Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty's star performance against California came with a few setbacks. He scored a team-leading 23 points and six assists, but he also had seven turnovers and four personal fouls. His offensive foul baiting and carelessness with the ball were the traits of his game that coach Jerome Tang wants to fix.
"I think there were a couple of calls," Haggerty said in his postgame interview. "It was like two or three offensive fouls. I just gotta be better, it won’t happen again. But I’m not really mad, I’m glad we won."
The Wildcats nearly blew a double-digit lead late in the final period, with a dominant performance dwindling to a three-point victory.
"I think the first half we came out real strong," Haggerty said. "Everybody was in shots and locking in on defense. I'd say we got comfortable midway through the second half on my live. They hit some tough shots, not gonna lie. But at the end of the day, we came out with the win."
Still, Haggerty, Nate Johnson, and Khamari McGriff shone with 20-point performances in the commanding offensive display, while David Castillo added 16 off the bench on 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.
The Wildcats play Tulsa (3-0) on Monday night.
HERE'S WHERE ESPN HAS K-STATE'S AVERY JOHNSON IN POWER FOUR QB RANKINGS
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson was expected to take a massive leap in his second full season as the starter.
Well, it hasn't been that type of season, as the Wildcats' signal-caller dipped in production and success in 2025. The latest ESPN rankings placed Johnson right outside the top 25 among Power Four quarterbacks. He was ranked No. 8 among Big 12 quarterbacks alone, falling behind the likes of Jalon Daniels (Kansas) and Devon Dampier (Utah).
The article wrote:
"It appeared at the start of the season that Johnson was trying to play like a professional QB -- not much rushing, checking to safe and easy options -- to the detriment of his team. Now he's playing like himself, taking risks and using his legs. Even with more mistakes, it has made a positive difference."
Johnson has 1,991 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions this season, rushing for 343 yards and seven touchdowns. He's minimized the turnovers, but his inability to push the ball downfield has limited him to a short-range passer. Johnson also hasn't utilized his legs as much as he could, which has diminished his dual-threat play as his biggest asset.