Take it and run, K-State

Oh, nothing... just marveling at K-State's defensive numbers (again) in a Big 12 Conference that, at the beginning of the week, led all conferences nationally in combined scoring averages at 77.0 ppg. (More on defense later ...)

- Call that Kansas St. Wildcats performance against the Texas Tech Red Raiders what you want ...

- ... but don't call it a loss.

- K-State has played better all-around in recent games that didn't result in wins, and I think I know which result fans would rather have.

- Or, I'd hope so anyways.

- Tuesday night was a good reminder of how thin a line the Wildcats walk offensively.

- While the schedule can be cruel in Big 12 play, it did the Cats a favor with Tech in town on a night when Marcus Foster and Shane Southwell combine to go 2-of-15 from the floor and 0-of-8 from 3-pt range.

- It bears watching if Foster, who has scored 8 (Texas), 20 (Iowa St.) and 2 (Texas Tech) points in his last three games, is starting to hit that freshman wall; part of which involves solid defensive teams working a youngster who hasn't had time yet to learn the true art of constantly working to get open and hit shots.

- All that does is make Foster normal.

- Rodney McGruder (and thousands of kids before them) went through the same thing.

- Doesn't make it any easier to watch on a tough night.

- Overall, after shooting 33-of-80 from 3-pt range in its previous four games prior to Tuesday, KSU was just 3-of-20 from long range against the Red Raiders.

- Take time now to thank Will Spradling and his season-high 17 points.

- Sprads is 9-of-20 (.450) from beyond the arc in his last four games.

- As for the defense ...

- While some coaches scream and yell their way into their team having a defensive, tough mystique, others just flat coach up their players.

- Jordan Tolbert's zero-point, no offensive rebound night can vouch.

- As of games through Jan. 26, K-State was 19th in the nation in scoring defense (61.3 ppg). That's just a tick higher than last year's 60.4 ppg, which ranked 36th.

- Comparatively, it suggests while other schools are allowing more points this year, KSU has remained pretty solid.

- Those ppg averages rank first and second in KSU's recent history dating back to the 2001-02 season.

- While other factors play a part — things like tempo affecting average possessions in a game, specifically — it's safe to say this staff knows its defense.

- Now, it's on to Morgantown, where teams are shooting 44.3 percent (40.8 from deep) this year.

- Texas Tech went 12-of-19 from 3 at WVU Coliseum last week (and lost).

- If K-State lights it up and gets its recent shooting groove back ... (wait ... where's this going?) ..., would that make ... (NO! DON'T DO IT!) ..., Bob Huggins ... a slumpbuster?

- I'll go throw up now.