Loyola is sure to test K-State’s strong D

The Associated Press

ATLANTA» Kansas State has been an afterthought through the NCAA Tournament — until now.

Even in the South Region, where the top four seeds were bounced out on the first weekend — a first for the NCAA Tournament — no one was really talking about these Wildcats.

There were those Wildcats from Kentucky, which Kansas State sent home; the comeback kids from Nevada; and, of course, the feel-good story of the tournament, Loyola Chicago.

“We played with a chip on our shoulder throughout the whole season, just trying to prove people wrong,” said Kansas State guard Kamau Stokes. “And I feel like we’re showing them.”

The ninth-seeded Wildcats are indeed making a point. And so is their Saturday night opponent, No. 11 Loyola.

It is an unlikely pairing to play for a Final Four berth.

No. 9 vs. No. 11 in the Elite Eight, another NCAA Tournament first.

But then again, perhaps Kansas State’s path to the regional final should not be seen as a surprise. The Wildcats have brought back-alley toughness to the Elite Eight. They don’t back down.

They are winning with consistently strong defense that is proving to be the equalizer against higher seeds.

“I don’t feel like anyone should pay attention to seeds because they are just opinions, you know? Opinions,” Stokes said. “The top 25 is all opinions and then of course you have to win to get to this tournament. So, once you get here, it’s like seeds don’t matter at this point.”

Kansas State’s opponents can’t win if they can’t score, and the Wildcats (25-11) have held seven straight teams below 59 points. The latest demonstration of Kansas State’s defensive prowess came in Thursday night’s 61-58 win over Kentucky, which was held to a season scoring low.

Loyola (31-5) has won its three NCAA Tournament games by a combined four points.

In each NCAA win, the Ramblers found a different player to deliver the big shot in the closing seconds. In Thursday night’s 69-68 win over Nevada, only 6.3 seconds remained in the game when Marques Townes barely beat the shot clock with his crucial 3-pointer.

Kansas State will play for its first Final Four berth since 1964.