A Full 40 Minutes

By: D. Scott Fritchen

To understand this Kansas State team, to understand the darkness to light, the sweat and salty tears, the meetings and practices that have culminated in this grand occasion, it might be best to listen to junior transfer guard Brendan Hausen, who dons the headset at the K-State Radio Network location inside a quiet Hilton Coliseum on Saturday and begins to talk.

"I'm going to share a quick Bible verse," Hausen says. "Isaiah 43:19 has been within me and within us. It says, 'Never lose hope, just when you think it's over, He will make a way for you.'"

It's been 88 days since the 2024-25 basketball season officially began with an 89-65 win over New Orleans, and it's been 33 days since the Wildcats defeated then-No. 16 Cincinnati, 70-67, in the Big 12 Conference opener. Yet it was after the victory over the Bearcats that trials most consistently and noticeably befell a team largely consisting of newcomers and a talented coaching staff led by third-year head coach Jerome Tang, as the Wildcats suffered six-straight losses, including three by single digits, before the team reached stable ground.

K-State seemingly found its way.

First, K-State beat No. 23 West Virginia, 73-60, in Manhattan on January 25. Then K-State trounced Oklahoma State, 85-57, last Wednesday. It had been a fruitful week for Tang, his coaching staff and his players. Yet the most significant test of the season loomed large: No. 3 Iowa State. At Hilton Coliseum. 14,000 fans. A 29-game home winning streak. ESPN Analytics said that Iowa State had more than a 90% chance of victory against K-State, which hadn't won a road game this season.

Was it over? No, it was not over.

K-State, which entered carrying a 15-game road losing streak, found a way on Saturday in Ames, Iowa. K-State found its way.

FINAL: K-State 80, No. 3 Iowa State 61.

The Wildcats abruptly pushed the naysayers aside and unfurled their own narrative in Division I historic fashion.

In a span of 40 minutes, K-State became the first sub-.500 team in the history of the Associated Press Poll to win by 15 or more points on the road against an AP top-5 opponent. In a span of 40 minutes, K-State posted its most-lopsided victory against a top-5 opponent on the road and second-largest behind a 20-point win over No. 4-ranked Long Island on January 31, 1951. In a span of 40 minutes, K-State shook and silenced a sellout crowd, which began filing out of the arena in the final minutes. The 19-point win was the first in Ames since 2002 and tied for the largest by the Wildcats at Hilton Coliseum, along with a 70-51 victory on February 2, 1977.

This, ladies and gentlemen, was one of the biggest wins in K-State history.

"Just winning a road game, that was huge for us," Tang says in the postgame news conference. "We wanted to win a road game, we wanted to show that we can win away from home because we got those kinds of character guys and that toughness. This is one game, this is one win. We're gonna move on to the next, because it's the Big 12. As soon as you think you can relax, you end up on a losing streak."

K-State improved to 10-11 overall and 4-6 in the Big 12 while Iowa State dropped to 17-4 and 7-3. K-State hadn't won a road game since January 9, 2024, at West Virginia— a span of 15-consecutive road losses. Iowa State hadn't lost a home game since February 8, 2023, against West Virginia — a span of 29-consecutive home wins.

In topping No. 23 West Virginia (73-60) and Oklahoma State (85-57) and now No. 3 Iowa State (80-61), K-State is one of the most dangerous teams in the Big 12 Conference as it heads toward Tuesday's matchup at Arizona State.

"You can tell these past few games, we've talked about putting it together," Hausen says. "We lost a few games, but we kept grinding. Now you're seeing the product of it. I'm very proud of our guys and what we did tonight."

Hausen arrives at the K-State radio location a moment after Tang departs to head to his news conference. Tang talks about how K-State kept fighting after facing an early 13-4 deficit. He talks about how K-State outscored Iowa State 30-8 between the final minutes of the first half and the first part of the second half. He talks about how thankful he was that K-State athletic director Gene Taylor "took a chance on me and gave me this opportunity."

But before any of this, he gives thanks.

"I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, what He means to this team and how God has just sustained us through this whole season," Tang says. "Man, this is a blessing. What a great environment and great college game and our guys just showed up and we're getting better, we're getting better."

The postgame locker room celebration had to be as animated as any in college basketball this season. Tang leaped into the room, surrounded by players, and unleashed a prolonged yell, weeks of frustration no doubt leaving his body in one mighty breath while those old-school Crazy Faith vibes filled his lungs in the next breath. The locker room celebration video by K-State Athletics went viral in college basketball circles: This is how you celebrate a monumental win.

"Honestly, I feel like we've been fully capable of winning games all year," Coleman Hawkins tells reporters. "It's just the flipside of it being a win. Some games, the validation came in a half, and we just haven't been able to put it together for a full 40 minutes. I think we've proven the last three games we can do it for 40 minutes. That's more of the validation. Really, all these games we've played, really all of them besides the Houston game, honestly, we should've won. There were just little moments we had that we've grown from now and that's kind of where the full 40 minutes of validation has come.

"I fully believe in this team. Some people doubt us, and now we're starting to win. I don't know if that's validation, but now we're winning."

As Hausen said earlier, "It's been a grind."

"We've been talking every single day about not giving up and staying together and how there's going to be adversity and ups and downs, but it's who you are as a man when things get tough and it's how you respond," Hausen says. "We've been responding really well. We're trusting the coaches and trusting each other, and ultimately, you're seeing the outcome now."

We all saw the outcome.

Tang believes there could be more to come.

"I think we can get better," Tang says. "I think we can get better with some things and clean up and keep building on this thing."

Want to know about K-State basketball? The darkness to light, the sweat and salty tears, the meetings and practices that have culminated in this grand occasion? It begins with the voice of Hausen, who gives credit to God while understanding the hard work necessary to put together this incredible recent ride for the Wildcats.

"Never lose hope," Hausen says. "Just when you think it's over, He will make a way for you."

It isn't over.

In some ways, it's just getting started.

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Brendan Hausen

Coleman Hawkins

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