K-State alumni team to play KU in summer basketball series at Bramlage Coliseum
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State alumni team Purple Reign will face KU alumni team JHX Hoops starting July 21.
- Bramlage Coliseum will host Game 1 at 8 p.m. July 21 with FS1 televising the game.
- TBT will have 16 teams; first round is best-of-three series.
K-State and KU are about to add a new wrinkle to the Sunflower Showdown men’s basketball rivalry.
The Wildcats will take on the Jayhawks in a best-of-three series that will feature alumni teams on both sides in the opening round of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) this summer, with games taking place at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan and Lee Arena in Topeka.
Purple Reign (the K-State alumni team) will face JHX Hoops (the KU alumni team) starting on July 21.
Bramlage Coliseum will host the first game in the series at 8 p.m. on July 21 and FS1 will televise the action. Game 2 will be played at Lee Arena the following day at 7 p.m. on FS2. The teams will return to Manhattan for Game 3 (if necessary) at 8 p.m. on July 24. That game would be available to stream live on YouTube.
The series will help launch a new format for TBT. This summer, the tournament will feature 16 teams. Eight of them will be alumni teams from colleges across the country. The other eight will have no direct ties to colleges. The first round will feature best-of-three series. The later rounds will shift to a single-elimination bracket.
Five wins are needed to capture the event’s winner-take-all prize of $2 million.
Former K-State basketball player Michael Beasley has committed to play for Purple Reign.
“I’m excited about getting out there and being in Manhattan for the first time in a while,” Beasley said in a statement announcing the Sunflower Showdown alumni series. “I haven’t dribbled a ball there in a while. It’ll be great to get out there and feel some of that nostalgia.”
Former KU player Frank Mason will be a key figure for JHX Hoops.
“Playing for Kansas is a privilege, and facing off against Kansas State always adds an edge,” Mason said. “I didn’t lose often to them during my time in college, and I have no plans to let that happen this summer. Fans can expect a high-energy series, and we’re ready to compete for that $2 million prize. JHX Hoops is here to show that Kansas basketball reigns supreme.”
TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar is excited to bring his tournament to Bramlage Coliseum.
“We have wanted to see Frank Mason III and Mike Beasley face off for a number of years,” Mugar said. “This $2 million matchup is going to be electrifying, and exactly what fans will want to see out of summer basketball.”
The winner of the series will advance to face the winner of the Wichita State vs. New Mexico series in a single-game second round Monday, July 27 at 8 pm on FS1 at a to-be-determined location.
The other half of the Alumni Bracket matchups include Kentucky vs. Louisville and Syracuse vs. Seton Hall. The championship game of the Alumni Bracket will be played on July 29 at 6 p.m. on FS1.
The eight non-alumni teams in the tournament will compete in the Las Vegas Bracket, a single-location event to be played entirely at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas from July 22-30. Team slots in the Las
The winner of the Las Vegas Bracket will play the winner of the Alumni Bracket on Aug. 2 on FOX at the Alumni Bracket champion’s home court.