MANHATTAN, Kan. (KWCH) — The Basketball Tournament (TBT) returned to Manhattan Tuesday night with a best-of-three series between the K-State alumni team, Purple Reign, and the KU alumni team, JHX Hoops, tipping off at Bramlage Coliseum.
The series is among the most anticipated matchups on the alumni side of this year’s bracket, with notable names on both rosters including K-State’s Michael Beasley and KU’s Mario Chalmers.
Kansas State’s Michael Beasley, center, grimaces after getting his fourth foul during the second half of a college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008, in Columbia, Mo. Beasley scored a team-high 17 points in their 77-74 loss to Missouri. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)(L.G. Patterson | AP)
FILE – In this Monday, April 7, 2008, file photo, Kansas’ Mario Chalmers shoots a 3-pointer to take the game in to overtime against Memphis during the championship game at the NCAA college basketball Final Four in San Antonio. Kansas stars Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins are among 16 former men’s college basketball players who have sued the NCAA and multiple conferences, claiming they are profiting from the unauthorized use of their names, images and likenesses in promoting and monetizing the March Madness tournament. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)(Mark Humphrey | AP)Rule changes and bracket stakes
This year’s TBT features a $2 million championship prize. The alumni bracket operates under a best-of-three format for round one, with a potential game three scheduled for Friday at Bramlage Coliseum if needed.
Should the Aftershocks — who played Monday night — defeat the Enchantment on Thursday, they would face the winner of the Purple Reign-JHX Hoops series.
K-State and KU alumni teams tip off a best-of-three series at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.(KWCH)
K-State and KU alumni teams tip off a best-of-three series at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.(KWCH)Pullen out; JHX adds reinforcements
K-State confirmed Tuesday that Jacob Pullen will not suit up for Purple Reign. No timeline for his return was given.
On the KU side, JHX Hoops announced Jamari Traylor and Billy Preston as additions to the roster for the series.
Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen (0) celebrates breaking his school’s all-time scoring record during a Southeast Regional NCAA college basketball tournament third round game against Wisconsin Saturday, March 19, 2011, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)(Chris Carlson | ASSOCIATED PRESS)New coach weighs in
Newly appointed K-State head coach Casey Alexander spoke ahead of the matchup on the significance of alumni returning during the summer.
“Yeah, it’s very important to me, whether TBT is here or not,” Alexander said. “We are just kind of the stakeholders in this thing right now. There’s been a lot of great years of K-State hoops and a lot of great coaches, great players, great teams. And we just happen to be the ones that are here now. So it’s really important that everybody understands that we’re part of something bigger while we’re here.”
One player also spoke to what the homecoming means beyond the prize money.
“I mean, for me, I left on a high note. I left with a dub above KU, but it’s more for the fans, man, in the city of Manhattan for us to come out here and compete,” the player said. “Same thing with KU, man. I know they pushing for all the people in Lawrence. And then at the end of the day, man, we all coming out here to compete for some money.”
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