In Wichita, Kansas, the Kansas State Wildcats, led by Jerome Tang, will not be participating in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Despite their efforts and being considered a ‘bubble team’ throughout the season, their achievements did not measure up to other teams competing for at-large bids.
During the regular season, the Wildcats secured victories against notable teams such as Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor, BYU, and Villanova. They concluded the season with a record of 3-6 in quad 1 games.
Following a loss to the No. 7 ranked Iowa State in the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship, Jerome Tang shared his thoughts on why he felt his team deserved a spot in the tournament. He highlighted their performance, mentioning, “We won that game against [Texas] last night, and I have several reasons for believing we belong in the tournament.” Tang pointed out that his team achieved five Quad 1 wins, all against teams in the top-30 of the NET rankings, and six wins against teams in the top-40. He also emphasized the strength of their schedule, noting that the teams they faced had the 9th best defense and the 35th best offense in the country. “Our schedule was far from easy. Among all the bubble teams, we had the toughest schedule,” Tang added.
For Kansas State, another opportunity for postseason play could be the National Invitational Tournament. The selection show for this tournament is scheduled for Sunday night at 8:30 pm.