It was a tough week in the Big 12 - not just on the scoreboard, but in the postgame press conferences too. Two head coaches let their frustrations fly after blowout losses, but only one of them is still employed.
Let’s start in Lubbock, where Colorado was dismantled by Texas Tech in a 34-point rout. Head coach Tad Boyle didn’t mince words afterward, calling out his team - and himself - for what he described as a waste of university resources.
“We deserve to be on a 6 a.m. flight out of Lubbock, commercial, whatever airline you choose,” Boyle said. “We don’t deserve a charter plane back to Boulder.
We wasted our money. We wasted our university’s money.
And that’s on me.”
It was raw, it was honest, and it was inclusive. Boyle didn’t separate himself from the performance - he owned it. And while the loss stung for Buff Nation, the accountability seemed to resonate.
Meanwhile, over 600 miles away in Manhattan, Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang had a similarly rough night, but his postgame comments struck a very different tone. After his team was blown out by 29 at home against Cincinnati, Tang unloaded in a way that ultimately cost him his job.
“These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform,” Tang said. “There will be very few of them in it next year.
It means something to wear a K-State uniform. It means something to put on this purple, and everything this university is about and why I love this place.
They don’t love this place, so they don’t deserve to be here.”
Kansas State didn’t wait long to act. On Sunday night, the school announced it had fired Tang for cause. The Wildcats followed the Cincinnati loss with another defeat at Houston, dropping them to 1-11 in Big 12 play - tied for last in the conference.
Tang’s firing opens the door to a potentially messy legal battle, with nearly $18.7 million left on his contract. He has already said he plans to challenge the for-cause termination.
But the contrast between his comments and Boyle’s is hard to ignore. Where Boyle said “we,” Tang said “they.”
And that distinction may have played a role in how things unfolded.
Associate head coach Matthew Driscoll will serve as Kansas State’s interim head coach. The Wildcats are set to host Baylor and travel to No.
13 Texas Tech this week before visiting Colorado on Feb. 25 - their first trip to Boulder in 15 years. Notably, the team wore jerseys without names on the back in the Houston game, a symbolic gesture that only added to the drama surrounding the program.
Big 12 Weekly Honors
While the coaching carousel spun, a pair of Big 12 players continued to make noise on the court.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, one of the most exciting freshmen in the country, was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for the fifth time in the past eight weeks. Even in an off shooting night during BYU’s 90-86 overtime win over Colorado - he went just 6-for-20 - Dybantsa nearly posted a triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. That came on the heels of a 33-point, seven-assist performance in a road win at Baylor.
Texas Tech’s JT Toppin took home Big 12 Player of the Week honors for the fourth time this season after a dominant stretch. Toppin dropped 31 points and 13 rebounds in a statement win over No.
1 Arizona, then followed it up with 16 points and 18 boards in the blowout of Colorado. He’s been a force all year, but this week felt like a reminder that he’s capable of taking over against anyone.
Injury News and Rankings Shake-Up
BYU suffered a major blow over the weekend when Richie Saunders went down with a knee injury against Colorado. On Monday, the team confirmed it was a torn ACL - ending Saunders’ collegiate career and delivering a significant hit to BYU’s postseason hopes.
In the latest AP Top 25, Arizona finally gave up the No. 1 spot after more than two months, falling to No. 4.
Houston moved up to No. 2, Iowa State dropped to No. 6, and Kansas climbed to No.
- Texas Tech (No. 13) and BYU (No. 23) rounded out the Big 12’s ranked teams.
Looking Ahead
Colorado hosts Oklahoma State this Saturday at the CU Events Center - the Cowboys’ first trip to Boulder since January 15, 2011. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. MT on TNT/truTV.
With the Buffs trying to regroup, Kansas State in transition, and BYU navigating a major injury, the Big 12 continues to deliver storylines that stretch well beyond the box score.