Much has been made about the impact that conference realignment has had on certain rivalries, with games becoming non-conference affairs (Syracuse and Georgetown will meet this upcoming season for the first time since 2013) or simply falling by the wayside. One such matchup was the rivalry between Kansas and Missouri, with the former refusing to play the latter in basketball since Missouri left for the SEC in 2012.
However Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have played the Tigers since their move, and according to the Kansas City Star Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber expects Missouri to be his team’s opponent in the semifinals of the CBE Classic this coming November. That matchup isn’t official, with that due to be announced at a later date.
But in the midst of that conversation, Weber stated that he’d be open to playing Missouri with the Sprint Center in Kansas City serving as the venue. Weber noted that the two teams could meet “every couple of years” should things work out this fall with a possible matchup in the CBE.Weber stressed K-State and Missouri have merely had informal conversations about a series, but he sees its merits. He was part of a similar series with Missouri, the Braggin’ Rights game in St. Louis, when he coached Illinois.
“It is not a definite by any means, but we have talked about it,” Weber said. “We will see what happens this year with the CBE. If it looks like it was a good thing and a success and we have officially broken the barrier of them leaving, that kind of stigma, then maybe we can move forward with it.”
Kansas City currently hosts the Big 12 tournament and will continue to do so through the year 2020, and Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri have all played regular season games at the Sprint Center as well. For Kansas State and Missouri this would be a nice regional game to play if they agree to do so.
As for Kansas and Missouri meeting again in a regular season matchup, that’s an entirely different situation.
