Frank Martin Finally Appears to be Getting His Young Wildcats on Track.

After nearly a decade of mediocrity under the likes of Tom Asbury and the slightly more adept Jim Wooldridge, Bob Huggins put Kansas State basketball back on the map by landing the number one recruiting class in the nation.

While Kansas State's success was largely due to the work of Huggins' assistants, Dalonte Hill and future head coach Frank Martin, Huggins’ name helped land the likes of Michael Beasley, Bill Walker, and Dominique Sutton.

When Huggins jumped ship to take the head coaching job at his alma mater, Frank Martin received the opportunity to prove himself as a first-time head coach. Wildcat fans were thrilled to hear that the recruiting class they had been waiting for would remain intact, but there were major questions about the coaching ability of Frank Martin.

Throughout the first few games of the season, during which the Wildcats struggled against teams like Pittsburg State and Western Illinois, it appeared that Frank Martin was having difficulty reigning in his amazingly talented squad.

Over the course of a month, the ‘Cats dropped a heartbreaker to Oregon, lost to Notre Dame in the Jimmy V. Classic and were run out of town by Xavier. Wildcat fans were beginning to think that Frank Martin simply could not get his team to play as just that, a team.

However, after routing University of Cincinnati, Kansas State turned around and set two NCAA records in an 85-25 shellacking of Savannah State one week later. The Tigers’ 4.35 field goal percentage was the lowest since the introduction of the shot clock in 1986.

In addition, the four points allowed by the Wildcats in the second half was an NCAA record, and the Tigers’ lone field goal tied the record for fewest in a half of basketball. One point is all that separated Frank Martin’s boys from the record for largest margin of victory.

After starting 3-0 for the first time ever in Big 12 play with impressive wins on the road at Oklahoma and Colorado, then at home against then-ninth ranked Texas A&M, it appears that Frank Martin has found a formula that works for his young team and young coaching career.

With back-to-back home games against Iowa State and rival Kansas, the Wildcats have the opportunity to head into the Sunflower Showdown with an impressive 4-0 conference record. With the addition of guard Dominique Sutton, the ‘Cats have more talent depth than they have had since the days of Jack Hartman or Lon Kruger.

The expectations in Manhattan are high for both Frank Martin and his boys, all of whom appear to be thriving on the energy that has once again begun to flow around this storied program.

If this young Wildcat team can continue to defend its home court as well as it has so far this season - going 8-1 so far - and pick up another road win or two in one of the toughest conferences in the country, they will be able to compete with any team in the nation.

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