Kansas State’s Season Spirals, and Jerome Tang Isn’t Holding Back
The frustration in Manhattan has officially boiled over. After a 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati - Kansas State’s 10th defeat in their last 11 games - head coach Jerome Tang didn’t mince words. He stepped to the podium, clearly emotional, and let it rip.
“This was embarrassing,” Tang said postgame. “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year.”
That wasn’t just a coach venting after a tough night. That was a man who’s watched his team unravel before his eyes, and he’s drawing a line in the sand. Tang’s message was raw, direct, and impossible to ignore - a public challenge to a group he feels isn’t living up to the standards of Kansas State basketball.
A Season Slipping Away
The numbers paint a grim picture. Wednesday’s loss dropped the Wildcats to 10-14 overall and 1-10 in Big 12 play, tying them for last in the conference. It was their third straight home loss by at least 24 points - a staggering stat for a program that once prided itself on being tough to beat in Bramlage Coliseum.
Tang, now in his fourth season at the helm, is staring down the very real possibility of missing the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. That’s a far cry from the magic of his debut season in 2022-23, when K-State won 26 games and made a memorable run to the Elite Eight behind stars Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson.
Since then, it’s been a slow decline. The Wildcats haven’t cracked the 20-win mark since that tournament run, and unless something changes fast, they’re headed for a second straight season under .500.
“They Don’t Love This Place”
Tang’s postgame comments weren’t just about effort or execution. They were about identity - or the lack of one.
“These dudes got to have some pride, man,” he said. “It means something to wear a K-State uniform.
It means something to put on this purple. They don’t love this place, so they don’t deserve to be here.”
It’s the kind of statement that hits hard because it comes from someone who’s invested. Tang has poured himself into this program, and you could hear the hurt in his voice.
This wasn’t just about losing a basketball game. This was about a coach feeling like his team has lost its way.
He made it clear that change is coming. “We have practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning,” he said. “And we will get this thing right.”
That kind of urgency tells you everything you need to know. Tang isn’t waiting for the offseason to start rebuilding - he’s starting now.
A Fan Base That’s Feeling It Too
It wasn’t just Tang who was fed up. The K-State faithful made their own statement from the stands.
Several fans showed up wearing paper bags over their heads, a silent but powerful protest to the product on the floor. Some had messages scrawled across them, including one that read, “We ain’t got dudes,” a painful echo of Tang’s own words from a previous season when he told fans to “expect to win.”
This is a fan base that believed - and still wants to believe - in what Tang is building. But belief needs a spark. And right now, the Wildcats are giving them little to hold onto.
What’s Next?
There’s no sugarcoating where things stand. Kansas State is in a tailspin.
But if there’s any silver lining, it’s that Tang isn’t backing down. His postgame fire wasn’t just about venting - it was about accountability.
And that matters.
The road ahead doesn’t get easier. The Big 12 is a gauntlet, and with postseason hopes all but dashed, the challenge now becomes internal: Who’s going to fight? Who’s going to respond?
Jerome Tang is demanding answers. The next few weeks will tell us who’s listening.