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Kansas State

Rapid recap: Kansas State must start faster

On3 imageby: Drew Galloway12/02/23galloway__drew
Jerome Tang
Peter G. Aiken / Contributor PhotoG/Getty

Kansas State gets out-played

Kansas State survived a major scare from North Alabama in the 75-74 win in overtime. K-State led for just 7:47 of the game. Jerome Tang opened up his press conference by saying the Wildcats did not deserve to win. Tang believes North Alabama was the better team for 39 minutes during the game and Kansas State just found a way to win in the final minutes. K-State fought hard and played with togetherness to give them the victory. Tylor Perry played a major role in the comeback in the final moments of regulation and overtime to secure the win.

Area K-State can improve

The most interesting note of the post-game press conference from Tang probably came in where K-State can improve the most. He believes the biggest area of improvement is not basketball-related, it is character-related. However, it is also not a major character issue, just a collection of little things causing things to go wrong.

Kansas State players are making poor decisions off the court. Those poor decisions off the court are why K-State did not have their full allotment of players once again on Saturday. Will McNair notably did not play Saturday and it was a coach’s decision not to play him.

Tang said he is trying to take a bunch of individuals and make them into a team. His players need to realize playing for the program and his coaching staff is more important than playing for the individual and they need to do the next right thing off the court.

As far as basketball goes, K-State did not shoot the ball well Saturday. The Wildcats must shoot the ball better moving forward.

Faster starts needed

Saturday was another slow start from Kansas State. The Lions raced out to an eight-point lead in the first four minutes of the game and led for 13:20 of the first half. K-State made just six shots from the floor in the first 20 minutes of play and lacked rhythm offensively.

Tang said if the Wildcats start like they did Saturday against Villanova they will get blown out and the final five minutes will not matter. Kansas State has to play faster and tougher in the first half of games moving forward.

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