Kansas Looks to Snap Bramlage Skid in Sunflower Showdown vs. Kansas State
As the Kansas Jayhawks gear up for Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown in Manhattan, Bill Self isn’t shying away from the elephant in the room: KU hasn’t won at Bramlage Coliseum in three years. And the head coach, now in his 23rd season at the helm, plans to make sure his team knows it.
“We’ve labored when we’ve gone over there and left disappointed,” Self said earlier this week. “We don’t want that to happen a fourth time.”
The No. 19-ranked Jayhawks (14-5, 4-2 Big 12) will tip off against the Kansas State Wildcats (10-9, 1-5) at 7 p.m. on Saturday, with the game airing on FOX. And while the records may suggest a mismatch, Self knows better than to take this rivalry lightly-especially in Manhattan.
“I actually think it’s probably as good a home court as we’ll play in our league,” Self said. “We haven’t performed as well as we’d hope, but they’ve had a lot to do with that, especially the last couple of years.”
Kansas is 14-8 under Self in games played in the Little Apple, and while the Jayhawks have historically had the upper hand in the rivalry (Self is 38-9 against K-State), the recent struggles at Bramlage have added an edge to this year’s matchup. K-State head coach Jerome Tang, now in his second season, has split his six games against KU.
Haggerty Heating Up
If Kansas wants to flip the script on the road, slowing down P.J. Haggerty will be a priority-and no easy task.
The 6-foot-4 junior transfer has been electric for the Wildcats, averaging 23.4 points and 5.2 rebounds through 19 games. He put up a monster 34-point performance in Tuesday’s 81-78 win over Utah, snapping K-State’s five-game skid to open Big 12 play.
“He can score as well as anybody in the country,” Self said. “We’re very familiar with him.”
Haggerty has had quite the journey-starting at TCU, then Tulsa, then Memphis, and now Kansas State-but he’s found his rhythm in Manhattan. He’s shooting 36.6% from deep (26-of-71) and is relentless getting downhill, where he earns frequent trips to the line (100-of-140, 71.4%).
“He gets to spots most guards can’t,” Self said. “Even when you defend him well, he’s going to get his shots. The key is making him work and making sure the other guys don’t go off.”
Haggerty’s high usage means he’s also a facilitator-he’s dished out 86 assists this season, though he’s also committed 73 turnovers. Still, his ability to draw attention opens up opportunities for a supporting cast that’s stepped up in recent weeks.
Supporting Cast Stepping Up
With second-leading scorer Abdi Bashir Jr. sidelined for 4-6 weeks following foot surgery, the Wildcats have leaned on a trio of guards to help fill the void.
David Castillo, a 6-1 sophomore who was once on KU’s recruiting radar, has emerged as a reliable option. He scored 20 points against Utah, knocking down 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. For the season, he’s shooting 39.2% from deep (38-of-97).
Senior guard Nate Johnson is another threat from long range, connecting on 40.9% of his attempts (38-of-93) while averaging 11.6 points per game. Add in senior forward Khamari McGriff (10.2 points, 4.3 rebounds), and the Wildcats have enough firepower to make things interesting-especially if Haggerty draws extra attention.
Jayhawks Finding Their Groove
Kansas, meanwhile, is starting to build momentum after a rocky start to conference play. The Jayhawks have won three straight Big 12 games, including a gritty 75-69 road win at Colorado earlier this week. That win followed back-to-back losses at UCF and West Virginia, and the team knows it needs to bring a tougher edge on the road.
“We’ve got to just be gritty,” said sophomore guard Jamari McDowell. “Our last game, it was slow and ugly.
We grinded it out. We got it done, but we’ve got to be grittier and tougher for sure.”
McDowell, who averages 4.2 points in 17.6 minutes per game, has quietly become one of KU’s most efficient shooters-he’s hitting 44.2% from three (19-of-43). But his value goes beyond the box score. As someone who shares the backcourt with freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, McDowell’s role is as much about chemistry as it is about production.
“From a personal standpoint, I’ve never played with a player like him,” McDowell said of Peterson. “It’s been an adjustment for all of us. But I feel like we’re finally starting to click.”
Peterson, a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, sprained his ankle late in the Colorado game but managed to finish. Self has already said the freshman “won’t be 100% for a while,” but there’s optimism that he won’t miss time.
McDowell echoed that sentiment: “I just saw him in the locker room. He seemed in high spirits and cool.
I’ll talk to him, ask how he’s feeling. But he’s fine.”
Saturday’s Stakes
For Kansas, Saturday is about more than just extending a win streak-it’s about reclaiming a building that’s given them fits in recent years. For Kansas State, it’s a chance to build on a much-needed win and potentially turn the tide on a season that’s teetered on the edge.
“They’re going to come to play, obviously,” McDowell said. “They’ve gotten us a couple times the past few years. We’re going to for sure try to not let that happen.”
The rivalry always brings out the best in both teams, and this year’s edition should be no different. Expect intensity, expect emotion-and expect both teams to go toe-to-toe in a game that means a little more on both sides of the state line.