Website Suggests K-State's Jerome Tang Deserves "Blowback" Over Wichita State Comments

Kansas State coach Jerome Tang is good at making the basketball program a hot conversation topic, positive or negative.

His recent comments regarding a annual series with in-state rival Wichita State may have drawn the latter. After being blown out by the Shockers, Tang was asked the interest level of matching up again.

Tang downplayed it.

“I know it’s important,” he said in the postgame. “Our fans enjoy it and their fans enjoy it. But if it’s not going to help us improve as a program and put us in a better position, I don’t know that it’s something that I necessarily want to do.”

That prompted the national website Deadspin to take Tang to task over the comments. It published an editorial questioning the reasoning, especially after losing so badly.

The article stated, "It’s a shame he decided to air this opinion after Wichita State handed K-State a beating, a game in which star transfer Coleman Hawkins only shot 2-for-9 and the Shockers out-rebounded the Wildcats 42-38. This may stun you, but there’s more to running a college program than counting wins and losses."

Much of the criticism is because the Wildcats reportedly have one of the highest NIL payrolls in college basketball, making them an easy target. It doesn't help they have struggled during the non-conference season.

Hopefully, the Wildcats get it together once the chemistry grows.

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

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