Report: Jerome Tang concerned Iowa State used managers to spy on Kansas State team huddles

Kansas State men’s basketball head coach Jerome Tang and his staff were reportedly concerned that their huddles were being spied on and perhaps recorded by Iowa State managers during a recent game on the road in Ames, according to the Wichita Eagle’s Kellis Robinett. Iowa State won the game on Wednesday night, 78-67.

A various points in the game, Tang and assistants on the Kansas State bench had their attention drawn to the crowd, per the report, and not due to the hostile environment. They apparently suspected that the Cyclones had planted managers in a position to take information from the Wildcats bench and relay to the Iowa State bench.

With fewer than eight minutes remaining in the second half, Tang and Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger spoke at midcourt and the Kansas State head coach appeared to turn and make reference to the portion of the arena where he thought the managers were sitting. They had a similar conversation in the postgame handshake line, where Otzelberger appears to be seeking a bit more info from Tang.

“I know you saw what you saw, but I’m not going to talk about it,” Tang said during his postgame press conference. “I’m more than happy to talk about the game. TJ and I will go figure the other part of it out.”

Both interactions remained cordial and both coaches remained complimentary of the other and their programs after the game.

Tang also apparently told the officials during the game about his concern. Another report noted that a member of the Kansas State staff looked toward the Iowa State bench late in the game and referred to them as “cheating motherf*****s.”

This alleged spy operation is reminiscent of the impermissible scouting/sign-stealing scandal that unfolded involving Michigan football and former staffer Connor Stalions. In that case, Stalions is alleged to have orchestrated a network of people who went to games of future Michigan opponents and filmed the sideline so Stalions could decrypt the play signals. Sign stealing, AKA decoding opponent signals from already available information like TV broadcasts, is legal, but the alleged advanced scouting is a clear NCAA rule violation.

The notable difference of what may have occurred between Iowa State and Kansas State versus the Stalions-Michigan situation is the immediacy. Whereas Stalions was working ahead with impermissible scouting, the alleged situation on Wednesday night in Ames would’ve been about generating tactical advantages based on what was discussed in an opposing huddle.

After the fact, though, both coaches seemed poised to move on.

“Nothing happened,” Tang said. “We talked about a situation that took place during the game and he said he would check into it. Then I told him, ‘Thank you,’ and went on. I love TJ. He does a great job. What an unbelievable environment it was out there.”

Otzelberger said it was going to stay between the two coaches what was said.

“There’s a point in time where things are said between coaches that needs to stay that way, so that’s where we’re going to keep it,” Otzelberger said.