Representatives from the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas are organizing an exhibition game between the men’s basketball teams at the two schools.
Proceeds from the game — if it happens — will fund hurricane relief efforts.
The return of the fiercely fought, currently dormant Border War between Missouri and Kansas is tentatively scheduled to occur on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the 18,972-seat Sprint Center in Kanas City.
Learfield Sports, the company which manages broadcast rights for Mizzou athletics, asked its radio affiliates to prepare for the game in an email sent Thursday afternoon, reports The Kansas City Star.
“The Mizzou Network plans to broadcast a special program from” 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 22, the email said.
The email was coy about the details of the “special program.” However, it assured radio station managers: “you will be very happy with the content.”
Kansas associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said the schools are still discussing the charity exhibition game.
“We are discussing an event. It is very premature to talk about any specifics,” Marchiony told the Star.
The biggest stumbling block is NCAA rules. The college athletics regulatory organization does not usually allow exhibition games between Division I basketball teams.
The last time Kansas and Missouri played a basketball game was on Feb. 25, 2012. In that riveting Big 12 championship game, the Jayhawks rallied from 19 points down to win an overtime thriller.
In the game before that one, Missouri won at home.
The men’s basketball teams at the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas played their first basketball game in 1906.
After Missouri left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference, the long and intense rivalry stopped. University of Missouri officials have indicated that they wanted to keep the fabled Missouri-Kansas rivalry going. Mizzou officials said officials with University of Kansas refused to continue it.
The teams’ respective fan bases still can’t stand each other.
Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk has indicated that he wants to schedule future games between the two schools.
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self has indicated a willingness to resume the series.
“I’m sure there will be a time where Kansas and Missouri play again,” Self has said, according to the Star.
“That’s a decision that will be made at a university level, not just at a basketball level,” Self also said.
Kansas leads the all-time men’s basketball series 172–95.
Legendary Mizzou coach Norm Stewart famously refused to spend any money in Kansas when his teams visited the school during his tenure (1967 to 1999). Stewart also insisted that the team’s bus driver park the bus down the street from Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kanas so Mizzou players could walk by scores of Jayhawks fans.
Missouri has won more games in the football version of the Border War. Mizzou leads the football series 57–54–9 (though Kansas disputes this fact).
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