K-State moved to the second round of the NCAA tournament Sunday, thanks in part to the 20-point performance from junior Kelsey Nelson.
Nelson filled the void left by Kimberly Dietz's season-ending knee injury during the Big 12 Conference tournament by recording career highs in minutes and points, among many other categories. Going into the contest with Chattanooga, Nelson had scored 23 points all season long.
Though she had played very few minutes this season, Nelson was embraced by K-State fans for being a local athlete and the sister of K-State football's wide receiver Jordy Nelson. Still, Kelsey's role with the team was extremely limited until her explosive performance in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The junior stepped out of the shadow of her brother's football season Sunday and made a name for herself. It couldn't have happened at a better time for the Wildcats.
It's just something that happens during tournament time every year. Players pull amazing feats they were unable to accomplish throughout the season schedule and put their teams in positions to do unimaginable things.
Without a senior like Dietz, K-State becomes a team that needs players to have the best games of their career to achieve success. With Nelson's performance, the Wildcats ended the Mocs' 24-game winning streak - the longest in the nation - and extended their season.
At this point in the season, K-State will need performances like Nelson's to keep its tournament run alive. The Wildcats lost a perimeter threat in Dietz that must be replaced by inside scoring from those who remain and three-point shots from those who rarely take them.
Against the Mocs, K-State was also without Danielle Zanotti, the player figured to replace Dietz in the line-up, because of back spasms. If K-State is without Zanotti again against Louisville tonight, the Wildcats will need another big showing from Nelson or another bench player.
Perhaps Carolyn McCullough, the senior who made her first career start Sunday, will step up and provide a new threat from behind the perimeter. Maybe it will be Shana Wheeler who puts up her career performance with double-digit numbers in points and rebounds.
If not Nelson, McCullough or Wheeler, maybe one of the freshman players like Shalin Spani will record career highs.
Primetime performances in the month of March are why we all like watching the NCAA tournament and why it continues to be exciting. Players like Nelson pop up year after year, and those who are not seniors create questions about whether they will be a big performer next season.
If Nelson keeps up her showing from Sunday, don't be surprised if she becomes the fifth starter in next year's Wildcat lineup.
Joel Jellison is a junior in electronic journalism. Please send comments to sports@spub.ksu.edu.


