It was a sight K-State basketball had not seen in years.

Nearly a month before the Wildcats' season tips off, Bramlage Coliseum was host to "Madness in Manhattan" Friday night, a pep rally and celebration for the first day of basketball practice.

The late-night festivities provided fans with plenty of excitement, as they got their first look at both the new men's and women's teams.

"We did this for the fans," men's basketball head coach Bob Huggins said. "Everyone has been terrific. The students have been phenomenal, and this was a way of saying thank you to them."

The crowd played a role in adding to the atmosphere. Painted bodies adorned the front three rows, spelling the sentence: "Welcome to Huggieville."

When the lights dimmed, many students held up their cell phones, the lights shining in the darkness.

The crowd of nearly 10,000 screamed for each player, as both teams descended the arena stairs player by player. It was even louder when Huggins descended.

"It was ridiculous," Michael Ellis, junior in computer engineering, said. "I've never heard this place get as loud as it did for Huggins when it was full."

The crowd stood as Huggins left the tunnel and took the microphone.

"I was amazed at the people running in here to get seats," Huggins said. "You guys play pretty hard. We're gonna play as hard as you this year. We're gonna care as much as you do, and we're gonna win."

The madness, which lasted nearly 90 minutes, began with the K-State Cheerleaders, Classy Cats and Cat Band each performing. A fluorescent green laser-light show captured the attention of the fans by mixing a techno beat with flashing Wildcat images.

"Maybe it was just me, but I thought the light show was a cool addition to the evening," Garrett Price, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said. "It just added to the spectacle."

The new men's jerseys were unveiled. The Nike-designed cat-scratch-style jerseys are custom to K-State and come in three colors: road purple, home white and a black alternate.

"Now, the black ones are for something special," Huggins said. "We'll use them this year for something, maybe the Big 12 championship, maybe the Sweet 16."

Many fans said they thought the slam-dunk contest, won by David Hoskins, was somewhat of a disappointment, as only two players made their dunks.

Huggins said it didn't worry him.

"We practiced for 2 1/2 (hours) beforehand," Huggins said. "(The players) didn't have any legs underneath them. I know these kids can jump."

Fans said they want to see K-State return to the basketball prominence it enjoyed before the drought of post-season appearances began in 1996.

"When I was a student here in the (19)60s and '70s, K-State basketball was very special, and Coach Huggins and his staff are going to bring that back," Pat Bosco, dean of student life, said.

The basketball teams will begin action with their only exhibition games of the season at Bramlage on back-to-back days in early November. The men's squad will play Washburn on Nov. 4, and the women's team will play Emporia State on Nov. 5.

Huggins left the crowd with both a mission and a promise.

"Don't stop," he said. "Please don't stop, because we're not going to stop."