This is so heartbreaking: sad news for K-State fans

So often in life, and in sports, we wonder “What’s next?” Kansas State suffers a 79-76 loss to a very good Florida Atlantic team in the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden, but it just doesn’t feel exactly right to wipe the board clean here in New York City. Each minute deserves its moment, and it’s OK to hurt, and it’s OK to wonder “what if” because life is full of “what ifs,” and, yes, we’re here in the Big Apple, and as a new day dawns, the unforgettable 2023 edition of the Wildcats will head to Manhattan Regional Airport, and they’ll trudge out into the cool afternoon air, and we don’t know where they’ll say goodbye or how they’ll say goodbye, but there’ll be a time when they say goodbye, and it’ll hurt all over again — the pain a reminder of how much they love one another and the unshakable bond forged over the course of many incredible months.

There’s nothing in the world like sports and there’s nothing in the world like March Madness and there’s been nothing in Big 12 Conference history quite like this team, which — and we’ll repeat it again — began with a first-year Division I head coach and a new coaching staff, and with two returning players from a squad that went 14-17, and that grew to include 13 newcomers, and that was picked 10^th in the Big 12 — 10^th, as in last place — and that debuted at No. 11 in the AP Top 25, and that rose to No. 5 in the poll, and that beat No. 6 Texas and No. 19 Baylor and No. 2 Kansas in a span of 10 days, and that finished ranked No. 15 in the final poll ahead of the NCAA Tournament, before their journey ended one game from Final Four.
“First of all, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Jerome Tang began, sitting on stage under the lights at Madison Square Garden one final time. “In the midst of probably one of the toughest things that I’ve experienced with these guys, if we can’t be grateful in these times then all the love and joy that we talk about is fraud, and we’re not frauds.

“This hurts right now, but I wouldn’t trade these guys for 10 other players or 20 others. I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. I’m so thankful for the fun and the ride we had this year.”

This squad, that everybody counted out, finished third in America’s toughest conference, and featured the Big 12 Coach of the Year and Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist, and featured a pair of third-team All-Americans in Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, and it sold out Bramlage Coliseum eight times.

Credit K-State athletics director Gene Taylor for making such an amazing hire. Credit Tang, his staff and players for elevating this program.