MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;(11/10) K-State (17-1, 5-0 Big 12) starts a two-game homestand on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m., as the Wildcats welcome in Arizona (11-7, 2-3) for the first meeting in the series between the schools.

• K-State has opened this season with a 17-1 record for the second straight season and the third time since 2008-09. With a win Thursday, K-State would achieve the fourth 18-1 or better start to a season in school history and its second straight.

• Thursday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Hannah Whetstone (sideline) will have the call.

Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball

• K-State owns an active win streak of 12. This is the second straight season (14, Dec. 1, 2023 - Jan. 31, 2024) the Wildcats have recorded a double figure win streak. The 12-game win streak is tied for the fifth-longest active win streak in the nation.

• With its 92 points at BYU on Jan. 11, K-State recorded its sixth game of 90 or more points this season. The six games with 90 or more points are the most since the 2001-02 season (6) and the fifth time in program history with six or more games in a season with 90 or more points.

• K-State leads the nation in field goal percentage (.509), scoring margin (+33.2), field goal percentage defense (.322) and assists per game (23.1).

4. Mittie Surpasses a K-State Legend

• With his 207th win as K-State head coach, Jeff Mittie (207-136, .603; 2014-present) passed Judy Akers (206-94, .687; 1968-79) for second on the K-State career wins list.

• With 12 points, senior center and All-America candidate Ayoka Lee (2,469) will pass Sophia Young of Baylor (2003-06; 2,480) for sixth on the Big 12 career scoring list.

• This season, K-State has shot 50.0 percent or better in 47 quarters.

• Of the 72 quarters played this season, the Wildcats have registered a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better in 65.3 percent of those quarters. This would surpass the highest percentage of 34.5 in 2023-24.

• Since the quarter system began in NCAA Division I women’s basketball in 2015-16, K-State’s top mark for quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better is 48 in the 2023-24 season.

2024-25 K-State Coach &amp; Player Milestones to Watch

• Needs three double-doubles to move into second in Big 12 history for career double-doubles

• Needs 168 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds

• Needs 19 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws made

• Needs nine points to reach 1,500 career points

• Needs 56 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list

• Needs 15 assists to move into 17th on K-State career assists list

• Needs 34 rebounds for sole possession of 20th on the K-State career rebounds list

• Arizona (11-7, 2-3 Big 12) enters Thursday night’s game dropping three of their last four outings, including two straight home games last week to Baylor (81-76, ot) and Iowa State (79-58).

• On the sideline, Arizona is led by ninth-year head coach Adia Barnes. Barnes, a 1998 graduate of Arizona, is 161-106 (.603) during her time in Tucson. She led the program to a national runner-up finish in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

• On the floor, the Wildcats feature two players in double figures: sophomores Breya Cunningham and Jada Williams.

• Cunningham, a forward from Chula Vista, California, is averaging 12.4 points on a .642 field goal percentage while also leading the squad in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and blocks (32; 1.9 bpg). Against the Cyclones, Cunningham tallied seven points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.

• Williams, a guard from Kansas City, Missouri, is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 per game and is leading the team in assists (51; 3.0 apg). Against Iowa State, Williams tallied 17 points, four rebounds and four assists.

• K-State moves up to number 11 in the Associated Press (AP) top-25 poll in week 11.

• Since making its poll debut on Nov. 20, 2023, K-State has been ranked for 30 consecutive weeks. This is the longest consecutive streak for K-State since being ranked for 69 straight weeks from the end of the 2001-02 season to the end of the 2004-05 season.

• In its history, K-State has now been ranked for a total of 204 weeks in the AP poll, including 63 weeks as a top-10 team.

• As an AP ranked team, K-State owns a 265-96 (.734) record.

• Kansas State made its 2024-25 preseason debut at 13th in the AP top-25 poll. This was the fourth time in program history and the first time since the 2004-05 season that K-State appeared in the AP preseason poll. This was the program’s highest preseason ranking since 2003-04 when the Wildcats entered the season ranked fifth.

• During the 2023-24 season, the Wildcats achieved the program’s highest ranking in the Jeff Mittie era (2014-present), as the team was ranked 2nd on Jan. 29, 2024. It was the highest ranking for the program in the AP poll since Nov. 25, 2002 when K-State was ranked 2nd.

• According to Stats Perform, K-State was the first women’s program since the start of the AP poll in 1976 to go from unranked in the preseason to either No. 1 or No. 2 in the same season.

• The Wildcats remains in 10th in this week’s USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.

• The Wildcats have been ranked in 30 straight USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls dating back to Nov. 20, 2023.

• K-State debuted in the Coaches poll in the 2024-25 preseason at 13th. This was the fourth time K-State has appeared in the preseason Coaches Poll and the first time since 2004-05. This was K-State’s highest preseason ranking in the poll since 2003-04 when the Wildcats entered the season ranked fifth.

• K-State reached a high of 2nd in the Coaches Poll for two straight weeks in the 2023-24 season, its highest Coaches Poll ranking since being ranked 2nd in the third poll of the 2002-03 season.

• Kansas State has opened the season with a 17-1 overall record.

• This is the second straight season and equals the best 17-game start for K-State in the Jeff Mittie era.

• In program history, K-State has opened a season 17-1 five times.

• K-State has strung together one of the longest winning streaks in program history to boost its overall win total this season.

• The Wildcats’ current 12-game winning streak is the sixth-longest in program history.

• This is the 11th double-digit winning streak in school history.

• This is the first time since the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons in which K-State has registered a double-digit win streak in consecutive seasons.

• Last season the Wildcats won 14 consecutive games from Dec. 1, 2023 to Jan. 31, 2024. This was the longest winning streak in the Jeff Mittie era and tied for the second-longest in school history.

• K-State’s nine-game winning streak in Big 12 play last season was the longest conference win streak in the Mittie era and tied for the longest conference win streaks in program history joining the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. K-State was the first team since Baylor in 2019-20 to win its first nine Big 12 games.

• A trio of long time Wildcats are climbing the ranks of the program’s career games started and minutes lists.

• Seniors Ayoka Lee, Serena Sundell and Jaelyn Glenn are among the top-10 in program history for career starts. Lee is tied for first in program history with 130 career starts, while Sundell ranks ninth with 121 career starts and Glenn is tied for 10th with 117 career starts.

• Lee is tied for seventh in program history for career games played with 130.

• Sundell ranks eighth in school history for career minutes played with 3,935 and ninth for minutes per game (32.5). With 65 minutes of action, Sundell will be the seventh player in program history with 4,000 or more career minutes played.

• Glenn needs 96 minutes played to move into 10th in program history for career minutes played. She owns 3,770 minutes played in her career.

• Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 123-21 (.854) when scoring 70 or more points in a game. The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 17 games this season.

• K-State is averaging 84.4 points per game this season to lead the Big 12 and rank 11th in the nation. K-State’s field goal percentage of .509 leads the nation.

• K-State tallied a season-high 111 points against Milwaukee on Nov. 20. This was the highest single-game point total in the Jeff Mittie era. It was the second-highest single-game point total in program history, trailing the school record of 115 on Dec. 2, 2002, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

• The Wildcats recorded 110 points against USC Upstate in a 110-24 win on Dec. 5. This is the first time in program history K-State has scored 110 or more points in two or more games in the same season.

• K-State’s margin of victory of 86 against USC Upstate was the largest in program history, surpassing the previous record of 78 on Dec. 2, 2002, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

• In its history, K-State has scored 100 or more points in a game 30 times (30-0) including seven times under Mittie.

• The Wildcats have scored 90 or more points in a game six times this season, which is the fifth time in program history K-State has scored 90 or more points in six or more games in a season and the first time since 2001-02 (6). The school record for games with 90 or more points came in 1983-84 with eight.

• During the Jeff Mittie era, K-State has dealt out rejection to its opponents including a record total in 2023-24 season.

• This season, K-State is averaging 6.4 blocks per game (115 blocks) and ranks second in the Big 12 and fifth in the nation. The Wildcats feature seven players with five or more blocks this season.

• K-State has a blocked shot differential of +63 this season (115-52). Since blocks became official in 1982-83, K-State has 22 seasons with a positive blocked shot differential including a school record of +95 last season.

• K-State recorded a season-high nine blocks against Milwaukee on Nov. 20 and against DePaul on Nov. 27.

• During the Mittie era, Kansas State has sent back 1,642 shots for 4.79 per game in the 343 games. K-State has blocked 120 or more shots in each of Mittie’s previous 10 seasons, the longest streak of 120 or more blocks in program history.

• The 1,642 blocks in the 11 seasons are the most in any 11-season span in program history.

• Last season, K-State registered a school record 178 blocked shots (5.2 bpg) and led the Big 12 and were 13th in the nation for blocks per game and 13th for total blocks. Of the 13 active players on the roster, 11 recorded at least one blocked shot.

• The Wildcats had four games with 10 or more blocks, with 12 against McNeese State on Dec. 6 and Oklahoma on Jan. 10, 11 blocks against Presbyterian on Nov. 6 and 10 against Oral Roberts on Dec. 18. The 12 blocks against McNeese State and Oklahoma tied for the third-most for a single-game in program history. The 12 blocks against Oklahoma set the school record for blocked shots in a conference game.

• Under Mittie, K-State has blocked 10 or more shots in a game 16 times, including a school record of 14 at Tulsa on Nov. 13, 2015. K-State is 15-1 during the Mittie era when blocking 10 or more shots.

• Senior Temira Poindexter has sparked K-State from deep in the 2024-25 season.

• This season, Poindexter is 40-of-108 (.370) from 3-point range. She has 11 games with two or more connections from long range. She ranks 13th in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (2.22).

• Against Belmont on Nov. 7 and at BYU on Jan. 11, Poindexter made a personal season-high five 3-point field goals.

• In her collegiate career, Poindexter is 221-of-691 (.320) from distance. She owns 65 career games with two or more 3-point field goals made, including 19 career games with four or more 3-point field goals made. She made a career best six against Wichita State on Jan. 20, 2024, while at Tulsa.

• Serena Sundell has established herself at the point for K-State with her distribution skills.

• Sundell, a 2024-25 Lieberman Award Watch List member, owns a career assist total of 686 and ranks second on the K-State career list. She is the second player in school history with 600 or more career assists.

• Sundell, a 2023-24 All-Big 12 First Team recipient, ranks second in school history for career assists per game at 5.67. She ranks third in the nation among active NCAA Division I players for career assists and fifth in the nation among active NCAA Division I players for career assists per game.

• She has 80 career games with five or more assists including 10 games with 10 or more assists and a career-high of 13 assists (twice). Her 80 career games with five or more assists ranks second in school history. She ranks third in program history for career games with 10 or more assists.

• Her combined assist total from the 2023-24 (189) and 2024-25 seasons of 326 ranks tied for seventh in program history for most assists over consecutive seasons.

• Her career assist to turnover ratio of 1.84 is second in program history (min. 100 career assists).

• This season, Sundell is averaging 7.61 assists per game and leads the nation. She leads the nation for total assists (137). She is second in the Big 12 for assist/turnover ratio and ranks 12th in the nation (3.04).

• Against USC Upstate on Dec. 5 and at BYU on Jan. 11, Sundell set a new career-high and tied the school record for assists in a single-game with 13 assists.

• In the 2023-24 season, Sundell averaged 5.56 assists per game (189 assists) and was the Big 12 leader for assists per game and total assists. In league action, Sundell was second in the league at 5.71 assists per game.

• Sundell’s 189 assists last season were a career-high and ranked tied for fifth in program history for assists in a single season. The 2023-24 season marked her third straight with 150 or more assists. She was the first Wildcat since Shalee Lehning (four seasons) and the third overall (Megan Mahoney; three seasons) to hand out 150 or more assists in three or more seasons.

MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;(11/10) K-State (17-1, 5-0 Big 12) starts a two-game homestand on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m., as the Wildcats welcome in Arizona (11-7, 2-3) for the first meeting in the series between the schools.• K-State has opened this season with a 17-1 record for the second straight season and the third time since 2008-09. With a win Thursday, K-State would achieve the fourth 18-1 or better start to a season in school history and its second straight.• Thursday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Hannah Whetstone (sideline) will have the call.Starting 5Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball1. We’re Going Streaking!• K-State owns an active win streak of 12. This is the second straight season (14, Dec. 1, 2023 - Jan. 31, 2024) the Wildcats have recorded a double figure win streak. The 12-game win streak is tied for the fifth-longest active win streak in the nation.2. K-State On Point• With its 92 points at BYU on Jan. 11, K-State recorded its sixth game of 90 or more points this season. The six games with 90 or more points are the most since the 2001-02 season (6) and the fifth time in program history with six or more games in a season with 90 or more points.3. Cats Pacing the Nation• K-State leads the nation in field goal percentage (.509), scoring margin (+33.2), field goal percentage defense (.322) and assists per game (23.1).4. Mittie Surpasses a K-State Legend• With his 207th win as K-State head coach, Jeff Mittie (207-136, .603; 2014-present) passed Judy Akers (206-94, .687; 1968-79) for second on the K-State career wins list.5. Lee Approaching Big 12 Top-6• With 12 points, senior center and All-America candidate Ayoka Lee (2,469) will pass Sophia Young of Baylor (2003-06; 2,480) for sixth on the Big 12 career scoring list.Number to Know47• This season, K-State has shot 50.0 percent or better in 47 quarters.• Of the 72 quarters played this season, the Wildcats have registered a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better in 65.3 percent of those quarters. This would surpass the highest percentage of 34.5 in 2023-24.• Since the quarter system began in NCAA Division I women’s basketball in 2015-16, K-State’s top mark for quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better is 48 in the 2023-24 season.2024-25 K-State Coach &amp; Player Milestones to WatchAyoka Lee• Needs three double-doubles to move into second in Big 12 history for career double-doubles• Needs 168 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds• Needs 19 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws madeSerena Sundell• Needs nine points to reach 1,500 career pointsJaelyn Glenn• Needs 56 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list• Needs 15 assists to move into 17th on K-State career assists list• Needs 34 rebounds for sole possession of 20th on the K-State career rebounds listAt a Glance: Arizona• Arizona (11-7, 2-3 Big 12) enters Thursday night’s game dropping three of their last four outings, including two straight home games last week to Baylor (81-76, ot) and Iowa State (79-58).• On the sideline, Arizona is led by ninth-year head coach Adia Barnes. Barnes, a 1998 graduate of Arizona, is 161-106 (.603) during her time in Tucson. She led the program to a national runner-up finish in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.• On the floor, the Wildcats feature two players in double figures: sophomores Breya Cunningham and Jada Williams.• Cunningham, a forward from Chula Vista, California, is averaging 12.4 points on a .642 field goal percentage while also leading the squad in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and blocks (32; 1.9 bpg). Against the Cyclones, Cunningham tallied seven points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.• Williams, a guard from Kansas City, Missouri, is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 per game and is leading the team in assists (51; 3.0 apg). Against Iowa State, Williams tallied 17 points, four rebounds and four assists.K-State Among the Rankings• K-State moves up to number 11 in the Associated Press (AP) top-25 poll in week 11.• Since making its poll debut on Nov. 20, 2023, K-State has been ranked for 30 consecutive weeks. This is the longest consecutive streak for K-State since being ranked for 69 straight weeks from the end of the 2001-02 season to the end of the 2004-05 season.• In its history, K-State has now been ranked for a total of 204 weeks in the AP poll, including 63 weeks as a top-10 team.• As an AP ranked team, K-State owns a 265-96 (.734) record.• Kansas State made its 2024-25 preseason debut at 13th in the AP top-25 poll. This was the fourth time in program history and the first time since the 2004-05 season that K-State appeared in the AP preseason poll. This was the program’s highest preseason ranking since 2003-04 when the Wildcats entered the season ranked fifth.• During the 2023-24 season, the Wildcats achieved the program’s highest ranking in the Jeff Mittie era (2014-present), as the team was ranked 2nd on Jan. 29, 2024. It was the highest ranking for the program in the AP poll since Nov. 25, 2002 when K-State was ranked 2nd.• According to Stats Perform, K-State was the first women’s program since the start of the AP poll in 1976 to go from unranked in the preseason to either No. 1 or No. 2 in the same season.• The Wildcats remains in 10th in this week’s USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.• The Wildcats have been ranked in 30 straight USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls dating back to Nov. 20, 2023.• K-State debuted in the Coaches poll in the 2024-25 preseason at 13th. This was the fourth time K-State has appeared in the preseason Coaches Poll and the first time since 2004-05. This was K-State’s highest preseason ranking in the poll since 2003-04 when the Wildcats entered the season ranked fifth.• K-State reached a high of 2nd in the Coaches Poll for two straight weeks in the 2023-24 season, its highest Coaches Poll ranking since being ranked 2nd in the third poll of the 2002-03 season.Wildcats Off to Fast Start• Kansas State has opened the season with a 17-1 overall record.• This is the second straight season and equals the best 17-game start for K-State in the Jeff Mittie era.• In program history, K-State has opened a season 17-1 five times.Wildcats Build Extended Streak• K-State has strung together one of the longest winning streaks in program history to boost its overall win total this season.• The Wildcats’ current 12-game winning streak is the sixth-longest in program history.• This is the 11th double-digit winning streak in school history.• This is the first time since the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons in which K-State has registered a double-digit win streak in consecutive seasons.• Last season the Wildcats won 14 consecutive games from Dec. 1, 2023 to Jan. 31, 2024. This was the longest winning streak in the Jeff Mittie era and tied for the second-longest in school history.• K-State’s nine-game winning streak in Big 12 play last season was the longest conference win streak in the Mittie era and tied for the longest conference win streaks in program history joining the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. K-State was the first team since Baylor in 2019-20 to win its first nine Big 12 games.Time Cards Punched• A trio of long time Wildcats are climbing the ranks of the program’s career games started and minutes lists.• Seniors Ayoka Lee, Serena Sundell and Jaelyn Glenn are among the top-10 in program history for career starts. Lee is tied for first in program history with 130 career starts, while Sundell ranks ninth with 121 career starts and Glenn is tied for 10th with 117 career starts.• Lee is tied for seventh in program history for career games played with 130.• Sundell ranks eighth in school history for career minutes played with 3,935 and ninth for minutes per game (32.5). With 65 minutes of action, Sundell will be the seventh player in program history with 4,000 or more career minutes played.• Glenn needs 96 minutes played to move into 10th in program history for career minutes played. She owns 3,770 minutes played in her career.Magic Number is 70 Points• Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 123-21 (.854) when scoring 70 or more points in a game. The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 17 games this season.• K-State is averaging 84.4 points per game this season to lead the Big 12 and rank 11th in the nation. K-State’s field goal percentage of .509 leads the nation.• K-State tallied a season-high 111 points against Milwaukee on Nov. 20. This was the highest single-game point total in the Jeff Mittie era. It was the second-highest single-game point total in program history, trailing the school record of 115 on Dec. 2, 2002, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.• The Wildcats recorded 110 points against USC Upstate in a 110-24 win on Dec. 5. This is the first time in program history K-State has scored 110 or more points in two or more games in the same season.• K-State’s margin of victory of 86 against USC Upstate was the largest in program history, surpassing the previous record of 78 on Dec. 2, 2002, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.• In its history, K-State has scored 100 or more points in a game 30 times (30-0) including seven times under Mittie.• The Wildcats have scored 90 or more points in a game six times this season, which is the fifth time in program history K-State has scored 90 or more points in six or more games in a season and the first time since 2001-02 (6). The school record for games with 90 or more points came in 1983-84 with eight.Cats Send Back Shots Under Mittie• During the Jeff Mittie era, K-State has dealt out rejection to its opponents including a record total in 2023-24 season.• This season, K-State is averaging 6.4 blocks per game (115 blocks) and ranks second in the Big 12 and fifth in the nation. The Wildcats feature seven players with five or more blocks this season.• K-State has a blocked shot differential of +63 this season (115-52). Since blocks became official in 1982-83, K-State has 22 seasons with a positive blocked shot differential including a school record of +95 last season.• K-State recorded a season-high nine blocks against Milwaukee on Nov. 20 and against DePaul on Nov. 27.• During the Mittie era, Kansas State has sent back 1,642 shots for 4.79 per game in the 343 games. K-State has blocked 120 or more shots in each of Mittie’s previous 10 seasons, the longest streak of 120 or more blocks in program history.• The 1,642 blocks in the 11 seasons are the most in any 11-season span in program history.• Last season, K-State registered a school record 178 blocked shots (5.2 bpg) and led the Big 12 and were 13th in the nation for blocks per game and 13th for total blocks. Of the 13 active players on the roster, 11 recorded at least one blocked shot.• The Wildcats had four games with 10 or more blocks, with 12 against McNeese State on Dec. 6 and Oklahoma on Jan. 10, 11 blocks against Presbyterian on Nov. 6 and 10 against Oral Roberts on Dec. 18. The 12 blocks against McNeese State and Oklahoma tied for the third-most for a single-game in program history. The 12 blocks against Oklahoma set the school record for blocked shots in a conference game.• Under Mittie, K-State has blocked 10 or more shots in a game 16 times, including a school record of 14 at Tulsa on Nov. 13, 2015. K-State is 15-1 during the Mittie era when blocking 10 or more shots.Poindexter Attacks from 3• Senior Temira Poindexter has sparked K-State from deep in the 2024-25 season.• This season, Poindexter is 40-of-108 (.370) from 3-point range. She has 11 games with two or more connections from long range. She ranks 13th in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (2.22).• Against Belmont on Nov. 7 and at BYU on Jan. 11, Poindexter made a personal season-high five 3-point field goals.• In her collegiate career, Poindexter is 221-of-691 (.320) from distance. She owns 65 career games with two or more 3-point field goals made, including 19 career games with four or more 3-point field goals made. She made a career best six against Wichita State on Jan. 20, 2024, while at Tulsa.Sundell 2nd for Career Assists• Serena Sundell has established herself at the point for K-State with her distribution skills.• Sundell, a 2024-25 Lieberman Award Watch List member, owns a career assist total of 686 and ranks second on the K-State career list. She is the second player in school history with 600 or more career assists.• Sundell, a 2023-24 All-Big 12 First Team recipient, ranks second in school history for career assists per game at 5.67. She ranks third in the nation among active NCAA Division I players for career assists and fifth in the nation among active NCAA Division I players for career assists per game.• She has 80 career games with five or more assists including 10 games with 10 or more assists and a career-high of 13 assists (twice). Her 80 career games with five or more assists ranks second in school history. She ranks third in program history for career games with 10 or more assists.• Her combined assist total from the 2023-24 (189) and 2024-25 seasons of 326 ranks tied for seventh in program history for most assists over consecutive seasons.• Her career assist to turnover ratio of 1.84 is second in program history (min. 100 career assists).• This season, Sundell is averaging 7.61 assists per game and leads the nation. She leads the nation for total assists (137). She is second in the Big 12 for assist/turnover ratio and ranks 12th in the nation (3.04).• Against USC Upstate on Dec. 5 and at BYU on Jan. 11, Sundell set a new career-high and tied the school record for assists in a single-game with 13 assists.• In the 2023-24 season, Sundell averaged 5.56 assists per game (189 assists) and was the Big 12 leader for assists per game and total assists. In league action, Sundell was second in the league at 5.71 assists per game.• Sundell’s 189 assists last season were a career-high and ranked tied for fifth in program history for assists in a single season. The 2023-24 season marked her third straight with 150 or more assists. She was the first Wildcat since Shalee Lehning (four seasons) and the third overall (Megan Mahoney; three seasons) to hand out 150 or more assists in three or more seasons.• In the 2022-23 season, Sundell handed out a career-high 184 assists (5.11 apg) including a season-high 10 against Oklahoma State on Jan. 4.• Sundell was the second player in program history (Shalee Lehning, 368) with 350 or more assists by the conclusion of their sophomore season.• Sundell’s 184 assists in the 2022-23 season set the school record for assists in a sophomore season and ranked as the sixth-most in a season in program history.Nobody Scores It Like Ayoka Lee• Ayoka Lee has established herself as the top scorer in K-State women’s basketball history.• Lee owns the school record with 2,469 career points, breaking the record in her 122nd career game on Dec. 3, 2024, against Eastern Illinois. She ranks seventh in Big 12 history for career points scored and ranks 94th for career points in NCAA Division I history.• Her career scoring average of 19.0 ranks first in school history, ninth in Big 12 history and fifth among active NCAA Division I players.• She was the 44th player in school history with 1,000 or more career points and was the fastest player in program history to reach 1,500 career points, needing 77 games to reach the milestone. She was the first player in school history to reach the 1,000-career point mark and the 1,500-career point mark in the same season. She was the fastest player to reach the 2,000-career point mark, doing so in 105 career games.• Lee has scored in every game of her career (130 games) and has reached double figures in 119 games. She ranks third in school history for career consecutive games scoring. She was the fourth player in program history with 100 or more career games with 10 or more points scored and ranks second in school history for games with 10 or more points.• This season, Lee leads the Wildcats with 17.2 points per game on a career-best .650 field goal percentage. She ranks seventh in the Big 12 in scoring average and leads the league and ranks fifth in the nation in field goal percentage.• In the 2023-24 season, Lee averaged a team-high 19.7 points per game. She scored in double figures in 26 games. She was third in the Big 12 and ranked 26th in the nation for scoring average.• With her 533 points last season, Lee joined Nicole Ohlde (2000-04) and Kendra Wecker (2001-05) as the only players in program history with four consecutive seasons with 400 or more points scored. She was the fourth player in program history with 500 or more points and 200 or more rebounds in two or more seasons in their career.• When combining her point total with her last active season of 2021-22, Lee’s two-season total of 1,260 set the school record for most points in consecutive active seasons.• In the 2021-22 season, Lee averaged a career-best 22.0 points per game which ranked 10th in the nation and second in the Big 12. Lee was fifth in the nation in total points scored (727).• Her 22.0 points per game in the 2021-22 season was the highest per game average in school history and was the third time a K-State player averaged 20 or more points in a season and first since Brittany Chambers in the 2012-13 season.• With her 727 points scored, Lee established a new career single-season high, broke the school record for points in a junior season and ranked second in school history for points in a single-season. She was the first center in school history to score 700 or more points in a season.• With her efforts of 61 points against Oklahoma on Jan. 23, 2022, and 43 points against Central Arkansas on Nov. 9, 2021, Lee was one of three players in the nation during the 2021-22 season with two games of 40 or more points scored in a game.

K-State WBB Returns Home to Face Arizona on Thursday

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, everybody will practice today. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans, (they’re) a good football team – a really good football team. (Texans Head Coach) DeMeco’s (Ryans) done a heck of a job there, as his coordinators have. They’ve got a ton of speed on that football team, and they’re well coached (and) execute well. With that, the time’s yours.”

Q: How have you handled having so much time off? What have you seen from the guys?

REID:&nbsp;“Sure, they’ve got a good attitude – the players. They were in last week and did a nice job with that and even on the days off a lot of them came in. We wanted to make sure we gave them a little time for recovery but they’re excited to go. They know they’re playing a good football team.”

Q: What do you remember about the 2019 Divisional Round Game against the Texans?

REID:&nbsp;“We didn’t start off very well, that’s for sure and they were playing well. I was proud of our guys for kind of regathering together – coaches and players and trusting each other enough to come back and we were able to do that, but the first half wasn’t very good.”

Q: When you broke out the navy-blue blazer at the Super Bowl last year, how much do those traditional things mean to you?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I’ve got to give credit to (General Manager) Brett Veach on that. He set it up (and) we’ve worn it a couple times. (We’ve) worn the red one (blazer), too and had a little success with that one. I love the history of the game. Obviously, there was a ton of history here, so I love that part of it. Kind of grew up, I was a big (Chiefs Hall of Famer) Mike Garrett fan, so I followed the Chiefs and those are special years, for sure.”

Q: Given your love for the history of the game, is there any part of you that allows yourself to appreciate what you’re trying to accomplish this postseason?

REID:&nbsp;“You don’t ever – Sam (McDowell), you don’t ever go there, you know what I mean? You’re kind of tunneled in here. Just trying to find another play that possibly works or another even defensive play that works or that special teams guys are doing that part. It’s a weird dynamic that way. You don’t ever look at that stuff, you’re just ingrained in trying to make sure you get communicated and see enough tape, communicate with the players and teach them and so on.”

Q: Do you ensure that the players have the same mindset as well?

REID:&nbsp;“I haven’t heard them say much about it (the three-peat). I’m sure if I would’ve heard something that I felt like they were looking ahead or whatever, I’d remind them but there hasn’t been any need to do that. They’ve been pretty focused in all year. I mean, they know how I roll. They’re around me all the time, so I don’t ever go there.”

Q: What’s your optimism level for a potential Jaylen Watson return?

REID:&nbsp;“I kind of want to see this week – see how he (Jaylen Watson) does but (from) what I’ve seen so far, it’s been good. He’s in good shape, and I’m not telling you he can play a whole game, but he sure – I think he has a chance of playing. We’ll see.”

Q: What catches your eye most about the Texans defense?

REID:&nbsp;“The first thing that jumps out at you is speed, that front can run. We didn’t have a chance to play against 0 (Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair) last time we played them a couple weeks back. He’s fast also as a linebacker. He’s kind of their main play caller there. The speed of the d line (and) the linebackers just jump out at you, they’re a real good – the hands of the secondary, those guys they catch the ball. You don’t see a lot of bobbles or drops or that – if you’re presenting it close, they can go up and snag it.”

Q: Do you feel like you can control every turnover or is some of that just luck?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah there’s some of it that you can’t (control). I mean, obviously, the ball is not round so that thing bounces a little crazy sometimes. Those – you kind of go, ‘Alright, that happened.’ Some of these things you can focus on. Keeping the ball high and tight, not letting it get off your body, the throws, the routes that you call for the throws. Those are all things that you can have some control over.”

REID:&nbsp;“I’m going to see how it goes this week. I’m going to rotate them (Joe Thuney and D.J. Humphries), so it gives us some flexibility there. I was happy with what Joe and Mike (Caliendo) did in there, but I also liked what D.J. did in some of those snaps that he had. There weren’t a lot of them, but the snaps that he had against Denver.”

Q: When you say rotate, you mean rotate in practice right?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, in practice, yeah. We’ll just see, we’ll see how it goes.”

Q: As Patrick Mahomes’ family has grown, do you think it has been easier for him to manage everything?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think he (Patrick Mahomes) does great with it. He came in as Patrick 2pm, now he’s Patrick 3pm. Once you have three, four and five are easy. That’s what I told him. You’ve made three, you add a couple more, we’ll talk.”

Q: What’s the process of allowing rookies to play through their struggles?

REID:&nbsp;“You can see the talent – he’s (Xavier Worthy) a smart kid – you can see the talent, you knew it was a matter of time. You saw that with Rashee (Rice) the year before. We’ve seen it with a bunch of receivers over time. As long as they’re willing to work, smart and they have the skill he has, obviously, you just hang with it, and they’ll work through it. They’ve got to see it – get kind of those main defenses down and the reads and the routes and all that. He’s done a nice job with all that.”

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Quotes

Q:&nbsp;Did you do anything out of the ordinary to stay sharp during the time off?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Not – nothing that I would not normally do, I guess would be the best way to say it. I just kind of continue to work as far as working in the building, working at practice like I usually do. Obviously, the reps are a little bit different but at the same time, you can get mental reps, and you can get physical reps on the side – continuing to work with those guys that weren’t playing in that last Denver game and then preparing your body to go out there and execute in the playoffs.”

Q:&nbsp;Is the Denver loss an easy one to forget or are there still guys who are hung up on it?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted (it) to. I mean, we wanted to win the game and obviously didn’t do that. We’ve had some time now and you kind of come back and you just – you get ready to play. I mean, this is the playoffs now, this is where you want to be at and you’re going up against a great football team and it’s going to take your best effort to win it.”

Q:&nbsp;On getting rid of the ball quickly.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just going up against great defenses, you have to get the ball out of your hand and let guys make plays. We have a lot of talented guys that can make plays after the catch and so, get the ball out of my hand, let the guys make a positive play and then move onto the next one. I mean, that’s what you do in the playoffs.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you see from the Texans in their game against the Chargers?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think what everybody has kind of known. That defense is extremely real. They have a great quarterback (Texans QB C.J. Stroud) and a great coach (Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans). It’s – we knew when we played them this last time, it was a hard-fought game and they get after the quarterback really well, they have really good secondary players, and the linebackers fly around. It’ll be a great challenge for us, and we’ll have to play our best football.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you remember about your first playoff game against the Texans?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It was a – I mean, just a big momentum swing I think for us. Obviously, it was the second time I played in the playoffs and getting down like that, things could’ve went south really fast but I was proud of the resilience of the guys, and that kind of carried us throughout that entire playoff run is that we just had no doubts that we were going to find a way to win. That was a really good football team, and we were able to come back and beat that team and it kind of sprung us through the rest of the playoffs to get that Super Bowl win.”

Q:&nbsp;On the energy of that game and the experience of it.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just being down that many points and being able to come back in a win, it just tells you that the game’s not over. You just have to take it one play at a time. That’s kind of put us in situations in my career where we’ve been down points and we’ve been able to kind of bounce back and not try to make it all happen with one play. Just go one play at a time, do what you’re supposed to do and then let the game kind of come to us.”

Q:&nbsp;How challenging is the first playoff game for a rookie and what makes Xavier Worthy ready for that in your mind?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just the steady progression that he’s (Xavier Worthy) made all year long. Obviously, adrenaline’s going to be flowing and you’re going to be, I guess, a little nervous or whatever that is, but once you get on the football field, you just play. I think that’s something that he’s done great this entire season. He’s played (in) a lot of big games; he’s done a lot of productive things, and I expect him to do the same things as we get to the playoffs.”

Q:&nbsp;On what the recent playoff success means to Kansas City.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s (an) exciting time in the city. I think just with all the different teams and how they’re performing and obviously, this has been a fun run that we’ve had with the Chiefs, but I think every year is special. Obviously, you want to win three in a row but building those memories with the guys and with the community every single year is special. When I look back at all the different Super Bowls that we’ve won, I look back at special moments that we’ve had and special games that we’ve had. We’ll try to do that the same this year. I mean, it’s been a fun run up to this point, but we want to get to that ultimate goal but we know it’s going to be challenging so we have to just really focus in on the day and how we can get better and try to win the game and win the practice so that we’re prepared for the game.”

Q:&nbsp;What have the last few days been like for you with the new baby?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s been cool. I mean, I’m just supporting. Brittany (Mahomes) crushed it. It’s been cool to welcome another baby girl in our family and see how my other kids react to her and having baby sissy and stuff like that. It’s been a lot of fun and it was cool that football was on TV when I was in the hospital, so I got to watch a little bit. Brittany was kind enough to let us watch football as she was getting ready to give birth to our second daughter.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like it has become easier to manage football and family life?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t even want to say that because Brittany’s (Mahomes) doing everything, so I’m just trying to be supportive. No, it was cool that we got the bye (week) just because you can kind of really focus in on just being at the hospital and being in the moment. It’s a special moment that I know a lot of dads and moms have experienced and you don’t forget about that stuff, so I’m glad I was able to be there and supporting the best way I can.”

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’m good with three for right now. We’ll see down the line maybe, but my goal was always three, so we’ve had three and we’ll stick there for a while and see if we need to come back and get another one later on.”

Q:&nbsp;What does playoff football mean to Travis Kelce?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just the greats, man. They step up in the playoffs and it’s just higher intensity. The best players and the best leaders step up and make the best plays and he’s (Travis Kelce) done that and (I) expect the same from him going into these playoffs. I think his mentality that he steps on the football field with at practice and on game day is kind of resonates with the entire team and gets everybody to play their best football and that’s what it takes in order to win championships.”

Q:&nbsp;On Travis Kelce resting last year before the Miami game.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think that and – I think it meant a lot to the team that he (Travis Kelce) put the team above himself in that moment. I mean, he obviously could’ve got 1,000 yards pretty quickly there and all of us wanted him to get 1,000 yards. He said, ‘That’s not my goal, my goal is to win a Super Bowl,’ and I think guys took that and they ran with it. Then, obviously he stepped up his play and made a lot of big time plays and it worked out all for the best.”

Q:&nbsp;What did that mean to you?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think – I mean, I still wanted him (Travis Kelce) to get it (1,000 yards), I’m going to be honest with you. I think it just – it inspired the team, and I think he kind of has the heart of a champion and I think that inspires everybody. When your leaders and your Hall of Fame guys are doing that, I think everybody knows that they have to put it all on the line.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you see that kind of prompted Xavier Worthy’s increased production? Did it start in the Buffalo game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think that was for sure. I think just he (Xavier Worthy) just let it go and just played. I think the offense started coming to him better. He had been open earlier in the year. I think for me, it’s just the more and more reps we got, I started hitting him on some of those passes. He’s a smart kid, he works extremely hard and usually when you do that and you’re that talented, good things happen. You just stay with the process, and he’s done that and that’s why he’s gotten better and better as the years went on.”

Q:&nbsp;On the chance of making girls flag football a high school sport in Missouri.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesJanuary 14, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, everybody will practice today. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans, (they’re) a good football team – a really good football team. (Texans Head Coach) DeMeco’s (Ryans) done a heck of a job there, as his coordinators have. They’ve got a ton of speed on that football team, and they’re well coached (and) execute well. With that, the time’s yours.”Q: How have you handled having so much time off? What have you seen from the guys?REID:&nbsp;“Sure, they’ve got a good attitude – the players. They were in last week and did a nice job with that and even on the days off a lot of them came in. We wanted to make sure we gave them a little time for recovery but they’re excited to go. They know they’re playing a good football team.”Q: What do you remember about the 2019 Divisional Round Game against the Texans?REID:&nbsp;“We didn’t start off very well, that’s for sure and they were playing well. I was proud of our guys for kind of regathering together – coaches and players and trusting each other enough to come back and we were able to do that, but the first half wasn’t very good.”Q: When you broke out the navy-blue blazer at the Super Bowl last year, how much do those traditional things mean to you?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I’ve got to give credit to (General Manager) Brett Veach on that. He set it up (and) we’ve worn it a couple times. (We’ve) worn the red one (blazer), too and had a little success with that one. I love the history of the game. Obviously, there was a ton of history here, so I love that part of it. Kind of grew up, I was a big (Chiefs Hall of Famer) Mike Garrett fan, so I followed the Chiefs and those are special years, for sure.”Q: Given your love for the history of the game, is there any part of you that allows yourself to appreciate what you’re trying to accomplish this postseason?REID:&nbsp;“You don’t ever – Sam (McDowell), you don’t ever go there, you know what I mean? You’re kind of tunneled in here. Just trying to find another play that possibly works or another even defensive play that works or that special teams guys are doing that part. It’s a weird dynamic that way. You don’t ever look at that stuff, you’re just ingrained in trying to make sure you get communicated and see enough tape, communicate with the players and teach them and so on.”Q: Do you ensure that the players have the same mindset as well?REID:&nbsp;“I haven’t heard them say much about it (the three-peat). I’m sure if I would’ve heard something that I felt like they were looking ahead or whatever, I’d remind them but there hasn’t been any need to do that. They’ve been pretty focused in all year. I mean, they know how I roll. They’re around me all the time, so I don’t ever go there.”Q: What’s your optimism level for a potential Jaylen Watson return?REID:&nbsp;“I kind of want to see this week – see how he (Jaylen Watson) does but (from) what I’ve seen so far, it’s been good. He’s in good shape, and I’m not telling you he can play a whole game, but he sure – I think he has a chance of playing. We’ll see.”Q: What catches your eye most about the Texans defense?REID:&nbsp;“The first thing that jumps out at you is speed, that front can run. We didn’t have a chance to play against 0 (Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair) last time we played them a couple weeks back. He’s fast also as a linebacker. He’s kind of their main play caller there. The speed of the d line (and) the linebackers just jump out at you, they’re a real good – the hands of the secondary, those guys they catch the ball. You don’t see a lot of bobbles or drops or that – if you’re presenting it close, they can go up and snag it.”Q: Do you feel like you can control every turnover or is some of that just luck?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah there’s some of it that you can’t (control). I mean, obviously, the ball is not round so that thing bounces a little crazy sometimes. Those – you kind of go, ‘Alright, that happened.’ Some of these things you can focus on. Keeping the ball high and tight, not letting it get off your body, the throws, the routes that you call for the throws. Those are all things that you can have some control over.”Q: On the left tackle situation.REID:&nbsp;“I’m going to see how it goes this week. I’m going to rotate them (Joe Thuney and D.J. Humphries), so it gives us some flexibility there. I was happy with what Joe and Mike (Caliendo) did in there, but I also liked what D.J. did in some of those snaps that he had. There weren’t a lot of them, but the snaps that he had against Denver.”Q: When you say rotate, you mean rotate in practice right?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, in practice, yeah. We’ll just see, we’ll see how it goes.”Q: As Patrick Mahomes’ family has grown, do you think it has been easier for him to manage everything?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think he (Patrick Mahomes) does great with it. He came in as Patrick 2pm, now he’s Patrick 3pm. Once you have three, four and five are easy. That’s what I told him. You’ve made three, you add a couple more, we’ll talk.”Q: What’s the process of allowing rookies to play through their struggles?REID:&nbsp;“You can see the talent – he’s (Xavier Worthy) a smart kid – you can see the talent, you knew it was a matter of time. You saw that with Rashee (Rice) the year before. We’ve seen it with a bunch of receivers over time. As long as they’re willing to work, smart and they have the skill he has, obviously, you just hang with it, and they’ll work through it. They’ve got to see it – get kind of those main defenses down and the reads and the routes and all that. He’s done a nice job with all that.”Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes QuotesJanuary 14, 2025QB PATRICK MAHOMESQ:&nbsp;Did you do anything out of the ordinary to stay sharp during the time off?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Not – nothing that I would not normally do, I guess would be the best way to say it. I just kind of continue to work as far as working in the building, working at practice like I usually do. Obviously, the reps are a little bit different but at the same time, you can get mental reps, and you can get physical reps on the side – continuing to work with those guys that weren’t playing in that last Denver game and then preparing your body to go out there and execute in the playoffs.”Q:&nbsp;Is the Denver loss an easy one to forget or are there still guys who are hung up on it?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted (it) to. I mean, we wanted to win the game and obviously didn’t do that. We’ve had some time now and you kind of come back and you just – you get ready to play. I mean, this is the playoffs now, this is where you want to be at and you’re going up against a great football team and it’s going to take your best effort to win it.”Q:&nbsp;On getting rid of the ball quickly.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just going up against great defenses, you have to get the ball out of your hand and let guys make plays. We have a lot of talented guys that can make plays after the catch and so, get the ball out of my hand, let the guys make a positive play and then move onto the next one. I mean, that’s what you do in the playoffs.”Q:&nbsp;What did you see from the Texans in their game against the Chargers?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think what everybody has kind of known. That defense is extremely real. They have a great quarterback (Texans QB C.J. Stroud) and a great coach (Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans). It’s – we knew when we played them this last time, it was a hard-fought game and they get after the quarterback really well, they have really good secondary players, and the linebackers fly around. It’ll be a great challenge for us, and we’ll have to play our best football.”Q:&nbsp;What do you remember about your first playoff game against the Texans?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It was a – I mean, just a big momentum swing I think for us. Obviously, it was the second time I played in the playoffs and getting down like that, things could’ve went south really fast but I was proud of the resilience of the guys, and that kind of carried us throughout that entire playoff run is that we just had no doubts that we were going to find a way to win. That was a really good football team, and we were able to come back and beat that team and it kind of sprung us through the rest of the playoffs to get that Super Bowl win.”Q:&nbsp;On the energy of that game and the experience of it.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just being down that many points and being able to come back in a win, it just tells you that the game’s not over. You just have to take it one play at a time. That’s kind of put us in situations in my career where we’ve been down points and we’ve been able to kind of bounce back and not try to make it all happen with one play. Just go one play at a time, do what you’re supposed to do and then let the game kind of come to us.”Q:&nbsp;How challenging is the first playoff game for a rookie and what makes Xavier Worthy ready for that in your mind?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just the steady progression that he’s (Xavier Worthy) made all year long. Obviously, adrenaline’s going to be flowing and you’re going to be, I guess, a little nervous or whatever that is, but once you get on the football field, you just play. I think that’s something that he’s done great this entire season. He’s played (in) a lot of big games; he’s done a lot of productive things, and I expect him to do the same things as we get to the playoffs.”Q:&nbsp;On what the recent playoff success means to Kansas City.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s (an) exciting time in the city. I think just with all the different teams and how they’re performing and obviously, this has been a fun run that we’ve had with the Chiefs, but I think every year is special. Obviously, you want to win three in a row but building those memories with the guys and with the community every single year is special. When I look back at all the different Super Bowls that we’ve won, I look back at special moments that we’ve had and special games that we’ve had. We’ll try to do that the same this year. I mean, it’s been a fun run up to this point, but we want to get to that ultimate goal but we know it’s going to be challenging so we have to just really focus in on the day and how we can get better and try to win the game and win the practice so that we’re prepared for the game.”Q:&nbsp;What have the last few days been like for you with the new baby?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s been cool. I mean, I’m just supporting. Brittany (Mahomes) crushed it. It’s been cool to welcome another baby girl in our family and see how my other kids react to her and having baby sissy and stuff like that. It’s been a lot of fun and it was cool that football was on TV when I was in the hospital, so I got to watch a little bit. Brittany was kind enough to let us watch football as she was getting ready to give birth to our second daughter.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like it has become easier to manage football and family life?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t even want to say that because Brittany’s (Mahomes) doing everything, so I’m just trying to be supportive. No, it was cool that we got the bye (week) just because you can kind of really focus in on just being at the hospital and being in the moment. It’s a special moment that I know a lot of dads and moms have experienced and you don’t forget about that stuff, so I’m glad I was able to be there and supporting the best way I can.”Q:&nbsp;On the number of kids.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’m good with three for right now. We’ll see down the line maybe, but my goal was always three, so we’ve had three and we’ll stick there for a while and see if we need to come back and get another one later on.”Q:&nbsp;What does playoff football mean to Travis Kelce?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just the greats, man. They step up in the playoffs and it’s just higher intensity. The best players and the best leaders step up and make the best plays and he’s (Travis Kelce) done that and (I) expect the same from him going into these playoffs. I think his mentality that he steps on the football field with at practice and on game day is kind of resonates with the entire team and gets everybody to play their best football and that’s what it takes in order to win championships.”Q:&nbsp;On Travis Kelce resting last year before the Miami game.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think that and – I think it meant a lot to the team that he (Travis Kelce) put the team above himself in that moment. I mean, he obviously could’ve got 1,000 yards pretty quickly there and all of us wanted him to get 1,000 yards. He said, ‘That’s not my goal, my goal is to win a Super Bowl,’ and I think guys took that and they ran with it. Then, obviously he stepped up his play and made a lot of big time plays and it worked out all for the best.”Q:&nbsp;What did that mean to you?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think – I mean, I still wanted him (Travis Kelce) to get it (1,000 yards), I’m going to be honest with you. I think it just – it inspired the team, and I think he kind of has the heart of a champion and I think that inspires everybody. When your leaders and your Hall of Fame guys are doing that, I think everybody knows that they have to put it all on the line.”Q:&nbsp;What did you see that kind of prompted Xavier Worthy’s increased production? Did it start in the Buffalo game?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think that was for sure. I think just he (Xavier Worthy) just let it go and just played. I think the offense started coming to him better. He had been open earlier in the year. I think for me, it’s just the more and more reps we got, I started hitting him on some of those passes. He’s a smart kid, he works extremely hard and usually when you do that and you’re that talented, good things happen. You just stay with the process, and he’s done that and that’s why he’s gotten better and better as the years went on.”Q:&nbsp;On the chance of making girls flag football a high school sport in Missouri.

Chiefs Quotes: 1-14-24

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" alt="Sacred Heart Knights" style="width:320px;height:180px;">Click Here to View Past Sacred Heart Games on Youtube!</a></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItbV4yqN5sj8vbW89bbBz2HWUjaPVqFf"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698929554083.png" alt="Game of the Week" style="width:320px;height:180px;">Click Here to View Past Games of the Week on Youtube!</a></div>

High School Sports LIVE STREAMS

The Coyotes play two Kansas Conference games on the road this week.

Location: AGFinancial Arena, Springfield, Mo.

The Coyotes play two Kansas Conference games on the road this week.WEDNESDAY'S GAMEOpponent: McPhersonTime: 6 p.m.Location: Sport Center, McPhersonSATURDAY, JAN. 11 GAMEOpponent: EvangelTime: NoonLocation: AGFinancial Arena, Springfield, Mo.LIVE COVERAGE<ul>
 <li>The video stream of the games will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f0f64084-08dd-4ac8-b60e-5f911a7e67a7?elinkdata=17252">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>.</li><li>Live Stats will be available at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2b4396d4-bb3b-42bb-9bdd-cddc5e7cdf5d?elinkdata=17252">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary</a></li><li>Radio coverage will be on KINA Radio with Tyler Henry on the call. Pregame will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The online stream is available at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/15d412c2-1f2b-483c-90e1-9c7417fa10e3?elinkdata=17252">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>.</li>
 </ul>RECORDS<ul>
 <li>Kansas Wesleyan 13-3, 9-1 KCAC</li><li>McPherson 0-16, 0-10 KCAC</li><li>Evangel 9-7, 7-3 KCAC (at Avila on Wednesday)</li>
 </ul>THE SERIES<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes have won seven in a row and 12 of the last 13 against McPherson. They defeated the Bulldogs 97-64 in November inside Mabee Arena and lead the series 36-6 since 2006.</li><li>KWU is 5-0 against Evangel since 2011. The Coyotes won three games against the Valor last season - 78-66 in overtime last November in Mabee Arena, 64-61 last January in Springfield, Mo., and 81-72 last February in Salina in the quarterfinals of the KCAC Tournament.</li>
 </ul>KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes won two of their first three games after the holiday break. They defeated KCAC preseason favorite Tabor 62-47 on January 3 in Mabee Arena but saw their 10-game winning streak end in a 69-61 loss to Bethel last Wednesday in Mabee Arena. They rebounded in grand style with an 88-45 rout of Avila on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.</li><li>KWU enters play Wednesday with a one-game lead over Friends and a two-game advantage over Sterling and Tabor in the KCAC standings.</li><li>The Coyotes have utilized a balanced attack. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e06f9441-332a-4be7-822a-f11154a1bdea?elinkdata=17252">LaMyah Ricks</a> averages 12.8 points, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7f2bca62-0699-4359-ac20-2e93814cf8e3?elinkdata=17252">Angel Lee</a> 10.5, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ad31b057-0408-40da-9406-d0edc4ed65ca?elinkdata=17252">Jill Stephens</a> 10.4, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55f78208-2b6a-4495-b585-d91c0be38440?elinkdata=17252">Hampton Williams</a> 9.3, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dc5b9b4b-aa41-4256-a314-544e076833b5?elinkdata=17252">Odessa Ozuna</a> 8.2. Williams also averages a team-best 6.9 rebounds. Stephens scored 16 and Ricks and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dfdfb792-dbf8-45e6-bd93-60a941a20c08?elinkdata=17252">Catherine Bowman</a> each 11 in the first game against McPherson.</li>
 </ul>McPHERSON AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>It has been a tough season so far for the Bulldogs, but they played one of their best games of the season Saturday in a 59-57 loss to Southwestern in Winfield. Their closest game before Saturday was a 59-58 loss to city rival Central Christian in their third contest of the season.</li><li>McPherson averages 56.5 points and allows 74.2. The Bulldogs average 18.5 turnovers and shoot 33.4 percent overall, 28.3 percent from 3-point range.</li><li>Junior guard/forward Gillian Rodgers is the top scorer at 9.9 points. Freshman forward Kennedy Smith is next at 8.7 along with a team-high 7.6 rebounds.</li>
 </ul>EVANGEL AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>The Valor are red hot having won three in a row and eight of their last nine - the lone setback to 65-58 to No. 6-ranked Dakota State on December 20. They defeated Bethany 83-76 Saturday in and Southwestern 101-61 last Wednesday, both games in Springfield, Mo.</li><li>Evangel averages 71.6 points and allows 67.3. The Valor shoots 41.2 percent overall, 27.8 percent from the 3-point line. They outrebound their opponents by 2.5 per game.</li><li>Junior guard Ali Kamies leads the team in scoring at 11.8 with senior forward Micah Clayton next at 10.7 and sophomore forward Kamie Jenkins at 10.0. Jenkins also averages a team-best 10.1 rebounds.</li>
 </ul>

KWU WBB continues road swing at McPherson Wednesday, Evangel Saturday

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

Southeast of Saline and Sacred Heart split a weather-rescheduled doubleheader on the hardwood last night, with the Lady Trojans and Knights remaining undefeated in the new year.

Southeast would take the girl’s game 43-31, while Sacred Heart dominated in a 64-46 boy’s final.

Girls: SE of Saline 43, Sacred Heart 31

The Lady Trojans kept their New Year’s run rolling on Monday, winning a third-straight game, this time by double digits.

Sacred Heart kept this game close all throughout, trailing by just four points going into the fourth, but Southeast outscored the Lady Knights 15-7 in the final quarter to pull away and claim the victory.

A lot of that late work was done at the free throw line, where SES shot 7-9 in the fourth quarter, and 11-16 for the game to Sacred Heart’s 6-10.

Freshman Kyiah Samuelson was the only Lady Trojan to finish in double digits, posting a career-high 16 points in the win.

Six different players chipped in points in this SES victory, including a trio of 8-point performances by Reese Heinrich, Aba Pearson and Regan Duran.

On the other side, Skylar Douglas led the way for Sacred Heart with 11 points on a night where just five Lady Knights would score.

With this result, Southeast improves to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in league play while Sacred Heart falls to 3-5 and 1-2 respectively.

Boys: SE of Saline 46, Sacred Heart 64

4th-ranked Sacred Heart kept their undefeated resume unblemished on Monday night, collecting their eighth-straight win to open the season and their seventh by double digits.

The Trojans matched pace in the early goings of this game, but in the third quarter, the Knights outscored them 20-10 to pull away in an eventual victory.

Will Tuttle put on a clinic for Sacred Heart, dropping 22 points in the win to lead all scorers.

It was a fairly even night beyond that for the Knights, who got 16 points from Noah Hines, 10 from Dom Matteucci, and 9 from Luke Koland.

More Trojans (8), than Knights (6) scored a bucket in this game, but two 11-point performances from Gannon Jacobson and Owen Bailey couldn’t overcome the hot hand of Tuttle in the final line.

With the win, Sacred Heart moves to 8-0 overall and 3-0 in league play, while Southeast drops to 2-5 and 2-2.

Both teams are back in action this evening as the Trojans travel to Lyons and the Knights make the trip to Republic County.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostSoutheast of Saline and Sacred Heart split a weather-rescheduled doubleheader on the hardwood last night, with the Lady Trojans and Knights remaining undefeated in the new year.Southeast would take the girl’s game 43-31, while Sacred Heart dominated in a 64-46 boy’s final.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Girls: SE of Saline 43, Sacred Heart 31The Lady Trojans kept their New Year’s run rolling on Monday, winning a third-straight game, this time by double digits.Sacred Heart kept this game close all throughout, trailing by just four points going into the fourth, but Southeast outscored the Lady Knights 15-7 in the final quarter to pull away and claim the victory.A lot of that late work was done at the free throw line, where SES shot 7-9 in the fourth quarter, and 11-16 for the game to Sacred Heart’s 6-10.Freshman Kyiah Samuelson was the only Lady Trojan to finish in double digits, posting a career-high 16 points in the win.Six different players chipped in points in this SES victory, including a trio of 8-point performances by Reese Heinrich, Aba Pearson and Regan Duran.On the other side, Skylar Douglas led the way for Sacred Heart with 11 points on a night where just five Lady Knights would score.With this result, Southeast improves to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in league play while Sacred Heart falls to 3-5 and 1-2 respectively.Boys: SE of Saline 46, Sacred Heart 644th-ranked Sacred Heart kept their undefeated resume unblemished on Monday night, collecting their eighth-straight win to open the season and their seventh by double digits.The Trojans matched pace in the early goings of this game, but in the third quarter, the Knights outscored them 20-10 to pull away in an eventual victory.Will Tuttle put on a clinic for Sacred Heart, dropping 22 points in the win to lead all scorers.It was a fairly even night beyond that for the Knights, who got 16 points from Noah Hines, 10 from Dom Matteucci, and 9 from Luke Koland.More Trojans (8), than Knights (6) scored a bucket in this game, but two 11-point performances from Gannon Jacobson and Owen Bailey couldn’t overcome the hot hand of Tuttle in the final line.With the win, Sacred Heart moves to 8-0 overall and 3-0 in league play, while Southeast drops to 2-5 and 2-2.Both teams are back in action this evening as the Trojans travel to Lyons and the Knights make the trip to Republic County.

🏀 Trojans and Knights split rescheduled doubleheader

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals today announced promotions to their baseball operations staff.&nbsp;Colin Gonzales&nbsp;has been promoted to the Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting,&nbsp;Brandon Nelson&nbsp;is now the Assistant Director of Research and Development and&nbsp;Michael Cifuentes&nbsp;has been promoted to Assistant Director of Research and Development/Player Personnel.&nbsp;Alan Kohler&nbsp;is now the Senior Analyst of Research and Development.&nbsp;Justin Hahn&nbsp;has been promoted to Director of Minor League Physical Therapy/Assistant Major League Physical Therapist and&nbsp;Brittany Bozzini&nbsp;is now the Director of Performance Science.&nbsp;Drew Epperson&nbsp;has been promoted to Assistant Major League Video Coordinator.

Gonzales is entering his 19th season with the Royals and has spent the last five years as the West Regional Supervisor. He was an Area Scout for the previous 11 years, covering North Florida from 2009-12, Southern California in 2013 and Southern California and Hawaii from 2014-19. Prior to that, he was the Cultural Development Coordinator in 2008 after joining the organization as a Baseball Operations Intern in 2007.

Nelson is entering his sixth season with the organization and his promotion follows one year as the Royals Coordinator of Research and Development/Pitching Development. He previously served as the Royals Analyst for Research &amp; Development/Player Development for two seasons after joining the organization in 2020 as a Player Development Coach in Omaha.

Cifuentes is in his second stint with the Royals after returning to the club in 2024 as a Senior Analyst. He spent the 2023 season with the Boston Red Sox as the Coordinator of Baseball Strategy/Personnel. Prior to his time with the Red Sox, Cifuentes worked eight seasons with the Royals from 2015-22, serving as an Analytics Intern in 2015, Assistant to Baseball Operations from 2016-17 and Director of Professional Scouting from 2018-22. He completed internships with the Washington Nationals and New York Mets before joining the Royals.

Kohler is entering his fourth season with the organization and has spent each of the last three years as an Analyst of Research and Development. He joined the organization in May 2022, the same month he graduated from Georgia Tech, where he studied physics with minors in astrophysics and computer science. In 2021, he was a Data Analyst for the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League.

This season will mark Hahn’s 13th with the Royals and he’s served as the Director of Minor League Medican Services/Physical Therapist for each of the last three years, after spending eight seasons as the Minor League Rehab Coordinator. Hahn earned his doctorate in physical therapy in 2011 from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences in Rochester, Minn. After graduating, Hahn completed the 2011-12 sports physical therapy residency at the Institute for Athletic Medicine in Minneapolis. Following residency, he completed the 2012-2013 Proaxis Therapy and Kansas City Royals Upper Extremity Sports Physical Therapy/Professional Baseball Fellowship in Surprise, Ariz. Hahn is dual board certified as both a sports and orthopedic specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

Bozzini is entering her fourth season with the Royals after serving as the Manager of Performance Science in 2024. She was the Coordinator of Performance Science in 2023 and Assistant of Performance Science in 2022. Before joining the Royals, Bozzini served for more than a year as an ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow in the Military Performance Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass. Prior to that, she was a Sport Scientist at the University of South Carolina Sport Science Lab and a Sport Scientist and Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach at Rutgers IFNH Center for Health and Human Performance.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals today announced promotions to their baseball operations staff.&nbsp;Colin Gonzales&nbsp;has been promoted to the Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting,&nbsp;Brandon Nelson&nbsp;is now the Assistant Director of Research and Development and&nbsp;Michael Cifuentes&nbsp;has been promoted to Assistant Director of Research and Development/Player Personnel.&nbsp;Alan Kohler&nbsp;is now the Senior Analyst of Research and Development.&nbsp;Justin Hahn&nbsp;has been promoted to Director of Minor League Physical Therapy/Assistant Major League Physical Therapist and&nbsp;Brittany Bozzini&nbsp;is now the Director of Performance Science.&nbsp;Drew Epperson&nbsp;has been promoted to Assistant Major League Video Coordinator.Gonzales is entering his 19th season with the Royals and has spent the last five years as the West Regional Supervisor. He was an Area Scout for the previous 11 years, covering North Florida from 2009-12, Southern California in 2013 and Southern California and Hawaii from 2014-19. Prior to that, he was the Cultural Development Coordinator in 2008 after joining the organization as a Baseball Operations Intern in 2007.Nelson is entering his sixth season with the organization and his promotion follows one year as the Royals Coordinator of Research and Development/Pitching Development. He previously served as the Royals Analyst for Research &amp; Development/Player Development for two seasons after joining the organization in 2020 as a Player Development Coach in Omaha.Cifuentes is in his second stint with the Royals after returning to the club in 2024 as a Senior Analyst. He spent the 2023 season with the Boston Red Sox as the Coordinator of Baseball Strategy/Personnel. Prior to his time with the Red Sox, Cifuentes worked eight seasons with the Royals from 2015-22, serving as an Analytics Intern in 2015, Assistant to Baseball Operations from 2016-17 and Director of Professional Scouting from 2018-22. He completed internships with the Washington Nationals and New York Mets before joining the Royals.Kohler is entering his fourth season with the organization and has spent each of the last three years as an Analyst of Research and Development. He joined the organization in May 2022, the same month he graduated from Georgia Tech, where he studied physics with minors in astrophysics and computer science. In 2021, he was a Data Analyst for the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League.This season will mark Hahn’s 13th with the Royals and he’s served as the Director of Minor League Medican Services/Physical Therapist for each of the last three years, after spending eight seasons as the Minor League Rehab Coordinator. Hahn earned his doctorate in physical therapy in 2011 from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences in Rochester, Minn. After graduating, Hahn completed the 2011-12 sports physical therapy residency at the Institute for Athletic Medicine in Minneapolis. Following residency, he completed the 2012-2013 Proaxis Therapy and Kansas City Royals Upper Extremity Sports Physical Therapy/Professional Baseball Fellowship in Surprise, Ariz. Hahn is dual board certified as both a sports and orthopedic specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist.Bozzini is entering her fourth season with the Royals after serving as the Manager of Performance Science in 2024. She was the Coordinator of Performance Science in 2023 and Assistant of Performance Science in 2022. Before joining the Royals, Bozzini served for more than a year as an ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow in the Military Performance Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass. Prior to that, she was a Sport Scientist at the University of South Carolina Sport Science Lab and a Sport Scientist and Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach at Rutgers IFNH Center for Health and Human Performance.

Royals announce promotions to baseball operations staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas Wesleyan men could not complete a furious second-half rally in a 73-70 loss to Avila on Saturday afternoon inside Mabee Fieldhouse.

There was a historic silver lining, though, as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dd2f47e7-fb88-49a1-bb14-70140a3116d9?elinkdata=17221">Alex Littlejohn</a> became the university's career scoring leader. His field goal with 6:18 left in the first half gave him 1,545 points surpassing Gary Cassel's previous record of 1,544 set 70 years ago in 1955.

Littlejohn, a senior forward from Newton, entered the game with 1,533 points after scoring 21 in KWU's loss to Bethel on Wednesday. He had 24 points Saturday.

Next up for Littlejohn is his pursuit of the career rebounding record of 1,149 set by Charles Fiffe in 1950. Littlejohn has 1,106 after grabbing 12 against Avila.

"Al has been a warrior, one of the best to ever put on a KW uniform," KWU coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5de036e3-5c12-4ddd-b7df-93a5e83f9ce8?elinkdata=17221">Anthony Monson</a> said on his postgame radio show. "Obviously scored more points than anybody else has done in the program's history. A hall of famer for sure.

"I'm really happy for him but like he said it's hard to be happy after a game like this."

The contest was one of peaks and valleys for the Coyotes (8-8 overall, 3-7 KCAC). They fell behind 13-6 at the outset but a 15-0 run gave them a 21-15 lead with 11:06 left in the opening half.

The pendulum swung back to Avila, though, as the Eagles outscored KWU 26-12 the rest of the half and led 41-33 at the break.

The Coyotes trailed by 14 twice early in the second half and were down 55-43 with12:40 left when their rally began. A 13-2 burst capped by two Littlejohn free throws got them within 57-56 with 7:51 left.

They finally drew even at 62 on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a52d200-d935-4668-8e46-04d1f446fcca?elinkdata=17221">Aiden Leckband's</a> basket at the 5:27 mark but Avila (8-6, 5-4, KCAC) responded with seven unanswered points and led 69-62 with 3:23 left.

KWU got as close as two twice - 70-68 and 72-70 - the final 1:06 but couldn't pull even as turnovers sandwiched a <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7843e661-d60a-4b75-b371-b4366d46404d?elinkdata=17221">Jayden Hall</a> field goal with 8.5 seconds left. Avila's Brennan Jeffries made one of two free throws with 5.7 seconds left for the game's final point.

"There's only so much you can take from losing," Monson said. "You can talk about 'this is a positive, this is a positive' but at the end of the day you've got to step up and you've got to be man enough to make the shots and make the plays. We needed to do it right now and we're not doing that and it's frustrating. I know the guys are frustrated and I'm extremely frustrated.

"But at the same time there's a lot of season left and we've got to continue to work and battle and figure it out. If we don't it's going to keep going the same way."

KWU shot 44.4 percent for the game (28 of 63) but was 4 of 23 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Coyotes committed 16 turnovers but forced 19 Avila turnovers.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b595d4eb-d55c-4eb4-bcd2-f4b1f51e93e3?elinkdata=17221">Easton Hunter</a> scored 11 and Leckband had nine for Wesleyan. Joe Kearney and Brionne Williams scored 20 apiece for Avila which shot 50.9 percent (27 of 53).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas Wesleyan men could not complete a furious second-half rally in a 73-70 loss to Avila on Saturday afternoon inside Mabee Fieldhouse.There was a historic silver lining, though, as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dd2f47e7-fb88-49a1-bb14-70140a3116d9?elinkdata=17221">Alex Littlejohn</a> became the university's career scoring leader. His field goal with 6:18 left in the first half gave him 1,545 points surpassing Gary Cassel's previous record of 1,544 set 70 years ago in 1955.Littlejohn, a senior forward from Newton, entered the game with 1,533 points after scoring 21 in KWU's loss to Bethel on Wednesday. He had 24 points Saturday.Next up for Littlejohn is his pursuit of the career rebounding record of 1,149 set by Charles Fiffe in 1950. Littlejohn has 1,106 after grabbing 12 against Avila."Al has been a warrior, one of the best to ever put on a KW uniform," KWU coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5de036e3-5c12-4ddd-b7df-93a5e83f9ce8?elinkdata=17221">Anthony Monson</a> said on his postgame radio show. "Obviously scored more points than anybody else has done in the program's history. A hall of famer for sure."I'm really happy for him but like he said it's hard to be happy after a game like this."The contest was one of peaks and valleys for the Coyotes (8-8 overall, 3-7 KCAC). They fell behind 13-6 at the outset but a 15-0 run gave them a 21-15 lead with 11:06 left in the opening half.The pendulum swung back to Avila, though, as the Eagles outscored KWU 26-12 the rest of the half and led 41-33 at the break.The Coyotes trailed by 14 twice early in the second half and were down 55-43 with12:40 left when their rally began. A 13-2 burst capped by two Littlejohn free throws got them within 57-56 with 7:51 left.They finally drew even at 62 on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a52d200-d935-4668-8e46-04d1f446fcca?elinkdata=17221">Aiden Leckband's</a> basket at the 5:27 mark but Avila (8-6, 5-4, KCAC) responded with seven unanswered points and led 69-62 with 3:23 left.KWU got as close as two twice - 70-68 and 72-70 - the final 1:06 but couldn't pull even as turnovers sandwiched a <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7843e661-d60a-4b75-b371-b4366d46404d?elinkdata=17221">Jayden Hall</a> field goal with 8.5 seconds left. Avila's Brennan Jeffries made one of two free throws with 5.7 seconds left for the game's final point."There's only so much you can take from losing," Monson said. "You can talk about 'this is a positive, this is a positive' but at the end of the day you've got to step up and you've got to be man enough to make the shots and make the plays. We needed to do it right now and we're not doing that and it's frustrating. I know the guys are frustrated and I'm extremely frustrated."But at the same time there's a lot of season left and we've got to continue to work and battle and figure it out. If we don't it's going to keep going the same way."KWU shot 44.4 percent for the game (28 of 63) but was 4 of 23 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Coyotes committed 16 turnovers but forced 19 Avila turnovers.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b595d4eb-d55c-4eb4-bcd2-f4b1f51e93e3?elinkdata=17221">Easton Hunter</a> scored 11 and Leckband had nine for Wesleyan. Joe Kearney and Brionne Williams scored 20 apiece for Avila which shot 50.9 percent (27 of 53).

Littlejohn breaks KWU's all-time scoring record, but Coyotes fall 73-70 to Avila

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball bounced back from Wednesday's loss with an 88-45 win over the Avila University Eagles on Saturday at Mabee Fieldhouse.

The Coyotes almost couldn't miss especially in the first half, connecting on 24 of 35 shots for 68.5 percent, which included a 12 of 17 effort in the second quarter alone for 70.6 percent.

Wesleyan did all its damage without starting point guard and leading scorer <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d8e99881-582d-4b4a-9226-22e78e4609eb?elinkdata=17191">LaMyah Ricks</a>, who was sidelined with an injury sustained in Wednesday's loss to Bethel.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/017551a4-83b0-454d-b2a6-e3ae882bd7f8?elinkdata=17191">Hampton Williams</a> opened the game hitting a 3-pointer for the Coyotes, who scored the first five points of the game and quickly pushed the lead out to 10 points at 14-4 with 6:07 to go in the first as KWU hit six of its first seven shots in the game.

Avila cut the difference to seven before the Coyotes got untracked again with a bucket by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ac3342d6-7ac2-48ad-b4aa-c49acf60007c?elinkdata=17191">Odessa Ozuna</a>, another Williams triple and another triple by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0a3213eb-ba0d-460f-8498-31276ace8ac1?elinkdata=17191">Jill Stephens</a>, another Stephens scored and a score by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d0df5d8b-16fd-4834-9819-b3466834d631?elinkdata=17191">Paige Chauncey</a> to open up a 26-7 lead with 1:14 left in the first.

The Coyotes continued to pull away in the second, taking a 49-19 lead on another Chauncey score with 4:03 left in the half. KWU led 56-21 at the break.

Wesleyan didn't slow down in the third quarter as well, pushing the lead out to as many as 44 points, 75-31 at the end of the quarter.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball bounced back from Wednesday's loss with an 88-45 win over the Avila University Eagles on Saturday at Mabee Fieldhouse.The Coyotes almost couldn't miss especially in the first half, connecting on 24 of 35 shots for 68.5 percent, which included a 12 of 17 effort in the second quarter alone for 70.6 percent.Wesleyan did all its damage without starting point guard and leading scorer <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d8e99881-582d-4b4a-9226-22e78e4609eb?elinkdata=17191">LaMyah Ricks</a>, who was sidelined with an injury sustained in Wednesday's loss to Bethel.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/017551a4-83b0-454d-b2a6-e3ae882bd7f8?elinkdata=17191">Hampton Williams</a> opened the game hitting a 3-pointer for the Coyotes, who scored the first five points of the game and quickly pushed the lead out to 10 points at 14-4 with 6:07 to go in the first as KWU hit six of its first seven shots in the game.Avila cut the difference to seven before the Coyotes got untracked again with a bucket by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ac3342d6-7ac2-48ad-b4aa-c49acf60007c?elinkdata=17191">Odessa Ozuna</a>, another Williams triple and another triple by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0a3213eb-ba0d-460f-8498-31276ace8ac1?elinkdata=17191">Jill Stephens</a>, another Stephens scored and a score by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d0df5d8b-16fd-4834-9819-b3466834d631?elinkdata=17191">Paige Chauncey</a> to open up a 26-7 lead with 1:14 left in the first.The Coyotes continued to pull away in the second, taking a 49-19 lead on another Chauncey score with 4:03 left in the half. KWU led 56-21 at the break.Wesleyan didn't slow down in the third quarter as well, pushing the lead out to as many as 44 points, 75-31 at the end of the quarter.KWU closed out the game playing an even fourth quarter, coming away with the 43-point win in the game.Chauncey led the way with 19 points for the Coyotes on 9 of 10 shooting. Williams had another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Stephens added in 14 off the bench for the Coyotes. KWU was 36 of 62 shooting from the field for 58.1 percent in the game. KWU dominated the rebounding totals 45-22 over the Eagles.