Kansas State men's basketball is having one of the most underwhelming seasons in recent memory after a 1-8 conference start and a terrible season outlook.
Sound familiar? Yeah, unfortunately, you don't have to travel very far to hear those same rumblings from fans about their team. Just ask Wildcats fans who had to watch their football team underperform in 2025. Quarterback Avery Johnson and a revamped unit were anticipated to be a conference title contender, getting huge praise from outsiders and prominent media sites like ESPN and CBS Sports.
Lo and behold, the team had a 1-3 start with horribly disappointing performances. Johnson didn't elevate to the level he needed, star running back Dylan Edwards got hurt and never recovered, and the defense got torched every given Saturday. Each loss further deteriorated any ambitions beyond December, and all the teams' preseason hopes were gone by Week 3. A year with postseason ambitions nearly became the worst one under then-coach Chris Klieman.
And now, the basketball counterparts are singing the same song. The team underwent a major overhaul of star power this portal season, with some key keeps for depth and rotation. The additions of national stars like PJ Haggerty, Nate Johnson, and Abdi Bashir Jr., along with international players like Andrej Kostic and Dorin Buca, made the Wildcats at least Tournament contenders in the eyes of many.
That hasn't happened. Between injuries to star players, an undersized frontcourt, and no premier scorers outside Haggerty, Kansas State is staking its case as the worst team in the Big 12. The blowout loss to No. 8 Iowa State displayed a lifeless team that had no fight, even from the jump.
Still, Klieman and his squad were at least able to make something of their season. What could've been an outright disaster turned into a relatively decent six-win season, with Kansas State nearly playing spoiler to teams like Utah and Texas Tech (even amid the 23-point blowout).
Hell, even last season, Tang and his men nearly gave themselves a chance to make the dance. Coleman Hawkins, Dug McDaniel, and David N'Guessan finally fulfilled their preseason expectations by going on a run that made them the hottest team to watch in February.
He has that same outlook for the team going forward.
"I'm not disappointed at all," Tang said in his Iowa State postgame interview. "I'm with these dudes every single day; I know everything they're going through, and you all don't. I was proud of our guys, especially in the second half."