Kansas State walked into Tuesday night’s game bruised, shorthanded, and staring down a tough conference slate - and walked out with a gutsy win that spoke volumes about the team’s resilience.
Missing three key starters - forwards Khamari McGriff and Elias Rapieque, along with sharpshooter Abdi Bashir Jr., who’s now sidelined for 4-6 months - the Wildcats could’ve folded. Instead, they leaned into the moment, trusted their depth, and came out swinging against Utah to earn their first conference victory of the season.
Head coach Jerome Tang, never one to shy away from speaking from the heart, likened the team’s injury adversity to the biblical story of Gideon - a leader told by God to whittle down his army before battle, proving strength doesn’t always come in numbers.
“We had two guys who were already out,” Tang said. “After the Oklahoma State game, we had Abdi’s foot X-rayed.
He had a stress fracture, so he had surgery today and was out. Then today at shoot-around, there was a freak thing that took Khamari out of the game.
But we told the guys we had enough, just like God told Gideon. We just had to battle, and at the end of the day, we were going to win.”
And battle they did. This wasn’t a fluke win or a lucky bounce kind of night - Kansas State earned it with a performance that showcased the ceiling of their backcourt trio.
David Castillo, PJ Haggerty, and Nate Johnson were electric, combining for 71 points and 17 boards. That kind of production from your guards isn’t just impressive - it’s the kind of thing that can shift the trajectory of a season.
The Wildcats leaned heavily on those three, and they delivered. Castillo controlled the pace, Haggerty attacked downhill with purpose, and Johnson was a steady two-way presence.
With a shorter rotation, the defensive intensity understandably dipped at times, but the offense more than made up for it. Kansas State shot a blistering 52% from beyond the arc, took care of the ball, and rebounded well despite the size disadvantage.
That’s the kind of win that builds belief - not just within the locker room, but across the fanbase. It showed what this team is capable of when the chips are down and the rotation is thin. But now comes the real test.
Next up? A showdown with No.
19 Kansas - a team stacked with top-tier talent, including projected No. 1 overall pick Darryn Peterson. The Jayhawks also boast rising stars like Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White, making this one of the toughest matchups on the Wildcats’ schedule.
The challenge will be twofold: First, Kansas State needs more from its bench, especially with Castillo now in the starting five. Second, they’ll need scoring from players outside their big three.
That means guys like Dorin Buca and Taj Manning have to assert themselves offensively. If they can step into larger roles and provide meaningful production, this team has a shot to hang with the best in the country.
Tuesday night was a statement win - not just because of who was missing, but because of how the team responded. Kansas State showed fight, composure, and a whole lot of heart. And if they can carry that same energy into their clash with Kansas, they won’t just be underdogs - they’ll be dangerous.