MANHATTAN — Kansas State’s basketball team learned the hard way last year that there is no such thing as too much depth.
The same lesson could have applied the year before as well in Jerome Tang’s first season as the Wildcats’ coach, only it didn’t jump up to bite them.
In 2022-23, led by All-Americans Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, the Wildcats remained relatively healthy and made a remarkable run to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight, while last year losing one key player was too much to overcome.
When talented 6-foot-10 forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, the top returning player from the Elite Eight squad, was dismissed from the team without playing a minute, the Wildcats lacked both the size and firepower to be a serious threat. The result was a respectable but unspectacular 19-15 record and a National Invitation Tournament bid instead of a return to the NCAA.
With that in mind, Tang was determined to rebuild his 2024-25 roster leaving nothing to chance. Only three players returned, and of those graduate forward David N’Guessan was the lone major contributor a year ago.
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Tang brought in four transfers who stood 6-foot-9 or taller, a pair of veteran point guards and several accomplished shooters to address what he saw as the team’s most glaring needs. Namely, lack of rebounding, suspect 3-point shooting and too many turnovers.
Leading into the Wildcats’ season opener Tuesday against New Orleans, Tang called this his deepest and most talented team so far.
Here are three bold predictions as the Wildcats head into the 2024-25 season.
Get ready for a K-State return to the Big Dance
Tang is convinced that the Wildcats have enough talent, plus the depth to withstand any injury setbacks to qualify for the NCAA Tournament after missing out last year.
Coleman Hawkins, a versatile 6-10 transfer from Illinois, was voted preseason co-newcomer of the year by Big 12 coaches, and Michigan transfer Dug McDaniel was one of the top-rated point guards in the portal. There are plenty of others who should help get the Wildcats where they want to go, assuming they hold their own in what is a brutal 20-game conference schedule.
Don’t be surprised if no Wildcat is on the all-Big 12 first team
This is not an indictment of K-State’s talent, but more a testament to the strength of the Big 12, which with the addition of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah expanded to 16 teams.
Of those 16 teams, five were ranked in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll’s top 10, led by No. 1 Kansas, with defending conference champion Houston at No. 4, Iowa State at No. 6, Baylor at No. 8 and Arizona at No. 9.
Hawkins, a second-team Big Ten selection last year at Illinois, is the top candidate after averaging 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists last year. He also was a preseason second team pick by Big 12 coaches.
Look for more hits and fewer misses from the 3-point line
K-State shot an anemic 31.8% from 3-point range last year with nobody connecting at better than 34.5%. That should not be a problem this year if everybody stays true to form.
Six of the Division I transfers shot 36% or better last year, led by Max Jones (Cal State Fullerton) at 38.5 and Brendan Hausen (Villanova) at 38.1. Forward Achor Achor (Samford) hit 43.5%, but only attempted 62.
In last Tuesday’s exhibition game against Fort Hays State, Hausen made five 3-pointers. Jones missed that game with a toe injury.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @arnegreen.
