Kansas State is set to make a splash in postseason basketball. The Wildcats have eagerly accepted an invitation to compete in the National Invitation Tournament. They are scheduled to face the No. 3 seed, Iowa, in an exciting first-round matchup on Tuesday, March 19, at 8 p.m. As an unseeded team, K-State will likely face the challenge of playing away games if they progress through the tournament. The journey to the semi-finals and the championship game will lead them to the iconic Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
This year marks a significant return for K-State, as they make their first NIT appearance since 2009. That year, they secured a victory against Illinois State in the opening round but were halted by San Diego State in the following round. The Wildcats’ most notable achievement in the tournament dates back to 1994 when they reached the third-place game, only to be defeated by Siena.
Senior guard Tylor Perry is a player to watch in this year’s tournament. Coming off a victorious NIT run with North Texas in 2023, where he was crowned MVP, Perry has been a key player for the Wildcats. This season, he has led the team in both scoring and assists, boasting an impressive average of 15.5 points and 4.4 assists per game.
The tournament’s right corner bracket sees Kansas State in the company of formidable teams. The No. 1 seed, Villanova, along with No. 2 seed Utah, No. 4 seed UCF, and unseeded teams such as VCU, USF, and UC Irvine, make up a competitive field. Additionally, K-State and UCF are joined by Cincinnati as the third Big 12 team in the tournament. Notably, Oklahoma, which could have been a No. 1 seed, opted out of the tournament following their absence from the NCAA Tournament.