Kansas State Focusing On One Key Element During Losing Streak

Kansas State Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang talks with players in the second half of the Sunflower Showdown game against the Kansas Jayhawks inside Allen Fieldhouse Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Kansas State Wildcats are in danger of losing the season.

They have lost eight of the last nine games, including five straight. Saturday's loss to rival Kansas dropped the Wildcats to 7-10 overall and 1-5 in the Big 12. Things are so close to imploding but the Wildcats feel they have something on their side.

Positivity.

"Of course, nobody wants to lose," senior Coleman Hawkins said. "We're all on the same page that we want to lose. We want to get better. No one's done anything outrageous. No one's done anything ultra negative. We're trying to stay positive and just keep fighting through. Ultimately, we're going to man up and start winning basketball games." 

It won't be easy.

After losing to the No. 9 Jayhawks, the Wildcats play Wednesday at No. 25 Baylor. They then have two home games against West Virginia and Oklahoma State before facing No. 2 Iowa State.

K-State coach Jerome Tang has said the team is practicing the best it has this season. Now, it's just a matter of putting it all together.

The Wildcats feel they took a step in the right direction in the loss to KU. After falling behind 14-0 at the start, they pulled to within six on three occasions in the second half.

"I didn't like the result," Tang said. "I haven't liked the results. Right now, we've got to keep getting better to get what we want." 

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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