SE: K-State MBB Not Worried About 0-2 Big 12 Start, Focused on Home Battle with WVU Wednesday
Jan 09, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Barry Brown Jr.'s been through back-to-back losses before, more than once. Most seniors have. For obvious reasons — namely, years in the game — Bruce Weber has experienced more of them.
So, as K-State (10-4, 0-2) looks to end a two-game losing streak to start Big 12 play, Brown and Weber offered their veteran perspectives on what it really means for their team moving forward.
"The season isn't over right now. This 0-2 start isn't the defining moment of our season. There's still a lot of games left, in conference alone," Brown said, as K-State hosts West Virginia (8-6, 0-2) on Wednesday at 6 p.m., on ESPNU. "We just have to take it one game at a time. We can't look too far ahead. We can't worry about the past. You can learn from the past, but you have to stay in the present, stay in the now, be ready for the next game."
"We've had to deal with some adversity," Weber added, as K-State has been without Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year Dean Wade for the last five games. "Hopefully it makes you tougher, but you have to step up. This league is not very forgiving. Whether you're healthy or not, you have to come and play every game. You have 10 really good teams that you have to be ready for and get some consistency."
K-State has found the most consistency on defense this season, despite facing some struggles on offense. The Wildcats rank sixth in the country in scoring defense, allowing 58.9 points a game. In KenPom.com's adjusted defensive efficiency rankings, K-State sits at fifth.
"That's our identity, being a good defensive team," junior forward Makol Mawien said. "I know how good we are on offense. Shots just need to fall."
"We try not to let our offense dictate our defense. Shots don't fall in every game so, if we worry about shots falling, we're not going to play good on defense. I think we've done a great job of separating the two and really trying to put a lot on the defense," Brown added. "We're still trying to put a lot on our offense, but shots haven't been falling, but we're good players. We're not stressing right now. We're just getting in the gym extra. That's what you have to do. Get in the gym, watch film, be in there extra with the coaches, just hearing what they have to say."
Weber said in Tuesday's media availability that he thought his team started to put some positive stretches of offense together in the second half of Saturday's six-point loss at No. 11 Texas Tech. The Wildcats scored 38 of their 57 points in the final 20 minutes against the Red Raiders, which holds the nation's best adjusted defensive efficiency rating.
Brown said the difference between the two halves in Lubbock, Texas, can be broken down a lot of ways but ultimately defined by one statistic: Assists. K-State had only one in the first half. In the second, the Wildcats dished out eight assists on 13 made field goals.
"Ball movement, higher number of assists, shot selection, just making that extra pass, that extra play, pushing it in transition, reads, a lot of stuff goes into it," Brown said. "When you sit back and watch, there's just a lot of stuff that you see, especially myself that I could do better."
Which, Brown reiterated, has been his team's sole focus since Saturday.
"We're all on the same page right now, it's just trying to get on that winning page, in that winning column," he said. "We're all focused right now on trying to better ourselves on the court and learn as much as we can before each and every game."
Barry Brown Jr.'s been through back-to-back losses before, more than once. Most seniors have. For obvious reasons — namely, years in the game — Bruce Weber has experienced more of them.
So, as K-State (10-4, 0-2) looks to end a two-game losing streak to start Big 12 play, Brown and Weber offered their veteran perspectives on what it really means for their team moving forward.
"The season isn't over right now. This 0-2 start isn't the defining moment of our season. There's still a lot of games left, in conference alone," Brown said, as K-State hosts West Virginia (8-6, 0-2) on Wednesday at 6 p.m., on ESPNU. "We just have to take it one game at a time. We can't look too far ahead. We can't worry about the past. You can learn from the past, but you have to stay in the present, stay in the now, be ready for the next game."
"We've had to deal with some adversity," Weber added, as K-State has been without Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year Dean Wade for the last five games. "Hopefully it makes you tougher, but you have to step up. This league is not very forgiving. Whether you're healthy or not, you have to come and play every game. You have 10 really good teams that you have to be ready for and get some consistency."
K-State has found the most consistency on defense this season, despite facing some struggles on offense. The Wildcats rank sixth in the country in scoring defense, allowing 58.9 points a game. In KenPom.com's adjusted defensive efficiency rankings, K-State sits at fifth.
"That's our identity, being a good defensive team," junior forward Makol Mawien said. "I know how good we are on offense. Shots just need to fall."
"We try not to let our offense dictate our defense. Shots don't fall in every game so, if we worry about shots falling, we're not going to play good on defense. I think we've done a great job of separating the two and really trying to put a lot on the defense," Brown added. "We're still trying to put a lot on our offense, but shots haven't been falling, but we're good players. We're not stressing right now. We're just getting in the gym extra. That's what you have to do. Get in the gym, watch film, be in there extra with the coaches, just hearing what they have to say."
Weber said in Tuesday's media availability that he thought his team started to put some positive stretches of offense together in the second half of Saturday's six-point loss at No. 11 Texas Tech. The Wildcats scored 38 of their 57 points in the final 20 minutes against the Red Raiders, which holds the nation's best adjusted defensive efficiency rating.
Brown said the difference between the two halves in Lubbock, Texas, can be broken down a lot of ways but ultimately defined by one statistic: Assists. K-State had only one in the first half. In the second, the Wildcats dished out eight assists on 13 made field goals.
"Ball movement, higher number of assists, shot selection, just making that extra pass, that extra play, pushing it in transition, reads, a lot of stuff goes into it," Brown said. "When you sit back and watch, there's just a lot of stuff that you see, especially myself that I could do better."
Which, Brown reiterated, has been his team's sole focus since Saturday.
"We're all on the same page right now, it's just trying to get on that winning page, in that winning column," he said. "We're all focused right now on trying to better ourselves on the court and learn as much as we can before each and every game."
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Colorado
Thursday, February 26
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Texas Tech
Sunday, February 22
K-State Men's Basketball | Haggerty and Johnson Historic Night vs Baylor
Thursday, February 19
K-State Men's Basketball | Interim Head Coach Driscoll Press Conference vs Baylor
Wednesday, February 18
