Before the K-State men's basketball team tipped off its 2009-10 campaign, experts were already regarding this year's team as one of the best in school history. So far, the Wildcats seem to have lived up to the hype.

While students were home for the holidays, K-State was adding to one of the best starts in school history, starting with a Dec. 19 showdown against Alabama in Mobile, Ala. Junior guard Jacob Pullen continued to garner national attention as he picked apart the Crimson Tide defense for a season-high 30 points and the Wildcats won their fourth straight game against a major conference opponent.

The win propelled K-State to a No. 12 ranking in the Associated Press poll — its highest since checking in at No. 9 on March 13, 1973.

The Wildcats wrapped up nonconference play with a three-game homestand against mid-major opponents. Pullen stayed hot, scoring 18 points in the first contest, but the Wildcats struggled in a 90-76 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff in their last game before Christmas.

"This game is on me," head coach Frank Martin said after the contest. "We came into practice yesterday banged up and had some guys battling some injuries after the Alabama game. We came in yesterday and tried to coach them through their minds, and that did not work too well."

Perhaps a long break is all K-State needed to get back on track, as the Wildcats had no trouble disposing of Cleveland State after an eight-day vacation. Five Wildcats reached double figures in the 85-56 victory, and K-State moved to 12-1 for the first time since 1958-59.

That momentum carried over into the nonconference finale as the Wildcats pounded South Dakota 91-69. Pullen didn't miss a beat, draining six 3-pointers and scoring 23 points. The win pushed K-State's win streak to 10 games, marking the first time the Wildcats had accomplished that feat since 1993-94.

After the game, Pullen expressed his approval of the Wildcats' accomplishments, referencing a near-upset loss against Division II Fort Hays State as the turning point of the season.

"As a team, I think we did exactly what we needed to do," Pullen said. "After Fort Hays State, it showed us that we cannot take anything for granted. Since then, we have really been hands-on with our tempo, and I think we have been playing good basketball with each other."

That set the stage for K-State's Jan. 9 conference opener against the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Mo. The game was tightly contested throughout – it featured 12 lead changes – but the Wildcats were unable to put a stop to Missouri's 29-game home winning streak and fell 74-68.

The loss featured numerous uncharacteristic mistakes, particularly by K-State's frontcourt. Sophomore Jamar Samuels was the only forward to reach double figures, and nearly all of the Wildcats' post players dealt with foul trouble.

Any memories of the poor performance were seemingly erased from the Wildcats' minds when they returned to action Tuesday night in Bramlage for an 88-65 thumping of Texas A&M. Behind the hot shooting of senior guard Denis Clemente, K-State jumped out to a 13-4 lead and never trailed. Clemente caught fire early, scoring 20 of his game-high 24 points in the first half. He gave the Aggies fits from beyond the arc, knocking down five 3-pointers before intermission.

"[Clemente] does not like losing, and that loss a couple days ago did not sit well in his stomach," Martin said. "He decided to put the team on his back, and he was going to find a way to win this game tonight."

K-State led 45-33 at the break and opened the second half on an 11-1 run to eliminate any chance of a Texas A&M comeback. As they have several times this season, the Wildcats enjoyed a balanced scoring performance, as four players reached double figures.

The victory extended the Wildcats' winning streak in Bramlage Coliseum to a school record 13 games. Martin now owns a 42-5 career record in Manhattan.

The Wildcats will look for their first conference road win on Saturday when they take on the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder, Colo. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m.