No. 13 Kansas State women’s basketball finished non-conference play on Wednesday night, as its stars led the Wildcats to an 83-39 home win over New Mexico State.
“We have a lot of work to do,” head coach Jeff Mittie said to K-State Athletics. “I haven’t felt like we’ve been sharp lately, but we’ve had a successful non-conference.”
K-State, which advanced to 12-1, extended its win streak to seven games courtesy of a season-high 34 points from star center Ayoka Lee and 18 points from All-Big 12 guard Serena Sundell.
The Wildcats got off to a quick start thanks to the All-American Lee who had 15 points in the first frame, leaving the Aggies with no answer defensively. K-State led at the end of the quarter, 19-7.
While the first quarter was the Lee show, the second quarter was taken over by Sundell as she scored the first nine points in the second quarter and helped K-State extend its lead. Sundell scored 13 in the quarter en route to a 38-22 halftime lead.
“Throughout her career there have always been times when I’ve been able to talk to her at a time out, saying, ‘I need [you] to be more aggressive here’ or ‘look to score here,’’ Mittie said. “She got a couple of early back-to-the-basket moves down low, where she had a size advantage. It wasn’t just Lee that had advantages down low and Serena took advantage.”
The third and fourth quarter ended with much of the same as the Wildcats held New Mexico State to just 17 second half points.
On the night, Lee finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds which was her 63rd career double-double tying her with Britney Griner for 3rd most in Big 12 conference history.
“That’s a big name, that’s crazy,” Lee said. “It’s an honor, it’s really cool. Just to continue to see how things kind of add up, I try to stay in the present.”
On the night, Lee played 26 minutes, which was more minutes than she usually has played in non-conference play as center Imani Lester was not available with an illness.
K-State wasn’t able to get much going from its three point threats, guards Taryn Sides and Jaelyn Glenn, as each just made one three and K-State as a team just shot 4-16 from distance.
However those two, especially Glenn, still found ways to impact the game. Both Lee and Sundell mentioned Glenn’s consistency every single day and knowing they can trust her to do her role and do it well.
“What you guys see out on the court in games, is exactly how she is in practice,” Sundell said. “She’s just always doing things right.”
“She’s definitely a teammate you don’t have to worry about,” Lee added. “She might not have gotten hot from the three tonight, but she ran in transition and she played great defense and was helping and all that stuff.”
K-State will now begin Big 12 play where it will kick off its season at home against Cincinnati on Sunday as the Wildcats look to carry momentum into more difficult matchups.
