Kansas State's chances of being a bubble team in the NCAA Tournament are getting close to being popped.

After losing to No. 21 BYU on the road, the Wildcats sit at 15-9 and 5-6 in Big 12 play.

While they teeter on the bubble, the Wildcats need to quickly find a recipe for success before the season passes them by.

They’ve had moments where they’ve done that, but those moments are sandwiched between disappointing performances.

Not much has gone right for Kansas State this season. They lost two rotation players at the start of the season, one of their premier transfers has struggled to bring consistency, and they've dropped single-digit losses that could've flipped their resume around.

But why has Kansas State struggled?

That question is difficult to answer because, to be frank, a lot is going wrong on paper and the court. But three reasons stand out for Kansas State, who are searching for something to go their way.