K-State to Open Players Era 16 with Gonzaga on Nov. 24
May 21, 2026 | Men's Basketball
The schools have met four times with the last meeting coming in 2013.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State will face perennial NCAA Tournament participant Gonzaga in the opening-round game of the 2026 Players Era 16 on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Wildcats will face either Alabama or Big 12 brethren Baylor on Thursday, Nov. 26 in either the third semifinal game or the third consolation contest. The championships of the two brackets will take place on Friday, Nov. 27 with games for third, fifth and seventh place.
The Players Era 16 Championship is set for Saturday, Nov. 28 at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Other opening-round matchups include Maryland/Tennessee, Iowa State/San Diego State, Oregon/St. John's, Louisville/Texas Tech, Creighton/Michigan and Miami (Fla.)/TCU.
Alabama, Baylor, Gonzaga and K-State are in Bracket #2 with Creighton, Miami (Fla.), Michigan and TCU, while Iowa State, Louisville, Maryland, Oregon, San Diego State, St. John's, Tennessee and Texas Tech are in Bracket #1.
All games of the Players Era 16 will be played at either T-Mobile Arena or Michelob ULTRA Arena with game times and ESPN television designations to be announced at a later date.
This will be the fifth meeting between K-State and Gonzaga on the hardwood with the Wildcats holding a 3-1 edge in the all-time series, including a 72-62 win in the last meeting on Dec. 21, 2013 at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita. The series with Alabama is tied at 2 wins apiece, including a 77-74 win by the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 20, 2020.
The K-State and Baylor series dates to the 1948 NCAA Tournament with the schools meeting at least once every season since 1997 as members of the Big 12. The Wildcats tied the series at 27-all with a 90-74 win in their only meeting in 2026 in Manhattan.
This will be the second time K-State has played in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas after losing to No. 21 USC in the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas on Nov. 6, 2023.
The expanded 24-team Players Era event will be broken up into two tournaments – the Players Era 8 and the Players Era 16 – with the ESPN Family of Networks broadcasting all 37 games. The Players Era 8, which includes Big 12 participants Houston, Kansas and West Virginia, will precede the Players Era 16, as it will take place the week of Nov. 16-20.
Earlier this year, the Big 12 and the Players Era announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that guarantees the conference eight teams in this year's expanded tournament field.
After debuting with eight teams for its inaugural tournament in 2024, the Players Era Men's Championship expanded to 18 teams for the 2025 edition. Oregon won the first tournament championship over Alabama in 2024, while Michigan defeated Gonzaga this past season.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
The Wildcats will face either Alabama or Big 12 brethren Baylor on Thursday, Nov. 26 in either the third semifinal game or the third consolation contest. The championships of the two brackets will take place on Friday, Nov. 27 with games for third, fifth and seventh place.
The Players Era 16 Championship is set for Saturday, Nov. 28 at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Other opening-round matchups include Maryland/Tennessee, Iowa State/San Diego State, Oregon/St. John's, Louisville/Texas Tech, Creighton/Michigan and Miami (Fla.)/TCU.
Alabama, Baylor, Gonzaga and K-State are in Bracket #2 with Creighton, Miami (Fla.), Michigan and TCU, while Iowa State, Louisville, Maryland, Oregon, San Diego State, St. John's, Tennessee and Texas Tech are in Bracket #1.
All games of the Players Era 16 will be played at either T-Mobile Arena or Michelob ULTRA Arena with game times and ESPN television designations to be announced at a later date.
This will be the fifth meeting between K-State and Gonzaga on the hardwood with the Wildcats holding a 3-1 edge in the all-time series, including a 72-62 win in the last meeting on Dec. 21, 2013 at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita. The series with Alabama is tied at 2 wins apiece, including a 77-74 win by the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 20, 2020.
The K-State and Baylor series dates to the 1948 NCAA Tournament with the schools meeting at least once every season since 1997 as members of the Big 12. The Wildcats tied the series at 27-all with a 90-74 win in their only meeting in 2026 in Manhattan.
This will be the second time K-State has played in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas after losing to No. 21 USC in the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas on Nov. 6, 2023.
The expanded 24-team Players Era event will be broken up into two tournaments – the Players Era 8 and the Players Era 16 – with the ESPN Family of Networks broadcasting all 37 games. The Players Era 8, which includes Big 12 participants Houston, Kansas and West Virginia, will precede the Players Era 16, as it will take place the week of Nov. 16-20.
Earlier this year, the Big 12 and the Players Era announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that guarantees the conference eight teams in this year's expanded tournament field.
After debuting with eight teams for its inaugural tournament in 2024, the Players Era Men's Championship expanded to 18 teams for the 2025 edition. Oregon won the first tournament championship over Alabama in 2024, while Michigan defeated Gonzaga this past season.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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