Thigns are going to look much different this season for Kansas State men's basketball, and this time it's hopefully in the right direction. Now that the Casey Alexander era is in full swing, the Wildcats have a real chance to cause some chaos in the Big 12.
Casey Alexander’s track record suggests Wildcats are poised for a record-setting year
Alexander isn't just another head coach making the jump from the mid-major level. He's spent years building successful programs and doing what the best coaches consistently do: win basketball games. With Alexander now entering the picture at Kansas State, there's legitimate reason for optimism surrounding the program.
But to understand how the former Belmont coach ended up in The Little Apple, it helps to rewind a couple of years. His tenure started with the Bruins back in 2019, and spanned seven seasons. During that period, Belmont won 166 games and three Missouri Valley regular season championships.
Not to mention, he’s one of only four coaches nationally to win 20 or more games in 10 consecutive seasons. The other names on that list include Gonzaga’s Mark Few, Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson, and Hall of Fame Kansas coach Bill Self.
The other three seasons came during his previous stint at Lipscomb, starting in 2017-18, when he led the Bison to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history while also piling up 29 wins.
Where Alexander can make history for Kansas State men's basketball
That level of roster turnover makes the transfer portal less of a supporting piece and more of the foundation itself. With so little continuity from last season, Alexander isn’t easing into a rebuild—he’s effectively constructing a new roster in real time.
And the volume of transfers welcomed in by the Wildcats, it's much more than in recent seasons. Rather than relying on long-term development alone, Alexander and staff are betting on immediate production and experienced depth. Against Power Four competition, that’s not just an advantage. It’s a necessity.
The real test, however, isn’t just how many players were brought in, but how well they fit together once the season begins. If Alexander’s portal additions translate on the floor, K-State’s turnaround could flip immediately.
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