8/23/2007

By ARNE GREEN

Salina Journal

Want to catch Kansas State's much-hyped men's basketball team this season but can't get to Manhattan?

Your odds improved dramatically Wednesday with the release of a 2006-07 schedule that has the Wildcats slated for a school-record 12 national television appearances in 2007-08.

A nationally-ranked recruiting class and an upgraded non-conference schedule that includes Notre Dame, Oregon and Xavier apparently caught the eye of ESPN exacutives. The Wildcats will appear five times on ESPN, five on ESPN2 and at least two on ESPNU.

Throw in six games on the Big 12's ESPN Plus package and 10 on Fox Sports Net and nearly all the Wildcats' 31 games will be televised in some form.

"We think that we have put together a schedule that is as challenging as any Kansas State team has faced in some time," first-year K-State coach Frank Martin said in a statement. "It's an exciting time to play teams like this because they are going to be a great experience for our young team and help prepare us for all the challenges that await in conference play."

The Wildcats, who went 23-12 last year under Bob Huggins and finished fourth in the Big 12, could play up to five non-conference games against NCAA Tournament teams from last season.

They get the ball rolling with a Nov. 3 exhibition game against Fort Hays State, then entertain Sacramento State on Nov. 9 in the regular-season opener.

The Old Spice Classic, Nov. 22-25 in Orlando, Fla., could include a second-round matchup against NCAA qualifier Villanova.

Oregon, which advanced to the NCAA's Elite Eight, visits Bramlage Coliseum on Nov. 29 for a game on ESPN2. The Wildcats then head to New York's Madison Square Garden for a Dec. 4 showdown against NCAA participant Notre Dame in the Jimmy V Classic on ESPN.

California visits Bramlage on Dec. 9, and the Wildcats face Florida A&M -- another NCAA team -- Dec. 17, either at home or at the new Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. For the second straight year, K-State will head to Cincinnati to face Xavier, Dec. 31.

The Big 12 home schedule features home games against in-state rival Kansas on Jan. 30, Texas A&M on Jan. 19 and Texas on Feb. 25.

K-State has two starters and seven lettermen back from last year's team, which reached 20 victories for the first time since 1998-99. The Wildcats reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament, their first postseason appearance in seven years.

After the Wildcats set a school record for season ticket sales with 13,000 last season, sales have continued to be steady this year with over 11,500 public and student tickets already on order.

Ticket information is available at 800-221-CATS or online at www.k-statesports.com.

Kansas State men

2007-08 schedule

November - 3 Fort Hays State (exhibition), time TBA; 9 Sacramento State, TBA; 11 Pittsburg State, TBA; 17 Western Illinois, TBA; 22-25 Old Spice Classic at Orlando, Fla. (22 vs. George Mason, 8 p.m.; 23 vs. Central Florida or Villanova, 4 or 6:30 p.m.; 25 opponent and time TBA); 29 Oregon, 8 p.m.

December - 4 vs. Notre Dame at Madison Square Garden, New York, 6 p.m.; Dec. 9 California, 1 p.m.; 17 vs. Florida A&M (at Kansas City or Manhattan), TBA; 22 Winston-Salem State, TBA; 29 Wagner, TBA; 31 at Xavier, 6 p.m.

January - 7 Savannah, TBA; 12 at Oklahoma, 5 p.m.; 19 Texas A&M, 3 p.m.; 23 at Colorado, 8 p.m.; 26 Iowa State, TBA; 30, Kansas, 7 p.m.

February - 2 at Missouri, 12:30 p.m.; 6 Nebraska, TBA; 9 Oklahoma State, 5 p.m.; 13 at Texas Tech, 8 p.m.; 16 Missouri, 5 p.m.; 20 at Nebraska, 8 p.m.; 23 at Baylor, 7 p.m.; 25 Texas, 8 p.m.

March - 1 at Kansas, 8 p.m.; 4 Colorado, 7 p.m.; 8 at Iowa State, 3 p.m.; 13-16 Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

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