Were it not for the large shadow cast by their hugely successful state rivals the Kansas Jayhawks, the Kansas State Wildcats basketball team would have probably gained national recognition much earlier than they have. That said, the Wildcats were actually quite a good team in their early years, reaching the Final Four on four occasions, though these are beyond living memory for all but the oldest Wildcats fans, with their most recent occurring in 1964. In 1951, the Wildcats even reached the championship final only to fall 68–58 to their fellow ferocious felines, the Kentucky Wildcats. The team continued to be a presence in NCAA March Madness postseason basketball tournaments, qualifying for 32 in total with a fairly even spread throughout the decades and progressing to the Sweet 16 round 18 times and to the Elite 8 on 14 occasions. The Wildcats’ most recent run to the Elite 8 occurred just last year, in 2023, when they lost a disappointing (if dramatic) matchup against the upstart Florida Atlantic Owls by a score of 79-76 to narrowly miss out on their first trip to the Final Four since before man first walked on the moon. Wildcats fans will be hoping to see their team break through that barrier in 2024 (or at least before man walks on another celestial body!). 

How can I get cheap tickets to Kansas State Wildcats games?

The Kansas State Wildcats play their home games in Bramlage Coliseum, a mid-size venue by NCAA basketball standards, and the burgeoning popularity of the team in recent seasons has led to most home games, particularly postseason tournament games, key conference deciders, or rivalry matchups, being sold out. Tickets can be very hard to find. For your best chance at landing the cheapest tickets to Kansas State Wildcats games, check the TicketX listings on this page and use our helpful TicketX seating chart to compare prices and locations. You can purchase tickets with the lowest commission fees from TicketX with a single click! 

Kansas State Wildcats Rivalries

The Kansas State Wildcats have a huge state rivalry with the Kansas Jayhawks. Games between the two are known as the Sunflower Showdown and have taken place ever since 1907, with the Jayhawks dominating the all-time series at 204–95, apart from in the 1950s when both teams were briefly competitive on the national stage. This is actually a national record for victories of one NCAA basketball team over another (definitely one record that the Wildcats wish did not exist!). Recent years, however, have seen the Wildcats improve to the point where the rivalry has become competitive again, with both teams heading into March Madness tournaments with big ambitions each season. The Wildcats also have rivalries against the Missouri Tigers Basketball and Wichita State Shockers. 

Are Kansas State Wildcats basketball games exciting?

While it is definitely located in a lesser known Manhattan than “the” Manhattan (there are actually nine Manhattans in America!), Bramlage Coliseum in Kansas possesses a far better nickname than any sports venue in the Big Apple: the Octagon of Doom. While this moniker might sound more applicable to the WWE or UAE, it has been embraced by the devoted Wildcats fans who flock to Bramlage Coliseum.  To cheer on their team (and intimidate opponents!), the fans hold up octagonal DOOM signs and wear purple or white DOOM T-shirts. With a huge home advantage conferred by their doomsaying fans, many hoops experts expect the Wildcats to be serious contenders in the seasons to come.