In their season opener, Kansas State defeated New Orleans 89-65, showcasing a strong performance led by David N'Guessan, who recorded a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds. The Wildcats struggled initially, falling behind 25-15, but N'Guessan's efforts kept them competitive and ignited a pivotal scoring run. Max Jones and Brendan Hausen each contributed significantly, scoring 19 and 15 points respectively, with Hausen hitting four 3-pointers. The team's comeback included a 24-5 run that established a solid halftime lead of 44-32. New Orleans, under new coach Stacy Hollowell, was led by Jah Short with 19 points but could not maintain their early momentum. This marked a successful start for Kansas State, who improved to 13-1 against the Southland Conference historically.