Kansas State vs. LaSalle March 22 Free Pick
The Explorers of LaSalle came out firing against Boise State and A-10 gets the best of Mountain West. LaSalle earns the right to play Kansas State in the 4/13 matchup. The number sits at either 5 or 5.5 here, depending on where you’re doing your shopping.
Free Pick
For LaSalle it begins and ends with Ramon Galloway. The Senior guard averaged 17 points a game and nearly 4
assists in the regular season to
lead the Explorers in both categories. Duren and Garland round out a quick, athletic and dangerous guard trio
that can fill it up quickly. The Explorers look to create turnovers early in possessions by pressuring the ball
handlers of the opposition and then get out in transition. LaSalle is still effective in the half court, where
they spread the floor to give plenty of driving lanes for Galloway and his backcourt mates. Steve Zack was hurt
at the end of the A-10 regular season and will not play here. LaSalle will miss his presence in the middle but
they have shown to be able to play a free-flowing style without him. This is a pretty good LaSalle team that
finished fourth in the Atlantic-10 (they beat just about everyone, including Butler and VCU). This should be a
test for Kansas State, but one that they are capable of passing.
It took me quite a while, but I am finally sold on this Kansas State team. It took a while for this team – I’m looking at you, Rodney McGruger – to get acclimated to Bruce Weber’s motion offense but it all came together for the ‘Cats in a season-shifting win over Florida in late December and they haven’t looked back. What I really like about K-State is that they don’t lose to teams they shouldn’t lose to. Look at their loses; there isn’t a bad one in the bunch. Michigan, Gonzaga, Kansas (three times, but they match up horribly with the Jayhawks) and at Oklahoma State in a game that either team could have won. In terms of a “loss resume,” the Wildcats have as impressive of a short-list as any team in the country. This team isn’t flashy on offense but they have some individual talent. Rodney McGruder is a legitimate number one option and Angel Rodriguez is so underrated at the point guard position with the ability to get into the lane. The biggest development for K-State is the blossoming of Junior swingman Shane Southwell. At 6’6” Southwell can be a zone-breaker and a much-needed third scoring option. I really like Thomas Gipson’s game and I’m surprised he didn’t have a better year in the Big-12. I look for him to make a bit of a name for himself in the NCAA Tournament and into his Junior year. Defensively, the Wildcats are stingy with great team defense and shot blockers Gipson and Jordan Henriquez in the middle. Rodriguez is tough applying pressure to the opponent’s point primary ball handler.
Disciplined, experienced and well coached on both ends of the floor. Kansas State is beginning to grow on me a bit late in the season. Hopefully they can survive and advance in this one.
Free Pick: Kansas State -5