K-State's road woes continue against No. 4 Texas

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 5, 2003 by Kevin Haskin Capital-Journal

By Kevin Haskin

The Capital-Journal

AUSTIN, Texas --- Kansas State discovered something worse than playing on the road.

Not getting back home right away.

An ice storm that wrecked northeast Kansas forced the Wildcats to divert their return trip through Kansas City after a 74-60 loss to No. 4 Texas in the Erwin Center.

The Cats may have left thinking any weather they encountered couldn't be as frightful as the Longhorns' imposing frontline, which commanded the boards with a 50-30 rebounding advantage.

"We were just overpowered in there," K-State coach Jim Wooldridge said after watching his team get manhandled into a sixth straight defeat. "That was the story of the game really. We just couldn't rebound with them. They were just too big and physical and bouncy."

James Thomas was all those things and more. The 6-foot-8 junior led everyone with 22 points and 15 rebounds.

The Longhorns, 21-5 overall and 12-3 in the Big 12, enjoyed a 21- 9 advantage on second-chance points --- an encouraging development for UT coach Rick Barnes, who shuffled players regularly with this the third game in seven days for his team.

"We really had some spring in our legs as far as getting to the glass, then we let up a little bit," Barnes said. "They made some pushes at us and we were able to hold them off, which is what we should be able to do by now."

Whatever concern Barnes had about his team's energy was eliminated at the outset. The Longhorns opened with eight unanswered points and scored on all but four of their first 16 possessions to grab a 17- point lead before 9 minutes had elapsed.

"We're playing the fourth-ranked team in the nation and you just can't do that and expect to win the game," said Matt Siebrandt, who led a balanced attack for K-State (12-16, 3-12) with 12 points, despite acquiring his fourth foul with 17:25 left.

"They're a big, physical team," Siebrandt added. "James Thomas is just a beast. He was all over the place."

As usual, K-State gamely fought back, only to watch Brandon Mouton get free in the corner with a trey at the halftime buzzer to give UT a 42-30 lead at the break. That, after the Cats had crawled within 37- 30 on a trey by Jarrett Hart just 46 seconds earlier.

K-State still lingered around in the second half, but two more 3- pointers by Mouton, at the 7:25 and 7:01 marks, boosted the Longhorns' lead to 67-51 and ensured a perfect (14-0) season at home.

"They made those 3s when we had it down to a range where we were still in it," Wooldridge said. "They're very, very tough."

By now, if there's one thing the Cats recognize on the road, it's a decisive blow. The loss was their 16th straight away from home in conference play (two seasons' worth) and the 23rd straight defeat on the floor of a ranked opponent.

"The hardest thing to do when you're trying to rebuild is winning on the road," Wooldridge said. "We don't know how to win on the road. We haven't experienced it enough to know, and probably don't have enough experience back year to year to think that we're going to come in and play exceptionally well on the road."

Fortunately for the Wildcats, their final regular-season contest will be played at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats play host to Iowa State at 7 p.m. Saturday.

After leading by as much as 16 points early in the game and 12 at halftime, the Wildcats dropped a 64-61 decision to the Cyclones on Feb. 22 at Ames.

See CATS, page 6D

Cats: Longhorns too strong in paint

No. 4 Texas 74, Kansas State 60

KANSAS STATE

_________________MIN___FG______FT_____R____A____T____F____TP

DeJesus__________37____3-8_____0-1____3____0____1____3_____8

Siebrandt________21____6-7_____0-0____1____1____0____4____12

Pasco____________29____5-11____1-3____3____0____0____4____11

Richards_________26____5-11____0-0____2____3____1____0____10

Hart_____________29____3-8_____2-3___10____2____3____1____ 9

Thomas____________6____0-2_____0-0____0____0____0____1____ 0

Buchanan_________11____2-3_____0-1____2____0____0____2____ 4

Ellis____________11____0-3_____0-0____2____0____2____0____ 0

Hayden___________16____3-5_____0-0____4____0____2____3____ 6

Canby____________14____0-0_____0-1____0____1____1____0____ 0

Team Totals____ 200 27-58____3-9 30____7 10 18____60

TEXAS

_________________MIN___FG______FT____R____A____T____F____TP

Buckman__________20____3-5____3-4____4____0____1____2____9

Thomas___________25____8-13___6-10__15____0____1____1___22

Mouton_________________5-14___0-2____4____2____1____3___13

Ford_____________35____3-10___4-4____3____8____1____1___11

Ivey_____________31____1-7____0-0____7____3____1____2____2

Paulino___________2____0-0____0-0____1____0____0____0____0

Harris___________11____2-5____0-0____1____0____1____0____5

Erskin____________8____0-2____2-2____4____0____1____0____2

Klotz____________14____1-3____1-2____2____0____0____1____3

Ross______________5____2-2____0-0____1____0____1____1____5

Gressett__________1____0-1____0-0____0____0____0____0____0

Boddicker________13____1-5____0-0____6____0____2____4____2

Ogden_____________4____0-0____0-0____0____0____0____1____0