PJ Haggerty’s Star Power Still Central to Kansas State’s Hopes - But Consistency Is the Key
There’s no hiding when you’re one of the top scorers in the country. And Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty knows that spotlight well.
As a reigning All-American and the nation’s second-leading scorer, Haggerty isn’t just on the radar - he is the radar. Averaging 22.7 points per game on an efficient 49.7% shooting clip, he’s been the engine behind the Wildcats’ offense this season. His early-season scoring outbursts turned heads across the country, and the accolades followed.
One national outlet recently ranked him No. 6 on its list of the most dangerous scoring guards in college basketball - a nod to both his production and his potential. He landed just behind names like Cade Tyson (Minnesota) and Chad Baker-Mazara (USC), two players also carrying heavy offensive loads for their respective teams.
The praise is warranted. Haggerty has shown the ability to score from all three levels, knock down shots from deep, and attack the rim with purpose.
He’s shooting close to 40% from beyond the arc, and when he gets hot, he can pour it on in a hurry. But with that volume scoring comes a balancing act - and lately, that balance has been off.
Over the last five games, Haggerty’s offensive rhythm has hit a snag. He’s scored under 20 points in four of those contests, including a 10-point outing in a narrow win over Creighton. That might not seem like a disaster on its own, but for a player who was regularly dropping 25 to 30 earlier in the season, it’s a noticeable dip.
The numbers during that stretch tell the story: 1-for-10 from three, 48.1% from the free-throw line, and 17 turnovers. That’s not the version of Haggerty Kansas State needs - especially with Big 12 play looming. The Wildcats dropped three games by wide margins during that span, and even the win over Creighton nearly slipped away.
Make no mistake: Kansas State has other weapons. Freshman guard David Castillo has shown flashes of high-level play, and Abdi Bashir Jr. has stepped up in spots. But this team’s ceiling is still tied to Haggerty’s ability to lead the offense - not just with scoring, but with decision-making and control.
That’s exactly what head coach Jerome Tang alluded to after the team’s win over Mississippi Valley State. Despite halting a four-game losing streak, Tang wasn’t ready to call it a turning point.
“We just lost four games in a row,” Tang said. “Satisfied?
They had a drink of water today. When you’re hungry, a drink of water doesn’t fill your hunger.
Our staff will not allow it, they won’t allow it, that’s just not who we are.”
That hunger - and the urgency that comes with it - will be critical as Kansas State enters the teeth of its schedule. The Big 12 is no joke this year.
The Wildcats are staring down matchups with No. 10 BYU, No.
1 Arizona, and No. 8 Houston.
If they want to hang with that level of competition, they’ll need Haggerty firing on all cylinders again.
Saturday’s game against South Dakota presents a chance to build some momentum before the gauntlet begins. It’s not about padding stats - it’s about finding rhythm, reestablishing identity, and reminding everyone why Haggerty was one of the most feared guards in the country to start the season.
Because if Kansas State is going to make noise in the Big 12, it starts - and ends - with PJ Haggerty playing like the star he’s proven he can be.