No. 2 K-State 20-2 (9-1)
Kansas State finally dropped a game without center Ayoka Lee on the court. The Wildcats battled with Oklahoma, but ultimately continued to struggle without their star. Offensive efficiency and interior defense are the team’s weaknesses, which showed against the Sooners. The Wildcats tied their season low of 36.1% from the field shooting and struggled to guard post player Skylar Vann at the end of the game. K-State must search for further ways to fill the hole on the court until Lee returns.
No. 12 Texas 20-3 (7-3)
The Texas Longhorns have steadily stayed near the top 10 all season. Even suffering defeats against K-State and Oklahoma, the Longhorns still remain inside the top 10 for offensive scoring in the country. The season witnessed a plethora of injuries, with only one of their top five scorers — all over 10 points per game — playing in every contest. Even with three losses under their belt — all in Big 12 play — Texas cannot be counted out at any moment to take down anyone.
Matchup to Watch: Taylor Jones vs. struggling Wildcat interior
Interior play was a huge issue for K-State in the past few games. Oklahoma’s Vann and BYU forward Lauren Gustin both gave K-State issues. The Wildcats haven’t completely lost the battle, but have failed to stop low-post scoring and had to intensely battle for rebounds. To defeat No. 12 Texas, the post play must improve against the Longhorns’ height.
Standing at 6-foot-4, Texas forward Taylor Jones is another bad matchup for K-State. Jones was a non-factor against K-State in their first matchup, shooting 1-for-7 in the Wildcat 61-58 victory — although that involved Lee’s dominant presence down low. The senior is averaging over 13 points and seven rebounds and found success outside of playing K-State. Most recently, Jones scored 18 points and snagged 14 boards in a 10-point win against Oklahoma State and blocked seven shots against Cincinnati. A performance like either of those against the Wildcats could all but guarantee a Texas victory.
Key Players
K-State
Forward Gisela Sanchez
Guard Gabby Gregory
Texas
Forward Taylor Jones
Forward Madison Booker
