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No. 12 Kansas State handles Texas Tech in the second half to pick up their 15th win on the season and improves to 3-0 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats extended their long winning streak out to 10 games. The Red Raiders played with Kansas State until after the halftime break when the Wildcats won the third quarter 28-9. The Wildcats would go on to win the contest 77-57.
Kansas State had four players reach double digits, Ayoka Lee had 19 points and Serena Sundell tacked on her fifth double-double The Wildcat defense came out to play forcing 24 turnovers, and 16 steals, and holding the Red Raiders to a 38.2 shooting percentage.
Wildcat Warm-Up
Opponent Matchup
The Texas Tech Red Raiders came into the matchup off of a loss in the desert to Arizona State. Hoisting an 11-2 non-con record had the Red Raiders looking forward to Big 12 play. Texas Tech has now gone 1-2 in the conference dropping their record to 12-4 on the season. The Red Raiders are led by Jasmine Shavers and Bailey Maupin, both averaging double figures in scoring.
Tip-Off to Buzzer
Quarter Breakdowns
First Quarter-
The Wildcats started off working the ball inside against an undersized Tech team. Lee found 11 points in just five minutes of the first quarter. Tallying up 7 assists on just eight made baskets, the Wildcats scored 20. Kansas State only found one three-point basket in the first quarter to lead 20-16.
Second Quarter-
The second quarter was very similar to the first, with the Red Raiders just hanging close to the Wildcats. Finding 10 from Maupin in the second quarter kept the Red Raiders close at the half. Sundell filled the second-quarter stat sheet with six points, four assists, and aboard. The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field in the second to lead 38-32.
Third Quarter-
Halftime adjustments from the Wildcats worked right away as the Cats went on a 24-4 run throughout the majority of the third quarter. The Wildcat were led by Kennedy Taylor with six points. The Wildcats picked up eight steals on 10 forced turnovers and held the Red Raiders to just 14 percent shooting. The massive run and stout defense extended the lead out to 66-41.
Fourth Quarter-
The Wildcats seemed to let off the gas in the final quarter and coast it out. Tech outscored the Wildcats 16-11 in the final 10 minutes, 16-11. The Wildcats only shot just above 30 percent after shooting 56 percent in the third quarter. Despite the lack of offense in the fourth, the Wildcats were able to win 77-57.
Courtside Conclusions
Despite a slow offensive game from K-State having 17 turnovers, only knocking down two three-point baskets, and shooting under 50 percent the Wildcats were able to finish with 77 and a 20-point lead. The Wildcats have had several games where all of a sudden the lead grows from single digits out to 20 points. Jeff Mittie commented on the massive second-half run that allowed the Wildcats to easily pull off this victory.
“Well, it's rare. We've won games in a variety of ways, but it's rare to do it the way we did today, without making threes,” Mittie said. “In other games, we've gone on a barrage of threes and gotten it done. Today, it was all about creating turnovers. That's something we haven't done very well, we haven't been getting steals.”
K-State Leaders
K-State was led by Lee’s 19 points, followed by Taylor and Sundell with 13, and Taryn Sides with 11. Even with the Wildcats getting outrebounded by the Red Raiders Lee had eight boards. Sundell finished her double-double day with 11 assists.
Future Focus
A Look Ahead at the K-State Schedule
The Lady Cats hit the road and travel to Utah to face both Utah and BYU before returning home on January 16 to take on Arizona. The Utah Utes are 11-2 on the season and looking strong in the early going of Big 12 play. The home game against Arizona and every other home game this season will be aired live here on Wildcat 91.9.
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