Y ou've heard of a man among boys?

If you happened to be at the Coors Events Center Wednesday night, you would have seen the perfect example -- with a slight twist.

The man on the floor also happened to be one of the youngest players on the floor, 19-year-old Kansas State freshman Michael Beasley. If you didn't see him, you missed a show you almost certainly won't get to see again on CU's home court. Beasley was not only the best player in the Events Center on Wednesday, he might be the best player in the nation. At least 10 NBA scouts were on hand to watch him, and if the early mock drafts are anywhere close to being correct, Beasley could be the first player taken in June when the worst teams in the Association try to identify the best player available.

Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik -- a man who knows a thing or two about what it takes to play in the NBA -- certainly came away impressed after Beasley scored 26 of his 29 points in the second half of KSU's 72-56 win over the Buffs.

"He outhustled us," Bzdelik said. "He's quick, he has great hands and a good mix to his game. If his head and his heart continue to be right, he'll be a great player."

But fact is, Bzdelik doesn't have much time to critique the Michael Beasleys of the world. Bzdelik's days -- and nights -- are consumed with trying to build a basketball program from the bottom up at a place that hasn't seen anything resembling consistent success for the better part of 40 years.

It's taking its toll. Bzdelik is a man who demands perfection, a man who abhors mental mistakes. Bzdelik can understand when physical ability makes a difference. But he can't accept missed free throws (14 against the Wildcats), turnovers (10 in the first half, 17 for the game), poor shot selection and undisciplined play.The first place he looks is the mirror.

"I have to do a better job of disciplining my team, a better job of motivating my team, a better job of teaching my team," Bzdelik said. "I have to do a better job in all of those areas."

But Bzdelik also knows that right now, he doesn't have the horses to compete night in and night out in one of the nation's best basketball conferences. While Kansas State sends possible top NBA draft pick onto the floor, Bzdelik must counter with a team whose best player might be drafted in the second round. While Texas, Texas A&M; and Kansas can send waves of reserves, Bzdelik must do his best to mix and match a patchwork lineup.

Quite simply, Bzdelik knows he has to recruit better players to compete in the Big 12. He knows the task of building a successful foundation won't happen overnight. He knows it will take some time to do something that hasn't been done in Boulder in nearly half a century.

But in the mean time, he must do his best to coax every little bit he can out of this current team. It means convincing his players that the mental part of the game -- knowing when to cut, knowing how to box out on every rebound, knowing when to pass the ball -- is every bit as important as the ability to put home a reverse dunk on the fast break.

If Bzdelik had his way, it would happen overnight. His players would wake up today and the light bulb would go on. They would play 40 minutes of crisp, intelligent basketball.

But as Bzdelik has pointed out from day one, there is no magic potion. Improvement will come in fits and spurts. It will grow as Bzdelik adds more of his recruits and has more time to teach his system to the point that it becomes instinct.

It's not that Bzdelik simply thinks he can win in the Big 12. He knows it. He wakes up every day knowing that he can build a team that will be competitive with the best the league has to offer on a nightly basis.

It's just not going to happen as quickly as he'd like.