By Toby Hammes

Casey Alexander brought in another piece to Kansas State men’s basketball’s roster on Monday, adding depth with Class of 2026 recruit Nash Stark.

Stark, a 6-foot-7 wing out of Lipscomb Academy from the Nashville area, was offered a preferred walk-on spot by the new staff at Belmont in April.

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By Toby Hammes

Casey Alexander brought in another piece to Kansas State men’s basketball’s roster on Monday, adding depth with Class of 2026 recruit Nash Stark.

Stark, a 6-foot-7 wing out of Lipscomb Academy from the Nashville area, was offered a preferred walk-on spot by the new staff at Belmont in April.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

Click here for more K-State sports.

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By Toby Hammes

Casey Alexander brought in another piece to Kansas State men’s basketball’s roster on Monday, adding depth with Class of 2026 recruit Nash Stark.

Stark, a 6-foot-7 wing out of Lipscomb Academy from the Nashville area, was offered a preferred walk-on spot by the new staff at Belmont in April.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

Click here for more K-State sports.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State’s basketball will enter the upcoming season with just one returning player, as rising sophomore Andrej Kostic opted to stay in Manhattan through a coaching change and full roster overhaul.

Kostic is the lone holdover on a roster that features 12 newcomers in Casey Alexander’s first season, making his decision one of the few pieces of continuity as the Wildcats reset under a new staff.

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Kansas State men’s basketball head coach Casey Alexander said his roster for the 2026-27 season is essentially set, with 13 scholarship players already in place and no expectation of adding more.

“We wanted the right people — the right kind of guys,” Alexander said. “We had to do that on a budget, and we’re really pleased with how things turned out.”

With the transfer portal window for entries now closed, K-State has shifted from building its roster to developing it, leaving only a pair of open spots that are unlikely to impact the Wildcats’ rotation.

“If we add, it would be more of a walk-on situation — somebody who brings practice value and can help with depth,” Alexander said. “I don’t anticipate adding anyone that I’d view as a rotational player. I’d never say never, but we’re not beating the bushes right now to try to find the next player.”

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Whether Jerome Tang will sue K-State over an $18.7 million buyout clause remains up in the air.

Attorneys for Tang, the four-year former men’s basketball coach who was fired in February, sent a draft of a lawsuit that claimed he was owed that amount, athletics director Gene Taylor told The Mercury recently.

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By Tim Everson

Former Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang will be back on the sideline next season after a midseason firing for cause in February.

According to a report from ESPN Tuesday afternoon, Tang is finalizing a multi-year deal to return to Baylor to serve as an assistant coach under long-time head coach Scott Drew.

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A second 7-footer is headed to Manhattan.

Kansas State men’s basketball and head coach Casey Alexander have signed Xavier forward Pape N’Diaye from the transfer portal, the team announced on Saturday.

The 7-foot sophomore appeared in 29 games for the Musketeers during the 2025-26 season, averaging 2.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in limited minutes. New Mexico transfer JT Rock is the Wildcats’ other 7-footer, standing at 7-foot-1.

Despite the low usage, N’Diaye ranked second on the team and seventh in the Big East with 1.0 blocks per game. He also went 9-of-21 on 3-point attempts for the Musketeers.

N’Diaye showed flashes throughout the season, including a pair of 10-point performances against Creighton and Seton Hall. He also posted a career-high four blocks against Missouri State and recorded multiple games with strong defensive impact off the bench.

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After a couple of quiet days in the transfer portal for Kansas State and head coach Casey Alexander, another new Wildcat is headed to Manhattan.

Miami forward Timotej Malovec, originally from Slovakia, committed to the Wildcats after a season in South Beach, according to reports Tuesday afternoon.

Malovec appeared in 33 games with the Hurricanes, averaging 4.2 points and 1.3 rebounds. The 6-foot-8, 214-pound sophomore shot 35% from the floor and 33.3% from 3, hitting 37-of-111 attempts, including six games with three or more 3s made.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball added one final name to its list of transfer portal departures just before the deadline.

Forward Elias Rapieque entered the portal on Monday, marking the ninth and final Wildcat to do so this offseason. His entry was confirmed by his agent to DraftExpress.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball’s expected Belmont pipeline never materialized.

Despite multiple Bruins entering the transfer portal following head coach Casey Alexander’s departure, no Belmont player with collegiate experience ultimately followed him to Manhattan.

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By Tim Everson

Kansas State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has added another international talent to the 2026-27 roster, as Penn State guard Tèa Clèante — a native of France — signed with the Wildcats, the school announced on Sunday.

“We are excited to add Tèa as she is a dynamic and versatile guard,” said Mittie in a statement. “She can score, distribute and impact the game defensively with her speed and aggressiveness.

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Former Kansas State two-sport standout Peyton Williams has signed a free agent contract with WNBA expansion franchise Portland Fire for the 2026 season.

Since graduating from K-State in 2020, Williams has played professionally in Russia, France, Hungary and China. In the 2025-26 season, Williams played her second season with Wuhan Shengfan in the Chinese WCBA. During this season, Williams averaged 12.0 points on a .584 field goal percentage, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.5 assists in 29.9 minutes per game.

In the 2024-25 season, native of Topeka, Kansas, averaged 15.0 points on a .611 field goal percentage, 9.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 steals.

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By Tim Everson

Kansas State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has added an international talent to the 2026-27 roster, as Shaila Nde from Spain has signed with the Wildcats, the school announced Wednesday morning.

“We are excited to add Shaila to our family,” said Mittie in a statement. “She will bring athleticism and an emerging offensive game at the forward spot with a good ability off the bounce and an improving three-point attack. She has great experience playing with the Spanish national teams and winning goal last summer.”

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Casey Alexander’s sixth portal addition may not have any on-court experience at the college level, but he does have a lot of upside.

Redshirt freshman forward Matt Gilhool was a four-star prospect out of high school in Pennsylvania, and chose LSU over offers from Iowa, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Washington and Miami among many others.

Gilhool announced his transfer to Kansas State on Tuesday in a social media post.

The 6-foot-11, 213-pound Elizabethtown, Penn., native averaged 16 points per game as a senior along with nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

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Kansas State men’s basketball and head coach Casey Alexander have earned a commitment from a 7-footer out of the transfer portal.

New Mexico center JT Rock has committed to the Wildcats, the sophomore announced on his social media late Monday afternoon. Rock is the second addition of the day after Virginia Tech guard Jaden Schutt.

A 7-foot-1 center, Rock averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 54.5% from the field during the 2025-26 season. He appeared in all 37 games for the Lobos, making one start, and led the team with 34 blocks.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball and head coach Casey Alexander have added another transfer piece.

According to a report from On3 on Monday, Virginia Tech guard Jaden Schutt has committed to K-State.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball and head coach Casey Alexander have added another transfer piece.

According to a report from On3 on Monday, Virginia Tech guard Jaden Schutt has committed to K-State.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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Kansas State men’s basketball head coach Casey Alexander landed his second transfer of the day, and third overall, late Friday afternoon.

According to a report from On3, Oregon forward Dezdrick Lindsay committed to K-State. The announcement dropped just about an hour after the commitment of Colorado State guard Brandon Rechsteiner.

Lindsay, a 6-foot-6 junior, played all 32 games and made eight starts for the Ducks under former K-State head coach Dana Altman, averaging 5.3 points, shooting 40.3%, 32.8% from 3 and 58.3% from the free-throw line. He also averaged 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 20.5 minutes per game.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Lindsay scored a season-high 16 points with five assists in a win over Penn State on Feb. 14.

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Kansas State men’s basketball has landed its second transfer addition under new head coach Casey Alexander.

According to reports by 247sports, Colorado State guard Brandon Rechsteiner has committed to K-State.

Rechsteiner, a 6-foot-1 junior, started all 34 games for Colorado State during the 2025-26 season, finishing as the Rams’ leading scorer. He averaged 12.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.0% from 3-point range.

Rechsteiner previously played two seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to Colorado State. He becomes the second transfer addition for the Wildcats this offseason, joining Murray State forward Brock Vice as K-State continues to reshape its roster.

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Head coach Casey Alexander continued the build-out of his coaching staff on Thursday morning with the selection of Sean Rutigliano as General Manager.

Rutigliano is the first person to hold the title of General Manager. He joins assistant coaches JJ Butler, Kerron Johnson and Luke Smith, all of whom were announced on March 30.

To view the entire article visit theMercury.com.

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By Tim Everson

After losing four players to the transfer portal over the last several days, some good news has popped up for the Kansas State women’s basketball team.

K-State announced Wednesday afternoon that the vast majority of the Wildcats’ roster from last season, including all available starters, will be returning. That includes soon-to-be seniors Taryn Sides and Nastja Claessens, juniors Ramiya White and Mikayla Parks and sophomores Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod and Ivona Scekic.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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Kansas State men’s basketball has landed its first transfer under new head coach Casey Alexander.

According to a report from On3 on Wednesday, Murray State forward Brock Vice has committed to K-State.

Vice, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, spent the 2025-26 season at Murray State after beginning his career at North Texas and redshirting at Creighton. He has two years of eligibility left.

In 30 games with the Racers, Vice averaged 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 61.1% from the field in limited action. His season high came with 12 points against Drake.

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By Tim Everson

A fourth Kansas State women’s basketball player has hit the transfer portal.

Jenessa Cotton, a 6-foot-1 sophomore forward, is leaving Manhattan after a season that eventually sidelined her to a supporting role after a mid-season injury.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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By Toby Hammes

A sixth Kansas State men’s basketball player is reported to be entering the transfer portal.

According to a report from On3 on Tuesday, K-State junior forward Taj Manning intends to finish his career away from Manhattan after four years in purple, including a redshirt year.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball has its first returning piece of the offseason.

In a social media announcement on Monday, K-State freshman wing Andrej Kostic stated plans to remain in Manhattan and continue his career under new head coach Casey Alexander.

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By Tim Everson

A second Kansas State women’s basketball player has entered the transfer portal on the portal’s opening day.

The daughter of NBA all-star Gilbert Arenas, Izela Arenas got off to a hot start of her career, scoring 18 points in her Wildcat debut.

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The first morning of the 2026 women’s basketball transfer portal season brought bad news for Kansas State fans.

Star freshman sharpshooter Jordan Speiser is hitting the portal, according to a report from On3 Monday morning. She will enter the portal with a “Do Not Contact” tag, a designation preventing college coaches from initiating communication with a player, allowing athletes to manage their recruitment by having schools reach out only after the player makes initial contact. It’s often used by players who already have a destination school in mind.

A former five-star from Warrentown, Mo., Speiser came on strong late in the season, ending the Big 12 Tournament with an appearance on the All-Tournament team after tying the national mark by a freshman in the last 15 years for 3-point field goals made in any conference tournament in NCAA Division I.

Speiser ended the year averaging 10.2 points per game, shooting 38% from the field, including 34.9% from 3.

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A fourth Kansas State men’s player — and a second former Wildcat starter — is reported to have entered the transfer portal.

According to a report from On3 on Sunday, K-State junior guard Abdi Bashir Jr. will find a new home for his senior season, not sticking in Manhattan with new head coach Casey Alexander.

After transferring to K-State from Monmouth, Bashir emerged as the Wildcats’ primary perimeter threat before suffering a foot fracture early in Big 12 play that became a season-ending injury.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball has its first reported transfer portal departure under Casey Alexander.

Sophomore Stephen Osei intends to enter the portal, according to a report from recruiting analyst Sam Kayser on Monday.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State men’s basketball has added another future piece under Casey Alexander.

Class of 2026 point guard Jaylen Alexander, who was previously signed to Belmont, has flipped his pledge to K-State, he announced on social media Saturday.

Jaylen Alexander, a three-star prospect, is ranked as the No. 22 point guard in the country and No. 180 overall player in the 247sports composite rankings. He is also rated as the No. 3 overall player in the state of Alabama.

He was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year last week and earned MVP honors at the Alabama state tournament. Jaylen Alexander joins fellow 2026 commit Devin Hutcherson in sticking with the former Belmont head coach.

Jaylen Alexander, who is not related to the Wildcats’ new head coach, becomes the second addition for K-State as the program begins to build its 2026 class after consecutive years with one domestic high school signee.

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Kansas State men’s basketball head coach Casey Alexander has landed his first commit in Manhattan.

Class of 2026 guard Devin Hutcherson, who was previously committed to play for Alexander at Belmont, has flipped his pledge to K-State after requesting a release from his National Letter of Intent just over a week ago.

Hutcherson, a 6-foot-4 wing, is rated as a top-250 prospect nationally and the No. 33 shooting guard in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. He is also ranked as the No. 16 player in the state of Georgia.

The Atlanta native held offers from Georgia Tech, Ole Miss and Georgia State.

Hutcherson becomes the first commitment for Alexander at K-State, already emphasizing a trend the new head coach spoke on during his introductory press conference.

More roster moves will likely be on the way for the Wildcats amid coaching change. The NCAA Division I men’s basketball transfer portal officially opens on April 7, one day after the championship game, and closes on April 21, lasting 15 days.

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By Tim Everson

With the Kansas State women’s basketball team wrapping up its season over the weekend in a second-round WBIT loss to California, the focus has already shifted to next season.

Following the 2024-25 campaign, the Wildcats suffered a mass exodus through both graduation and the transfer portal. Junior guard Taryn Sides was the only returning K-State player to have recorded any meaningful playing time, and so the cupboard had to be restocked.

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By Toby Hammes

As Kansas State fans begin to piece together who their next head coach is in Casey Alexander, one of the important questions becomes what his teams will actually look like on the floor.

Alexander has built one of the most efficient offensive programs in the country during his time at Belmont, but his philosophy goes beyond simply scoring points.

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By Tim Everson

Kansas State women’s basketball’s season ended Sunday night as so many do, with heartbreak.

The Wildcats wrapped up their first WBIT appearance with a tough 83-75 loss to California in a game that slipped away in the third and early fourth quarter and couldn’t be salvaged with a late rally.

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By Tim Everson

A bad taste was left in the mouth of the Kansas State women the way they ended the regular season.

The Wildcats ended the season with three straight losses, two of which against rivals Kansas and Iowa State on their home floor. A magical run to the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament did a lot to make up for that, but now the Wildcats have a chance to return to Bramlage Coliseum to play at least one more game on their home floor.

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Junior guard P.J. Haggerty was an honorable mention selection to The Associated Press All-America team, which was announced on Tuesday afternoon.

It marked the second time in Haggerty’s career that he earned All-America honors from The Associated Press after being selected to the Second Team while at Memphis in 2024-25. He was a consensus Second Team All-American in 2024-25 while with the Tigers as he was named to the First Team by Andy Katz, the Second Team by AP, U.S. Basketball Writers Association and The Sporting News and the Third Team by the NABC and College Hoops Today.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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By Toby Hammes

There is no denying the success Casey Alexander had at Belmont.

Over seven seasons leading the Bruins, Alexander compiled a 166-60 record while consistently fielding one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country.

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A top-10 salary in the Big 12 and over $1 million in potential bonuses highlight new Kansas State men’s basketball head coach Casey Alexander’s contract, which The Mercury obtained Monday afternoon.

K-State announced last week that Alexander signed a five-year deal worth $17 million before any bonuses. He will make $3.3 million in the first year, and that will increase by $50,000 every year through the 2030-31 season.

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By Tim Everson

After a magical run in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City that was cut short in the semifinals, Kansas State women’s basketball will get to play at least one more game.

The Wildcats (18-17) were selected to compete in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT) Sunday evening, earning a No. 2 seed. This is K-State’s first WBIT bid since the tournament’s inception in 2024.

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By Toby Hammes

With Casey Alexander now officially in place at the helm of Kansas State men’s basketball, attention will quickly turn to who will fill out the new head coach’s first roster in Manhattan.

As with most coaching changes, the list starts with assessing whether any of his former Belmont players would follow him to Manhattan if they choose to explore new opportunities.

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Kansas State men’s basketball’s calamitous season came to a close on Tuesday night in Kansas City as No. 10 seed BYU pulled away in the second half for a 105-91 win in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament at T-Mobile Center.

The 15-seeded Wildcats finished the season 12-20 and 3-15 during regular-season Big 12 play. It marked the seventh and final game for interim head coach Matthew Driscoll, who finishes with a 2-5 record after Jerome Tang’s firing.

“Really proud of the fact that we didn’t quit,” Driscoll said. “We never quit during this whole tumultuous situation. We were probably the most resilient team in the Big 12, bar none. We’ve been through everything you could possibly think of — injury, illness and attrition. And attrition, being Coach (Tang).

“To our guys’ credit, they could have just opted out and quit. So there’s a lot to be said about this team and what they did. And I’m super proud to be the person that’s temporarily in charge of them.”

K-State kept pace for much of the night behind a strong offensive performance from P.J. Haggerty, but BYU freshman star AJ Dybantsa proved too much to contain. Dybantsa poured in a game-high 40 points as the Cougars used a late second-half surge to create separation and close out the victory.

Haggety’s 27 points marked his 23rd 20-point game of the season, which is the second-most in school history and the most since Michael Beasley’s school-record 26 in 2007-08.

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Following her stellar performance at the 2026 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament, K-State freshman Jordan Speiser has been named to the all-tournament team.

With this honor, Speiser becomes the sixth player in program history to be named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team and first since Ayoka Lee in 2024.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An improbable run through the Big 12 Tournament ended after four games in four days for the 12th-seeded Kansas State women Saturday afternoon at the T-Mobile Center.

The Wildcats ran out of steam midway through the fourth quarter, falling to the veteran and size-laden top-seed TCU, 74-62.

K-State had a slim lead at the break, thanks in part to first-half TCU turnovers and four 3-pointers in the second quarter, but the Horned Frogs caught fire in the third quarter and couldn’t be caught.

The loss ends one of the best Big 12 Tournament runs for the Wildcats in school history, and shows the growth and potential that this young roster could have moving forward.

“I mean, obviously we want to be playing tomorrow, but I’m just proud of this group and proud of the growth they’ve had all year,” junior Taryn Sides said. “Just wish we were playing (on Sunday).”

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After Friday’s thrilling win over No. 4 Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament, the 12th-seeded Kansas State women are stepping into relatively unknown territory.

K-State will play its fourth game in as many days on Saturday, when it takes on No. 1 TCU in the tournament semifinals. The Wildcats have only played four games in four days like this once, in the 1997 Big 12 Tournament.

But of all of the concerns that head coach Jeff Mittie might have about facing the conference’s regular-season champions in a high-stakes tournament game, fatigue is not one of them.

“The (players) would tell you that we’ve practiced seven, eight days in a row, and some days the seventh or eighth day is the hardest day, and it also might be the best day,” Mittie said. “Their bodies are tired right now, but they’re young. I don’t think it’s any different. We’ll get our preparation

“I would say this: The one thing about playing early in the day is the day is pretty normal for us in terms of our recovery. We practice at 10, 11 a.m. (in Manhattan), so the day is pretty normal. I’m sure they’ve got a nap scheduled later at some point later today, but our preparation will be the same.”

Both junior Nastja Claessens and freshman Jordan Speiser agreed and mentioned plans for a nice ice bath to help with their recovery.

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A promising first half spiraled for the Kansas State women versus an Iowa State team that’s starting to find its footing after a mid-season dip following a red-hot start to the season.

The Wildcats (15-16, 8-10 Big 12) used an excellent second quarter to lead by as much as six, but the Cyclones’ physicality down low was too much, led by a 41-point performance from star center Audi Crooks, to handle, as K-State fell 93-79 in Bramlage Coliseum Sunday afternoon.

With a win, K-State had a chance to earn a first-round bye in the Big 12 Tournament, but the loss forces the Wildcats into the opening game of the tournament Wednesday morning.

“We were in position to get (the bye),” head coach Jeff Mittie said. “It is what it is, right? We didn’t earn the bye. We had a chance, and now our opportunity is to play right away. So we’ve got to make the most of that.”

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The Kansas State men saw another close game slip down the drain in the final minutes on Saturday, falling at home to TCU, 77-68.

The Wildcats trailed for the entire second half but managed to keep it within a couple of possessions until a 9-0 run in the final minutes put it out of reach.

“So, do you have a record player? Have you ever seen the 33-inch vinyls? Right? Have you ever had one that had a bad scratch on it? That’s what we have,” interim head coach Matthew Driscoll said of the Wildcats’ late-game struggles. “We put it on the record player, and it plays and plays and plays and plays and plays, and then it hits that scratch and it just (circles). We get there, and then for whatever reason, we just can’t break through.”

The loss is the third straight for the Wildcats, and the ninth loss in the last 10 games.

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The Kansas State men saw another close game slip down the drain in the final minutes on Saturday, falling at home to TCU, 77-68.

The Wildcats trailed for the entire second half but managed to keep it within a couple of possessions until a 9-0 run in the final minutes put it out of reach.

“So, do you have a record player? Have you ever seen the 33-inch vinyls? Right? Have you ever had one that had a bad scratch on it? That’s what we have,” interim head coach Matthew Driscoll said of the Wildcats’ late-game struggles. “We put it on the record player, and it plays and plays and plays and plays and plays, and then it hits that scratch and it just (circles). We get there, and then for whatever reason, we just can’t break through.”

The loss is the third straight for the Wildcats, and the ninth loss in the last 10 games.

Read the rest and subscribe at The Mercury!

The post K-State men fall late at home to TCU appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

The Kansas State men saw another close game slip down the drain in the final minutes on Saturday, falling at home to TCU, 77-68.

The Wildcats trailed for the entire second half but managed to keep it within a couple of possessions until a 9-0 run in the final minutes put it out of reach.

“So, do you have a record player? Have you ever seen the 33-inch vinyls? Right? Have you ever had one that had a bad scratch on it? That’s what we have,” interim head coach Matthew Driscoll said of the Wildcats’ late-game struggles. “We put it on the record player, and it plays and plays and plays and plays and plays, and then it hits that scratch and it just (circles). We get there, and then for whatever reason, we just can’t break through.”

The loss is the third straight for the Wildcats, and the ninth loss in the last 10 games.

Read the rest and subscribe at The Mercury!

The post K-State men fall late at home to TCU appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

The Kansas State men saw another close game slip down the drain in the final minutes on Saturday, falling at home to TCU, 77-68.

The Wildcats trailed for the entire second half but managed to keep it within a couple of possessions until a 9-0 run in the final minutes put it out of reach.

“So, do you have a record player? Have you ever seen the 33-inch vinyls? Right? Have you ever had one that had a bad scratch on it? That’s what we have,” interim head coach Matthew Driscoll said of the Wildcats’ late-game struggles. “We put it on the record player, and it plays and plays and plays and plays and plays, and then it hits that scratch and it just (circles). We get there, and then for whatever reason, we just can’t break through.”

The loss is the third straight for the Wildcats, and the ninth loss in the last 10 games.

Read the rest and subscribe at The Mercury!

The post K-State men fall late at home to TCU appeared first on News Radio KMAN.