It's live or die for the Kansas state wildcats team this season as they are not only just playing basketball but fighting to secure a ticket to the NCAA tournament. Speaking on behalf of the team, Jacob Pullen said they have a feeling that every game they play they do it for their life. That is the Kansas state attitude heading into the season finale in style. They want to prove the NCAA selection committee wrong that they are automatically out adding that they are going to look at them as long as they are in the top of the big 12 nothing can shake them. With a KSU victory plus a Texas loss at Kansas, an OSU loss at Oklahoma and the A& M posting a 9-7 big 12 record Kansas state would win the four way big 12 tiebreak and gain the first round big 12 tournament bye. According to the teams coach frank martin, there aren't too many teams in the country that can go win at A&M and again go win at Texas and therefore they count themselves lucky for doing that. It says something about the quality of the basketball team. Gaining that bye was important to the team in the sense that a bye would be great, it's another day off and fresher legs. It showed that they were one step closer to the championship and an automatic bid. The Kansas state 71 loss against Oklahoma state 77 that saw Byron Eaton's 15 of 15 throws and 25 points paved way to Oklahoma state's sixth victory in a row and 20th victory of the season. For the 20-10 wildcats, it was a crushing loss to any hopes that they had in qualifying for the NCAA tournament. They are now in position 99 and that is their strength. Following a 20 point blowout, the Kansas state suffered against Missouri, the team's coach vowed that they were not going to leave scarred but it confident that the team would battle come the next game. They are in the process of building a program that exhibits toughness which they believe is going to see them do well in the remaining matches. However, martin said he has a lot of respect for the two teams because of the way they played and battled adding that it was the prettiest game ever to watch. Whatever fights the wildcat's exhibits, they get in part from their coach. There is little question martin exerts on his team, though sometimes he can be hard on his players, but he also stands up for them and is guiding the most pleasant surprise among the big 12 teams. The ever continued improvement that is hitting the boards is the best way for Kansas State to continue even working harder. The month of February began well with the team having a 28 win against Nebraska. It was ranked 14 nationwide plus a 6-8 rebounding advantage, then came the 36-25 win against huskers, the 21 offensive boards that were grabbed by the wildcats led them to an 18 second chance points. The 20 win season is the 3rd straight win for Kansas State, the last time the wildcats managed the same in three successive seasons was between the year 1980 and 1982.
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