Jerome Tang and the Kansas State Wildcats enter the 2025-26 season with something to prove. Last year’s 16-17 finish and 9-11 record in Big 12 play left plenty of room for improvement. After reaching the Elite Eight in his first season in Manhattan, Tang has watched his team fall short of the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years. That reality has turned this season into a pivotal one.
The Wildcats’ non-conference schedule sets up nicely for a team looking to regain its confidence. It features a handful of home games to build rhythm, a few challenging road trips to test their toughness, and a couple of neutral-site contests that could shape their early résumé.
November 4 – UNC Greensboro (Home)
Kansas State opens its season at home against UNC Greensboro. This is the kind of matchup that allows a team to shake off nerves, get comfortable in front of the home crowd, and see how the newcomers fit into Tang’s system. This is the first ever meeting between these two teams.
November 8 – Bellarmine (Home)
A quick turnaround brings Bellarmine to Manhattan. It’s another opportunity for the Wildcats to find consistency and work through early-season wrinkles. These two teams played in 2023 with the Wildcats coming away with a fairly easy win.
November 13 – California (Home)
The Golden Bears make the trip to Kansas State for what should be the first true test of the season. California has size and athleticism, so this will show whether the Wildcats can match that kind of energy on both ends of the court. This is the first meeting since 2022, but the ninth in program history. Kansas State has dominated the series winning seven out of eight.
November 17 – Tulsa (Home)
The four-game homestand wraps up against Tulsa. While the Golden Hurricane have struggled in recent seasons, they still play hard and can cause problems if Kansas State doesn’t stay focused. Tulsa has gotten the best of Kansas State over the years. While they have not played since 2019, Kansas State has lost seven of nine.
November 20 – Mississippi State (Neutral, Kansas City)
Kansas State heads to Kansas City for a matchup with Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are known for their defense and physical play, so this game should give Tang a clear look at how tough his team really is. This is the first meeting between the Wildcats and Bulldogs since 2019.
November 21 – Nebraska or New Mexico (Neutral, Kansas City)
Depending on the first night’s result, the Wildcats will face either Nebraska or New Mexico to close their stay in Kansas City. Both are solid programs that could push Kansas State in different ways, making this a valuable weekend for growth.
November 25 – at Indiana
The Wildcats travel to Bloomington to face Indiana in one of their toughest non-conference games. Assembly Hall is one of college basketball’s loudest environments, and playing there will test Kansas State’s poise. It has been 27 years since the Wildcats and Hoosiers met up on the hardwood. This will be the 32nd overall. Indiana won by one in 1998, which was their 19th win in 31 games.
December 1 – Bowling Green (Home)
Back home for December, the Wildcats face Bowling Green in a game that should help them reset before the competition ramps up again.
December 6 – Seton Hall (Home)
Seton Hall visits Manhattan for what could be one of the most entertaining games of the early schedule. Both teams have talent, but both also have something to prove after inconsistent seasons.
December 8 – Mississippi Valley State (Home)
Mississippi Valley State comes to town for a midweek matchup that should give Tang’s bench players plenty of minutes. Expect Kansas State to use this one as a tune-up before heading back on the road.
December 13 – at Creighton
Kansas State visits Creighton for a high-level road test. The Bluejays are always dangerous, especially at home, and their ability to hit shots from deep will challenge the Wildcats’ defense. Both teams have won eight games against each other in the history of the series between the Wildcats and Blue Jays.
December 20 – South Dakota (Home)
South Dakota visits before the holidays in a game that gives the Wildcats a chance to clean up any lingering issues. These final home contests are all about building rhythm before the Big 12 grind.
December 28 – Louisiana-Monroe (Home)
The Wildcats finish non-conference play against Louisiana-Monroe. Tang will likely use this game to finalize his rotation and get the team mentally ready for conference play.
Kansas State’s non-conference schedule isn’t overwhelming, and that’s by design. Tang has built a slate that gives his team a chance to grow, find its identity, and gain confidence before the Big 12 season begins.
The Wildcats have the talent to turn things around, but consistency has to return. If this group can stay healthy and buy in defensively, the road back to March Madness might not be as far away as it seemed last spring.