The Kansas State basketball team has lost games in just about every way possible this season.

Close calls. Blowouts. Turnovers. Free throws.

On Saturday, the loss to rival Kansas stung the most because it was a game the Wildcats felt was winnable.

“I think if we don’t come out to the slow start like we did, we win,” senior Coleman Hawkins said. “I won’t consider anything different, the name on the front of the jersey. Honestly, I feel like we should’ve won this game. It’s a rivalry game but regardless, I feel like we should have won. I’m not into moral victories. I want to win but we’re going to have to move on. We’ll see them again.” 

The Wildcats never recovered from the Jayhawks’ 14-0 run to start the game. Kansas State took some solace in rallying to keep it close in the second half. The Wildcats pulled to within six points on two occasions but it wasn’t enough.

The next step is for the Wildcats to regroup after a slow start to the Big 12 season. They have lost eight of nine, including five straight.

“Life throws things at you and you man up,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “You believe in who you are and what you’re about and move onto the next thing … We don’t have guys who hang their heads. These are high character dudes.” 

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

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The Kansas City Chiefs won on Saturday, meaning the AFC Championship Game will be in Missouri next Sunday. It’s the seventh straight AFC Championship Games with the Chiefs in the game, and they have hosted six of them.

• In 2024, the Chiefs beat the Ravens in Baltimore (the only away game)
• In 2023, Kansas City beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home
• In 2022, KC hosted the Bengals but lost in overtime
• In 2021, the Bills went to Arrowhead and lost
• In 2020, the Tennessee Titans came to Kansas City to lose.
• In 2019, the New England Patriots beat the Chiefs in overtime in Arrowhead

The Chiefs beat the Ravens in Kansas City in Week 1 to open the 2024 season. The Bills were able to knock off the Chiefs, but it was in Buffalo in November.

Kansas City will have an extra day of rest with the Bills and Ravens playing Sunday night — and the winner has to travel.

Caitlin Clark has never been shy about her Kansas City Chiefs fandom, and her superstardom allowed her to enjoy Saturday’s game with coveted company.

The Iowa women’s basketball legend and reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was spotted in the same box as Taylor Swift during the team’s NFL Divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans.

According to Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star, Swift invited Clark to the game when Clark attended one of the pop star’s Eras Tour concerts.

Clark and Swift were even caught on camera chatting during the game.

Swift is famously dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is trying to help his team become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions.

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