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K-State men’s hoops will open season with exhibition vs. Missouri Tigers: details

Key Takeaways
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  • Kansas State opens 2025-26 season with Oct. 24 exhibition at Missouri.
  • Wildcats' non-conference slate includes 13 games before Big 12 play begins.
  • K-State meets teams like California, Indiana and Mississippi State in fall matchups.

The Kansas State men’s basketball team shared a fuller look at its non-league lineup of games for the 2025-26 season on Monday afternoon, a slate that starts with an exhibition showdown against a former Big 12 rival.

Coach Jerome Tang’s Wildcats will take on the Missouri Tigers, who since 2012 have competed in the Southeastern Conference, in a non-conference exhibition game at Mizzou Arena in Columbia on Oct. 24.

The Dennis Gates-coached Tigers had previously announced that they’ll open their season with a Nov. 3 road trip to Washington, D.C., where they’ll take on Howard in a non-league game.

Mizzou was a No. 6 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament but lost 67-57 to Drake in its opener. MU finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 22-11.

The Wildcats finished 16-17 last season.

The K-State-Missouri contest will be K-State’s first exhibition game of the year. One more exhibition game, against Division II Newman, will follow for the Wildcats.

Kansas State’s complete non-conference schedule looks like this:

Oct. 24: at Missouri

Oct. 31: vs. Newman

Nov. 4: at UNCG, in Greensboro, N.C.

Nov. 8: vs. Bellarmine

Nov. 13: vs. California

Nov. 17: vs. Tulsa

Nov. 20: vs. Mississippi State (Hall of Fame Classic, in KC)

Nov. 21: vs. Nebraska/New Mexico (Hall of Fame Classic, in KC)

Nov. 25: at Indiana

Dec. 1: vs. Bowling Green

Dec. 6: vs. Seton Hall

Dec. 8: vs. Mississippi Valley State

Dec. 13: at Creighton

Dec. 20: vs. South Dakota

Dec. 28: vs. University of Louisiana-Monroe

Big 12 season begins after new year.

This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 6:45 PM.

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