Takeaways from Kansas State’s latest Big 12 basketball loss against the Baylor Bears
The Kansas State men’s basketball team found a new way to extend its losing streak.
Baylor rallied from a double-digit deficit and defeated K-State 70-62 on Wednesday inside Foster Pavilion. The Wildcats have now lost six straight games in a season that grows more frustrating by the day.
This result was difficult for K-State to stomach because the Wildcats played well enough to build a 40-28 lead early in the second half. They also possessed a lead for 28 minutes, 44 seconds of game action. The visiting bench was confident. The home crowd was nervous. Jerome Tang’s team was in position to win.
But it wasn’t to be. Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe made sure of that.
The talented guard scored a whopping 30 points and led the Bears on a furious rally in the second half. He brought the home crowd to its feet with an athletic layup and then a dunk midway through the second half. Then he helped Baylor pull away with one big shot after the next.
“We’re right there,” K-State guard Brendan Hausen said. “We have proved that we can play with anybody in the Big 12. We’ve just got to find a way to put it together for 40 minutes. Everybody from the players and the coaches have got to do this together. I know we will.”
It was anybody’s game until the final 3:25. Baylor led 61-58 at that moment and then closed things out by making its final seven shots from the field. K-State didn’t make a single field goal down the stretch.
The Wildcats continue to struggle in close games. Their past three losses have all come by 10 points or less.
“I’m proud of their effort and their togetherness,” Tang said. “You know, the results are not what we wanted, but I see a group that’s continuing to get better.”
Overall, K-State got 13 points from David N’Guessan, 12 points from Dug McDaniel and 12 more from Brendan Hausen. But it wasn’t enough.
Baylor had a difference-maker in Edgecombe. K-State did not.
The Wildcats dropped their 15th straight road game dating back to last season. With the defeat, K-State (7-11, 1-6 Big 12) dropped even further below .500. Baylor (11-7, 4-3 Big 12) picked up a much-needed victory in conference play.
K-State will next be in action on Saturday against West Virginia at Bramlage Coliseum.
Until then, here are some thoughts on Wednesday’s action:
The Wildcats had no answer for VJ Edgecombe
Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe made his case for Big 12 Freshman of the Year in this game. The young guard led Baylor to a come-from-behind victory by scoring an incredible 30 points.
He took over in the second half and looked like, by far, the best player on the court.
Much was expected from Edgecombe when Scott Drew recruited him out of Bimini, Bahamas, and he is living up to the hype. He ran circles around the Wildcats in every way imaginable.
Edgecombe got to the basket and scored over K-State defenders. He made three 3-pointers. And he drained 11 of 12 shots from the free-throw line.
Baylor needed someone to take over this game when it missed shots and trailed in the early going. Edgecombe was happy to oblige.
K-State owned this game in the paint
This was an unusually strong game for the Wildcats in one area.
K-State dominated in the paint.
Baylor’s frontcourt was no match for K-State in this game. The Wildcats scored 30 points in the paint and the Bears only scored 16.
The addition of Ugonna Onyenso to the rotation is starting to pay dividends. Jerome Tang barely used the 7-foot Kentucky transfer at the beginning of Big 12 play, but his playing time is now on the rise. He played 13 minutes against the Bears and only contributed two rebounds.
But he made a big impact on defense, where he was an intimidating rim protector. Baylor forwards missed their first few shots against his massive wingspan and played much more timid against him the rest of the night.
But that doesn’t totally explain the improvement. K-State also looked good down low when Onyenso was on the bench.
Coleman Hawkins and David N’Guessan appear to be taking more pride in their defense. They are also showing more confidence on offense around the rim. N’Guessan had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
That is a positive that the Wildcats may be able to build on moving forward.
Jerome Tang knows how to coach against his former team
Baylor will always be a special place for Jerome Tang.
The Kansas State basketball coach spent 19 years working in Waco and helped Scott Drew turn the Bears into a national power as an assistant. You can still find photos of Tang celebrating the team’s lone national championship inside Foster Pavilion.
On Wednesday, he spent a few minutes mingling with fans during pregame warmups. The folks in Waco remain fond of him, too.
But his popularity is fading with every game he coaches against his former team. Few coaches know how to challenge Drew and the Bears better than Tang.
K-State has gone 3-1 against Baylor since Tang took over as head coach, and it was in position to win this game until the latter stages of the second half.
The Wildcats won the first meeting 97-95 in overtime on the road and then won the next two at home 75-65 and 68-64. Then they led this game much of the way.
K-State and Baylor is developing into an entertaining matchup with Tang and Drew on opposite ends of the sideline.
This story was originally published January 22, 2025 at 10:30 PM with the headline "Takeaways from Kansas State’s latest Big 12 basketball loss against the Baylor Bears."