among the greatest players ever to wear a Wildcat uniform. With 1,442 points, he is sixth on K-State's career scoring list, just below Mike Evans, Rolando Blackman, Askia Jones, Bob Boozer and Steve Henson.
Martin also ranks among the school's top 10 in 10 other categories and is one of only three Wildcats — Boozer and Blackman are the others — with more than 1,400 points and 500 rebounds.
"If you look at his career, he just got better and better and better," Wooldridge said. "That's what it's all about.
"His efforts and his accomplishments stand up for what they are. If people want to evaluate him as one of the great K-Staters, I'd vote for him."
Martin admits he is honored to be mentioned among such elite names and that he is proud of his personal accomplishments.
"The last couple weeks I've kind of been thinking about that," he said when asked about his Wildcat legacy. "It's definitely something I can tell my children down the road."
The kids should be in for a treat. Martin can tell them how he scored 14 points and deposited a key putback to help K-State end a 31-game losing streak to Kansas. Or how he gunned downed No. 22 Texas with seven 3-pointers and 27 points. Or how he posted at least 20 points in four of five games to start his junior season.
But the story Martin really wants to share has yet to be written. That's the one about him being part of a K-State team that stopped missing and finally made a splash.
"I've put a lot into being a part of Kansas State and just helping the program as much as I can," he said. "That would be a fantastic way to go out.
"Right now, I'll do whatever to help my team get to the NCAA Tournament, and hopefully we can make some noise. That'd be an even bigger legacy for me."
Ann Williamson / The Capital-Journal
Cartier Martin (20) worked hard at improving for previous coach Jim Wooldridge, and he doesn't balk at coming off the bench for Bob Huggins.OKLAHOMA
AT KANSAS STATE
TIPOFF — 2:38 p.m. today, Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan.
RECORDS — Oklahoma 15-13, 6-9 Big 12; Kansas State 20-10, 9-6.
TV — KTKA (49).
RADIO — KDVV-FM (100.3).
SERIES — Oklahoma leads, 101-87.
NEXT GAME — Thursday or Friday at Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City.
CARTIER'S CAREER
Entering today's 2:30 p.m. game against Oklahoma, senior Cartier Martin ranks among Kansas State's top 10 in 11 career categories.
Rk. Category Stats
3. 3-pointers made 159
4. 3-pointers attempted 398
4. Minutes 2,915
5. 3-point percentage 40.0
6. Points 1,442
7. Field goals made 483
8. Field goals attempted 1,058
8. 20-point games 26
8. Free throws attempted 405
9. Free throws made 317
10. Games started 72
