Key Kansas State Men's Basketball Takeaways After Loss to Indiana

The Kansas State Wildcats are entering a much-needed break before returning to Bramlage Coliseum to host Bowling Green on Monday, December 1. The Bowling Green Falcons, sitting at 4-2, will be coming off a matchup against VMI in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. However, K-State’s priority will be inward.

Kansas State Men's Basketball Held in Check for the First Time

That moment of reflection follows their first true road game of the season, an 86-69 loss to No. 25/24 Indiana at the iconic Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Head coach Jerome Tang had purposely circled this matchup as a measuring stick for his young team.

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— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) November 26, 2025

Understanding the value of exposing them to a top-tier road atmosphere early. Behind Reed Bailey’s 21 points and Tayton Conerway’s 19, the Hoosiers executed with balance.

Kansas State struggled to keep pace despite a few consistent scoring contributors. PJ Haggerty led the Wildcats with 16 points. Meanwhile, CJ Jones made one of his most impactful appearances of the season with 15 off the bench. Nate Johnson added 13 in a steady performance.

But the headline of the night centered around Haggerty. For the first time in a K-State uniform, the junior did not reach 20 points. It was a stark departure from the high-octane rhythm he carried into the game.

They entered the week as the nation’s leading scorer at 28 points per game through six outings. His season had already included a 37-point explosion against Mississippi State, making the Indiana game a clear statistical exception.

The Wildcats’ offense, normally among the most explosive in the country, simply could not gain traction. Their top creators were kept out of rhythm. Haggerty, known for his attacking style, found it difficult to navigate Indiana’s pressure.

Abdi Bashir Jr., one of the team’s most reliable perimeter threats, was limited to three points. David Castillo contributed seven, but Khamari McGriff battled foul trouble and finished with only two.

Necessary Learning Moment Moving Forward

Interestingly, Kansas State’s strongest stretches came on the defensive end. The Wildcats pieced together a 10-0 run in the first half and later surged with a 7-0 run in the second half. Both bursts occurred when Coach Tang switched to a more defensive-minded lineup, revealing the grit and versatility of his backcourt.

CJ Jones, used primarily for his on-ball defense this season and entering the game with just nine total points, stunned the crowd by knocking down three three-pointers on his way to a season-high 15. His confidence helped spark both of K-State’s major runs. Johnson, the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year at Akron, supported the charge with 13 points of his own. That includes two crucial three-point makes.

Despite the momentum swings, the Wildcats could not fully tilt the game. They fought back to within two points late in the first half, only for Indiana to push the lead back to 12 before halftime. The road environment clearly made an impact, reflected in Haggerty’s opening half. That's where he posted six points but committed six turnovers under heavy defensive pressure.

In the end, the loss validated Tang’s purpose in scheduling such a tough environment this early in the season. The Wildcats were challenged in new ways, exposed to the pace, physicality, and atmosphere they will repeatedly face in Big 12 play. This setback, while stinging, gives the team invaluable experience as they prepare to defend their home floor against Bowling Green.

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