KANSAS CITY, Mo.— A mere three years ago in Madison Square Garden, Jerome Tang’s first Kansas State team fended off Michigan State 98-93 in overtime to advance to within a game of the school’s first Final Four since 1964.

It was an exhilarating scene, amplified by Markquis Nowell’s tournament-record 19 assists (and 20 points), one of the most captivating performances I’ve witnessed in many years of tournament coverage.

But the moment felt all the more meaningful for what it seemed to portend: a bright future behind the Big 12 Coach of the Year, who had brought in 11 new scholarship players and infused his unique energy into the program.

Even after the 79-76 loss to Florida Atlantic that followed in the Elite Eight, there was every reason to feel the same about what was yet to come.

So much so that K-State soon signed Tang to two lucrative contract extensions in the span of less than a year: The second was delivered when Tang in 2024 was courted by Arkansas, and the school felt compelled to retain him because of that one shining moment.

Trouble was, that season proved to be more fool’s gold than foundational.

Tang’s on-court success proved to be fickle and fleeting; his teams never so much as played in another NCAA tournament game as they declined by the season. The diminishing results amplified his idiosyncrasies. All of which led K-State in February to fire him.

For cause, the school contends, with an $18.7 million buyout in the balance — a drama of its own waiting to play out.

Left in the wake of this is a cautionary tale, with a certain darned if you do, darned if you don’t element, the consequences of which were on vivid display Tuesday night at T-Mobile Center:

K-State’s lost season mercifully came to an end with a 105-91 loss to BYU in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Fueled by AJ Dybantsa’s 40 points, BYU’s score was the most in Big 12 tourney history.

The abrupt finality of the loss was particularly acute for the Wildcats, who finished 12-20 overall with a 3-15 Big 12 regular-season record.

Given the circumstances, including the state of college sports in general, it’s impossible to know who among them will return — a reality that reverberated around a locker room where players and coaches were hugging as if saying farewell.

Because many probably were.

As he considered the moment, sophomore guard David Castillo thought about not just the seniors who are done but all of the flux and Tang’s staff who coached out the season.

“Probably won’t even see (the coaches) again,” he said, “with them having to be moved out by Friday.”

At the podium, interim coach Matthew Driscoll described the last few weeks standing in the stead of his friend as “absolutely miserable.”

“Every day,” he said. “Ulcers, not sleeping, not feeling good.”

Not feeling good echoes the broader plight of K-State as it seeks the man to replace Tang. The Star’s Kellis Robinett has reported extensively on the search, which athletic director Gene Taylor confirmed Tuesday could conclude this week.

The frontrunner is considered Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun, who took the Aggies to the NCAA tournament last season, coaxed them to the Mountain West regular-season title and is a former assistant to Bob Huggins — who endeared himself to K-State fans in just one season in Manhattan.

But with other jobs recently opening and more to come, K-State has to have several candidates in mind even as it tries to operate with urgency and largely favors current head coaches: Among others in whom K-State is believed to have interest are Belmont’s Casey Alexander and Saint Louis University’s Josh Schertz.

One other priority K-State likely will embrace: a coach with a consistent plan and not prone to capriciousness. Tang tended to be that in everything from his season-by season approach to this season’s mood swings that hastened his demise — including his blame games and saying his team didn’t “deserve to wear this uniform” after a 91-62 loss to Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, however K-State moves, one of the dilemmas of this era of college sports will hover over it — an issue the school will be particularly cognizant of and seek to navigate better:

How can it lure the best person for the job and pay what it must to demonstrate its commitment without putting itself in a financial bind — especially in terms of the buyout — like it did with Tang? It’s all a trap in a lot of ways: When everyone thought he was The Answer, K-State would have been hard-pressed not to meet the moment to keep him.

So there’s no easy answer, especially since much of it is simply the price of business these days: K-State will want to reel in whoever it deems best for the job and not get snagged over the details in an intensely competitive market.

But it also will look to be more cautious in how it builds contracts with an aim of being fair and protecting both sides. However it works out with the Tang buyout, K-State literally can’t afford to make itself that vulnerable again.

Because even when something seems so perfect, like Tang’s debut season, it can turn out just to be a moment in time — unforgettable but singular.

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