Jerome Tang calls out team after embarrassing home defeat

Kansas State coach Jerome Tang delivered a blunt message after his team’s 91-62 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

Following the defeat, which marked the Wildcats’ fifth straight loss, Tang criticized his players during a brief and tense postgame news conference. Kansas State fell to 10-14 overall and 1-10 in Big 12 play.

"These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university. I'm embarrassed for our fans and our student section. It is just ridiculous”, he said.

"It means something to wear a K-State uniform. It means something to put on this purple, and everything this university is about and why I love this place. They don't love this place, so they don't deserve to be here”, he added.

Kansas State trailed 53-31 at halftime after Cincinnati shot 57 percent from the field. The Bearcats extended the lead to as many as 32 points late in the second half.

Some Kansas State students wore paper bags over their heads during the game. When informed of that after the loss, Tang responded, "I'd wear a paper bag too, if I was them," before leaving the news conference.

Kansas State will next face No. 3 Houston on Saturday.