Kansas State enters Tuesday’s contest against the Mountaineers following its worst home loss in the Sunflower Showdown since 2018.
The lopsided defeat raises questions about the Wildcats’ struggles and adds urgency to turn things around as February fast approaches.
Good Cop: PJ Haggerty, Andrej Kostic finding rhythm, returning to form
Saturday’s loss followed a familiar script for PJ Haggerty. The nation’s third-leading scorer finished with 23 points, including 20 in the second half, right in line with his season average entering the game.
Haggerty was one of only two players to reach double figures against the Jayhawks. The other was Andrej Kostic, who knocked down four of his five three-point attempts in the first half, coming off the bench.
The freshman could be trending in the right direction following Saturday’s loss, though his spike in production comes from a limited conference slate. Kostic has appeared in only three games, with his only other scoring outing being a six-point effort against Utah.
Like the Wildcats, the Mountaineers run a good portion of their offense through their floor general, Honor Huff. The senior guard hasn’t been as efficient in scoring as Haggerty, but he does have a comparable workload, averaging 34 minutes per game.
It’s a system K-State is familiar with defending, though every game presents a different challenge offensively.
Bad Cop: Injuries continue to test a thin K-State roster
Saturday’s loss showed what happens when a team riddled with injuries runs into one of the Big 12’s most well-rounded programs. Even without Darryn Peterson in the mix for Kansas, the matchup was anything but favorable for K-State.
The Wildcats played the entirety of Saturday’s game with eight available players, still one more than in their 81-78 win over Utah. Against teams like West Virginia, especially on the road, that’s a recipe for disaster.
K-State remains without Khamari McGriff, Mobi Ikegwuruka, Elias Rapieque and Abdi Bashir Jr., absences that are anything but beneficial. According to Monday’s Big 12 injury report, McGriff was listed as questionable, while the other three were reported as out.
What West Virginia lacks in perimeter shooting, it compensates for with size. In its most recent outing against No. 1 Arizona, three members of the starting five stood 6-foot-5 or taller, making the Mountaineers one of the tallest starting lineups in the conference.
West Virginia averages just shy of 80 points per game and shoots 46% from the floor, including an 84% shooting half earlier this season against Iowa State.
Expect the Wildcats to have their hands full in this one.
Score Prediction: West Virginia 82, Kansas State 65
