| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- After getting clobbered again by Kansas (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 20 AP), beleaguered Kansas State coach Tom Asbury knew what was on everybody's mind.
"I'm not going to talk about the job situation. So don't ask,"
the coach said after Kansas' 94-65 thrashing of Kansas
State.
|  | | Kansas State's Josh Kimm is covered by Jeff Boschee during the second half. |
According to published reports, Asbury's job is in jeopardy, and
Kansas is a major reason why, beating him 14 straight times as part
of an 18-game winning streak over the Wildcats.
Kansas State (8-13, 1-9 Big 12) has lost 10 straight, matching
its streak of three years ago and within one of the school-record
set in 1945-46.
"It's obviously disappointing," said Asbury, who has a 84-83
record as he nears the end of his sixth season at Kansas State.
"We tried about everything we know and we'll continue to try.
But the young guys are more resilient than coaches."
Asbury seems certain to fall under increasing fire from
disgruntled fans and administrators. Home attendance at 13,500-seat
Bramlage Coliseum, where Kansas has won every year since it opened
in 1988-89, has dropped to under 8,000 a game.
"I have to be resilient," Asbury said. "What's my
alternative?"
Kansas, meanwhile, enjoyed a huge turnaround after losing by 33
points to Oklahoma State (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 14 AP) last Monday night.
"This is a role reversal," said Kansas forward Kenny Gregory,
who had 17 points. "We know how it is to lose by 30. Now we know
how it is to win by 30. We just didn't want to have that feeling of
getting dominated like we did on Monday."
Kansas (18-6, 7-3) got off to a big early lead as Jeff Boschee
and Gregory snapped out of shooting slumps and led the Jayhawks to
their first road victory in five tries.
"We really did some nice things," Kansas coach Roy Williams
said. "But we played so poorly on Monday night and you have to be
embarrassed a little bit by that. Jeff Boschee had gone through a
long period where he hadn't shot the ball very well, but he came
back alive today and put the ball in the basket for us."
Boschee had 24 points, including 6-of-11 from 3-point range.
Freshmen Nick Collison and Drew Gooden had 13 apiece. Collison also
had 13 rebounds and Gooden 11 as Kansas outrebounded the shorter
Wildcats 51-36.
A sizable percentage of Saturday's crowd, Kansas State's first
sellout of the year, was Kansas fans.
"I heard the rock-chalk Jayhawk chant and I saw a lot of
(Kansas colors) out there," Collison said. "It feels good to come
on the road and see a lot of fans like that."
The Wildcats were just happy to see their arena full.
"We finally fill this place and we get beat by 30," said
Kansas State's Tony Kitt, who had 20 points and nine rebounds.
Cortez Groves had 14 points for Kansas State, which hasn't
beaten Kansas since January 1994.
The Jayhawks took control immediately, building a 31-11 lead.
The Wildcats hit only five of their first 19 shots and committed 10
turnovers.
Finally, Groves stopped the Kansas surge by completing a
three-point play and then hitting a 12-footer from the lane. By
then, however, the Jayhawks had a 20-point lead en route to a 50-23
halftime bulge.
"We realize we're not going to win the Big 12," Kitt said.
"But we're keeping our heads up."
| |
ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Kansas Clubhouse
Kansas State Clubhouse
|
