No. 12 Kansas State vs No. 10 Texas | Big 12 | 1.13.24

MANHATTAN, Kansas - Kansas State vs Texas
In a game featuring 12 lead changes and 11 ties, (12/12) K-State secured its second top-10 win of the season, as the Wildcats downed (10/10) Texas at Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, 61-58. This was K-State's 11th straight victory, the longest winning streak for the Wildcats since the 2008-09 team won 14 consecutive games to begin the season.
K-State improved its record to 17-1 for the first time under the direction of head coach Jeff Mittie. This is the best start for K-State since opening the 2008-09 season with a 17-1 mark. In its history, K-State has opened a season 17-1 four times.
K-State upped its Big 12 record to 5-0, the first time since the 2007-08 season the Wildcats have opened Big 12 action with a 5-0 record.
The Wildcats have defeated two Associated Press top-10 foes in the same season for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
K-State had three players reach double figures on Saturday and were led by senior center and All-American Ayoka Lee with her sixth double-double of the season and the 55th of her career with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 5-of-5 from the foul line, 10 rebounds, four blocks, a steal and an assist.
With a layup in the first quarter, Lee became the fourth player in program history to surpass the 2,000-point mark in a career (2,017). With her third blocked shot of the afternoon in the first half, Lee became the K-State leader for career blocked shots, passing Breanna Lewis (2013-17; 282) and finishing the afternoon at 284 blocks in her career. The total ranks ninth in Big 12 history.
Joining Lee in double figures were junior guard and All-American candidate Serena Sundell with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.
Junior guard Jaelyn Glenn notched 10 points including a 2-of-5 effort from long range, three rebounds and two steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Trailing by six points, 45-39, with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter, K-State (17-1, 5-0 Big 12) went on an 11-0 run that spanned the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters to build a 50-45 lead and force a Texas (16-2, 3-2) timeout with 8:20 remaining.
- Redshirt freshman Imani Lester opened the run with a pair of free throws after hauling in an offensive rebound at the 2:20 mark. On the next possession, Gisela Sanchez found Walker on a backdoor cut with 1:34 to play in the third for a layup to bring K-State within two, 45-43.
- Before the end of the quarter K-State made the play of the day. Sundell flew in from the weak side to block a layup attempt by Texas' Amina Muhammad with five seconds remaining. After gathering the defensive rebound, Sundell found Walker near the K-State 3-point line with a long pass ahead. Walker caught and gathered herself before releasing a three-pointer with tenths of a second remaining. The ball swished through to bring the largest crowd of the season of 7,062 to its feet as the Wildcats entered the fourth quarter with a 46-45 lead. Walker ended the afternoon with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and a steal.
- A baseline layup from Sundell and a layup from Lee forced the Texas timeout early in the fourth quarter.
- A three-pointer from Jaelyn Glenn with 3:40 to play sent the Wildcats into a seven-point advantage, 57-50.
- After the Longhorns got to within three points, 59-56, following a pair of Madison Booker free throws with 1:22 remaining K-State found Lee for a layup with 1:04 left for a 61-56 advantage.
- With 15 seconds left, Texas had an opportunity to tie the game but a Shaylee Gonzales three-point attempt was blocked by Sanchez and the ball was eventually snared by Walker with four seconds left. Texas attempted to foul four times in the last four seconds but time ran out before the Wildcats attempted any free throws.
- In the first half, the two teams traded the lead nine times and were tied eight times. K-State received from a four-point deficit, 25-21, midway through the second quarter with a 7-0 run to capture a 28-25 lead with 3:58 remaining following a Gabby Gregory 3-pointer.
- Texas would score the final four points of the opening half to hold a 31-30 edge at halftime.
- The Wildcats shot 34.6 percent (9-of-26) in the opening half, while the Longhorns were held to 32.4 percent (12-of-37)

[@TheDmrose]

That third quarter block to buzzer beater 3 was probably the best play I've seen all year.

[@jeromesmith3968]

That play won the game. It was a 4 point play that changed the game.

[@pmel8759]

Great game. Love this channel 🔥🙏

[@jr637-1]

Gap Goat for the win!

[@JakeRichardsong]

When Sundell blocks the shot, and throws the pass and her teammate hits the 3 before buzzer.

[@90sHilly]

Texas should’ve just let them dribble it out in the end😬

[@OriginalJohnDoeFakersBeware]

In a three point game?

[@90sHilly]

When they kill that much clock in the mist of them fouling yes, could’ve avoided an injury with 4.1 seconds left in the game

[@OriginalJohnDoeFakersBeware]

They had fouls to give so trying to force a steal to do a quick outlet pass downcourt was the correct strategy for a chance to tie to go to overtime. Players can get injured at any point of the game.

[@90sHilly]

@@OriginalJohnDoeFakersBeware I understand what you’re saying but I feel like too much clock was killed because they weren’t even fouling fast enough

[@OriginalJohnDoeFakersBeware]

@@90sHilly The fouls were not intentional while trying to force the turnover but it is only because they had non-shooting fouls to give that made it more likely they could force the turnover because any inadvertent foul on aggressive defense were non shooting and inbounds passes are sometimes what you can steal and that is what Texas tried to do when the injury occurred.

[@chancysims939]

Refs are horrible! When will better refs be hired?