Jerome Tang Previews Kansas Game

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head men's basketball coach Jerome Tang met with the media on Thursday afternoon (Jan. 16) to preview the upcoming matchup with No. 9/10 Kansas.

After consecutive home games, K-State (7-9, 1-4 Big 12) begins a 2-game road swing with a visit to Allen Fieldhouse for the 302nd meeting in the Dillon Sunflower Showdown on Saturday. In addition to being the sixth-most played series in Division I, it is also the second-longest active rivalry as the schools have met every year since 1907. The game will air at noon CT on CBS.

Links to the audio and a transcript of Tang's availability are above.

K-State looks to snap a 4-game losing streak after a 61-57 loss to Texas Tech at home on Tuesday night. Despite some offensive struggles, the Wildcats held a high-scoring Red Raider squad that entered the game ranking among the top 25 in 7 offensive categories.

Kansas (12-4, 3-2 Big 12) enters Saturday as one of the best defensive teams in the country, as the Jayhawks rank sixth in field goal percentage defense (37.0), 13th in defensive rebounds (28.8), 16th in scoring defense (62.8) and 23rd in blocks/game (5.2). The Jayhawks are still a potent offensive team averaging 76 points on 47.4 percent shooting and 73.1 percent from the free throw line.

Kansas is 8-1 this season at Allen Fieldhouse with the lone loss coming in the Big 12 opener to West Virginia, 62-61. The Jayhawks own a 53-17 record vs. the Wildcats at home, including 27-1 in the Big 12 era. K-State has lost 18 straight in the building with the last win coming in 2006.

Following Wednesday's game at 25/24 Baylor (11-5, 3-2 Big 12), K-State returns home on Saturday, Jan. 25 to host to West Virginia (12-4, 3-2 Big 12).

HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
On exploiting Kansas's weaknesses…
"If I have, I wouldn't tell you, because then they would know. But the common denominator is, everybody they've played has been really, really good, you know, and you know they haven't lost [to] any bad teams and they're continuing to get better every time you watch them play."

On David [Castillo) and Mobi [Ikegwuruka] getting playing time….
"Those guys are gonna play, I don't know. Expect to see more. You know, that environment is a little different. You know, you really want these dudes to get some experience in it, so that's just for the program moving forward. But sometimes, if you throw them in that deep water there it might be a little too much, so we'll see. We're gonna play whoever gives us the best chance and whoever's bringing energy. And that's the thing that we've just been talking about. Like you gotta bring energy and be willing to be gritty and tough, and that's the only thing that gives us a chance to win."

On practice being an audition for the game rotation…
"A little bit based on their body language, you know, just some little things that are important to us.. But you know, the guys [are] gonna play. And it's been that way for a little while now. And we just have to, I guess on game day. It's the ones who I feel are giving us the best chance during that moment."

On his previous two trips to Lawrence…
"You know, Quis [Marquis Nowell had been there before. Ish [Ishmael Massoud] had been there before. Keyontae [Johnson] had played in a big-time environment before, so they probably weren't as rattled, you know, and we played a better game up there. And last year, I was really surprised at how the environment rattled the guys, and I walked away upset at first, because I thought it was an effort thing, but it was like we got we got punched early, and I thought the environment did it to us. And so hopefully this time, I can do a better job of helping prepare them for how that place is on game day, because it is different."

On Dajuan Harris Jr. …
"(Houston's) J'Wan Roberts. [Dajuan] Harris, guys like that. I mean, they're coaches on the floor. They're culture warriors, you know. And you just, he has great trust in Him, you know. And there's like nothing that people are throwing at him as a is this a sixth year, it feels like it like he's been there, you know. And nothing anybody's gonna throw at him that's gonna rattle him, you know? I wish, wish you could have a point guard not any other, a point guard, the coach on the floor for six years, special."

On David Castillo's shooting struggles…
"They're good looks, but teams are still contesting it because they know that he's a good shooter and a good scorer, and so what's he doing to get them, I think, some other guys, are drawing two defenders, and he happens to be the one more and I'm proud of him that he's confident to rise up and shoot it. And you know, want him to continue to do that. We try to help him turn the page, because he cares so much, and so it hurts him. And sometimes some guys, guys like him, other guys in the program that have such big care factors, you know, they take the blame on themselves. And it's never one person. It's never one play, you know, in games like that, and so want him and all the guys to know, like, man we're all bearing the brunt of the responsibility to win games together and lose games together and continue to move forward together. We just had a really good practice, and I expect us to have another really good one tomorrow, and we had two really good ones leading up to Texas Tech. So, I'm excited where we're going."

On KU's defense…
"They really, really guard you, very much like Houston, obviously their double team schemes, and their ball screen schemes are a little bit different. But I think then they held UCF to 11 points in the second half, and then the next game they held a team to, like, 40 points. And, but it was like something crazy. The addition of Shaquille Moore to the lineup, and that gives you another guy who, he doesn't need a hedge, you know, he can get over the top of ball screens, he can defeat pin downs, and gotta get some competitive toughness to him, you know, that that really helps him. So it's, it's both the scheme of what they do, but also the individuals that are in the scheme."

On David Castillo and Mobi Ikegwuruka playing in an environment like KU…
"I want them to play with energy. I want them to play fearless and then hit singles, you know, not that they don't have to hit home runs. And, you know, that's what I want from all the guys, though, you know. And I'm fired up to see how our guys respond to that environment and to how we've improved. And I want to see how we as a staff have helped our guys come along just a little bit more, to get us to where we can win games."

On an early game…
"Yeah, we're not going to do a shoot around in the morning. So, we'll shoot the night before. You know, get a feel for the place. I like early games. Anytime you get a chance to play that 12 o'clock game on CBS, man, that's, that's an awesome opportunity. And so excited about that."

On developing a team in the transfer portal era…
"I listened to Coach (Kelvin) Sampson's interview after our game, and one of the points he made is that they've never had a kid in their top 10 transfer, you know. And that's I want to get here. I want to get there. I know I can't get there overnight, and it's going to take some time. But the goal is to have good players come back and want to come back and want to wear this uniform, and want to represent Kansas State, and fall in love with what we are doing here and see themselves progressing every day. And that's on us as a staff to have our program be that kind of place, and because our community is that kind of place, our university is that kind of place, and so that's the goal, to build it there. And so, to answer your question, they're going to play because they deserve the plan that they're making progress, it is going to help, you know, going towards the future, but you know, we're also trying to win the game, and that that's one of the reasons why they're going to play."

On preserving the effort when you are losing games…
"Man, that's, that's a heck of a question. And you know there's this verse in the Bible that says that struggling produces perseverance, and perseverance builds character, and then character ultimately gives you hope. And so, the struggles that we're going through we have guys who have perseverance right there. They're relentless. They don't give up. They keep fighting, and that keep fight. That relentlessness, that perseverance, is producing character in their life, and that character, character is what you are when nobody's looking, right, and so when nobody's looking, the lights aren't on, they're in the gym and they're working, and it's to. We had just had a probably our best practice of the year, because we've got guys with character right and then that character through the struggle, building perseverance is what ultimately gives us hope that we're gonna get this thing going in the right direction."

On the message from veteran players to younger players…
"Well, I feel Dug (McDaniel) has been playing great basketball, and he's been terrific in practice. And it's not just those guys. And the message is that man, this thing is not easy, right? If it was easy, everybody would do it. These dudes are in a 1 percent of the country of basketball players, right? And to play at this level. And so, it's not easy, and it's a grind, and you have to embrace the grind and the way they come to work every day and the way we learn that to handle different things that are thrown at us. And the example they said it's sending a message that this is who we're going to be about and what we're about."

On high school recruiting vs. the transfer portal…
"Um, you know, we got these choices to make. You know, go to 15 scholarships. And do you use your last five scholarships to bring in some high school guys who, you can help develop some guys who understand they need to develop. Whether it's they need to be in the weight room and gain weight or maybe develop a little better in a skill area and are they willing to do that? Right? So, you can't, I don't know if you can win with a bunch of high school guys at one time. So, you got to have a balance there. And the goal this year is to return the majority of the team who come back, add a few pieces from the portal who can raise your level, and then hopefully add the right high school guys who maybe one of them can play right away, like a David Castillo, but maybe, two or three of them understand, man, I got to work like Taj Manning, you know, but eventually my time is going to come, and then that's, that's how you get there. So, we're looking at everything. Let's just that the rules keep changing, right? And so, we're not really sure what kids are going to be able to do and not be able to do that's moving forward. So, everything's still fluid, but we're looking at every different avenue to try and figure out how to get this thing to a place where we're returning the majority of our team, very much like Coach Klieman done with football."

On junior college recruiting…
"Does it mean that a guy can play two years of junior college and then he shows up on campus as a freshman? Well, if that's the case, then yeah, definitely change it. Does it mean they, you know, that it counts as one year? Does it mean that? No, you know, we're changing the rules altogether, because there's some talk of it going to, you know, just five years, five years, play five kind of thing. And so, I'm not real sure how it is. It just all depends on what they give us. Our compliance officer, he tells me all the time, 'Coach, you know, I wish I could give you more direction, but, but we don't have it just yet, just as soon as we find out, we'll let you know.'"

On roster management…
"Well, Coach Marco (Borne) works with the compliance staff, and then the rest of us it's more of a powwow, you know, like group think, we get together and we throw stuff on the wall and see what sticks, and we have different models written up in case it goes one way or the other. And, you know, sometimes the guys get a little annoyed with me, because we have these three-hour meetings, and some of them end up like accomplishing absolutely nothing, because we talk about things that like never eventually happen, you know?"

On his current team…
"I'm just telling you. I'm really excited about the growth that we're making and where we're heading. And this is a long season. I know I keep telling you, like, we watch it and it's one game, and that's what it is. And their approach to that has been great. And I'm really, I'm looking forward to watching how this thing progresses moving forward. You know, in a little bit of time we got better. We got better. Today. We got better against Texas Tech, you know, 85 points a game, and we hold them to 61 and if you look at some of the errors we made defensively, that were things that we talked about, where it took them a little while to get to it, and then we probably could have held those guys to 50 points and then we just got make some shots, and that's going to happen."

On breaking up scoreless runs…
"Did you watch the last five minutes? You did, right? Which one of those shots wouldn't you have taken? I mean, we had the two turnovers. Wish you could have gotten up shots on those but catch and shoot three in the corner running house, and we ran the play and executed it perfectly. Wide open. Look up top. You're living with it. It goes in and out. Coleman (Hawkins) cuts to the goal. Pass was the next play. Pass was there just a little fast, you know, freshman in a situation, and he puts a little on it, you know, you wish you could have made the catch, because it'll be a layup. Next play, David (Castillo) gets a great back screen from Brendan (Hausen), because they think it was the play before, and he catches it just I mean, we're like, right there, you know, I think there was, like, two more catch and shoots, you know, shots that you know you're gonna live with, and one of them go in, you just the bobbled offensive rebound, right? We get to stop, and the bubbled offensive rebound, and you know, then Williams gets it back a second time, and he makes it, you know that one like, it's just those little bitty plays. And you know, we just got to keep running."

On his message to the fans…
"Yeah, if I could watch, if I watch the game and I say, 'Man, that's as good as we could play, right?' And we lose, then I'm like nervous, right? That scares me. I tell you the fans, but when I watch the game and I see how much improvement we can make and some things that we could correct, right? And that gets me excited. But moving forward, I tell our fans, man, do what we do at K State. We hang in there and we fight. We keep scrapping and clawing. We have each other's back in the good and the bad times, and there'll be more good times coming."

On the rivalry between KU…
"Yeah, I don't know if much needs to be said. I hadn't really talked about it. One thing that we talked about the environment that we're going into, you know, but they know these dudes, they've been around college basketball. They know this is, you know, and I've learned even more how important it is to our fans, you know. And so, yeah, it's exciting."

How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

David Castillo

Mobi Ikegwuruka

Taj Manning

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