Pretty good summary

[mocat]

Kansas State Team Report
Updated: March 12, 2012 03:47 EST


GETTING INSIDE
 
It would be unfair to blame all of Kansas State's inconsistencies on one player. Yet the uneven ride Jamar Samuels continues to experience parallels the Wildcats' struggles.
The senior forward entered the Big 12 tournament playing his best basketball of the season, recording double-doubles in four of the previous seven games. In the 13 times Samuels has managed the feat in his career, the Wildcats lost just once.

To open play in the conference tourney, however, Samuels was almost nonexistent except for playing 29 minutes. Most of his 10 points against Baylor came late in the game, after the 82-74 Wildcats' defeat was already decided. In addition, he grabbed no rebounds.

Kansas State coach Frank Martin declined to criticize Samuels during his postgame remarks, electing instead to credit the senior for his late-season play, which contributed to a fifth-place finish in the conference.

Words did not need to be expressed, however, for people to realize that Samuels' off game is another factor why the 21-10 Wildcats find themselves vulnerable as a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They open March 15 against Southern Mississippi (25-8), and if Kansas State wins, it would likely face top-seeded Syracuse (31-2) at the sub-regional in Pittsburgh.

"I'm disappointed," Martin said after the quick departure from the Big 12 tourney, "because the behaviors that we showed as a team (was) stuff that we had going on back in November and December, and we've gotten away from that."

Martin cited selfishness on the defensive end, where the Wildcats often were late covering shooters and poor at offering help, as a characteristic he thought his team shed with a strong finish down the stretch in Big 12 play. Kansas State thrives on its defensive intensity and relentlessness on the boards, yet it was completely manhandled by Baylor, a team it split with during the regular season.

"It's not good to regress, and I feel like we regressed a little bit," said sophomore guard Will Spradling, who missed all three of his 3-point attempts and continues to suffer through a shooting slump.

The Wildcats depend heavily on junior Rodney McGruder for production on the offensive end, though another junior, center Jordan Henriquez, has sparkled late in the season. Henriquez had 22 points and 14 rebounds against the Bears. It was an encouraging development Martin gladly accepted, though he knows his team must recover completely to make any kind of NCAA run.

"We get one more chance to get it right," he said, "and if we don't get it right, our season is over."


NOTES, QUOTES
 
--The quarterfinal loss to Baylor in the Big 12 tournament marked the fourth time in five seasons under coach Frank Martin that Kansas State has lost its opening game in the event. Martin stands 2-5 in the tourney after taking the Wildcats to the championship game in 2010. "I'm not a fan of conference tournaments," Martin conceded. "I never have been. I'm ready to go play somebody else. I'm sick and tired of watching Big 12 basketball to be honest with you. It's too good."
--One bright spot during the Big 12 tournament was F Jordan Henriquez, who erupted for 22 points and 14 rebounds against Baylor. Henriquez was not the best big man on the floor, but only because Perry Jones fulfilled his potential and scored a career-best 31 for the Bears. Over his last four games entering the NCAA Tournament, Henriquez averaged 15.3 points, almost nine more than his season average of 6.7. He also rates as the Wildcats' top interior defender. Earlier this season, he broke the Kansas State career record for blocked shots.

--Under Martin, who is in his fifth season, Kansas State has won at least 21 games each year. The Wildcats also finished with winning conference records each of those seasons.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Are we going to be worried about one game or 30 games? We've been doing this for six months. We know we can play with anybody when we play the game the right way. We didn't play it the right way (against Baylor)." -- Kansas State coach Frank Martin.


STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
 
SCOUTING REPORT: Over coach Frank Martin's entire five-year tenure, opponents have been constantly impressed with how hard the Wildcats play, a trait that has enabled Kansas State to win with strong defense and second-chance opportunities on offense. This season, however, Kansas State has lacked those qualities more often than in other seasons under Martin. The defense came on late, in part because younger players had finally grasped the concepts, though question again surfaced after Baylor riddled Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament. The Wildcats often rely too much on G Rodney McGruder to score, either off the catch or the dribble. He is an underrated contributor, yet he should not be asked to carry a team. G Angel Rodriguez is a promising freshman who is too mistake-prone while running the point.
FUTURES WATCH: With the combustible Martin as coach, instability always exists in the Kansas State system, resulting in constant shuffling of personnel. It would not be unusual for anyone to leave. Two promising sophomores, F Wally Judge and G Nick Russell, left after last season and were missed this year. If the underclassmen return intact, Kansas State will have the ingredients to contend in the Big 12 next season as long as Rodriguez improves, G Will Spradling regains his long-range touch and C Jordan Henriquez flourishes on both ends with more consistency. McGruder is pretty much a given and will provide consistent effort and production.

REGULAR SEASON REVIEW: A tournament championship, the first under Martin, at the Diamond Head Classic over Christmas, provided an encouraging lead-in to Big 12 play. Inconsistency, however, marred any attempt by Kansas State to contend. It needed a late-season push to finish fifth with a 10-8 record after an impressive sweep of Missouri was offset by an inexplicable sweep Oklahoma administered. The Wildcats were more focused on the road, where they finished with the same 5-4 record as they posted at home in conference games.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Senior F Jamar Samuels entered the Big 12 tournament as only the sixth Kansas State player to ever reach the 700 mark in career rebounds. He failed to snag a carom, however, during the 29 minutes he played in the quarterfinal loss to Baylor.

--Junior G Rodney McGruder entered the Big 12 tournament averaging 21.8 points and 5.8 rebounds over his previous four games, but he managed just 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting against Baylor. He grabbed just four boards as Kansas State was outrebounded 32-26.

--Junior G Martavious Irving scored nine points on 4-for-6 shooting while playing 15 minutes against Baylor, tops among the K-State subs. Only one other reserve, G Jeremy Jones, scored for the Wildcats, who typically rely heavily on bench production.

[mocat]

Southern Mississippi Team Report
Updated: March 13, 2012 04:08 EST


GETTING INSIDE
 
The bubble has yet to burst for Southern Mississippi.
Though they were picked to finish in the bottom third of Conference USA by most pundits, Southern Miss finished second in the Conference USA regular-season standings, one game behind Memphis.

When Southern Miss barely survived a scare from East Carolina in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament before winning 81-78 in overtime, then lost to Marshall 73-62 in the semifinals, some analysts felt the Golden Eagles had fallen off the NCAA tournament bubble and were headed to the NIT.

Instead, Southern Miss (25-8) will be playing in the NCAAs for the first time in 21 years when it faces Kansas State (21-10) on March 15 in a second-round game at Pittsburgh. The Golden Eagles are the No. 9 seed in the Midwest Regional.

Southern Miss went 13-2 in non-conference play then started 7-1 inside Conference USA to improve to 20-3 and hold first place at the start of February. However, the Golden Eagles did not play so well down the stretch, splitting their last eight regular-season games before turning in their less-than-impressive performance in the C-USA tourney.

However, Southern Miss will get a shot to prove itself in the NCAA tournament when it takes on Kansas State, which had won four of its previous five games before losing to Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.

Junior guard Rodney McGruder is Kansas State's top player, averaging 15.3 points and 5.1 rebounds a game. Senior forward Jamar Samuels is averaging 10.2 points and 6.6 rebounds.

Sophomore guard Neil Watson has emerged as Southern Miss' leader, averaging 12.2 points and 4.5 assists through the C-USA tourney. Junior guard LaShay Page is averaging 11.5 points a game, and senior guard Darnell Dodson had an 11.1-point scoring average.

If Southern Miss wins, it will play either Midwest No. 1 seed Syracuse (31-2) or North Carolina-Asheville (24-9) in the third round.

Southern Miss will be making just its third appearance in the NCAA tournament, having gone in back-to-back seasons in 1990 and 1991. The Golden Eagles were eliminated in the first round each time.


NOTES, QUOTES
 
--Sophomore G Neil Watson was a second-team selection on the All-Conference USA Team, and junior F Jonathan Mills made the third team.
Watson also won the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year Award and Conference USA Sixth Man of the Year Award. Mills was picked to the All-Conference USA Defensive Team.

Both are in their first seasons on the Division I level after transferring from junior colleges.

Watson is just the second Southern Mississippi player to win the Sixth Man Award, joining Jeremy Wise (2006-07). Mills gave Southern Miss a member of the All-Defensive Team for a third straight season, as Sai'Quon Stone made it the last two years.

Watson was averaging 12.2 points and 4.5 assists a game through the C-USA tourney. Mills was averaging 9.7 points and 6.2 rebounds.

--Though Southern Miss split its last 10 games and lost to Marshall in the semifinals of the conference tournament, it received its first berth in the NCAA tournament in 21 years.

Working Southern Miss' favor was a No. 21 ranking in the RPI as well as the No. 48 strength of schedule. Southern Miss was also 9-5 against teams in the top 100.

"I think it shows the credibility of the selection committee," Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy said. "They said 'This is how the criteria is going to be,' and naturally when someone loses against Marshall, all the naysayers start coming out. This is a long season. We played Murray State to double overtime. We went to Colorado State and won. We beat New Mexico State twice. Four and a half weeks ago, we beat Memphis. This is a chance for a fresh start, and our team is playing its best basketball."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Whether it was going to be a 15 or 16, we were going to take it," -- Southern Miss senior G Angelo Johnson after his team got a berth to the NCAA tournament as the No. 9 seed in the Midwest Region.


STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
 
FUTURES WATCH: Southern Mississippi will have three players back next season that have averaged at least 20 minutes a game this season in sophomore G Neil Watson (12.2 ppg, 4.5 apg), junior G LaShay Page (11.5 ppg) and junior F Jonathan Miles (9.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg).
REGULAR-SEASON REVIEW: Southern Mississippi, despite being picked to finish near the bottom of Conference USA by most pundits, wound up second in the regular-season standings. Southern Miss led the conference and was 20-3 after beating Memphis on Feb. 1. However, the Golden Eagles then split their last four regular-season games before being knocked out in the semifinals of the C-USA tourney by Marshall. Watson emerged as a top-flight point guard, distributing the ball to a number of players in a balanced offense.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Senior G Angelo Johnson (24 points) was a bright spot in Southern Mississippi's 73-62 loss to Marshall in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament. It was Johnson's sixth career 20-point game and third this season. Johnson scored in double figures in both of Southern Miss' games in the C-USA tourney, notching 11 points in their 81-78 overtime win over East Carolina in the quarterfinals. Johnson had been in double digits just three times in his last 21 regular-season games.

--Senior G Darnell Dodson had three straight double-figure scoring games through the C-USA tourney, finishing with 13 points in each game. Dodson was held to single digits in five of his previous six games.

--Sophomore G Neil Watson had a career-high six steals in the win over East Carolina and also had four in the loss to Marshall to give him 10 in the two conference tournament games. Watson had a total of nine steals in Southern Miss' last 10 regular-season games.

[mocat]

oh crap, great find, mocat, nice work

[DQ12]

where is this from, mocat?

[kso_FAN]

Pretty good, except for this:

Over coach Frank Martin's entire five-year tenure, opponents have been constantly impressed with how hard the Wildcats play, a trait that has enabled Kansas State to win with strong defense and second-chance opportunities on offense. This season, however, Kansas State has lacked those qualities more often than in other seasons under Martin. The defense came on late, in part because younger players had finally grasped the concepts, though question again surfaced after Baylor riddled Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.

This really isn't true; defense and offensive rebounding are similar or better than any other Frank Martin team. Most consistent issue by far has been shooting, 2nd would probably be turnovers.

[mocat]

fox sports

[puniraptor]

Also, more of a dissertation than a summary.

[steve dave]

oh crap, great find, mocat, nice work