But in reality, there are problems that need to be shored up and done so quickly. K-State isn't playing the defense Wildcat fans have become accustomed to since Bob Huggins and Martin instilled a defensive mentality upon their arrival in 2006.
The Wildcats rank 98th in the nation in rebounding margin with a plus-four advantage. K-State has been outrebounded by Loyola-Chicago, Fort Hays State and was matched board for board by IUPUI. Last season, K-State ranked 18th in the nation, outrebounding teams by 6.2 per game.
It doesn't add up. K-State is supposed to be more athletic in the interior. But sometimes athleticism can create more problems than it fixes. The Wildcats are trying to block shots rather than blocking out. They aren't playing the game with the fundamentals that Martin's teams have utilized in the past two years.
K-State misses Darren Kent, who would step in the lane to take a charge rather than leaving the floor to block a shot. The Wildcats miss senior Luis Colon, who would always put his body on someone and block his guy out of the picture.
"Last year we had a bunch of kids that were scrappy — were hungry," Martin said. "We had a guy in Darren Kent, wasn't the greatest player in the world, but he was a hell of a teammate. He was always in the right place and always played to win the game. He did what I asked him to do. Same thing with Luis Colon, he's an anchor in there. He gives you a sense of toughness that right now we don't have as a basketball team."
Toughness is something the Wildcats are currently lacking. Martin called his team "soft" following Saturday's 70-57 victory over IUPUI in Kansas City, Mo.
Martin needs the young guys to buy into his system, including junior transfer Curtis Kelly, who seems to be drawing Martin's ire the most out of anyone on the roster.
"Curtis is a big-time talent," Martin said following Saturday's game. "Curtis' problem is he has his mind made up on what he needs to do, and he won't do what we are asking him to do. We, as coaches, need to make him come to us, which right now he's not doing.
"If he ever buys in and decides to commit himself to doing the things that we're asking him to do, he makes us a good basketball team."
It should be easier for this year s group of new guys to buy in to Martin's system, especially with a core of veteran leaders to guide them. Yet Jacob Pullen said this year's group of freshmen is different than the 2007 class, which featured Michael Beasley and Bill Walker.
"It's a completely different situation, said the K-State guard. "When we came in, it was nothing. He just had to throw us in the fire and go compete and I just think as a freshman class we just really competed. Not taking anything away from this freshman class but they're looking for direction and they're not really understanding the work ethic and the difference between college and high school."
Pullen, who said he's yelled repeatedly at the young guys while trying to show them the ropes, is getting tired of it.
"I try but it gets to the point where it's tough," Pullen said. "You've still gotta focus on preparing for games. You only can want so much for someone until they've gotta actually want it for themselves. I've never quit on anybody on this team and I'm not saying anybody on the team doesn t have a chance, but the faster that they buy in — then that's the fastest we'll become a good team."
The K-State junior said the Wildcats aren't anywhere close to a good team at the moment. And that doesn t bode well for K-State, as they enter a stretch of games that will be critical come March.
"We're not supposed to be playing our best basketball, "Pullen said. "We just need everybody to get on board. I think we still have people in our locker room that's not buying in to Frank's situation, not buying into Frank's system and it's worked for two years.
"That's why when Frank tells you guys that I've matured, I've bought in. Freshman year, I had my struggles, because one night 'alright, maybe it will work,' then the next night, 'I'm not listening to him.'
"You can see the people that bought in because those are the people that he trusts and he plays. Once people buy in and believe that what we're supposed to do will help each other, then we'll be considered a good team because we've got all the talent there."
This team has the opportunity to accomplish some special things, but only if everyone on the boat is rowing in the same direction. Right now, that isn't happening. And if it doesn't happen, then that opportunity will be lost and K-State will once again be sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Perhaps Tuesday night's lackluster win was just what this team needed. We'll soon find out.
"We're a team trying to find an identity right now and we'll find it," Martin said. "We've spent three years and change creating the culture that we want our program to be known about and that will continue. We won't have guys out there playing that are not gonna represent us the right way."
