Another year, another ugly baby

The warm weather this past weekend was a nice reprieve from the bitter cold the past few weeks. Made me think about golf, which then got me to thinking ...

-With all due respect to The Masters ...

- The mental fornication — a term, I believe, Kansas City Star columnist Sam Mellinger once used, and it applies here — K-State annually takes at Allen Fieldhouse is a tradition unlike any other.

- And, it bore another ugly baby this past weekend.

- In the first 20 minutes, the Kansas Jayhawks played what likely will be their best half of basketball this season, statistically.

- K-State wasn't bad, sort of like an almost flat tire, but the Jayhawks were phenomenal and drove KSU into the ground.

- Ask Marcus Foster, who had better get really used to being the focus of defensive scouting reports.

- He has no help outside.

- Last year, Shane Southwell shot .436 from 3-pt range. He's at .283 this year, which falls in line with his freshman (.273) and sophomore (.240) outputs.

- Despite his 3-pointers missing everything, or perhaps hitting the side of the backboard against KU, Will Spradling is still slightly better than Southwell, at .304, from range this year. That percentage is the worst in his career — FR (.370), SO (.331), JR (.359).

- So yeah, it has to be about you, Marcus.

- And, it has to be about defense, which the Wildcats seemingly forgot on Saturday.

- Double-teaming the post is a fine idea, but only if the weak-side help remembers to drop and fill the lane.

- The latest Andrew Wiggins poster should plainly demonstrate what happens if said help forgets or is late.

- That was just one occasion.

- Talent disparity is one thing. So, too, are expectations and depth.

- But, at least give yourself a chance.

- Tyler Hughes, Dramane Diarra, David Hoskins, Mario Taybron, Akeem Wright and the rest of that group understood that; even if they weren't a great team.

- After K-State's 59-55 win at AFH in 2006, the average score: Kansas 85, Kansas St. Wildcats 64.6.

- That's not just about talent.

- Oh well, on to the Oklahoma Sooners, which will be raring to go after knocking off the previously unbeaten Iowa St. Cyclones.

- Lon Kruger's guys looked good doing it, too.

- The sizable number of empty chairs in Norman appreciated it, I'm sure.

- Wonder if Bramlage Coliseum will be full on Tuesday.

- In today's general fickle fan climate — which factors in game dates, times, entertainment, comfort, mood, prices and home theater setups — it's hard to tell from game to game how many folks want to make the trip.