BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2025

Jerome Tang

David N'Guessan

Dug McDaniel

T-Mobile Center

Kansas State Wildcats

Postgame Press Conference

Baylor 70, Kansas State 56

THE MODERATOR: Joining us on the dais is Kansas State Head Coach Jerome Tang with Dug McDaniel and David N'Guessan. Coach?

JEROME TANG: First of all I want to thank God and savior Jesus Christ for the blessing of being able to lead this program and live life with these young men. I just wanted to be able to spend one more day with them, man. That was my whole goal, can we just go one more day.

It's never easy when the season ends. Either way, I think I've only been really happy at the end of one season. Because you never want it to end, not because of the outcome, it's because of the end of the relationships; because the team is never the same the next year.

So super thankful for all the time I've got to spend with all these guys. Baylor played better than we did tonight and they deserve all the credit.

Q. Coach, what did you try to get across to the team afterwards? I know it's an emotional time.

JEROME TANG: That I love them. It's been a joy to coach 'em and to have them call me Coach this year. We've learned that one of the definitions for coach is a vehicle that takes people from one place to the next, safely, and my job this year was to get them from where they were at to where they wanted to go, safely.

It's a journey. I don't know that we got there fully, but for the rest of my life and theirs they can call me Coach and I can be someone that helps them if they're so -- I just wanted them to know they're loved.

Q. Coach, I know we've talked about finding a little bit more consistency on offense and having guys score a little bit more consistently. What can you do to sort of prioritize that?

JEROME TANG: You think I really want to talk about that right now? I know it might be important to you, but it's not important to me right now.

What's important is how these guys leave here, David playing his last game in a K-State uniform and he leaves here knowing that he is appreciated and he's loved.

I'll deal with that other stuff later. That's not very important right now.

Q. In terms of David playing his last game, how much has he meant to the program?

JEROME TANG: I will go to that word consistency that you used. He's been consistent as a human being, showing up every day, working really hard to get better and caring with a big heart and representing our university. Model student, model citizen, terrific son, and, man, I'm so proud that he calls me Coach.

Q. Coach, just what is your message to these guys as you send them off to whatever the next chapter is in their lives?

JEROME TANG: That one day we're going to look back on this season that we had and the ups and downs and everything that took place, and we're going to be able to say, man, that's why God had me go through what I went through.

It's prepared them for something next. We don't know what it is, but they will know what it happens. I asked them to make sure they send me a text. I hope I'm alive. Send me a text. Say, Coach, remember when we went through this and this? That's what I learned and now I'm handling this situation.

You can have struggle and success at the same time. I love the fact that I've seen these guys have success in the midst of the struggles.

Q. Dug, what have you learned from David in your short time here so far?

DUG MCDANIEL: Really how to be a leader. He's taught me a lot. He helped me grow up a lot. He leads by example so he doesn't have to talk a lot. You can just tell by the way he carry himself. You can pick up little things from him. He just welcomed me as a brother, so it's a joy playing with him. I'm going to miss him, but it's not the end for us for sure.

Q. Coach, for some of the guys that can return next year, what do you hope they learn from David and Coleman that have led the program this year?

JEROME TANG: David is an example of a young man who stayed in the same program for three years and went from a role player to a star and an All-Conference guy, and that if you trust the process and stick with it and you're committed, it can happen.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much.