A packed Bramlage Coliseum was filled with the excitement of Big 12 basketball fans as the Kansas State Wildcats matched up against the BYU Cougars in their first conference contest.

The start of Big 12 play means a couple of things: physicality and the urge to win both increase significantly among players. While the Wildcats made sure to be physical and stay that way throughout the game, it wasn’t enough, and K-State was defeated 83-73.

The Wildcats shot 42% from the field, but with Abdi Bashir Jr. being the only Wildcat able to sink three-pointers, the team shot only 14% from the arc.

“We just missed shots,” PJ Haggerty said. “It happens as part of the game. I think we didn’t all around and play our best game, but I still think we gave ourselves a chance. But at the end of the day, we just lost. But it’s one game.”

K-State got cooking when three Wildcats contributed to back-to-back possessions. Abdi Bashir Jr. started the surge with a splashed three-pointer. Then, having his head on a swivel, Mobi Ikegwuruka found himself a steal and handed it off to Haggerty, who laid in a layup to put K-State up 7-5.

The Cougars soon found themselves on a roll, however, tying the game at 14-14 by swishing a three. Their lead wouldn’t last long, though, as two made layups by Bashir Jr., and David Castillo would give the Wildcats the edge. Despite K-State’s effort, the Cougars once again took control of the lead and this time kept it.

Due to the athleticism and battle of both teams, scoring droughts were apparent. At the 8:48 mark, the Wildcats were only 2-12 while the Cougars were in a scoring drought for 2:33.

While K-State struggled to make field goals — going on a dry spell of 6:36 before Haggerty made a jumper — their free throw percentage was solid throughout the first half, going 9 for 11 at the stripe.

With 24.5 seconds left before halftime, BYU came out in a full-court press, swiftly denying the Wildcats at the rim, and ending the half with the Cougars leading, 45-35. 

“We’ve got to continue to get better,” K-State head coach Jerome Tang said. “To win or lose this game, we have to get better. We have some glaring things that are standing out, but they’re correctable. I know our guys’ hearts, so I know that we will improve in the areas that we need to.”

Haggerty went into the half with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Bashir Jr. would also contribute 11 points, four rebounds and one assist during the half. The two would stay stat leaders for the remainder of the game, along with two others who later hit double-digit points.

Haggerty started the Wildcats off in the second with a reverse layup, along with another layup to close the scoring deficit to six.

With 5:45 left in the game, Castillo tried putting it up on the glass, but the ball rolled around the rim and almost out before Khamari McGriff tipped it through the net, closing the Cougars’ lead to nine, 67-58.

During five Wildcat possessions, McGriff was the playmaker, getting himself nine points over 1:26 minutes of play.

“When we throw four guards out there, they can’t do what they do when we have two forwards out there,” Tang said. “When you have another guard out there, or a forward who can stretch the floor, it really helps you on the offensive end.”

The Cougars would respond to McGriff’s scoring run with their own and finish the game with an 83-73 victory over K-State.

Despite the loss, the Wildcats’ defense improved, making BYU turn the ball over 19 times.

“We wanted to be the more aggressive team,” Tang said. “It was great. But when you force 19 turnovers, you can’t have 17 points off; you need to have 27 points off of it, because there are a lot of them that were live-ball turnovers, so we’ve got to capitalize.”

Tang believes the team has much more potential than what was on display against the Cougars.

“You’re constantly looking for that one little spurt that’s going to give you some separation,” Tang said. “We didn’t play close to what we’re capable of playing. The ceiling is high, and so we should be really confident and excited about getting back into practice and improving.”

The loss moves K-State to 9-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play. K-State will match up against Arizona in its first Big 12 road game at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7.