Hot Shooting Carries Cincinnati Past K-State, 91-62

Wednesday, February 11

Manhattan, Kan.

8 p.m. CT

Kansas State University

10-14,1-10Big 12

Cincinnati

13-12,5-7Big 12

Cincinnati

Kansas St.

Feb 11, 2026 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (.pdf)Postgame Quotes (.pdf)Jerome Tang Press Conference

Junior P.J. Haggerty is the lone Wildcat in double figures with 24 points.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior Jizzle James paced five Cincinnati players in double figures with 24 points, as the Bearcats posted a 91-62 wire-to-wire win over Kansas State on Wednesday night before 7,274 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.

Cincinnati (13-12, 5-7 Big 12) registered its second consecutive 90-point performance while earning its second straight win by 20 or more points. The 91 points were the most scored in 12 meetings with K-State, as the Bearcats captured their first win in Manhattan since 1967.

Junior P.J. Haggerty was the only Wildcat in double figures, equaling James' 24 points, to pace the Wildcats (10-14, 1-10 Big 12), who dropped their fifth in a row.

James connected on 6-of-8 attempts from 3-point range in helping Cincinnati make 16 shots from beyond the arc, which represents the most by an opponent at Bramlage Coliseum and the second-most ever by an opponent behind the 17 makes by Baylor on Jan. 27, 2021.

In addition to James' 6 triples, five other Bearcats had at least one 3-pointers, including 4 by graduate Jalen Celestine, 2 each from senior Baba Miller and graduate Day Day Thomas and one apiece from junior Sencire Harris and freshman Jordi Rodriguez.

James was joined in double figures by Celestine (18 points), Miller (16 points), Harris (12 points) and Thomas (10 points). Miller added a double-double with 12 points to go with 6 assists and 4 blocked shots. Thomas dished out a game-high 7 assists.

Overall, the Bearcats shot 50 percent (31-of-62) from the field, including 57.1 percent (20-of-35) in the first half in which they built as much as a 28-point lead. The Wildcats pulled to within 18 points in the early moments of the second half, but a 10-0 response pushed it back out to 28 points (65-37). The lead ballooned to as many as 32 points (91-59) with less than 3 minutes remaining.

In addition to its impressive offensive effort, Cincinnati once again showed why it is one of the top defensive teams in the country, holding K-State to just 40.3 percent (25-of-62) shooting, including 24 percent (6-of-25) from 3-point range. The Bearcats also forced 16 turnovers.

The Wildcats are now off to their worst start ever in conference play, tying the 1999-2000 and 2020-21 teams with a 1-10 mark.

HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
Opening statement…
"This was embarrassing. These dudes did not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university, I'm embarrassed for our fans, our student section. We have practice tomorrow morning. We will get this thing right. I have no answers and no words. I'm only taking two questions. I'm pissed."

On the road and home game splits…
"Yeah I don't know. I asked the staff this week that same question and I followed Minnesota last year closely and they played great on the road and struggled at home, so they started staying in hotels at home, treating it like a road game. I even talked about whether we need to change that. No, none of that crap matters, these dudes have to have some pride, it means something to wear a K-State uniform, it means something to wear this purple, like everything this university is about. I love this place man, and they don't love this place and don't deserve to be here."

On the student section wearing paper bags…
"I'd wear paper bags too if I was them."

FIRST HALF
Cincinnati used a hot shooting from 3-point range to take the early advantage, as back-to-back triples from senior Baba Miller and junior Jizzle James gave the Bearcats a 17-7 lead, prompting a timeout by head coach Jerome Tang at the 14:13 mark. Four of UC's first 6 made field goals came from long range. The timeout didn't thwart the run, as 5 more points by Miller pushed the lead to 22-9 and led to another timeout by Tang with 13:18 to play.

The lead continued to grow as Cincinnati followed a jumper by junior P.J. Haggerty with 10 straight points to go ahead 32-11 just after the second media timeout with 10:37 remaining. Following consecutive baskets from Haggerty, the Bearcats responded with 9 points in a row to go ahead 41-15 with just over 5 minutes before halftime. From there, the lead ballooned to as many as 28 points (51-23) after a 3-pointer by graduate Jalen Celestine with 1:47 to play and was 53-31 at the break.

The Bearcats connected on 57.1 percent (20-of-35) in the first half, including 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from 3-point range, with Celestine leading three players in double figures with 16 points. The Wildcats shot just 36.7 percent (11-of-30), including 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from long range, with Haggerty scoring 11 points.

SECOND HALF
K-State scored 6 of the first 8 points out of the halftime break to cut the deficit to 55-37, but Cincinnati ripped off a 10-0 run to go ahead 65-37 at the 16:30 mark. The Wildcats scored 9 of the next 12 points, including 7 from Haggerty to pull within 68-46 at the second media timeout.

The lead would get no closer, as the Bearcats converted on 3-pointers on 3 consecutive possessions to go ahead 79-52 with 8:14 to play. It stood at 31 points (88-57) after a pair of free throws by freshman Keyshaun Tillery with just over 4 minutes remaining and grew to as many as 32 points (91-59) after a 3-pointer by freshman Jordi Rodriguez with 2:47 left.

James led all scorers with 14 points in the second half.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

K-State dropped its fifth straight game with a 91-62 loss to Cincinnati.
K-State is now 1-10 in Big 12 play, which ties for the worst start in the Big 12 era, also by the 1999-2000 and 2020-21 teams.
Cincinnati now leads the all-time series, 9-3, while tying the series at 2-all in the Big 12 era.
K-State is now 8-7 at home this season and 47-16 under Jerome Tang.
K-State used a starting lineup of junior P.J. Haggerty, senior Nate Johnson, sophomore David Castillo, junior Taj Manning and senior Khamari McGriff… This is the second time using this lineup and the sixth different lineup used this season.
Haggerty and Johnson have now started all 24 games.
Haggerty now has 90 career starts (Tulsa/Memphis/K-State), N. Johnson now has 84 career starts (Akron/K-State), McGriff now has 62 career starts (UNC Wilmington/K-State), Castillo and Manning now have 10 career starts each.
K-State played with just 10 available players due to injuries with 8 seeing time.

TEAM NOTES

K-State scored its 62 points on 40.3 percent (25-of-62) shooting, including 24 percent (6-of-25) from 3-point range, while making 6-of-9 from the free throw line.
K-State is now 0-10 when scoring less than 80 points this season.
Cincinnati became the sixth opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the field.
Cincinnati made 16 3-point field goals are the second-most by an opponent all-time.
Cincinnati held a 37-29 advantage on the glass, including 13 offensive rebounds that they converted into a 20-13 edge in second-chance points.
Cincinnati also held advantages in points off turnovers (15-13), fast-break points (13-6) and bench points (21-15).
K-State had a 34-24 advantage in points in the paint.
K-State trailed 53-31 at halftime and is now 1-12 this season and 18-43 under head coach Jerome Tang when trailing at the break.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Junior P.J. Haggerty was the lone Wildcat in double figures with 24 points.
It marked the first time since a home game vs. Oklahoma on Jan. 30, 2024.
Haggerty scored his game-high 24 points on 11-of-18 field goals in 38 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 88 of 96 career games, including all 24 games this season… He now has scored 20 or more points in 18 of 24 games this season.
Junior Taj Manning tied a career-high with 9 rebounds.

WHAT'S NEXT
K-State makes another visit to the Lone Star State on Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to co-Big 12 leader and No. 3/3 Houston (22-2, 10-1 Big 12). The game will tip at 3 p.m., CT on Peacock and NBC Sports Network. The series is tied at 5 wins each, but the Cougars have won the 2 matchups in the Big 12 era, including 87-57 last year.

How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.