Despite a late third-quarter and early fourth-quarter rally by Cincinnati, No. 13 Kansas State women’s basketball largely continued to cruise with a 76-59 win in the Big 12 opener at Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday.
K-State will enter its Christmas break with cheer after compiling a 13-1 record for the second time under the direction of head coach Jeff Mittie. This is the second straight season K-State has opened with a 13-1 record. In its history, K-State has opened a season 13-1 or better six times.
“We need to make sure that we understand that a 12 or 15-point lead is a good lead as long as we’re playing good basketball,” Mittie said to K-State Athletics. “Because it’s going to be hard for them to come back. But if we stop playing good basketball, you can see where a 30-point lead can turn into an 11-point lead.”
K-State saw four players reach double figures on Sunday, led by senior forward Temira Poindexter with a game-high 23 points, including 19 in the second half, on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-7 from long range.
“If she’ll play like that, we need to keep those crowds up,” Mittie said. You know, she came here, I think, for a reason and it’s good for her to have that, you know, experience. And it was a good crowd, I thought it would be a good crowd.”
Poindexter, a Tulsa transfer, added four rebounds and three assists to her final line in front of a crowd of 7,000 fans.
“I thought it was fun, I personally have never played in front of a crowd that big, so I thought it was just a fun environment to be in,” Poindexter said. “It was definitely like a hope of mine and I feel like I’m very grateful for this opportunity to just be out here and play in front of the fans and with my teammates. Yeah, I’m just very grateful, honestly.”
Senior guard Jaelyn Glenn paced the Wildcats in the first half with 11 points and tallied three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“I thought it was a great turnout,” Glenn said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting that, just with it being Christmas break and everything. But yeah, I was super excited to play in front of them and it was a lot of fun.”
Senior guard and All-America candidate Serena Sundell tallied her fourth double-double this season and the sixth of her career as she carded 11 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and a blocked shot. This was her 53rd career game with 10 or more points and five or more assists.
Senior center Ayoka Lee added 10 points, six rebounds and a season-high five blocked shots. With her five blocks, Lee moved into sole possession of fourth on the Big 12 career blocks list.
Following a break for the holidays, K-State returns to action on Jan. 1 at Houston with tip-off set for 2 p.m.
