THE PRESSURE'S ON: Frank Martin, Kansas State
Martin's main storyline, early on in this season, was that of a coach who was underappreciated nationally and underpaid locally. But his national profile rose as the Wildcats climbed into the top five of the polls, and on March 6, K-State awarded him a new five-year contract that will essentially double his salary to $1.55 million per year. Now he has a second-seeded team with a relatively clear path to the Elite Eight, and a real shot at the school's first Final Four since 1964. Will he capitalize on the opportunity?
THE PICK: Kansas State
Forgive my hedging, but a lot of this hinges on Onuaku's quad. If he makes a miraculous recovery and is back to 100 percent by the Elite Eight, then it's going to be tough to keep the Orange out of Indianapolis. If he's not up to full strength -- and that's the situation at the outset of the tournament -- I see the Wildcats winning a tight Elite Eight game on the strength of their offensive rebounding. They've grabbed 40.6 percent of available offensive boards this season, more than all but two teams in the bracket (Old Dominion and West Virginia). It takes multiple big bodies to keep the Octagon of Doom's denizens from dominating the glass.
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luke_winn/03/15/west/index.html?eref=sircrc#ixzz0iGREgCozGet a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription
Read More:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luke_winn/03/15/west/index.html?eref=sircrc#ixzz0iGR7SFZCGet a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription
