One Bruce Weber quote explains K-State’s struggles and his own recruiting failures
When he first arrived as Kansas State’s men’s basketball coach, Bruce Weber relied on Rodney McGruder as his go-to player. Over time, that role shifted to Marcus Foster, Wesley Iwundu and Barry Brown. None of them were good enough to carry a team to victory, but they all had a knack for creating off the dribble and scoring in clutch situations.
Weber, now in his ninth season, isn’t sure who K-State’s next go-to player is or will be. He only knows that there isn’t one currently on the roster.
“We don’t have anybody right now that can just go make a play,” Weber said following a loss to Oklahoma earlier this week. “Not for themselves as much, but getting in the paint and making a play for somebody else. It’s not because they aren’t trying, we just don’t have that right now.”
It shows.
K-State has put itself in a position to beat, or at least compete with, the past five teams on its schedule. But the Wildcats lost all five of those games because of an inability to make clutch plays.
First, they squandered some late possessions during a 67-60 loss to TCU when victory was within reach. Then they let Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas and Oklahoma blow past them for lopsided victories despite starting strong in each of those contests.
Tuesday’s loss at Oklahoma was perhaps the most painful of the group, because K-State played terrific in the opening 14 minutes and led 22-17. But that didn’t stop the Sooners from taking a 32-24 halftime lead as the Wildcats panicked and missed eight of their next nine shots.
Oklahoma dominated from then on. Perhaps a driving basket from senior guard Mike McGuirl, a three-pointer from freshman Selton Miguel or a dunk from sophomore guard DaJuan Gordon would have prevented such a massive swing of momentum. But none of those baskets ever came. Instead, K-State hoisted low-percentage shots and failed to stop the bleeding.
“We have got to have somebody who, when we get late in the shot clock, can make that big play,” Weber said, “and help us.”
That is where the Wildcats miss a player like Brown the most. He was never a true point guard for K-State, but he demanded the ball down the stretch of close games and found creative ways to get open looks for himself, Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade.
McGuirl has the mentality of a “bucket-getter,” but his execution has been wildly inconsistent. He is shooting 36% from the field and averaging 3.5 assists compared to 2.1 turnovers per game. He only scored three points on nine shots against the Sooners.
Gordon also tried to make big plays and took 14 shots. But he only made six of them.
Overall, Oklahoma and its average defense held K-State to an unsightly 50 points, its lowest output of the season.
Nijel Pack and Selton Miguel have made a few big shots for the Wildcats this season, including a game-winner from Miguel against Omaha, but they are both only freshmen.
Miguel also needs to develop his left hand as both a dribbler and scorer. Pack is more a pure shooter than a creater, and he has missed the past three games in Covid protocol.
K-State has been held back by an injured roster this season, especially in its past three games. Tuesday was the first time it has had 10 scholarship players available in weeks. But even if the team was at full strength its lack of a clutch player shows that it would still be an inexperienced and flawed group.
The most discouraging part of K-State’s search for a go-to player is that it has been going on for quite some time. Weber said similar things last year, even with Cartier Diarra and Xavier Sneed as upperclassmen.
Some have accused Weber of blaming his players when he has pointed out the Wildcats’ lack of a go-to scorer, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. He has commended them for their effort and positive attitudes at every turn.
If anything, it shines an ugly light on his inability to recruit a go-to player. It’s been two years since Brown stepped off campus after helping K-State share a Big 12 championship. That’s more than enough time to find and develop another dynamic scorer. He has simply been unable to do so.
This story was originally published January 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "One Bruce Weber quote explains K-State’s struggles and his own recruiting failures."