Kansas State University Athletics
‘I Tried to Play Tonight for Them’
Mar 13, 2025 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The final buzzer long since sounded and his first season at Kansas State at its end, junior point guard Dug McDaniel sat at his locker at T-Mobile Center on Wednesday night. Departing senior forward David N'Guessan sat at the locker next to him. It would be the final time the best of friends sat in silence following a loss.
This was the end of the line for the N'Guessan-McDaniel chapter of K-State basketball after an up-and-down campaign that ended with the 10th-seeded Wildcats' 70-56 loss to No. 7 seed Baylor in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.
"He's taught me a lot," McDaniel said. "He helped me grow up a lot. He leads by example, so he doesn't have to talk a lot. You can just tell by the way he carries himself. You can pick up little things from him. He welcomed me as a brother, so it's a joy playing with him. I'm going to miss him, but it's not the end for us for sure."
N'Guessan had a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, and McDaniel added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists in their final game together.
"He's like a little brother to me," N'Guessan said. "We go at it all the time in practice. I definitely feel like I've been able to help set the example. Can't let him get down on himself and try to have a positive body language. He's the point guard, the head of the snake, and everybody looks at him."
In his final game, all eyes were on N'Guessan. The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder shot 8-of-9 from the floor and was at times unstoppable with his sweeping moves in the lane. This season, he was the team's leading scorer with 13.2 points and leading rebounder with 7.2 boards per game. He picked up his 10th career double-double against Baylor. He leaves as K-State's single-season leader (.644) and all-time leader in field-goal percentage.
He leaves as so much more.
"He's been consistent as a human being, showing up every day, working really hard to get better and caring with a big heart and representing our university," K-State head coach Jerome Tang said. "Model student, model citizen, terrific son, and, man, I'm so proud that he calls me Coach."
For McDaniel, it was a season of growth, as the Michigan transfer eventually melded with Tang and became one of the more exciting players in the Big 12 this season.
"I'm so, so proud of him," Tang said.
McDaniel came off the bench during the non-conference season and was impossible to keep off the court in the Big 12 season. This season, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound McDaniel was the second-leading scorer with 11.4 points per contest. He also averaged 4.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 32.2 minutes.
"Me personally, I feel like Coach Tang, he's a very different coach, he's big on holding his players accountable, and I needed that in a crucial part of my career," McDaniel said. "It helped me be resilient. Things I used to get mad at last year or a couple years ago, now I'm a leader about it. I shake it off and encourage my other guys. I don't look at everything as punishment, as a lesson, and he's done a great job teaching me that. I grew up a lot this year."
Asked whether this season provided him with motivation for his second season with the Wildcats, McDaniel replied, "It's a lot of motivation."
"Coach always preaches that we operate in God's grace, so to me, it's never about revenge, it's just about proving what we do every day pays off," he continued. "This is definitely great motivation and hopefully a lot of guys remember this moment and it haunts them until we get back to this moment."
N'Guessan is eager to see how McDaniel continues to flourish next season.
"Man, I'm so excited," N'Guessan said. "I feel like he should be All-Big 12 and possibly All-American. He's really talented. Later in the year, he started figuring it out and understanding what coaches wanted from him. He has a chance to be really great. It's up to him to get it."
There will be a time when N'Guessan and McDaniel put the 2024-25 season behind him. But Wednesday night was not that time. Wracked in emotions in an emotional locker room after their final game together, McDaniel put the past, present and future into perspective.
"I'm super hungry, but I'm also losing a lot of love from our seniors, and I tried to play tonight for them," McDaniel said. "It's not about me, I've got time. For them, it's their last time."
The final buzzer signified the end of the N'Guessan-McDaniel chapter.
But their stories are far from over.
The final buzzer long since sounded and his first season at Kansas State at its end, junior point guard Dug McDaniel sat at his locker at T-Mobile Center on Wednesday night. Departing senior forward David N'Guessan sat at the locker next to him. It would be the final time the best of friends sat in silence following a loss.
This was the end of the line for the N'Guessan-McDaniel chapter of K-State basketball after an up-and-down campaign that ended with the 10th-seeded Wildcats' 70-56 loss to No. 7 seed Baylor in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.
"He's taught me a lot," McDaniel said. "He helped me grow up a lot. He leads by example, so he doesn't have to talk a lot. You can just tell by the way he carries himself. You can pick up little things from him. He welcomed me as a brother, so it's a joy playing with him. I'm going to miss him, but it's not the end for us for sure."
N'Guessan had a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, and McDaniel added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists in their final game together.
"He's like a little brother to me," N'Guessan said. "We go at it all the time in practice. I definitely feel like I've been able to help set the example. Can't let him get down on himself and try to have a positive body language. He's the point guard, the head of the snake, and everybody looks at him."
In his final game, all eyes were on N'Guessan. The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder shot 8-of-9 from the floor and was at times unstoppable with his sweeping moves in the lane. This season, he was the team's leading scorer with 13.2 points and leading rebounder with 7.2 boards per game. He picked up his 10th career double-double against Baylor. He leaves as K-State's single-season leader (.644) and all-time leader in field-goal percentage.
He leaves as so much more.
"He's been consistent as a human being, showing up every day, working really hard to get better and caring with a big heart and representing our university," K-State head coach Jerome Tang said. "Model student, model citizen, terrific son, and, man, I'm so proud that he calls me Coach."
For McDaniel, it was a season of growth, as the Michigan transfer eventually melded with Tang and became one of the more exciting players in the Big 12 this season.
"I'm so, so proud of him," Tang said.
McDaniel came off the bench during the non-conference season and was impossible to keep off the court in the Big 12 season. This season, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound McDaniel was the second-leading scorer with 11.4 points per contest. He also averaged 4.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 32.2 minutes.
"Me personally, I feel like Coach Tang, he's a very different coach, he's big on holding his players accountable, and I needed that in a crucial part of my career," McDaniel said. "It helped me be resilient. Things I used to get mad at last year or a couple years ago, now I'm a leader about it. I shake it off and encourage my other guys. I don't look at everything as punishment, as a lesson, and he's done a great job teaching me that. I grew up a lot this year."
Asked whether this season provided him with motivation for his second season with the Wildcats, McDaniel replied, "It's a lot of motivation."
"Coach always preaches that we operate in God's grace, so to me, it's never about revenge, it's just about proving what we do every day pays off," he continued. "This is definitely great motivation and hopefully a lot of guys remember this moment and it haunts them until we get back to this moment."
N'Guessan is eager to see how McDaniel continues to flourish next season.
"Man, I'm so excited," N'Guessan said. "I feel like he should be All-Big 12 and possibly All-American. He's really talented. Later in the year, he started figuring it out and understanding what coaches wanted from him. He has a chance to be really great. It's up to him to get it."
There will be a time when N'Guessan and McDaniel put the 2024-25 season behind him. But Wednesday night was not that time. Wracked in emotions in an emotional locker room after their final game together, McDaniel put the past, present and future into perspective.
"I'm super hungry, but I'm also losing a lot of love from our seniors, and I tried to play tonight for them," McDaniel said. "It's not about me, I've got time. For them, it's their last time."
The final buzzer signified the end of the N'Guessan-McDaniel chapter.
But their stories are far from over.
Players Mentioned
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