Preview: Kansas State Wildcats at Oklahoma State Cowboys

STILLWATER, Okla. (Interstat) — Two Big 12 teams on opposite trajectories will meet Saturday when the slumping Kansas State Wildcats visit the surging Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

The Cowboys (13-4) look to rebound from a tough 94-79 home loss to Baylor on Tuesday and reassert themselves in the conference race. Oklahoma State has won 10 of its last 13 games, with its losses coming against ranked opponents Baylor and Iowa State, and a tough road defeat at Texas Tech.

A key to Oklahoma State’s success has been the consistent interior play of center Parsa Fallah. The big man is averaging 19.2 points over his last five games, including a 24-point performance in a win over UCF on Jan. 6. He will be a primary focus for a Wildcats defense that has struggled recently.

Kansas State (9-8) arrives in Stillwater mired in a four-game losing streak, all against conference foes. The Wildcats fell 82-73 to UCF at home on Wednesday, despite another strong outing from standout guard PJ Haggerty. The team’s defense has been a glaring issue during the skid, allowing an average of 88.3 points per game in the four losses.

Haggerty has been a bright spot, shouldering a massive offensive load. He is averaging 23.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists over his last six contests, including a 25-point effort at Arizona State on Jan. 10. His matchup with Oklahoma State’s backcourt, featuring Anthony Roy and Vyctorius Miller, will be critical.

The Wildcats will need to find answers beyond Haggerty and improve their defensive intensity to snap their streak in one of the league’s most hostile environments. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, aims to protect its home court and solidify its position in the upper tier of the Big 12 standings.

Tip-off is set for Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.