Lack of scoring, not effort, sends Kansas State basketball to another disappointing loss

Once again, Jerome Tang praised his Kansas State basketball team for its effort. But also, for the seventh time in the last eight games, he was left trying to dissect another Wildcat loss.

"I see a team that's getting better. I see a grit and a resilience about them," Tang said after the Wildcats suffered their third straight setback and sixth in a row on the road, 62-56, Monday night against Texas at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. "I'm so proud of the effort.

"When you hold a team to 55 points — we had to foul at the end … When you hold a team to 55 points, that means your players gave you an effort that was worthy of a W, and we as a staff have got to do a better job of giving them some more help."

Defense was not the issue for the Wildcats, who fell to 15-11 overall and 5-8 in the Big 12. They held Texas (17-9, 6-7) to 36.2% shooting, including 3 of 19 from 3-point range and never let the Longhorns get into a rhythm.

The Wildcats' problem remained at the other end, where they looked lost at times, especially during a prolonged second-half scoring drought that allowed Texas to gain separation.

Related: Kansas State basketball guard Tylor Perry finds a way, even when 3-pointers don't fall

"We have stretches in games where we don't get good looks, and we have to correct that," said Tang, who watched the Wildcats shoot 35.7%, turn the ball over 13 times and continuing to struggle from the 3-point line with a 5-for-19 performance. "But the effort, the resilience, the toughness of our team, I'm so proud of them. I'm so thankful to be their coach."

So just what is lacking on offense? Tang and forwards Arthur Kaluma and David N'Guessan agreed that the answer is simple — literally.

"We have to do the simple things better," Tang said matter-of-factly.

Kaluma, who came back from a horrendous start to score 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half, elaborated a little.

"Just do the simple things better," he said. "We've got to be able to make passes and catch passes."

N'Guessan, who came off the bench to add 12 points and seven rebounds, concurred.

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"I agree with what Art said. Do the simple things," he said. "Take care of the ball."

To be fair, the 13 turnovers came in below K-State's season average. But two of them came during a pivotal seven-point Texas run in the second half.

N'Guessan scored on a nifty lob pass from center Will McNair to cut the Longhorns' lead to 33-31 with 14:24 left. But the Wildcats did not score for the next 3 1/2 minutes, allowing Texas to open a 40-31 lead before Tylor Perry's 3-pointer ended the dry spell.

K-State made another run late after Texas took its biggest lead, 54-42, with 3:21 to go on two Chendall Weaver free throws following a flagrant foul that got guard Dai Dai Ames ejected.

A Kaluma four-point play — he was fouled on a made 3-pointer — started a 10-2 spurt in which Cam Carter's two free throws at 50.3 seconds cut it to 56-52. But that was as close as it got, as Dylan Disu scored Texas' final six points on four free throws and a dunk.

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K-State's lack of consistency on offense can again be traced to its big three of Carter, Perry and Kaluma, who have seldom come up big in the same game. Kaluma's 17 points came on 5 of 17 shooting, while Perry was 5-for-13 with three 3-pointers and 13 points, and Carter's recent slump continued as he shot just 2-for-10 from the floor.

"It's nice to have three options and we're struggling to find a third one," Tang said. "Not for a lack of effort. Shots just aren't going in.

"Cam Carter has been our leading scorer all year long, and in a little struggle right now, but he's working."

With their NCAA Tournament hopes dwindling, the Wildcats will need more than effort over their last five regular-season games to get over the hump. They have a chance in the next week with home games against Brigham Young at 1 p.m. Saturday and then another Monday contest with West Virginia.Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball's scoring lapses lead to third straight loss