Kansas State Men’s Basketball vs. Mississippi Valley State Preview

Kansas State Men’s Basketball Hosts Mississippi Valley State

Kansas State Wildcats guard Markquis Nowell | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Kansas State is back home and ready to turn the page. It is because they are returning to Bramlage Coliseum for a Monday night matchup against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils. This game marks the Wildcats’ tenth of the season. And it's only the second time these teams have ever met. Their first meeting came just last year, when K-State secured a 74–56 win on November 22, 2024. Now, K-State looks to reset the rhythm of its season in front of its home crowd.

Kansas State Men's Basketball Preparing to Look at the Delta Devils

K-State heads into the contest at 5–4, searching for a fresh start. It is after their hot 5–0 opening streak turned into four straight losses to Nebraska, Indiana, Bowling Green, and Seton Hall. The positive news for the Wildcats is that Bramlage Coliseum has been one of the program’s biggest strengths under Coach Jerome Tang. K-State is 43–11 at home with Tang leading the way, including a powerful 23–4 record in non-conference games.

GAME DAY

🆚 Mississippi Valley State
📍 Bramlage Coliseum | 7PM CT
🔗 https://t.co/JzW2xKR1tE pic.twitter.com/CUAha5355y

— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) December 8, 2025

Mississippi Valley State arrives in Manhattan with a 1–8 record and a seven-game losing streak. Their only win came against Division III Mississippi University for Women. Under fourth-year head coach George Ivory, the Delta Devils are rebuilding after a 3–28 finish last season.

The challenge for MVSU has been consistency. The team is averaging 69.1 points per game on 41.3% shooting while allowing 88.4 points at 45.7% from opponents. Turnovers have also been an issue, with the Delta Devils giving up the ball 16.8 times per game.

Still, there are standout performers. Junior Michael James leads with 19.7 points per game, shooting 37.7% from beyond the arc. And an incredible 97.2% from the free-throw line, with 26 made threes. Senior Daniel Mayfield adds strength inside with 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

K-State’s Four-Game Slide

K-State’s most recent game was a 78–67 loss to a sharp defensive Seton Hall team. The Pirates forced the Wildcats into season lows across the board, including 37.1% shooting from the field, 20.0% from three, and 42.9% from the line.

Seton Hall also turned 16 K-State turnovers into 22 points. Still, all five K-State starters reached double figures. Khamari McGriff led with 12 points, while Bashir Jr., P.J. Haggerty, and Nate Johnson scored 11 each, and David Castillo finished with 10.

During this losing streak, consistency has been the issue, with K-State averaging 71.8 points on 40.5% shooting while allowing 83 points on 46% shooting. The slow starts have also been costly, as the Wildcats have been outscored 168–126 in first halves during the skid.

Even with the recent struggles, K-State’s offense across the full season remains one of the most explosive in program history. The Wildcats are averaging 84.3 points per game on 48% shooting, with 38.3% accuracy from three. They also rank top-45 nationally in assists, fastbreak scoring, and three-point shooting. Their 759 total points through the first nine games are the most in K-State history through that point.

Junior P.J. Haggerty continues to lead the country in scoring at 23.6 points per game, becoming the first Wildcat ever to open a season with six straight 20-point games. He also delivered a rare 31-point, 10-rebound performance against Tulsa. Sophomore David Castillo has also stepped up, averaging 12.2 points on 46.3% shooting, already topping his scoring total from last year.

K-State has a prime chance to rediscover its offensive groove on Monday night. Tipoff is at 7:01 p.m. CT on ESPN+, with tickets starting at $17 for fans ready to watch the Wildcats chase another non-conference win at Bramlage Coliseum.

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