Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball: Kansas State, Texas Tech leads before conference tournament

By Jason Kinander

AMES, IA - MARCH 9: Texas Tech Red Raiders Tariq Owens #11, Davide Moretti #25, Deshawn Corprew #3, Kyler Edwards #0 run off the court after defeating the Iowa State Cyclones 80-73 in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on March 9, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. The Texas Tech Red Raiders won 80-73 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA - MARCH 9: Texas Tech Red Raiders Tariq Owens #11, Davide Moretti #25, Deshawn Corprew #3, Kyler Edwards #0 run off the court after defeating the Iowa State Cyclones 80-73 in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on March 9, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. The Texas Tech Red Raiders won 80-73 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /
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2. Kansas State Wildcats (24-7, 14-4 Conference Play)

The Good

After making the Elite Eight last season, Kansas State returned all five starters, and had lofty expectations for 2018-19. While those expectations weren’t met early on, Kansas State caught fire in conference play, and won a share of the Big 12 Regular Season title.

Seniors Dean Wade and Barry Brown Jr played spectacular, leading the way in Kansas State’s championship campaign. The Wildcats’ depth was a big plus, as role players such as Cartier Diarra and Xavier Sneed had big seasons in their own right.

Last season’s Elite Eight run was a shock, so a step back wasn’t exactly out of the cards. However Kansas State managed to temper their expectations, and ran the table en route to winning a title.

The Bad

The Wildcats probably should’ve won the Big 12 outright, but a loss with four games to go on the road against Kansas put them at a tie with Texas Tech, which would stand until the finish.

Kansas State was not very good in conference play. The loss to Marquette doesn’t look bad anymore, but the loss to Tulsa is not pretty, especially at home.

Dean Wade went down with a broken foot in non-conference play, which played a big role in Kansas State’s rough start to conference play. Wade would return to make a big impact, but the injury was a step back for the Wildcats.

The Botttom Line

Regardless of the bumps, Kansas State had a brilliant season. Winning the Big 12 title, even though it is a share, is a major accomplishment, especially considering how high the expectations were for the Wildcats heading into the season. Kansas State has a great chance the make waves in the Big 12 Tournament, as well as the NCAA tournament, as the momentum is all theirs.

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