Wildcats shake off slow start, cruise past UNC Greensboro in season opener

MANHATTAN (KSNT)- The K-State men’s basketball team opened the season with a shaky first half but found its stride after the break, rolling past UNC Greensboro 93–64 Tuesday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

The Wildcats trailed 34–33 at halftime after shooting just 40% from the field and turning it over 10 times. Offense came in spurts early, with limited rhythm and energy, allowing the Spartans to hang around.

That quickly changed in the second half. K-State exploded for 60 points over the final 20 minutes, shooting 51.6% overall and 53.8% from three for the game while holding UNCG to just 41%.

P.J. Haggerty led the Wildcats with 27 points in his debut.

“We just had a little of adversity,” Haggerty said postgame. “We handled it well coming out of the second half. Mistakes were made but we rallied together.”

Akron transfer Nate Johnson nearly posted a triple-double with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists.

“It was first game jitters but we have vets that have been here before,” Johnson said. “We talk about adversity and we embraced it tonight.”

Abdi Bashir was also in double figured with 16 points on 50 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

“Our guys responded and were relaxed,” head coach Jerome Tang said. “When our guys are making shots, we’ll create a lot of opposing problems.”

Kansas State also owned the glass, 42-31, and cut down turnovers to take full control down the stretch. What started as a sluggish opener turned into a convincing statement as the Wildcats settled in and showed their offensive firepower heading into the new season.

The Wildcats will look to go 2-0 on Saturday night when Bellarmine comes to town.

Tipoff set for 7 p.m.

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