BOSTON, June 21, 2021 – The Basketball Tournament (TBT) – the $1 million, winner-take-all summer basketball event broadcast live on ESPN networks – today revealed that Purple & Black, the Kansas State alumni team, has been admitted into TBT’s 64-team field. Purple & Black will be competing in the Wichita Regional at Koch Arena from July 16-20.
This will be Purple & Black’s first TBT appearance since 2019, when they lost in the first round to Team Colorado (Colorado alumni) in the first round of the Wichita Regional.
Purple & Black is organized by former Kansas State forward Jordan Henriquez (2009-13). Their current roster includes:
· Curtis Kelly (2009-11)
· Martavious Irving (2009-13)
· Thomas Gipson (2011-15)
· D.J. Johnson (2012-17)
· Justin Edwards (2014-16)
· Cartier Diarra (2017-20)
· Kamau Stokes (2015-19)
· Ron Freeman (2015-16)
· Trevor Gaskins (Ole Miss/Louisiana Tech)
· Marquis Addison (Missouri Southern State)
· Moses Morgan (DePaul/Cal State Fullerton)
· Marvin Clark (Michigan State/St John’s.
The #7 seed Purple & Black (Kansas State alumni) will take on #10 seed Omaha Blue Crew in the team’s first-round game on Friday, July 16 at 3 pm CT. If Purple & Black advances to the second round, they will face the winner of Aftershocks (Wichita State alumni) and Ex-Pats (Patriot League) on Sunday, July 18 at 3 pm CT. The third and final game of the Wichita regional will take place on Tuesday, July 20. TV broadcast information will be announced soon.
Two teams will advance from each of TBT’s four regionals to compete in Championship Weekend in Dayton, Ohio at UD Arena. Quarterfinals games will be played on July 31, and semifinals on August 1. The TBT Championship game will be August 3, where one player will hit a shot during the Elam Ending to win his team $1 million.
For more information on Purple & Black and tickets for this year’s TBT, visit TheTournament.com.