K-State Coach Jerome Tang: ‘These Dudes Don’t Deserve To Wear This Uniform’

Cincinnati came into Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night and gave Kansas State the business on its home floor, and Wildcats coach Jerome Tang ripped into his players after the blowout loss. “This was embarrassing,” he said in his postgame press conference after K-State’s 91-62 loss. “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I’m embarrassed for the university. I’m embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is just ridiculous. We got practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, and we will get this thing right, but right now, I’m, like, pissed. … 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.” When the topic of Wildcats fans wearing bags over their heads during the game was brought up to Tang, the head coach said, “I’d wear a paper bag, too, if I was them,” per ESPN. Cincinnati led 53-31 at halftime, knocked down 16 3-pointers throughout the entire game and out-rebounded Kansas State, 33-26. The Bearcats had five players score in double figures: Jizzle James (24), Jalen Celestine (18), Baba Miller (16), Sencire Harris (12) and Day Day Thomas (10). P.J. Haggerty — who’s second in the Big 12 in scoring (23.3 points per game) — was the lone Kansas State player to finish in double figures, finishing with 24 points. David Castillo’s eight points was second for the Wildcats. The Wednesday night defeat, which was the Wildcats’ fifth consecutive loss and 10th loss in 11 games, dropped Kansas State to 10-14 overall and 1-10 in Big 12 play, good for 15th in the conference. The Wildcats’ only Big 12 win this season came at home against the Utah Utes, who are also 1-10 in conference play and last in the Big 12. Kansas State leads the Big 12 in turnovers (12.6 per game) and is tied with Oklahoma State for the most points surrendered in the conference (80.8 per game). This is Tang’s fourth season as Kansas State’s head coach, with the Wildcats a combined 71-56, highlighted by reaching the Elite Eight in 2023 in a season that saw Tang win Big 12 Coach of the Year honors. The Wildcats are on pace for a second consecutive losing season. Up next for Kansas State is a road matchup against No. 3 Houston on Saturday.