Haggerty and Johnson’s Explosive 67-Point Surge Stuns Baylor in Driscoll’s Thrilling Coaching Debut

Tuesday night delivered a breath of fresh air for Kansas State basketball fans as P.J. Haggerty lit up the scoreboard with 34 points and Nate Johnson smashed his personal best with 33, leading the Wildcats to an impressive 90-74 victory over Baylor. This win snapped K-State’s six-game slump and drew a bright line under the team’s fresh start under interim head coach Matthew Driscoll, who took the reins after Jerome Tang’s dismissal following four seasons. Right from tipoff, the Wildcats dominated — never trailing, and stretching their lead comfortably throughout the second half. Johnson’s clutch plays, including five sharp three-pointers and a flurry of assists and steals, turned this game into a showcase of pure skill and determination. Meanwhile, Baylor struggled to connect beyond the arc, managing only three made threes on 24 attempts, which proved too much to overcome. It’s clear that Driscoll’s arrival injects new life into the Wildcats, and with a road game at No. 13 Texas Tech looming, the Wildcats are poised to ride this momentum forward. LEARN MORE.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — P.J. Haggerty scored 34 points, Nate Johnson added a career-high 33, and Kansas State cruised past Baylor 90-74 on Tuesday night in the debut of Wildcats’ interim head coach Matthew Driscoll.

K-State (11-15, 2-11 Big 12) never trailed and held a double-digit lead for most of the second half to end a six-game skid. Driscoll replaced previous head coach Jerome Tang, who was fired Sunday night after four season at the helm.

Johnson’s layup gave the Wildcats a 21-point lead with 10:39 remaining. He surpassed his previous career-best 31 points with a dunk with 1:37 remaining.

Haggerty shot 15 of 23 overall. Johnson was 11-of-16 shooting and made five of the Wildcats’ eight 3-pointers. Johnson also had nine assists and matched a career-high with six steals.

Isaac Williams IV scored 16 points to lead Baylor (13-13, 3-10), which has lost four straight. Tounde Yessoufou added 14 point for the Bears. Cameron Carr chipped in with 12 points and Dan Skillings Jr. scored 11. The Bears made just three of their 24 3-point attempts.

Johnson made four 3s and scored 16 points, and Haggerty added 13 points to help K-State build a 41-34 halftime advantage. The Wildcats shot 5 of 11 from long range while Baylor missed 11 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc.

Williams’ layup pulled the Bears to 66-57 with 8:20 left but they didn’t get closer.