Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics
MANHATTAN, Kansas – (11/12) K-State outscored Houston, 43-14, in the second half of Wednesday night's game at Bramlage Coliseum to secure a 72-38 win over the Cougars. With the win, K-State has won 10 straight home games for the first time in the Jeff Mittie era. The Wildcats have also improved upon its season-best win streak with its eighth straight win.
K-State improved its record to 14-1 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 14-1 mark. In its history, K-State has opened a season 14-1 five times.
Senior Ayoka Lee improved upon her own school record with the 54th double-double of her career with 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting, 11 rebounds including a season-high eight offensive boards, two blocks and two steals.
Junior guard Serena Sundell notched 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot. The product of Maryville, Missouri, closed to within eight points of 1,000 for her career.
Redshirt freshman Zyanna Walker came off the bench to card 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, four rebounds and a career-high four steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Leading by five at halftime, 29-24, K-State (14-1, 2-0 Big 12) would string together a 20-0 run to build a 51-29 lead with 1:59 remaining. Lee would score nine of the 20 points during the run. The Wildcats held the Cougars without a field goal for over six and a half minutes during the stretch.
- The Wildcats would end the third quarter with a 51-33 lead and holding Houston to 4-of-14 shooting (.286).
- Defensively, K-State would be even better in the fourth quarter, as the Wildcats held the Cougars to 1-of-12 (.083) shooting from the field in the frame. Houston would make its only field goal in the fourth quarter with 42 seconds remaining on a layup.- Offensively in the final stanza, K-State opened the period with a 14-0 run and built a 65-33 lead with 3:31 remaining.
- K-State outscored Houston in the final frame, 21-5, equaling the fewest points allowed by the Wildcats in a fourth quarter this season (5, at Little Rock, 11/11/23).
- For the entire second half, the Wildcats shot 50.0 percent (15-of-30) from the field and recorded 11 assists on the 15 made field goals.
- The 14 points allowed by K-State in the second half were the fewest allowed by K-State in a second half this season and the fewest since allowing nine to Clemson on November 24, 2022.
- The 38 points allowed were the fewest K-State has surrendered in a Big 12 game since holding Oklahoma State to 38 points on February 20, 2022.
- K-State ended the night shooting 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the field and shot 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the free throw line.- Houston shot 28.8 percent (15-of-52) from the floor including 20.0 percent (4-of-20) and were forced into 25 turnovers.
QUICK FACTS
- K-State leads the series with Houston, 3-0. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 12-6 (.667) in his career against Houston.
- The Wildcats are 221-237 (.483) in Big 12 games.
- Mittie owns a career record of 632-363 (.635) and is 178-128 (.582) during his 10-seasons at K-State.- K-State owns a record of 388-154 (.716) during its 36-seasons in Bramlage Coliseum. Mittie is 118-46 (.720) in home games with the Wildcats.
- K-State's 10-game home court winning streak is the longest home court winning streak in the Mittie era, which started with the final two home wins of the 2022-23 season.
- K-State owns a record of 236-88 (.728) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 28-5 (.848) all-time when ranked 11th in the nation.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Jaelyn Glenn, Serena Sundell, Brylee Glenn, Gabby Gregory and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 15th time this starting five has been used this season. This was the 102nd career start for Lee, the 93rd collegiate career start and the 47th start at K-State for Gregory, the 84th career start for Sundell, the 80th career start for Jaelyn Glenn and the 74th career start for Brylee Glenn.
- The Wildcats held a 29-24 lead at halftime on Wednesday. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 142-17 (.893) when leading at halftime, including a 13-0 record this season.
- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in three quarters on Wednesday. For the season, K-State owns 26 quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better.
- The Wildcats dished out 22 assists on Wednesday. When K-State hands out 20 or more assists over the last 16 seasons, the Wildcats are 89-7 (.927), including an 8-0 record this season. The Wildcats have handed out 20 or more assists in seven of its last eight games.
- K-State registered a 41-26 advantage in rebounds on Wednesday. This is the 13th time K-State has outrebounded its opponent this season (12-1).