March Madness: Bruce Weber and Kansas State deserve your respect

Kansas State upset Kentucky and if you don’t already know about Bruce Weber, it’s time to put some respect on his name for the job he’s done with this team.

The Kansas State Wildcats are headed to the Elite 8 after Bruce Weber’s team pulled off the upset over John Calipari’s No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats. I don’t know how many people outside the Little Apple in Manhattan, Kansas thought Weber’s team could pull it off, but it’s time to stop doubting this team and start respecting the job Weber has done.

Kansas State was projected to be one of the worst team in the Big 12 this year. In fact, they were picked to finish in eighth place in the conference. Now, they’re one win away from the Final Four. So let us remember how worthless those preseason polls and projections can be.

Weber is no stranger to having success in the NCAA Tournament as he’s taken Southern Illinois, Illinois and now Kansas State to the Sweet 16. Now, he’s in the Elite 8 and looks to make the Final Four for the first time since he led Illinois to the championship game against North Carolina in 2005.

Perennially one of the most underrated and underappreciated coaches in college basketball, Weber just outcoached Calipari who had a more talented team and the refs in his back pocket. Weber gets outshines in his own state because of Bill Self at Kansas, as he seemingly can never escape the man’s shadow. Weber replaced Self at Illinois when he left for Lawrence, Kansas after Roy Williams left for North Carolina.

But let’s give Weber his credit. This was a team that wasn’t expected to even make the Big Dance and here they are on the precipice of history.

For the first time in the Elite 8, we will have a No. 9 seed meeting a No. 11 seed with a trip to the Final Four hanging in the balance. The Wildcats will meet the Loyola Ramblers who beat Nevada by 1 point earlier on Thursday. The Ramblers have been a Cinderella Story in their own right with Sister Jean an international star and their penchant for buzzer-beater wins.

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Kansas State is a Cinderella Story in their own right and it’s because of the coaching job Weber has done to get his players in the best position to do what they do best and they’ve responded by playing their best basketball of the year when it matters most.

I can’t wait to see what they do on Saturday against Loyola. I know Weber will have his team ready to play their best and they have the confidence after slaying another giant.