Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball

The Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team represents Kansas State University in college basketball competition. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I, and is a member of the Big 12 Conference. The head coach is Jerome Tang.

The program began competition in 1902. The first two major-conference titles won by the school were won by the men's basketball team, in 1917 and 1919 (in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association). Kansas State has gone on to win 19 regular season conference crowns. Jeff Sagarin listed the program 27th in his all-time rankings in the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia. Following the 2022-23 season, the Wildcats have a record of 1,717–1,222.

History
Kansas State University has appeared in 32 NCAA basketball tournaments, most recently in 2023. The team's all-time record in the NCAA tournament is 39–35 (.520). Kansas State's best finish at the tournament came in 1951, when it lost to Kentucky in the national championship game. The school has reached the Final Four 4 times, the Elite Eight 14 times, and the Sweet Sixteen 18 times. Included among K-State's tournament wins are some all-time classics, including an 83–80 win over Oscar Robertson's Cincinnati team in 1958, which Sports Illustrated called "the most exciting game of the 1958 season," and a 50–48 win over second-ranked Oregon State in 1981, which USA Today listed as one of the greatest games in NCAA tournament history.

The team also had some notably successful seasons before the creation of the NIT (1938) and the NCAA tournament (1939), including conference titles in 1917 and 1919 under coach Zora G. Clevenger. The Helms Athletic Foundation named Frank Reynolds the program's first All-American player in 1917, and the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively ranked Kansas State #12 in 1910, #18 in 1916, #8 in 1917 and #7 in 1919. The best season in the school's history may have been 1959, when the team finished the season ranked #1 in the final Associated Press poll and Coaches poll. K-State has finished ranked in the Top 10 of one of the two polls on eleven total occasions (most recently in 2023), and in the final top 25 polls 22 total times. The team has also posted a winning record at home every year since 1946.

After a lengthy period with little success during the 1990s and 2000s, the team returned to prominence under head coach Frank Martin. Following a twelve-year absence, the team returned to the NCAA tournament after the 2007–08 season. Following that season, Kansas State freshman Michael Beasley was named an All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. In the 2009–10 season, the team spent much of the year ranked in the Top 10 of the AP poll and finished second in the Big 12. The team received a #2 seed in the 2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight. Along the way, the Wildcats defeated Xavier in a double-overtime thriller, which CBSSports.com called "one of the best games in the history of the Sweet 16." On March 31, 2012, Bruce Weber was announced as head coach after Frank Martin left for South Carolina. During the 2012–2013 season, Weber's first in Manhattan, Kansas State won its first regular season conference title since 1977 and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Weber's team won the conference title again in the 2018–2019 season. K-State appeared in the NCAA tournament five times in Weber's seven seasons, including advancing to the Elite Eight in 2018.

After three consecutive losing seasons, Weber resigned under pressure in March 2022. He was succeeded by longtime Baylor assistant coach Jerome Tang. In Tang's first season, he guided a KSU team picked to finish last in the Big 12 to a third-place finish and to the NCAA Tournament, the first NCAA appearance since 2019. With wins over Montana State, Kentucky, and Michigan State, Tang brought the Wildcats to its first Elite Eight appearance since 2018 and its fourteenth Elite Eight appearance in program history.

Achievements
Kansas State has a total of 36 All-Americans, 19 regular-season conference championships and nine conference tournament championships.

The program ranks in the top 25 nationally in the following categories:

The program also ranks in the top 50 nationally in the following categories:

Top 25 rankings
Kansas State University has finished in the final rankings of the AP poll or Coaches poll on 22 occasions throughout its history, including one season at #1 in the final polls (pre-NCAA Tournament). The AP poll first appeared in 1948, and has been published continuously since 1950–51. The Coaches poll began in the 1950–51 season. Currently, the final AP poll is released before the tournament and the final Coaches poll is released after the tournament.

Kansas: Sunflower Showdown
Kansas State's main rivalry is with the Kansas Jayhawks. The rivalry peaked in the 1950s when both teams were annually national title contenders. The 1987–88 season also proved to be momentous in the rivalry. In the first matchup of the season, on January 30, 1988, Mitch Richmond scored 35 points to lead Kansas State to a 72–61 win to halt KU's then-record 55-game home winning streak. On February 18, KU turned the tables, prevailing 64–63 at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan to deny K-State a victory over KU in the old field house's last year. In what was supposed to be the rubber game, in the 1988 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament, Kansas State won a decisive victory by a 69–54 score. However, the biggest was yet to come. Both teams qualified for the NCAA tournament, and after three wins each in the tournament they faced each other on March 27 in Pontiac, Michigan, for the right to advance to the Final Four. Led by Danny Manning's 20 points, KU turned a tight game into a runaway and prevailed 71–58. Kansas would go on to win the national championship.

The rivalry slipped in significance after the 1988 season, and from 1994 to 2005 KU won 31 straight games against K-State, the longest streak for either school in the series. KU also posted a 24-game win streak against the Wildcats in Manhattan, which ended on January 30, 2008, when #22 Kansas State upset #2 Kansas 84–75.

Jeff Sagarin's rankings of the nation's top programs by decade in the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia nicely track the history of the rivalry. In the 1950s, when the rivalry was at its peak, Kansas State finished the decade ranked as the #3 program in the nation and KU was ranked as #4. In the 1960s KU was ranked #9 for the decade and KSU was ranked #11. In the 1970s, the programs were again nearly even, with Kansas State ranked at #24 and KU at #25. In the 1980s some separation appeared, as KU finished the decade ranked at #19 and Kansas State at #31. The big difference appeared in the 1990s and 2000s when KU was ranked at #4 and #2 for the decades, while Kansas State does not appear anywhere in the top 40.

The rivalry has become more relevant again in recent years, with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 for many of their match-ups.

Missouri
As of the 2022–23 season, Missouri is Kansas State's second most-played rival, with 237 games dating back to 1907. Kansas State leads the series 121–116. The series was last played regularly in the 2011–12 season, before Missouri moved to the Southeastern Conference. For nearly a century beforehand, the two schools shared conferences, beginning in the 1913–14 season in the Missouri Valley Conference, then in the Big Eight Conference and its predecessors from 1928 to 1996, and finally the Big 12 Conference from 1996 to 2012.

Since Missouri's move to the SEC, the two teams have matched up twice, meeting on neutral floors in 2015 and 2018, both Kansas State victories.

Wichita State
Kansas State had an ongoing in-state, out-of-conference rivalry with Wichita State, dating back to 1932 and last played in 2022. Kansas State leads the series 22–11. The series had six games from 1932 to 1964, then six games on a home-and-home rotation from the 1969–70 to 1971–72 seasons, and most recently 19 home-and-home games every season from 1985–86 to 2003–04.

When Wichita State became a Top 25 regular in the early 2010s, there came interest in reviving the series. In February 2013, Kansas state senator Michael O'Donnell introduced a bill requiring Kansas and Kansas State to schedule Wichita State.

The series was renewed in 2021, with a four-game series calling for games at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita that year, at Bramlage Coliseum in 2022, T-Mobile Center in Kansas City in 2023, and finally at Charles Koch Arena in 2024.

NCAA tournament results
The Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA tournament 32 times. Their overall record in the NCAA Tournament is 40–36 (.520) through the 2023 tournament.

From 2011 to 2015 the round of 64 was known as the Second round, round of 32 was Third Round

NCAA tournament seeding history
The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition.

NIT results
The Wildcats have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) seven times. Their combined record is 6–9.

NCIT results
The Wildcats appeared in one of the only two ever National Commissioners Invitational Tournaments. Their record is 0–1.

Retired jerseys
The following players' jerseys have been retired by Kansas State, though their respective jersey numbers remain available for use. They represent the finest basketball players to come through Kansas State. The criteria for determining the honor includes statistical achievement, conference and national records, honors received (such as all-conference, All-American, Academic All-American), character and sportsmanship.

National honors
The following Kansas State players and coaches are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (with induction year): The following Kansas State players and coaches are in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (with induction year): Kansas State players and coaches have won the following national awards:
 * Bob Boozer (2010) (as member of 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team)
 * Cotton Fitzsimmons (2021)
 * Jack Gardner (1984)
 * Mitch Richmond (2014)
 * Tex Winter (2011)
 * Bob Boozer (2016)
 * Rolando Blackman (2015)
 * Jack Gardner (2006)
 * Tex Winter (2010)

Player honors Best freshman'''
 * '''USBWA National Freshman of the Year
 * Michael Beasley – 2008

Outstanding undersized senior'''
 * '''Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award
 * Jacob Pullen – 2011

Top low-post player'''
 * '''Pete Newell Big Man Award
 * Michael Beasley – 2008

Top point guard'''
 * '''Bob Cousy Award
 * Markquis Nowell - 2023

Coaching honors Coach of the year'''
 * '''NABC Coach of the Year Award
 * Jack Hartman – 1981

Coach of the year'''
 * '''UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year
 * Tex Winter – 1958

Coach of the year'''
 * '''Naismith College Coach of the Year
 * Jerome Tang – 2023

All-Americans
The following players were named first, second or third-team All-Americans by one of outlets used by the NCAA to determine consensus selections

Conference honors
The Big Eight Conference established the Conference Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards in 1957. These awards have continued into the Big 12 Conference era.


 * Player of the Year
 * Bob Boozer – 1958, 1959
 * Lon Kruger – 1973, 1974
 * Mike Evans – 1978
 * Rolando Blackman – 1980
 * Michael Beasley – 2008


 * Coach of the Year
 * Tex Winter – 1958, 1959, 1960
 * Cotton Fitzsimmons – 1970
 * Jack Hartman – 1975, 1977
 * Dana Altman – 1993
 * Frank Martin – 2010
 * Bruce Weber − 2013
 * Jerome Tang − 2023

Wildcats to pros
The following former Wildcats have gone on to play professionally, either in the NBA or elsewhere. Kansas State University has had two overall #1 draft picks in the NBA since the draft began in 1947: Howie Shannon (1949) and Bob Boozer (1959).


 * Tyrone Adams
 * Curtis Allen
 * Ron Anderson
 * Freddy Asprilla
 * Ernie Barrett
 * Danny Beard
 * Michael Beasley
 * Rolando Blackman
 * Brandon Bolden
 * Bob Boozer
 * Barry Brown Jr.
 * Jack Carby
 * Norris Coleman
 * Luis Colon
 * Denis Clemente
 * Larry Comley
 * Les Craft
 * Cartier Diarra
 * Adrian Diaz
 * Roy DeWitz
 * Justin Edwards
 * Corlbe Ervin
 * Mike Evans
 * Marcus Foster
 * Wally Frank


 * Carl R. Gerlach
 * Thomas Gipson
 * David Hall
 * Rick Harman
 * Ed Head
 * Jordan Henriquez
 * Steve Henson
 * Lew Hitch
 * Steve Honeycutt
 * Stephen Hurt
 * Martavious Irving
 * Jim Iverson
 * Wes Iwundu
 * D.J. Johnson
 * Keyontae Johnson
 * Mike Johnson
 * Nigel Johnson
 * Askia Jones
 * Wally Judge
 * Jerry Jung
 * Curtis Kelly
 * Darren Kent
 * Dick Knostman
 * Lon Kruger
 * Ernie Kusnyer
 * Don Matuszak


 * Cartier Martin
 * Jeremiah Massey
 * Don Matuzsak
 * Makol Mawien
 * Mike McGuirl
 * Rodney McGruder
 * Pat McKenzie
 * Steve Mitchell
 * Willie Murrell
 * Juevol Myles
 * Ed Nealy
 * Markquis Nowell
 * Michael Orris
 * Jack Parr
 * Pervis Pasco
 * Fred Peete
 * Nick Pino
 * Cedrick Price
 * Jesse Prisock
 * Jacob Pullen
 * Randy Reed
 * Mitch Richmond
 * Ángel Rodríguez
 * Bob Rousey
 * Nick Russell
 * Jamar Samuels


 * Matt Siebrandt
 * Earl Seyfert
 * Howie Shannon
 * David Sloan
 * Mark Smith
 * Roy Smith
 * Xavier Sneed
 * Shane Southwell
 * Jack Stone
 * Kamau Stokes
 * Dominique Sutton
 * Roger Suttner
 * Austin Trice
 * Jerry Venable
 * Dean Wade
 * Bill Walker
 * Jeff Webb
 * Chuckie Williams
 * Gene Williams
 * Larry Williams
 * Nino Williams
 * Jari Wills
 * Akeem Wright
 * Mike Wroblewski
 * Deilvez Yearby

Former players as coaches
A number of former Wildcat players have gone to successful careers as head basketball coaches, including:


 * Bob Chipman – finished career as 21st-winningest coach in college basketball history
 * Mike Evans
 * Bill Guthridge – National college coach of the year (1998)
 * Steve Henson
 * Tim Jankovich
 * Gene Keady – 4x national college coach of the year; National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
 * Lon Kruger – Coached five Division I schools to the NCAA tournament
 * Jim Molinari
 * Brad Underwood
 * Josh Eilert

Coaches
Kansas State has had 23 head coaches. A number of notable and successful coaches have led the Wildcats through the years. Following are all the coaches that have been at Kansas State.

Conference membership history

 * ?–1912: Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
 * 1913–1927: Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association
 * 1928–1947: Big 6 Conference
 * 1948–1957: Big 7 Conference
 * 1958–1995: Big 8 Conference
 * 1996–Present: Big 12 Conference