K-State and Xavier play a classic
Kansas State's Jacob Pullen
When they were filling out their brackets, most people probably couldn’t have named three players from either team, but Xavier and Kansas State just played the best game of the NCAA Tournament.
It was close the entire way, and with six minutes to go in the second half you knew it was just getting real serious when Jordan Crawford hit a three that pulled Xavier within one and Gus Johnson had one of his trademark Gus-gasms (“OH! Ha-haaaaa!”). For all of crunch-time you basically had Xavier guards Crawford and Terrell Holloway trading clutch buckets with K-State’s backcourt of Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. Plus some Curtis Kelly (21 pts, 9 rebs) thrown in for the Wildcats and Jason Love (11 pts, 15 rebs) taking care of the board work for the Musketeers.
Pullen (28 pts 6 threes) pulled up and drained a three with 23 seconds left in the second half to break a tie, followed by an Xavier bucket inside. Pullen hit two free throws to make it a three-point game, and then Holloway came down and — taking a page from Chris Paul‘s playbook — threw up a long three as soon as he felt somebody from K-State foul him. So instead of shooting two, he was now shooting three, and with five seconds left he displayed Sam Cassell onions and made them all. Pullen missed a three at the buzzer, and it went to overtime.
With less than a minute to go in OT, Holloway hit a huge three to tie it, but then Pullen found a lane to the basket to put the Wildcats up two. Holloway missed a three on the other end — not one he had to take, but the kid was obviously feeling it — and little-used Chris Merriewether was sent to the line for K-State. He made them both. But then Crawford (32 pts) launched a shot from Dan Majerle range and dropped it, tying it back up. After a Clemente miss, it was double overtime.
With their bigs starting to foul out, it seemed K-State was running out of gas in the second OT — “Who’s in shape?” Gus screamed — but Pullen knocked down a trey with one minute left to give them a one-point lead. Crawford pulled another shot from Thunder Dan’s area code that rattled out, but Love got the rebound and was fouled, splitting the pair. Wildcats ball, tied up, and Pullen hit ANOTHER monster three to cement my man-crush on him, and more importantly, put his team ahead. Holloway (26 pts) and Pullen exchanged free throws to keep the margin at three, and then Xavier’s Dante Jackson got a wide-open look at a triple but came up way short. Clemente (25 pts) added some FT’s to essentially ice it. AMAZING game.
* Crawford needs to go pro. Right now. Just go. Your stock will never be higher.
* Clemente has a little Tony Parker in his game. That move late in the second half where he split a double-team and dropped in a floater (“That’s a BASKETBALL PLAYER right there!” said Len Elmore) was a straight pro move.
* It’s easy to make fun of UConn for letting Curtis Kelly walk away as a transfer, but keep in mind he was getting almost zero playing time behind Jeff Adrien at the four and was understandably lost in the shuffle. It made sense that he’d want to transfer, and not many people saw him being this good.
* Kentucky held onto their lead and ended Cornell’s miracle run. DeMarcus Cousins led the way with 16 points, 7 boards and 4 steals; Eric Bledsoe scored 12 points; John Wall had 8 points, 7 boards and 8 assists; and Patrick Patterson had 12 rebounds and 3 blocks. Louis Dale led Cornell with 17 points.
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March 26th, 2010 at 12:45 am
Chicagorilla says:
INSTANT CLASSIC BABY! My homie Jacob Pullen held it down for Chicago and Maywood, he and Climente was a sick Duo like Red & Meth! Kelly was looking like a Paul Millsap clone on the block. And whatelse can you say about Jordan Crawford. dude just played himself into the lottery with that game. Crawford was shooting faces off like his life depended on it. Holloway looked like an all-world PG. This is what I watch college ball for. March Maddness baby in full effect. INSTANT CLASSIC.
March 26th, 2010 at 12:50 am
Chicagorilla says:
Oh and something that will be overlooked is that both coaches had great games. The chess match was very well fought out. And those kids at KState ran those plays to perfection. and Xavier’s coach was smart enough to let Crawford and Holloway do their thing but still keep the big guy involved. AMAZING GAME. Now I know how Vitale feels.
March 26th, 2010 at 12:50 am
SkyGriever says:
EPIC game. Congrats to K-State (specially my boy Clemente, way to rock the #21) and to Xavier thanks for giving us this awesome game. Now on to Butler!
March 26th, 2010 at 12:56 am
quest??? says:
CLEMENTEEEE!!!!! REPRESENTING PUERTO RICO BABYYY!!!!
March 26th, 2010 at 8:35 am
RC says:
This game is bananas!!! could have gone either way. Crawford is a beast! Good final attempt for a three from Xavier, can’t blame the dude for not having much arc on the shot because of fatigue (double OT is killer). Now this is why I watch March Madness.
March 26th, 2010 at 10:56 am
eyes says:
Holloway’s FT % along with poise is very uncommon in today’s for a young pg. Very underrated due to his conference. Has Big East guard written all over him.
Curtis Kelly defense & potential is N.B.A. ready. He just got a bad rap for leaving a H.O.F. coach. It’s a fraternity remember. He was the biggest X factor in last night’s game
Clemente is craftyyyyyyyyyyyy. Miami how do you let a kid like this transfer? This is what happens with short rotations. Players no matter class need to play if they can. With a chance/oppurtinity people will usually thrive. Lots of coaches ruin players careers & confidence. If you recruit them they should play. PERIOD. Upperclassmen/Underclassmen. It’s all basketball & the best players should play. It’s quite obvious mistakes are made every year. Politics & swithching of coaches also make it hard for players to get a fair shake.
March 26th, 2010 at 11:21 am
eyes says:
*Also your asterik is the problem & why UConn is lacking talent now. Sometimes a coach should adjust to benefit a player. Great coaches realize that & make the change the benefit the team. Most coaches are trying to pad their resume & figure I’ll find another one. You’ve failed the kid & program. Kids speak & players realize where the best chance to succeed at the next level rests. Networks & connections are everything. From Boosters,Coaches,Agents,Scouts etc. If you know someone you will get a look or shot. If your an unbelievable talent & no one knows you. You might as well get ready for overseas or make use of your degree.
Lastly tell me why St.Johns couldn’t have had Holloway Lance Stephenson,Mike Glover,Jarrid Famous,Lamont Jones
& Dexter Strickland. They missed out on Corey Fisher. That team could do damage & restore the Johnnies back to prominence. The whole roster could have went 1st round depending on the chemistry or run. Just who would be the coach to help build & gel a great program.
The trend of not being able to keep Erik Barkley & Omar Cook in the league hurt. Marcus Hatten & Daryll Hill after the #’s and career they had to not enough get a sniff on the draft board or summer league stung. Mason Jr & Justin Burrell being pro prospects before enrolling. While dropping completeley of the D League radar LOL due to lack of coaching & winning. Hurts future recruits. What can you show them. How many young players could remember Mark Jackson & Chris Mullin. How many parents don’t understand Ron Artest & thing St. Johns contributed to both his & Jason Williams craziness. Who remembers Lou Carnesseca.
It hurts to see all the NY representation not representing our city itself. The Knicks/St.Johns/Nets/
Seton Hall/Rutgers have no excuse for being this bad. Too much talent not enough competent people to make it happen. Rod Strickland should be a candidate for the St.Johns job. Even Bob Mckillop.
Danny Hurley from St Benedict’s should get that Seton Hall job & nobody else. The Hurley family is partly NJ baksetball.
March 26th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Gerard says:
If Clemente can make it why can’t Guiellermo Diaz? When those two were at Miami Diaz was the business. Neither could speak English very well and Clemente got in mad trouble, but Diaz was incredible. I think he’s balling in the Ukraine now, but I would love to see a where are they now piece on him.
March 26th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
eyes says:
G.Diaz & Robert Hite were tough. Guiellermo Diaz spells Antonio Daniels with basketball skills. He should be playing in the N.B.A. along with Deron Washington from VT. So much talent across the water that teams need. Why & What’s the problem. Some bums in the league couldn’t even fair well overseas. He would give Grevais Vasques 50 in the flow of the game. He was big & athletic like Corey Maggette with PG skills. Crazy & a shame he didn’t make it.
Rick Apodoca & the Greer brothers were also sorely missed in the N.B.A. Jeff from Rutgers & the one from Pitt i think Ricardo. They were tough & very skilled.
I actually hope K-State goes all the way. They’re deep enough to make that run. Bob Huggins & Michael Bealsey put KState on the map. That’s how you build a program. Calling out St.Johns.
March 26th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
quest??? says:
the problem with diaz is that he is too small, he is a sg. However he is a freakish athlete. Rick Apodaca is alright, he can not dominate the Puerto Rican league so I really can not see him being in the NBA.