Haggerty Fuels Late Comeback as Unbeaten Wildcats Edge Tulsa in a Thriller

K-State defends against a Tulsa player on offense. Courtesy: Dekan Vanderbilt

A K-State player holds out his arms against a Tulsa player. Courtesy: Dekan Vanderbilt.

A K-State player puts his hands on his hips. Courtesy: Dekan Vanderbilt

The cardiac Cats delivered another thriller on Monday night, edging past Tulsa 84-83 to keep their perfect season alive.

K-State entered the matchup as the nation’s most efficient team, leading in both field goal and three-point shooting. That reputation took a hit as the Wildcats struggled to find their touch, finishing just 44% from the floor (30-68) and a chilly 21% from deep (5-24). Reliable senior guard Nate Johnson wasn’t himself, going 2-7 from the field and 1-4 from distance, though he still contributed 9 rebounds and a team-high 4 assists. Sharpshooter Abdi Bashir also wasn’t sighted in properly, hitting only 4-12 overall and 2-6 from three—his first game this season shooting under 50% from beyond the arc.

Still, the night belonged to former Golden Hurricane and current K-State star PJ Haggerty. The senior guard turned it on after halftime, pouring in 25 of his game-high 29 points in the second stanza. Haggerty’s aggressive drives and clutch scoring were pivotal, and he added 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season and his first with points and boards.

Tulsa wouldn’t go quietly, catching fire in the second half to shoot 52% from the field and 45% from long range. With under a minute left, Tulsa’s Myles Rigsby knocked down a free throw to put the Golden Hurricane up 83-78. But Haggerty quickly answered, drawing a foul and draining two free throws to cut the deficit to three.

A Tulsa miscue gave K-State new life—Tylen Rinley, fresh off sealing last week’s win with late free throws, tossed the ball out of bounds with 37 seconds left. Haggerty capitalized with a speedy jumper, pulling K-State within one. The Cats ratcheted up the defense, forcing another Tulsa turnover, this time stolen by Khamari McGriff, who fired a perfect pass to sophomore point guard David Castillo.

Castillo, who’s been electric off the bench this season, stepped up in the game’s biggest moment. He took McGriff’s outlet, shook his defender with a flurry of moves, and finished a tough layup to give K-State its first lead since the closing minutes.

But the drama wasn’t over. With 18 seconds remaining, Tulsa’s leading scorer, Miles Barnstable, missed a go-ahead three, but the Golden Hurricane grabbed the offensive rebound and got one last look. David Green drove inside and had a chance to play spoiler, but his contested layup fell short as time expired. The Wildcats survived, staying unbeaten in dramatic fashion.

Kansas State now shifts focus to the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, where they’ll face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday night. The cardiac Cats hope for a less stressful finish next time—but as Monday proved, they’re built for the big moments.