‘Everything was crazy’: K-State basketball players reflect on difficult season
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State finished 10-20 overall after midseason coaching change and struggles.
- Interim coach Matthew Driscoll led team to 2-5 finish; program placed 15th in Big 12
- Roster uncertainty looms as revenue sharing, NIL and transfers complicate retention
There weren’t any tears inside the Kansas State locker room after the Wildcats ended their basketball season with a 105-91 loss to BYU in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday.
Losing 20 games for just the fourth time in program history eliminated any need for an emotional farewell with interim head coach Matthew Driscoll or his players. Some of them were understandably ready for this ride to end.
Still, no one was happy to go out this way. They all wanted more, especially when they got off to a 5-0 start way back in November.
The mood at T-Mobile Center was somewhere in the middle.
“It was the last game for the seniors,” K-State guard David Castillo said, “and for the coaches, too. I probably won’t even see them again, because they have to be moved out by Friday. Everything just happened so quick. That was our last game. Everything is done.”
This season featured a little bit of everything for the Wildcats. Early on, it looked like they might be able to contend for the NCAA Tournament. But a mixture of losses, injuries and bizarre press conferences from former head coach Jerome Tang quickly dashed those hopes.
Tang was fired “for cause” last month with the team sitting at 10-15 overall and 1-11 in the Big 12. The shine of his magical first year in Manhattan had completely disappeared. Driscoll took over and guided K-State to a 2-5 record down the stretch. K-State finished 15th (out of 16) in the final Big 12 standings.
Driscoll said it was “miserable” for him to replace a longtime friend like Tang. The Wildcats didn’t always play well for their interim coach, but they did play hard until the end.
“Coaches put a good game plan together, but we always kept coming up short,” K-State wing Marcus Johnson said. “That’s just one lesson for all of us. Don’t take these opportunities for granted. Every possession matters.”
It will be interesting to see how many K-State basketball players will remain on the roster and try to learn from this experience next season.
Ten K-State players have college eligibility remaining, but few are expected to return next season. Things like revenue sharing, NIL money and the transfer portal have made player retention more difficult than ever. A coaching change won’t help the Wildcats in terms of roster stability, even though a new hire is expected soon.
K-State players said they will need time to consider their options over the next few weeks.
“I’m worried about getting back with my family right now,” junior forward Taj Manning said. “We’ll see what’s next.”
Leading scorer PJ Haggerty didn’t discuss his future options. But he did say he would be willing to help sell K-State to any prospective coach.
“This is a great fan base, great town,” Haggerty said. “They all welcomed me ... It’s a great place.”
Castillo said he will enjoy spring break before he figures out his next move.
After a season like this, he could use a vacation.
“I have no idea what I want to do yet,” Castillo said. “The biggest thing right now is spending time with my family and thinking over that decision. I just want to decompress. Everything was crazy this year.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 10:32 AM.