Check out reactions from Richard Smith and Bruce Haertl tonight on the late show once the final round of games have been completed. We'll have plenty more over the airwaves during the next two days, and right here at KWCH.com. Thanks for scrolling.
3:01 2nd Half - K-STATE 72, USC 60
Taj Gibson picks up his fifth foul on a very questionable call. Looked like the refs tagged the wrong guy for contact on Beasley. Turns out they did. Call is reversed and Gibson stays. In a show of further mercy, Beasley misses both free throws.
Pullen takes it strong again, hitting the shot and drawing contact. Why he can't play this aggressively every game I'll never know, but what a difference it makes. Seems like an unusually large number of three point plays, but some of that might have to do with the quick whistle we're seeing from the officials. Cats briefly by 8.
Walker hits a trey. Anderson comes back with another big bucket. Lead is up to 11.
Davon Jefferson answers for USC with an easy look inside. K-State never wavers. Beasley drops another dagger from three, and suddenly KSU has its biggest lead of the night. Three more minutes!
We're scoreboard watching a little. #15 Belmont is up one on Duke with 2:02 to go. After a morning that featured zero upsets and several blowouts, we're looking at a little turmoil in the night session.
7:37 2nd Half - K-STATE 61, USC 54
Bill Walker picks up his third foul. Beasley sits. USC a chance to take the lead but can't convert. Davon Jefferson is called for his fourth, whacking Ron Anderson from behind. The Cats are already in the bonus, but Anderson misses his free throw. USC will shoot freebies after the next K-State foul.
Pullen goes to the line and misses the front end of his one and one. He and Anderson are both getting the Frank Martin crazy eyes during the next time out. Bank on it. Clent Stewart steps up and hits a trey. Cats by 4.
Pullen pulls up off the dribble and swishes a 10-footer. Anderson swoops in and puts back a miss for two more. All is forgiven, guys! Cats by 8.
Beasley has 16 now (11 so far in the second). Walker hasn't scored at all in the second. Jacob Pullen and Ron Anderson each have eight for the Cats. OJ Mayo leads the Trojans with 15.
11:54 2nd Half - K-STATE 54, USC 50
Another three-point play for Beasley. He actually leads the nation in those. Probably. I don't know if they really keep that stat or not.
Foul situation update:
KSU:
Beasley - 3
Young - 3
Kent - 3
Walker - 2
USC:
Wilkinson - 4
Gibson - 4
Jefferson - 3
USC three cuts it to two. Closest USC has been since very early. Darren Kent with the flush on a pretty cut. Davon Jefferson goes backdoor and puts it in off the window despite a bump from Kent. DK, by the way, joins the three-foul club. It will be interesting to see who actually finishes this thing.
Mayo flashes some quickness, taking a steal in for a tough two... that's because he gets hammered in the open court and still somehow sneaks it over the rim. Another three-point play. USC has the lead!
Beasley knocks down a pair of free throws to put KSU back up one. 49-48. Trading buckets now. Beasley posts and hits on a turnaround, despite being completely off balance. Great body control. Basket and the foul. Cats by 4.
15:51 2nd Half - K-STATE 42, USC 38
*Beasley picks up his third on an and-one putback from Davon Jefferson exactly 32 seconds into the second half. Ouch. Frank Martin is pulling out all the stops, though, leaving Beasley on the floor.
*Walker picks up his second foul on the other end on a charge. Mayo drills a three, and suddenly we haver a six point game. Again... Ouch. Walker jumps up and slams the rim in disgust after another K-State miss. Funny, I do the exact same thing during pick-up games when I'm mad.
