After Blowout Loss, Kansas State Turns to Brutal Practices in Search of Identity
Following a humbling 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati, Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang didn’t just hit the reset button - he slammed it. Less than 24 hours after the defeat, the Wildcats were back inside Bramlage Coliseum before sunrise, enduring a grueling 6 a.m. session that looked a lot more like punishment than preparation.
“They learned every step of Bramlage Coliseum very well,” Tang said during his weekly radio show - and he wasn’t kidding.
According to Tang, the team ran the arena’s stairs roughly 70 times, from the hardwood all the way to the rafters. Later that afternoon, they were back on the court for a second workout. This one was more traditional in structure, but no less intense.
“Neither one of them was very easy,” Tang said. “It was very, very challenging... but they went along with it and then came back this evening and got after it. After some of the things we did, we were like, ‘If you gave that effort yesterday, we wouldn’t be in this situation.’”
The Wildcats aren’t done yet. Tang has another early morning session lined up for Friday, followed by a practice later that evening after the team arrives in Houston. It’s a punishing stretch, no doubt - but for a team sitting at 10-14 overall and tied for last in the Big 12 at 1-10, Tang is clearly trying to jolt something loose.
The loss to Cincinnati wasn’t just a bad night - it was a breaking point. Tang didn’t hold back in the postgame, saying his players “do not deserve to wear this uniform.” That frustration was still simmering as he reflected on the game this week.
“I was definitely frustrated and embarrassed,” Tang said. “I was caught by surprise.
I mean, if you would have been in our last two practices and in the building for the game we gave away at TCU, it was so unexpected. I was baffled.”
That word - baffled - came up more than once. Not because Cincinnati isn’t a good team, but because the Wildcats’ effort simply didn’t match the moment.
Tang didn’t see fight. He didn’t see urgency.
What he saw was a group that looked emotionally checked out.
“You have got to give Cincinnati credit,” he said. “They’re a good basketball team, but they’re not 30 points better than we are.
Not on our home court. When you let good teams get easy shots and just move the ball around and there’s no resistance - that’s what happens.”
Kansas State had spent practices working on ball pressure and defensive activity, trying to force turnovers and disrupt rhythm. But when it came time to execute, the Wildcats were flat. Even in timeouts, Tang said, there was no spark, no accountability.
“Even in timeouts, there was no emotion. Nobody got mad at each other.
No one had an answer. It was just blank stares.”
That kind of response - or lack thereof - is what prompted Tang to crank up the intensity. The message is clear: effort is non-negotiable. Wins may not come overnight, but the standard for wearing a Kansas State uniform isn’t going to be lowered.
“It may not result in wins,” Tang said, “but it will result in a better effort on the floor. Or they don’t get the chance to wear the uniform.”
The Wildcats now head to Houston to face the No. 3-ranked Cougars on Saturday. It’s a daunting matchup under any circumstances, but especially after two straight days of stair-running and intense practices. The question isn’t just whether Kansas State can compete - it’s whether they can rediscover their edge.
Because if there’s one thing Tang’s made clear, it’s this: effort might not guarantee a win. But without it, you won’t even be on the floor.