Preview // K-State Concludes Road Trip at Arizona State Saturday

Saturday, January 10

Tempe, Ariz.

2 p.m. CT

Kansas State University

Arizona State

Preview // K-State Concludes Road Trip at Arizona State Saturday

Jan 09, 2026 | Men's Basketball

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The Wildcats and Sun Devils will meet for the 13th time, including the second straight year in Tempe.

TEMPE, Ariz. – K-State (9-6, 0-2 Big 12) concludes its road trip through the Valley of Sun on Saturday with a visit to Desert Financial Arena for a matchup with Arizona State (9-6, 0-2 Big 12). Tip is set for 2:02 p.m., CT and will air nationally on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.

K-State is looking to end a 2-game slide to open Big 12 play after losses to No. 10/10 BYU (83-73) and No. 1/2 Arizona (101-76). It marked the first time that the Wildcats have started league play with consecutive Top 10 opponents. The team hopes to get back on track from 3-point range after hitting a combined 19.3 percent (11-of-57) in the matchups with BYU and Arizona.

Led by 11-year head coach Bobby Hurley, the Sun Devils have lost 4 in a row, including their first 2 Big 12 matchup to Colorado and No. 9/9 BYU, after starting the season with 9 wins in their first 11 games, including a runner-up finish at the Maui Invitational. The team has 7 players averaging 6 or more points, including a trio of double-digit scoring threats in seniors Maurice Odum (16.1 ppg.) and Anthony Johnson (14.7 ppg.) and freshman big man Massamba Diop (14.2 ppg.).

The all-time series between K-State and ASU is tied at 6 wins each. Last season, the Wildcats won 2 of 3 matchups with the Sun Devils, including a come-from-behind 71-70 victory in Tempe. The teams have split their 4 meetings at Desert Financial Arena.

GAME 16
KANSAS STATE (9-6, 0-2 Big 12) at ARIZONA STATE (9-6, 0-2 Big 12)
Saturday, January 10, 2026 | 2:02 p.m., CT | Desert Financial Arena (14,198) | Tempe, Ariz.

TELEVISION
Peacock/NBC Sports Network (online link)

James Westling (play-by-play)
Matt Muehlebach (analyst)
Joel Felicio (producer)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Ch. 381
Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
Stan Weber (lead analyst)

COACHES
K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College '07]
Record at K-State: 70-48/4th Year
Career Record: 72-48*/4th Year+
vs. Arizona State: 2-1 (1-0 on the road)

Arizona State: Bobby Hurley (Duke '93)
Record at Arizona State: 177-157/11th Year
Career Record: 219-177/13th Year
vs. K-State: 2-2 (0-1 at home)

LAST GAME STARTERS:
K-State (9-6)
G: #4 P.J. Haggerty
G: #1 Abdi Bashir Jr.
G: #34 Nate Johnson
W: #0 Elias Rapieque
W: #21 Khamari McGriff

Arizona State (9-6)
G: #5 Maurice Odum
G: #2 Anthony Johnson
F: #1 Santiago Trouet
F: #23 Allen Mukeba
C: #35 Massamba Diop

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Tied 6-6
In Tempe: Tied 2-2
At Desert Financial Arena: Tied 2-2
Active Streak: K-State, 1
First Meeting: ASU won 77-72 (12/15/1962)
Last Meeting: K-State won 71-66 (3/11/2025)
Jerome Tang vs. Bobby Hurley: 2-1

A K-STATE WIN WOULD…

Snap a 2-game losing streak in Big 12 play.
Break a 6-6 all-time tie in the all-time series.
Give the Wildcats consecutive wins in Tempe for first time.
Make the Wildcats 227-281 all-time in Big 12 play.
Give the Wildcats a 1766-1261 all-time record.

LAST TIME OUT
K-State ran into a buzzsaw that is the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats on Wednesday night, as the home team showed why they might be the best team in the country with a wire-to-wire 101-76 win at the McKale Center. Arizona shot nearly 50 percent from the field, including 58.5 percent (31-of-53) from inside the arc with 56 points in the paint, while it posted a 55-32 advantage on the glass.

After trailing by as many as 20 points in the first half, K-State was able to slice the deficit to 58-49 after a 3-pointer by senior Nate Johnson in the early moments of the second half and were within 78-65 at the 7:27 mark before Arizona used a 17-2 run to end any thought of a comeback.

Junior P.J. Haggerty led K-State with 19 points and 7 assists in 32 minutes, while senior Nate Johnson and junior Dorin Buca chipped in 15 and 12 points, respectively. Haggerty has now scored in double figures in all 15 games this season while the leading the team in scoring 12 times.

OFFENSE OFF TO A HOT START
K-State's offense is off to a hot start, as the Wildcats are averaging 86.6 points on 47.6 percent (465-of-976) shooting, including 37.1 percent (152-of-410) from 3-point range, while connecting on 72.6 percent (217-of-299) from the free throw line. They rank among the top-45 in 5 offensive categories, including 16^th in assists (18.9), 36^th in scoring offense (86.6), 37^th in fastbreak points (16.1), 40^th in 3-point field goals/game (10.1) and 43^rd in 3-point field goal percentage (37.1).

The Wildcats have scored 90 or more points in 7 of the first 15 games for the first time in school history, while they have two 100-point games for the just the fifth time. The 1299 points scored are the most through the first 15 games, surpassing the 1237 scored by the 2009-10 team.

Junior P.J. Haggerty is the nation's No. 7 scorer at 22.7 points per game, while he ranks 11th in total points (341) and eighth in field goals made (120). Fellow junior Abdi Bashir Jr. ranks in the top-20 in 3-point field goals/game (3.47/14th), total 3-pointers (52/18th) and 3-point field goal percentage (45.2/17th). Senior Nate Johnson also in the top-40 in total steals and steals/game.