MATCH-UP OF 2025 SWEET 16 TEAMS SET FOR 3RD ANNUAL BILL SNYDER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLASSIC PRESENTED BY SOUTHERN BANK

KANSAS STATE VS. OLE MISS

 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2025 – CIVIC ARENA – 2 PM

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For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Brett Esely Contact: 816-233-6688, besely@stjomo.com

For the third consecutive season, Civic Arena will play host to a historic occasion as NCAA Division I Women’s College Basketball will once again return to downtown as the St. Joseph Sports Commission is proud to announce an elite Power 4 Conference match-up for the 3rd Annual Bill Snyder Women’s Basketball Classic Sunday, December 7 featuring two teams who competed in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the Kansas State Wildcats will face the Ole Miss Rebels.  Tip time for the game is currently set for 2 PM Central Time.  The third annual classic is once again proudly presented by Southern Bank.

“We have an extremely exciting fall and winter schedule lined up this year in which the announcement of this elite matchup of national brands that we’ve been working on for a while will be a landmark occasion and one area fans as well as Wildcat and Rebel fans will not want to miss,” said Brett Esely, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.

The title of the game further signifies and celebrates the legend of St. Joseph native and College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bill Snyder.  Snyder’s college resume speaks for itself, but the connection to his hometown remains strong as well.  The Bill Snyder Pavilion was named in his honor on the Missouri Western campus in 2017, he was inducted into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 and for the fourth straight year, will present the Snyder Woman of Impact Award at the enshrinement ceremonies this August.

Kansas State, from the Big 12 Conference concluded its 2024-25 season with a 28-8 record which resulted in the programs 19th NCAA Tournament bid and fourth Sweet 16 appearance in program history.  The Wildcats registered the second-most wins in a season in school history with 28 and tied for the second-most wins in a two-season span (54).

K-State was ranked in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls for the entirety of the season including finishing ranked #13 in the final AP poll. The Cats are led by Head Coach Jeff Mittie who has several ties to St. Joseph including being a Missouri Western alum and Hall of Fame coach for the Griffons in leading them to two NCAA Elite Eight appearances in the 1993-95 seasons.  Mittie, who will enter his 12th season at K-State and 35th season overall as a Head Coach, has now won 672 career games.  The Wildcats roster will look a bit different heading into the 3rd Annual Classic with several new faces after six seniors departed from last year’s team including Maryville native and Honorable Mention All-American Serena Sundell and fellow Honorable Mention All-American center Ayoka Lee.

“We are excited to once again play in St. Joseph in the Bill Snyder Classic,” said K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie. “I started my coaching career in St. Joseph and our fan base in northeast Kansas has always been extremely important to our women’s basketball program so the opportunity to play another quality game here is special.”

Ole Miss becomes the second SEC school to compete in the Snyder Classic and comes off a 2024-25 campaign that saw the Rebels finish 22-11 overall and reach the sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.  The Rebels, who finished ranked #17 in last season’s final AP poll, are led by Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin who enters her eighth season at the helm in Oxford.  Three Rebels return from last year’s squad including SEC All-Freshman selection Sira Thienou and key reserve Christeen Iwuala.  They will be joined by nine newcomers which are ranked the No. 2 transfer portal class in the country according to ESPN and is highlighted by four-time All-American Cotie McMahon who was recognized as the top transfer forward this year.

This will only be the second all-time meeting between the two schools with Ole Miss winning the first contest 62-57 on a neutral court in December of 1977.

“What started as a long shot concept in the beginning, has turned into an annual tradition and quality experience for all involved!  We are grateful to K-State and Coach Mittie for the opportunity and confidence in us to host a key non-conference game on their schedule each year and also look forward to hosting a quality national level program in Ole Miss who has a solid student/alumni base in our area in which we should have an electric atmosphere downtown this December,” Esely stated.

K-State holds a 2-0 record in the Snyder Classic after defeating Mizzou in year one 84-56 and Middle Tennessee last season 74-48.

Tickets for the 3rd Annual Bill Snyder Classic will go on sale in early August, which will include a special presale opportunity to the games previous ticket buyers. Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available by contacting the sports commission.

For more information, visit stjomosports.com.

The St. Joseph Sports Commission is a division of the St. Joseph, Missouri Convention & Visitors Bureau.