An inconsistent regular season by the Kansas State basketball team is over.

Now, it’s time to look toward the postseason.

After falling to Iowa State in the season finale, the Wildcats await their opponent in the first round of the Big 12 tournament that begins Tuesday in Kansas City.

“One game, just win one game,” K-State coach Jerome Tang said. “Tournaments, the hardest game to win is the first because everybody has new life and everybody has hope. We just got to lock in, figure out who we’re going to play, win that one game and go from there. But you’ve got to win the first one. That’s kind of all we’re talking to the guys about.” 

The Wildcats showed signs of life in late January and February with a six-game winning streak. They then finished the season by losing five of seven.

At 15-16, they need to win the conference tournament to qualify for the NCAAs. The Wildcats last appearance was 2023 when they made the regional final.

“We’ve got to figure out how to get some legs and have some energy,” Tang said. “Whoever wants to be there the most and keep living life together, those are the teams that advance. Guys who are tired and sick of each other, those are the teams that don’t. Thankfully, we’ve got a group of guys that like being around each other.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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