Kansas State Men's Basketball Takeaways After Late Tulsa Rally

Playing against his former team, Haggerty delivered a performance that completely reshaped the game. He poured in 31 points, including an incredible 27 in the second half alone. He attacked the rim with confidence and provided the steady scoring Kansas State desperately needed. Haggerty finished with a double-double by adding 10 rebounds. And on the other hand, he was the only Wildcat to hit more than two field goals in the second half.

Momentum Swings and a Wild Ending

The second half felt like a tug-of-war. Kansas State fell behind by four with just under 13 minutes to play before surging ahead and building a seven-point cushion with 6:39 remaining. That lead slipped away quickly.

Tulsa’s response included several momentum-killing shots, highlighted by Miles Barstable’s clutch three-pointer with 2:04 remaining that put Tulsa up three.

Kansas State needed a spark, and Haggerty provided it with a timely floater that trimmed the deficit to one with 31.4 seconds remaining. Tulsa unraveled on the next possession, failing to move the ball across half-court after a timeout and committing a costly turnover.

That mistake opened the door for Castillo’s decisive drive to the basket, giving Kansas State the lead. The Wildcats then locked in defensively, stopping Tulsa twice in the final moments to secure the thrilling finish.

Off-Shooting Night Raises Concerns

Kansas State entered the night leading all high-major programs in effective field goal percentage, but their shooting touch disappeared. The Wildcats went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc in the first half and added only two more threes after the break, finishing 5-of-24 from deep. They shot 44.1% overall and struggled to find scoring options beyond Haggerty’s hot hand.

On the defensive end, Kansas State began the game sharp, limiting Tulsa to 33.3% shooting in the first half. However, allowing 13 second-chance points kept Tulsa within range, and the defensive intensity dipped after halftime. Tulsa hit 51.9% of their shots in the second half and capitalized at the free-throw line, going 21-for-29.

The Wildcats were also missing bench contributor Mobi Ikegwuruka. He had been averaging 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. No immediate reason for his absence was provided.

Kansas State now heads into its toughest non-conference stretch of the season. The Wildcats open the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City on Thursday, November 20, at 8:30 p.m. against Mississippi State, ranked No. 45 in KenPom.

The next night, they face either Nebraska at No. 41 or New Mexico at No. 101. The trip continues with a road matchup at Indiana on November 25.