The final of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday will be a local affair and a reunion of an old conference rivalry, as Kansas State and Nebraska will square off for the championship after Thursday night victories.
Neither campus is more than 200 miles away from T-Mobile Arena, as Nebraska (196 miles) and Kansas State (122 miles) are also a mere 134 miles away from each other.
That proximity manifested in a long-running rivalry, primarily in the Big Eight and Big 12, dating back to 1906. The Wildcats hold a 129-94 record in the series and are 7-3 over the past 10, though the Cornhuskers took the most recent matchup, 62-46, in December 2023.
Beyond local bragging rights, the winner Friday will remain undefeated and pick up a key nonconference victory in this young season.
Nebraska (5-0) was barely pushed in its first-round match against New Mexico on Thursday, building an 18-point lead early in the second half and then making a double-digit lead stick most of the rest of the way in an 84-72 victory.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg credited his team’s poise down the stretch for the victory.
“It takes some guts from your guys, and they went out and executed,” Hoiberg said. “This was a really good win for our team.”
Jamarques Lawrence paced the Cornhuskers with 21 points, while Braden Frager was close behind with 20. Other offensive threats for Nebraska include leading scorers Pryce Sandfort (15.6 points per game) and Rienk Mast (15.4).
Kansas State (5-0) is led by PJ Haggerty, who leads the nation in scoring at 28.2 points per game after pouring in 37 points in the Wildcats’ 98-77 win over Mississippi State on Thursday.
“I think he’s the best point guard in America,” coach Jerome Tang said following the game. “And he might be the best player in America.”
Haggerty, a transfer from Memphis, is the biggest star on the roster, but he’s got help in fellow transfers Nate Johnson (14 points per game), Khamari McGriff (12.4) and Abdi Bashir Jr. (12).
That group has jelled quickly, leading the Wildcats to their best start since 2022-23, the last time they made the NCAA Tournament.
“They want to guard, and they want to win,” Tang said.
