A Clash Reignited: Kansas State Set to Face Former Big 12 Rival in Electric Exhibition Opener
It had been a decade since Kansas State stepped onto the hardwood against Missouri in a game that mattered—emotionally, if not statistically. Now, the Wildcats were headed to Columbia for a long-anticipated exhibition match that buzzed with more than just preseason excitement.
The October air outside Mizzou Arena was thick with tailgate smoke and old grudges. Inside, under the lights, the hardwood gleamed like a battlefield about to echo with echoes of old rivalries. This wasn’t just an exhibition—it was a revival.
“I know it’s not conference play,” said Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang during Thursday’s press conference. “But walk into that arena and tell me this doesn’t feel like March.”
The two programs had diverged since Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2012. Still, the competitive edge had never dulled. K-State, fresh off a Sweet 16 run, came in ranked preseason No. 22, bringing firepower in senior guard Cam Carter and 6’11” Serbian freshman Luka Petrović, whose arrival had sparked waves across Manhattan. Missouri, meanwhile, returned a scrappy squad led by veteran point guard Jaylen Tate, known for his gritty drives and lockdown perimeter defense.
From the opening tip, the intensity was unmistakable. Mizzou fans booed with full throats as K-State touched the ball. Carter responded quickly, draining a corner three on the first possession, then motioning to the crowd with a smirk. Tate answered with a spin move to the basket that brought the house down.
By halftime, the scoreboard read 39-37 in favor of K-State. Petrović had already logged 10 points and 7 rebounds, showing a rare combination of finesse and physicality. “You don’t usually see a freshman that composed,” said ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, who was courtside. “He’s got some Pau Gasol in him.”
In the second half, the emotions boiled over. A hard foul by Missouri forward Deon Stokes on K-State’s David N’Guessan led to a brief scuffle. Coaches rushed the court, separating players as the crowd roared. No ejections were issued, but the incident seemed to ignite Kansas State.
Over the final ten minutes, Carter and Petrović ran a flawless pick-and-roll that Missouri had no answer for. K-State pulled away slowly but definitively, finishing with a 78-69 win.
Yet, the final score felt secondary. What mattered was the energy, the echoes of a bygone era when Big 12 rivalries were forged not in brackets, but in sweat and bruises.
After the game, Carter summed it up with a knowing grin. “This one doesn’t count, technically. But don’t tell that to anybody in the locker room.”
For fans on both sides, it was more than just a warm-up. It was a taste of history—and maybe, just maybe, a hint of a rivalry reborn.
