Carrying on Kansas State’s proud basketball legacy, Purple Reign — the men’s basketball alumni team — pulled off a thrilling 85–84 victory over The Shine to advance in The Basketball Tournament (TBT).
The team is once again competing for TBT’s $1 million, winner-take-all prize — this year co-hosting the Kansas City Regional at Municipal Auditorium from July 19–23.
The 64-team single-elimination tournament features alumni teams from across the country, with the champion claiming the $1 million prize.
What an ending for @PurpleReignTBT 🤯
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) July 19, 2025
On to the next! pic.twitter.com/nbESw6PoM9
In Saturday’s intense matchup, Purple Reign trailed for much of the game but stayed resilient, forcing a dramatic finish. Shaun Williams, Austin Trice, and Dominique Sutton led the way with 21, 20, and 15 points, respectively.
Purple Reign plays its games at the historic Municipal Auditorium, drawing support from passionate Kansas State fans.
The team is headlined by all-time leading scorer and K-State Sports Hall of Fame inductee Jacob Pullen (2007–11), who brings leadership and experience.
Supporting him are former Wildcats Spencer Bain (2024–25), Cartier Diarra (2017–20), Justin Edwards (2013–16), DaJuan Gordon (2019–21), Abayomi Iyiola (2022–23), Dominique Sutton (2007–10), and point guard Kamau Stokes.
Purple Reign’s mix of seasoned veterans and recent alumni creates a balanced roster with a blend of scoring, defense, and hustle, reflecting Kansas State’s strong basketball tradition.
The winner of the Kansas City Regional will face the Wichita Regional champion in the quarterfinals on Sunday, July 27, at 8 p.m. CT on FS1. The semifinals and $1 million championship game are scheduled for July 31 and August 3, respectively.
Looking ahead, the upcoming Kansas State Wildcats team is aiming to rebound after two tough seasons. After missing the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years, head coach Jerome Tang enters the 2024–25 season under pressure to turn things around.
The Wildcats return just three scholarship players — David Castillo, Mobi Ikegwuruka, and Taj Manning — and have leaned heavily on the transfer portal to bolster their roster.
Key additions include Nate Johnson from Akron, last season’s MAC Player of the Year; Marcus Johnson from Bowling Green, who averaged 16.2 points per game; and PJ Haggerty from Memphis, a second-team All-American known for his scoring ability.
Other newcomers include Khamari McGriff from UNC Wilmington, Abdi Bashir from Omaha, international signees Elias Rapieque and Andrej Kostic, and 6-foot-11 JUCO transfer Stephen Osei, who is expected to redshirt.
Kansas State finished last season 16–17 overall and 9–11 in Big 12 play, tied for ninth in the conference — a record the Wildcats are determined to improve as they look toward a fresh start.