From The Couch – Tang Magic In Hilton Coliseum
You witnessed history if you watched K-State men’s basketball beat down Iowa State yesterday in Ames. Kansas State is the first under-.500 team to beat a team ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll by 15 or more points in the poll’s history. It was a game for the ages that I did not see coming. K-State has won three games in a row and has improved their conference record to 4-6. It once seemed that a trip to the NCAA tournament was improbable, if not impossible, but the way the Wildcats are playing, the next two games appear winnable. A trip to Arizona State and a home game against Kansas. Win both, and suddenly, K-State is .500 in the Big 12. That is pretty crazy to think about for a team that was sitting in last place a couple of weeks ago.
“This win at Iowa State is, you know, obviously it’s huge. They’re a great team, I think they are a team that can win a national championship with the pieces they have and when they’re fully healthy, and so to win on the road, and it was a challenge like we haven’t won a road game in a while, and it was I took it personally as a coach, and I was thankful I had a team that took it personally also and gave us this opportunity today.”…K-State head coach Jerome Tang, post-game
JM: Before this game, K-State lost 15 straight road games, including 12 in the Big 12. They needed this one.
“Brendan (Hausen) is a hooper, and he’s a competitor.”…Jerome Tang, post-game
JM: It seemed that every time Iowa State tried to make a run to get back in the game, Hausen made a big shot or a great defensive play to stop their momentum. K-State had five starters in double figures, but Hausen may have been the MVP of this game.
Brendan Hausen from deepπͺπ―#Big12MBB | @KStateMBB pic.twitter.com/KJos2p1O2C
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) February 1, 2025
JM: “No, no, no, no! YES!” That is what was going through my head as Hausen got the ball and shot this three-pointer to give K-State a 19-point lead with just under 14 minutes left in the game.
“You know, sometimes what we say in the huddle is overrated. It is what those guys do on the floor.”…Jerome Tang, post-game
JM: I appreciate the honesty, but it’s much easier to say something like this after a win than after a loss.
Walk in yo trap⦠pic.twitter.com/kzPsHfl9vj
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) February 1, 2025
JM: The post-game locker room celebration was something to see. Do you think Jerome Tang wanted this victory?
Kansas State is the first sub-.500 team to beat a top-five opponent on the road by 15+ points in AP Poll history, per @ESPNStatsInfo. https://t.co/6R8Gn8PwlM
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) February 1, 2025
JM: History was made in Ames yesterday. K-State now leads the all-time series against Iowa State, 147-94, including 55-53 in games played in Ames.
πΎ > π½ pic.twitter.com/XPkbuZp7wZ
— CTESPN K-State (@CTESPNKansasSt) February 1, 2025
JM: The fans of these two programs seem to dislike each other more and more with each game played, which means we get some excellent memes after games like this….
— π’ππππΎ (@EvryManAWildcat) February 1, 2025
JM: RIP Hilton Magic. At least for another year.
K-State travels to play Arizona State on Tuesday night, followed by the Sunflower Showdown on Saturday at 1:00 in Bramlage Coliseum. Let’s get ‘er done!
