Takeaways from Kansas State basketball’s blowout victory against South Dakota
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State demolished South Dakota 106-76, exploiting South Dakota's porous defense.
- PJ Haggerty scored 24 on 10-of-12 shooting, restoring confidence and offensive rhythm.
- Wildcats project a 9-4 pre-conference record and need about 20 wins for NCAA hope.
There is at least one thing fans can usually count on from the Kansas State men’s basketball team.
The Wildcats will light up the scoreboard against mid-major opponents.
K-State demolished South Dakota 106-76 in a game that was every bit as lopsided as the score indicated Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats got buckets early and often against the Coyotes and finished the day averaging 1.49 points per possession.
PJ Haggerty led the home team with 24 points. David Castillo added 16 points. Abdi Bashir and Nate Johnson both scored 15.
That type of production was to be expected for a K-State team that has shown no mercy against overmatched opponents this season. The Wildcats have averaged 92.5 points in their six games against teams from outside the power conferences. And that includes a home loss to Bowling Green in which K-State finished with just 66 points.
South Dakota (7-7) is one of the worst defensive teams in the country, and K-State (8-4) took advantage with a victory that will allow its players to enter Christmas break in a festive mood.
Up next for the Wildcats is another home game against Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 28.
Until then, here are takeaways from Saturday’s action:
PJ Haggerty was sharp on offense
A performance like this will boost PJ Haggerty’s confidence.
That is a good thing for the K-State point guard after he slumped his way through a few games in which he was less than stellar.
Haggerty scored a team-high 24 points. Best of all, they were an efficient 24 points. He went 10-of-12 from the field and nearly had a perfect day on the offensive end.
South Dakota isn’t known for strong inside defense, and Haggerty took advantage by driving to the rim and making a flurry of layups. This was one of his most aggressive games of the season. He only attempted two shots from beyond the arc.
Khamari McGriff showed off his athleticism
During his short time at K-State, Khamari McGriff has proven himself to be a dependable scorer. But he hasn’t given the Wildcats many highlight moments. The vast majority of his buckets have been ho-hum layups and hook shots.
Things changed for him against South Dakota.
At one point, McGriff lept high into the air and threw down a massive dunk that nobody in a South Dakota uniform could do anything to stop. He showed off his aggressiveness and athleticism on that play.
McGriff went on to score 10 points and grab five rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
The Wildcats are on a winning streak
Things were looking bleak for the Wildcats when they lost four straight games and fell to 5-4 on the season. But things are starting to look up for them now that they have bounced back with three consecutive victories.
How much?
That is up for debate. It’s hard to know what it means for K-State to reel off wins against Mississippi Valley State, Creighton and South Dakota. The Wildcats were heavily favored to win two of those games, and the Bluejays are down this season.
K-State should enter Big 12 play with a record of 9-4, given that another overmatched opponent is up next on the schedule. What happens from then on will determine whether the Wildcats are able to contend for a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Jerome Tang’s team will need around 20 victories to have a shot at March Madness. That means K-State might need to win 11 games against conference opponents to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years.
K-State will need to exceed expectations the rest of the way in order to make that happen. But it’s within the realm of possibility thanks to this winning streak at the end of nonconference action.