The Fallout at Kansas State
The basketball world is turning its eyes toward Las Vegas as the Players Era 16 tournament prepares to open its doors on Thanksgiving weekend, November 26. If the results of the games scheduled for November 24 line up, Kansas State and Baylor could lock horns in a highly anticipated first‑round clash, adding a layer of intrigue to an already stacked field.
The storyline takes a dramatic turn because the man who once guided the Wildcats, Jerome Tang, was relieved of his duties in February after a fiery post‑game outburst that labeled his players “embarrassing” and warned that “very few of them will wear this uniform next year.” The university managed to avoid a $18.675 million buyout by terminating him for cause, a move that has sparked settlement talks between Tang and the school’s legal team.
In the wake of that departure, Kansas State moved quickly to install Casey Alexander, the former Belmont mentor, as its new head coach. Alexander inked a five‑year deal that averages $3.4 million per season, a contract designed to steer the program back to competitiveness while the administration works to settle the Tang dispute.
Meanwhile, Tang has not vanished from the hardwood. He re‑joined Baylor’s staff in late April under longtime coach Scott Drew, a reunion that leverages his deep roots at the Waco institution where he served as associate head coach from 2017 through 2022. Drew’s program, currently perched among the nation’s elite, stands to benefit from Tang’s experience and recruiting connections.
The schedule adds another layer of spice. In addition to a potential November 26 showdown in Vegas, the Wildcats are slated to meet Baylor again on November 27, and will also travel to Seton Hall on December 4 before hosting Lindenwood on December 21. A home game against Creighton remains on the horizon, though the exact date has yet to be announced, promising further battles within the Big 12.