July 21, 2026 – Manhattan, Kansas
Michael Beasley scored a game-high 20 points in his TBT debut as Purple Reign (Kansas State Alumni) defeated JHX Hoops (Kansas Alumni) 80-61 Tuesday night in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round TBT series at Bramlage Coliseum.
The nationally televised rivalry matchup on FS1 renewed one of college basketball’s fiercest in-state rivalries, with Kansas State defending its home court and moving one win away from advancing to the Alumni Bracket semifinals.
Purple Reign seized control early, opening the game on a 10-1 run. Kansas never recovered from the slow start, as the Wildcats alumni maintained at least a double-digit lead for most of the evening.
JHX Hoops showed signs of life in the third quarter, outscoring Purple Reign 24-18 behind the play of Billy Preston and Jacob Hanna to cut the deficit to eight points midway through the fourth quarter. However, Purple Reign answered every challenge, entering the Elam Ending with a 72-59 lead before outscoring Kansas 8-2 to close out the victory.
Beasley led four Purple Reign players in double figures, finishing with 20 points, six assists, three blocks and two steals. Xavier Sneed added 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Austin Trice scored 16 points on an efficient 8-for-9 shooting performance. Shaun Williams provided a major boost off the bench with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
Billy Preston paced JHX Hoops with 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Zeke Mayo added 12 points. Jacob Hanna chipped in 10 points and six rebounds off the bench as Kansas struggled to find consistent offense throughout the night.
Purple Reign’s defense proved to be the difference, forcing 19 Kansas turnovers that led to a 26-9 advantage in points off turnovers. Kansas State also dominated the paint, outscoring JHX Hoops 40-22 inside while shooting 51.7% from the field compared to just 38.5% for Kansas.
The series now shifts to Lee Arena in Topeka for Game 2 on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. CT. JHX Hoops will need a victory to force a decisive Game 3 back at Bramlage Coliseum on Friday night, while Purple Reign can clinch the series and advance with another win. Tickets for Game 2 are still available and can be purchased HERE.
