MANHATTAN, Kan. Who is the best perimeter defender on Kansas State&#x92;s basketball team?</p><p>In past years, K-State coach Frank Martin needed little time to answer. Dominique Sutton was considered a defensive specialist during his three seasons with the Wildcats, and Jacob Pullen developed into one of the best defenders in the country as a senior. Martin didn&#x92;t even have to think about it.</p><p>But when you ask that question today, Martin isn&#x92;t sure what to say.</p><p>&#x93;We haven&#x92;t had one in a while,&#x94; Martin said. &#x93;Our defense has slipped so much. I don&#x92;t know. We&#x92;re trying to redefine that right now.&#x94;</p><p>Until the Wildcats establish a go-to player on defense, and figure out how to get stops on a more consistent basis, the struggles they have experienced in recent games will likely continue. K-State, 12-4 overall, 1-3 in the Big 12, is off to a slow start in conference play mostly because of poor defensive efforts. </p><p>In its four Big 12 games, K-State has allowed its opponents to make a conference-worst 46.9 percent of their shots.</p><p>Changing that number is one of Martin&#x92;s top priorities heading into an 8 p.m. game tonight against Texas at Bramlage Coliseum.</p><p>&#x93;It better change, or we won&#x92;t win,&#x94; Martin said. &#x93;Not only against Texas, but down the road against whoever else is on our schedule. Perimeter defense is where it starts. Our perimeter defense has not been good.&#x94;</p><p>So how do the Wildcats go about improving? It&#x92;s a difficult process that won&#x92;t be made any easier by the Longhorns&#x92; backcourt, which is led by J&#x92;Covan Brown. Brown, a junior guard, leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.1 points per game and is coming off a 34-point game against Missouri. He has scored more than 20 points in eight games and eclipsed the 30-point mark twice. </p><p>&#x93;He&#x92;s one of the best guards in the league, and he can score in a variety of ways,&#x94; K-State guard Jeremy Jones said. &#x93;We need to know what he does. He likes to go left, things like that.&#x94;</p><p>Improvement could be as simple as turning back the clock.</p><p>&#x93;This team doesn&#x92;t have to reinvent itself,&#x94; Martin said. &#x93;We just have to grasp reality and remember who we were when the season started.&#x94;</p><p>It wouldn&#x92;t hurt to have someone leading the way on the defense, though.</p><p>Sophomore guard Will Spradling has seen his teammates produce flashes of greatness on that side of the ball. It&#x92;s just a matter of players like Martavious Irving, Angel Rodriguez and himself producing on a more consistent basis.</p><p>&#x93;I feel like Martavious is (our best defender) when he wants to be,&#x94; Spradling said, &#x93;but there have been some games where he just hasn&#x92;t done a good job of it. Angel can be a great on-the-ball defender, too. I feel like I&#x92;ve been doing a good job.&#x94;</p><p>Rodney McGruder has also provided valuable defensive intensity at times. When pressed, Martin said McGruder has been K-State&#x92;s most consistent defender. But Matin has not been thrilled with any of his players. </p><p>&#x93;When somebody gets hot it&#x92;s hard to get them cold,&#x94; Spradling said. &#x93;We normally don&#x92;t let players get hot. That&#x92;s something we can&#x92;t let happen, especially against J&#x92;Covan Brown. If he gets hot, he&#x92;s going to be tough to stop. We&#x92;ll be ready. We&#x92;ll bring the intensity we need.&#x94;