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Kansas State basketball relying on \

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2024

$Kansas State basketball relying on \$

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A year ago, Kansas State basketball’s improbable run to the NCAA Tournament was fueled by what coach Jerome Tang and the Wildcats described as “crazy faith.”

Well, it may take more than crazy faith for the Wildcats just to get back to the tournament this year, especially after Iowa State ran them off the court, 76-57, on Thursday in their Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal loss to the Cyclones at T-Mobile Center.

The Wildcats, already a fringe NCAA bubble team after an impressive come-from-behind second-round victory over Texas the night before, are 19-14, finished 8-10 in the conference during the regular season and have not strung more than two wins together since notching four straight since late December and early January.

But Tang, ever the optimist, wasn’t hearing that. Not only did he express confidence in the Wildcats’ position leading to selection Sunday, but he spent three full minutes of his postgame news conference making the case for anyone who would listen.

Kansas State basketball freshman Dai Dai Ames earns his stripes in big win over Texas

“I thought last night when we won that game against (Texas), and I have several reasons why,” he said when asked if he thought the Wildcats were still in the running. “We have five Quad 1 wins, all five of our Quad 1 wins against the top 30 in the NET. We have six wins against the top 40 in the NET.”

For the uninitiated, NET stands for NCAA Evaluation Tool, a sorting system to help the tournament selection committee leading up to the tournament’s bracket reveal Sunday.

And Tang was just warming up.

“The opponents that we played against in the nonconference and the conference combined have the ninth-best defense in the country and the 35th-best offense in the country. So, we didn’t play a powder puff schedule.

“We have the number one strength of schedule of all of the bubble teams right now. We have the number one strength of schedule against all of them. We’re 1-0 against the SEC, and that was a true road game at LSU. We’re 2-0 against the Big East, and we played Providence on a neutral court with Bryce Hopkins, their best team, and beat them. We played six power conference teams in the nonconference and an American team, so we didn’t duck anybody.”

More: Big 12 extends conference basketball tournament agreement with Kansas City through 2031

There was nobody to fact-check Tang in real time, not to suggest that he was fabricating the numbers. But he clearly presented the most favorable scenario, and his definition of bubble teams was open to interpretation.

For super-senior guard Tylor Perry, a graduate transfer from North Texas who has never played in the NCAA Tournament, he agreed with Tang’s assessment.

“It would mean the world, more than anything,” he said. “I’ve said that from the jump There is nothing individually that I wanted this year to share that experience with this group.

“So, I think we’ve done enough to get in, and now we will wait on Selection Sunday.”

Tang made several other points in defending the Wildcats’ resume.

More: Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark bullish on basketball’s future in Kansas City

He lamented that the Wildcats were punished for their seven overtime victories, especially against Quad 3 and 4 teams. “I was told all along time ago, just win the game, right?” he said. “Because we didn’t win by 30 or 40 against Quad 4 teams, that’s being held against us in the numbers and what the NET shows.”
Losing starting forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who was dismissed from the team before the season, and potential starting guard Ques Glover to injury, also was a factor. “We were trying to figure out who we were in November when those things happened,” Tang said.
Only three of the Wildcats’ losses came against non-NCAA Tournament teams by Tang’s calculations. “I’ve said all along, nine wins in this league should get you in, so last night when we won, I felt really good about that,” he said.
The Wildcats’ lone Quad 3 loss came against Miami in the Bahamas in November when the Hurricanes were ranked nationally ranked, and they dropped their season opener to Southern California in Las Vegas before the Trojans were hit hard by injuries.
“Now, obviously I’m not the one making the decision, but we have the most Quad 1 wins and the best Quad 1 winning percentage of any bubble team except for Texas A&M, and they have four Quad 4 losses,” Tang continued. “We have non-Quad 4 losses.”

Tang was so positive that the Wildcats will hear their name called by the NCAA on Sunday that he’s not even thinking NIT.

“We’re going to talk about what’s going on, but right now I’ve got this crazy faith inside of me, and I’m looking forward to Selection Sunday,” he said.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

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Kansas

Kansas to receive $2.1M to help formerly incarcerated residents find jobs

Published

7 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Kansas to receive .1M to help formerly incarcerated residents find jobs

TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) – The Sunflower State will receive more than $2 million to expand job training and education programs for formerly incarcerated residents.

The Kansas Department of Corrections announced on Wednesday, Jan. 14, that it has joined a 4-year national initiative aimed at breaking barriers that prevent those with criminal records from finding work.

“Kansas has long recognized the profound impact education and workforce programs have on our incarcerated population, and our state’s selection for the Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks is true recognition of the strides we have made,” said Governor Laura Kelly.

Kansas is 1 of 4 states chosen for Jobs for the Future’s Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks. The state beat out 30 other applicants.

What Kansas Will Receive

Over the next four years, state leaders said Kansas will receive:

Up to $2.1 million in funding
$1.8 million in technical assistance
Access to a secure data-sharing platform
Participation in a national learning network

Officials indicated that Maine, North Carolina and Oregon also joined the program.

Kansas statehouse in Topeka(Heilman, Matthew | KWCH)

Why it Matters

State leaders noted that more than 70 million Americans have records of arrest, conviction or incarceration. Many face discriminatory hiring practices and legal restrictions that limit job opportunities.

“States play a critical role in creating education and workforce systems that open doors to opportunity,” said Molly Lasagna, Senior Strategy Officer at Ascendium Education Group. “When leaders align policy, funding, and data around a shared commitment to economic mobility, they can build pathways that work for learners and employers alike—especially for individuals with histories of incarceration that have been traditionally excluded from those opportunities.”

Kansas officials said connecting formerly incarcerated residents to education and employment reduces recidivism and address workforce shortages.

“Connecting returning citizens to training, education, and employment opportunities sets them up for success upon their release and reduces recidivism,” Gov. Kelly noted. “Our efforts are rooted in the core belief that when we invest in people, we create safer communities, a thriving workforce, and a stronger state for all.”

How Kansas Will Use the Funding

The state plans to:

Strengthen collaboration among state agencies
Improve reentry metrics and tracking
Expand employer engagement
Connect education programs during incarceration to job opportunities after release

“As Kansas experiences significant economic growth and workforce demand, state leaders are showing interest in how fair chance employment can contribute to the state’s future‚” said Rebecca Villarreal, Senior Director at JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement.

FILE - Job application — FILE – Job application(KSWO)

Get Involved

State leaders said they are forming a 5-person advisory board of people directly impacted by incarceration. Applications are now open.

“We are excited to collaborate with the bipartisan, inter-agency leaders from across Kansas who are committed to strengthening the state’s workforce, supporting businesses, and creating pathways to quality jobs for learners with histories of incarceration,” Villarreal said.

According to KDOC, the Coleridge Initiative, a nonprofit focused on data-driven public policy, will provide technical support. Mathematica will evaluate the program.

Jobs for the Future launched the initiative in 2024 with support from Ascendium Education Group.

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Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash

Published

19 hours ago

January 14, 2026

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Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash

OAKLKEY, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.

The collision was reported at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday on K-25 highway just south of County Road D. The location was about 15 miles northwest of Oakley.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s online crash log, a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was northbound on K-25 when it left the roadway to the right — or east — side and overcorrected back onto the roadway.

A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.(Source: MGN)

The vehicle then began sliding sideways into the east ditch, where it rolled once.

The minivan then came to rest upright facing southeast in a field.

The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, Terri Threlkeld, 50, of Page City, was transported to Logan County Hospital in Oakley with serious injuries. The patrol said Threlkeld wasn’t wearing her seat belt.

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Where to watch Iowa State vs. Kansas today: College basketball free stream

Published

1 day ago

January 13, 2026

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Where to watch Iowa State vs. Kansas today: College basketball free stream

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The Kansas Jayhawks hosts No. 2 Iowa State Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. The Cyclones are 16-0 this season, but the Jayhawks won’t be an easy out at home, led by star freshman Darryn Peterson.

Iowa State vs. Kansas will air on ESPN, and streams live on DIRECTV (free trial).

What: Men’s college basketball regular season

Who: No. 2 Iowa Cyclones vs. Kansas Jayhawks

When: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial)

Here’s a recent college basketball story via the Associated Press:

WACO, Texas (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures for No. 7 Houston, which overcame two extended shooting slumps before halftime in a 77-55 win at Baylor on Saturday. The Cougars set a school record with their 16th consecutive road win.

Joseph Tugler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in a row for defending Big 12 champion and national runner-up Houston (15-1, 3-0 Big 12). Isiah Harwell also had 12 points, while true freshmen Chris Cenac had 11 and Kingston Flemings 10.

The Cougars haven’t lost a true road game since at No. 8 Kansas on Feb. 3, 2024. That road winning streak is the longest active run in the country, with all of them Big 12 games for a league record.

Cameron Carr had 18 points for Baylor (10-5, 0-3), and Tounde Yessoufou had 10.

Houston missed 10 shots in a row over a 5 1/2-minute span early, then had another 0-for-10 span in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half. But the Cougars took control of the game with a 23-3 run in the six minutes between those droughts.

Sharp and Harwell both had two 3-pointers in that big spurt. The Cougars trailed 14-6 before Sharp ignited that run, and a 3 by Harwell put them ahead to stay. The lead was 29-17 after Tugler’s dunk off a Baylor turnover with 6:34 left. That was their last field goal of the half, when they still led 33-26 before a 13-3 run to start the second half.

The Cougars shot 39.2% overall (29 of 74) from the field, with only five turnovers and 23 offensive rebounds. They scored 31 points off 16 turnovers by Baylor, which got 33 fewer shots.

Up next

Houston: Home Tuesday against West Virginia.

Baylor: At Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

Can I bet on the game?

Yes, you can bet on the game from your phone in New York State, and we’ve compiled some of the best introductory offers to help navigate your first bets from BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365 and more.

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