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Wichita State And Kansas State To Renew A Sunflower State Rivalry Over In Missouri

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Basketball

(BCSNN) -- Wichita State and Kansas State will renew their in‑state rivalry this winter as the programs meet in the Wildcat Classic on Friday, Dec. 11 at T‑Mobile Center in Kansas City. It's about as Kansas as you can get.... in Missouri.

The matchup adds Power Four and Sunflower State flavor to Wichita State’s nonconference slate and marks the first of two straight trips to Kansas City for the Shockers, who will return one week later to face Drake in the Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 18. Look at Wichita State with the full dance card. "Shockers, so hot right now." - Mugatu

While the game will be played in Kansas City, it will count as a home game for Kansas State. Season‑ticket holders can request discounted tickets beginning June 16, with public tickets available this fall through the K‑State Ticket Office. This will be the second time the programs have met in the Wildcat Classic, with K‑State earning a 69–60 win in front of a sold‑out crowd in 2023.

The Dec. 11 contest will be the 36th all‑time meeting between the programs and the fifth since 2021. Kansas State leads the series 23–12, winning five of the last six matchups. Wichita State won the most recent meeting in 2024 at Charles Koch Arena, an 84–65 victory. The Wildcats are 25–26 all‑time at T‑Mobile Center, including a 1–1 showing in last season’s Hall of Fame Classic.

Wichita State is coming into the 2026–27 season with momentum after a 24‑win campaign, tying for second in the American Athletic Conference at 13–5 and reaching the NIT quarterfinals with wins over Wyoming and Oklahoma State. The Shockers return 10 letterwinners and continue to trend upward under head coach Paul Mills, who enters his fourth season with 58 wins, the second‑most by any Wichita State coach through three years.

Kansas State is beginning a new chapter under first‑year head coach Casey Alexander, whose 14‑man roster reports to Manhattan next week. The Wildcats finished 12–20 last season and have already announced participation in the Players Era 16 on Nov. 24 in Las Vegas against perennial NCAA Tournament contender Gonzaga. The remainder of their nonconference schedule is still being finalized.

The Dec. 11 showdown in Kansas City brings together two programs with shared history, fresh leadership, and rising expectations — and it promises to be one of the marquee early‑season matchups in the region.