STILLWATER, Okla. — Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang said he didn’t like how the Wildcats put themselves in a position for their 84-83 loss to Oklahoma State to come down to a call.
He wasn’t talking about the call that went against Abdi Bashir Jr. with seconds remaining, which awarded the Cowboys with the three free throws they made that ultimately turned into the game-winning shots. He was talking about the play before the foul that, had it gone K-State’s way, could have resulted in the Wildcats’ first Big 12 win of the season.
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With about eight seconds left, Oklahoma State missed a 3-point attempt when it trailed by two. A scramble for the ball looked, to Tang, like Kansas State had possession with multiple Wildcats calling for a timeout. Instead, officials ruled a heldball when the possession arrow was in favor of the Cowboys, leading to the game-deciding foul on a 3-point shooter.
“It’s just disappointing that it came down to a call,” Tang said.
It was that type of night for Kansas State, which dropped to 0-5 in the Big 12 for the first time since the 1996-97 season. Officiating played a role in the loss, whether justified or not, as the Wildcats finished with 22 personal fouls to Oklahoma State’s 10. That led to 24 free-throw attempts for the Cowboys and just five for the Wildcats.
It’s been a theme for the Wildcats this season: They commit the nation’s 343rd-most fouls (out of 361) at 20.4 per game. They also struggle to get to the free-throw line, averaging about 19 attempts, ranking 14th out of 16 teams in the Big 12.
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Since Big 12 play began, K-State has committed 22 or more fouls in four games, sending opponents to the line for an average of 28 free-throw attempts per game. Khamari McGriff, who was 7 for 7 from the field for 14 points against the Cowboys, has fouled out in two of those games, including on Saturday night, and has finished with four in two others.
“We just need to focus on what we can do better to not get those calls and for us not to foul,” McGriff said. “We can’t control how the refs blow the whistle and what they’re calling, but we can control how we play defense, and we can be more aggressive in getting to the rim.”
Tang was obviously frustrated by the officiating on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Gallagher-Iba Arena, while biting his tongue, attempting to avoid a fine or reprimand from the Big 12 offices. He also didn’t want to use it as an excuse for the Wildcats’ fifth consecutive loss, as they now sit alone at the bottom of the conference.
It just added to the frustration of another loss in what is turning out to be another frustrating season.
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“We’ve gotta control the things we can control,” Tang said. “It’s not anybody on the outside. Losers blame other things and other people. We’re not losers; we’re winners.”
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jerome Tang upset with refs after Kansas State loss to Oklahoma State
