Pullen Pours in 38; Wildcats Dump #1 Kansas

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, February 14, 2011

On Monday, the Kansas Jayhawks received the #1 ranking in the national polls. Before the day was over, however, Jacob Pullen and the Kansas State Wildcats sent a message to their in-state rivals that rankings are fleeting things and must constantly be earned.

Pullen scored a career high 38 points in the Wildcats' stunning 84-68 upset win over the Jayhawks. Perhaps it was not only Pullen's performance, but how poorly Kansas executed on both sides of the floor that cost them not only the game, but surely their short-lived top ranking.

The shortcomings by Kansas were obvious. They were outrebounded, 29-23, outshot, 56% to 44%, and outplayed. They had 11 assists to Kansas State's 16.

Pullen, who had been previously widely criticized for his spotty, inconsistent play, was focused on beating Kansas, and so were his teammates. Led by the senior guard's 38 points on 9-for-17 shooting (5-for-6 3-pointers and 15 of 19 from the line), the Wildcats built an early lead and opened it up to double digits in the second half.

With seven minutes remaining, the contest had turned into a laugher. Kansas coach Bill Self pulled both of the Morris twins and other starters played sparingly down the stretch. The final minutes prior to the crowd rushing the court were perfunctory. Unranked Kansas State had finally found he winning formula and there would be a new #1 team in a week.

Pullen Returns, Scores 24 in K-State Victory

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, January 3, 2011

Jacob Pullen returned to the Kansas State lineup after a three-game suspension and lit up little Savannah State for 24 points on Monday night, leading the Wildcats to a 92-61 rout and their 12th victory against three losses.

The 17th-ranked Wildcats felt Pullen's absence in the first game he missed, a 63-59 loss to UNLV, but rebounded with easy wins over the University of Missouri Kansas City Kangaroos and North Florida.

Pullen, seemingly no worse off for the time he missed, nailed 9-of-11 shots, including 4-of-6 three-pointers, grabbed 3 rebounds and handed off 5 assists.

Pullen and teammate Curtis Kelly were suspended for recieving free clothing from a local store. Kelly is still suspended and not eligible to return until January 15.

A 6'8" senior, Kelly was averaging 10.3 points and 4 rebounds per contest, numbers that the Wildcats hope to replace with other players, but they were happy to have Pullen, their leading scorer, back in time for the start of Big 12 play, which begins - for the Wildcats - on January 8 at Oklahoma State. Kansas State hosts Colorado on the 12th and Texas Tech on the 15th, when Kelly is expected to return.

NOTABLE: Dick Vitale has been a vocal supporter of "the Johnnies," St. John's Red Storm, and that faith was validated with a 61-58 victory over #13 Georgetown Monday night. The Red Storm's Dwight Hardy led the way with 20 points. St. John's is 3-0 against Big East foes and 10-3 overall.

The Big East has seven teams in the most recent AP poll, as unbeaten Cincinnati replaced Louisville near the bottom of the Top 25, at #22. The Cardinals fell out after dropping a 78-63 decision to Kentucky on New Year's Eve.

Pullen Scores 28, Delivers in 2OT for Wildcats

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, March 25, 2010

After scoring 34 points in the Wildcats' 84-72 win over BYU, there just didn't seem to be a need for Jacob Pullen to deliver an encore, but, forced into double overtime on Thursday night against Xavier, Pullen delivered a crucial pair of treys in the second extra period that lifted K-State to a 101-96 win and a date with Bulter in the Elite Eight.

Pullen finished with 28 points on 9 of 20 shooting, canning 6 of the 12 three-point attempts he hoisted up in his 40 minutes of floor time. Though Jordan Crawford of Xavier outscored everybody, with 32 points, Pullen made the key shots when they counted, aided by 25 points from back court mate Denis Clemente. Pullen, who goes just 6'0", managed to snatch himself 4 rebounds and dish 4 assists, both above his seasonal averages.

Kansas State will be in search of its 30th win against 7 losses when it meets Butler on Saturday. The winner will advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Pullen's Career-Best 34 Was Also Day's Best

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, March 20, 2010

There were a number of big efforts and big moments on Saturday, including Ali Farokhmanesh's stunning 3-pointer that helped Northern Iowa bury Kansas, and Omar Samhan's 32 points which led the way for the St. Mary's Gaels to overwhelm Villanova, another shocker.

The day's best, however, occurred in the final game of the day, as Kansas State soared past BYU, 84-72, thanks to the career-high 34 points from Jacob Pullen.

Pullen, who has scored in double figures in every one of K-State's 35 games this season, absolutely blistered the Cougars hitting 7 of 11 3-pointers, 8 of 15 overall and all 11 of his free throws.

Pullen Leads Kansas State to 13-1 Record

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, January 3, 2010

How deep into the March NCAA tournament will Kansas State go this year? The Wildcats have been to the final four four times, but not since 1964, when they lost to UCLA 90-84 in the semi-finals. Last season, they didn't even receive an invitation and lost in the second round to San Diego State.

Prospects seem better this season, though the Wildcats are chasing two powerhouses within their own confernece: Texas and Kansas. But, after topping South Dakota, 91-69, on Sunday, the #12 Wildcats are 13-1 and appear ready to take on all comers in the Big 12.

Led By junior guard Jacob Pullen, the Wildcats have become an offensive machine, routinely scoring in the 80s or 90s. In Sunday's win, Pullen topped the scoring parade with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including 6 of 10 bombs from 3-point land. Pullen has tallied in double figures in every game this season and leads the team in scoring and steals.

Kansas State begins conference play on January 9 at Missouri, which should provide a glimpse of their ability because the Mizzou are also contenders, at 11-3. Their true tests will come later in the month when they host Texas (Jan. 18) and Kansas (Jan. 30).