Kansas State's tourney run ends

I know this likely won't sit well with my Kansas State friends but today's West Regional Final was the worst played regional championship game I've seen in quite some time. And, seriously, it wasn't like this was some sort of defensive battle--teams were not making open looks and Butler, in particular, had at least 10 unforced errors.

Take a look at the statistics:

- Butler had 20 turnovers yet still won.

- KSU shot 38.6% from the field and only 50% from the free throw line.

- The Wildcats scored 56 points--their lowest point total of the season.

Kansas State, not surprisingly, battled back in the second half and actually took a one point lead late in the game. Inexplicably, KSU head coach Frank Martin never called a timeout down the stretch at a time when his team needed to be settled and could have used the rest. And, it was apparent throughout the game that the double overtime victory on Thursday night had physically sapped the Wildcats.

It was a terrific tournament run by State but their number of Final Four appearances still stands at four, and none in the modern era. Look for KSU to be a top 20 selection in the pre-season next year given the expected return of Curtis Kelly, Jacob Pullen, Dominique Sutton and Jamar Samuels.