K-Nation's Top 10: Best K-State sports moments from 2023-24
MANHATTAN (KSNT) - To put a bow on the 2023-24 athletic calendar, the K-Nation team gives its version of K-State's top 10 moments from the entire year, across all sports.
10. Cooper Beebe's pancakes: The former Wildcat turned Dallas Cowboy paved the way for a number of K-State touchdowns. One of his more notable blocks from this past season came against Houston.
9. Women's basketball beats Iowa: The Wildcats held Caitlin Clark to a season-low of 24 points, as they took down the Hawkeyes on their home court in Iowa City.
8. Football overcomes 11-point deficit to win Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence: Trailing by 11 points in the third, DJ Giddens and former K-State quarterback Will Howard scored touchdowns, while Marques Sigles' late picked loomed large. K-State beat its in-state rival on the road. The Wildcats extended their winning-streak against KU to 15 years in a row.
7. Volleyball takes down No. 3 Texas: Aliyah Carter and the 'Cats gave the Longhorns a proper goodbye on their way out of the Big 12 conference with an upset sweep.
6. Football wins the inaugural Pop Tarts Bowl: Avery Johnson saw his first true start, and Conor Riley his first go as offensive coordinator, as the 'Cats won the rights to eat the edible mascot.
5. Kaelen Culpepper hits for the cycle: Culpepper became just the fourth Wildcat in history to hit for the cycle, doing it in a postseason game no less, as the 'Cats toppled Louisiana Tech 19-4 in the NCAA regional.
4. Avery Johnson compiles five touchdowns against Texas Tech: Johnson put together a breakout game against the Red Raiders, accounting for five total touchdowns to help K-State cruise to a 38-21 win.
3. Men's basketball defeats No. 4 Kansas in overtime: Jerome Tang is now 2-0 in overtime Sunflower Showdowns, as the cardiac 'Cats secured a win over KU in Bramlage for the second straight year.
2. Women's basketball hosts first two rounds of the NCAA tournament: In addition to getting an NCAA bid, the Wildcats hosted the first two rounds of the tournament on their home floor. They beat Portland in round one and lost a tight one to Colorado, which featured a sell-out crowd.
1. Baseball wins the NCAA regional in Fayetteville: Pete Hughes and the 'Cats went a perfect 3-0 in the Fayetteville regional, which featured a win over top-seeded Arkansas and one of the nation's best pitchers. Tyson Neighbors assembled a 10-out save and Culpepper sent a three-run shot over the wall against the Razorbacks.
K-State's top 10 moments can be watched above. K-Nation airs every Sunday on KSNT. Click here to watch Sunday's full episode.