Kansas State Explodes For 90 In Matthew Driscoll’s Debut After Jerome Tang Firing

Kansas State explodes for 90 in Matthew Driscoll’s debut after Jerome Tang firing originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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It has been one of the most chaotic weeks of the season in Manhattan.

On Sunday night, Jerome Tang was fired before completing his fourth season. By Tuesday, the Kansas State Wildcats were back on the floor with interim head coach Matthew Driscoll leading the way.

Instead of folding, Kansas State delivered its most complete performance in weeks.

Behind explosive nights from P.J. Haggerty and Nate Johnson, the Wildcats rolled past the Baylor Bears 90-74, snapping a six-game losing streak and sending a jolt of energy through a shaken program.

K-State Interim Matthew Driscoll was brought to tears while doing radio with Wyatt Thompson post-Baylor.

They had to go to commercial break because he couldn't stop crying.

I asked Driscoll what he was feeling in the moment:@WIBWsports pic.twitter.com/cfCdPpt0K4

— Andrew Lind (@WIBWAndrew) February 18, 2026

A reset in real time

There was no easing into this new era.

Kansas State came out sharp, aggressive and clearly playing with purpose. The ball moved. Shots fell. Defensively, the Wildcats forced tough looks and ran the floor whenever they could.

They never trailed.

The Wildcats built a 41-34 halftime lead and kept pushing in the second half, stretching the margin to as many as 21 points. For a team that had struggled to close games during its losing skid, this one felt different from the opening tip.

Driscoll made it clear afterward that the night wasn’t about him.

“I did not come to Kansas State to be the head coach,” he said. “Coach Tang and I are thicker than thieves.”

But there was no denying the shift in urgency and focus.

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Haggerty and Johnson take over

If there was a statement to be made, Kansas State’s backcourt delivered it loudly.

Haggerty poured in 34 points on 15-of-23 shooting. He attacked downhill, finished through contact and looked completely in control of the tempo.

Johnson followed with a career-high 33 points, knocking down four three-pointers and adding nine assists and six steals. His dunk in the final two minutes was the punctuation mark on the night.

Together, they accounted for 67 of Kansas State’s 90 points.

Meanwhile, Baylor struggled to find rhythm from deep, finishing just 3-of-24 from beyond the arc. Head coach Scott Drew admitted afterward the timing was tough.

“I hated playing them right now,” Drew said.

It showed.

Resiliency over noise

Kansas State entered the night at 10-15 overall and 1-11 in Big 12 play. The season has been defined by frustration, inconsistency and now upheaval.

But Tuesday night was about resiliency.

The Wildcats played free. They played connected. And they played like a team determined to prove something, maybe to the outside world, maybe just to themselves.

Driscoll praised his staff and players for their ability to “overcome a lot.”

That may end up being the theme of the remainder of this season.

What comes next?

The schedule does not get easier. A matchup with No. 13 Texas Tech looms, adding another test for a team trying to stabilize.

But for at least one night, Kansas State looked energized instead of burdened.

One win does not erase a six-game skid. It does not fix the standings.

What it does is restore belief.

And in the middle of chaos, that might matter most.

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