SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -&nbsp;(12/10) K-State (16-1, 4-0 Big 12) ends a two-game road trip through the state of Utah, as the Wildcats visit BYU (10-5, 1-3) on Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT).

• K-State has opened this season with a 16-1 record for the second straight season and the third time since 2008-09. With a win Saturday, K-State would achieve the fifth 17-1 or better start to a season in school history and its second straight.

• Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Spencer Linton (play-by-play) and Kristen Kozlowski (analyst) will have the call.

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

• K-State owns an active win streak of 11. This is the second straight season (14, Dec. 1, 2023 - Jan. 31, 2024) the Wildcats have recorded a double figure win streak.

2. Handful of 1,000+ Point Scorers

• K-State features four players with 1,000 or more career points: Ayoka Lee (2,450), Temira Poindexter (1,761), Serena Sundell (1,479) and Jaelyn Glenn (1,027). The Wildcats and Miami (Fla.) are the only two teams in the nation with a 2,000+ point scorer, 1,500+ point scorer and a 1,000+ point scorer on their roster.

3. Mittie Tied With a K-State Legend

• K-State head coach Jeff Mittie needs one win (206-136, .602; 2014-present) to pass Judy Akers (206-94, .687; 1968-79) for second on the K-State career wins list.

• K-State leads the nation in field goal percentage (.508), field goal percentage defense (.316) and assists per game (22.9).

5. Lee Named to Midseason Wooden List

• Senior center and All-America candidate Ayoka Lee has been named to the 2025 Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 Watch List. This is the fourth time in her career that she has been named to the award’s midseason watch list.

• This season, K-State has shot 50.0 percent or better in 43 quarters.

• Of the 68 quarters played this season, the Wildcats have registered a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better in 63.2 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 one win to move into second on the K-State Women’s Basketball wins list (Judy Akers, 206)

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

• Needs 175 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds

• Needs 22 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws made

• Needs 21 points to reach 1,500 career points

• Needs 57 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list

• Needs 39 rebounds for sole possession of 20th on the K-State career rebounds list

• BYU (10-5, 1-3 Big 12) snapped a three-game losing streak with an 89-75 win over Houston on Wednesday night.

• On the sideline, BYU is led by third-year head coach Amber Whiting. Whiting, a 2001 graduate of BYU, is 42-39 (.519) during her time in Provo.

• On the floor, the Cougars feature three players in double figures including freshman guard Delaney Gibb, senior forward Emma Calvert and sophomore Amari Whiting.

• Gibb, a guard from Raymond, Alberta, Canada, paces BYU in scoring at 16.5 points per game and 3-point field goals made and attempted (39-of-99). She is second on the squad in assists (56; 3.7 apg). Against Houston, Gibb tallied 16 points, four rebounds and three assists.

• Calvert, a forward from Farr West, Utah, is second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), leads the team in field goal percentage (.541) and blocks (17) and is third in rebounding (5.5 rpg). Against the Cougars, Calvert led BYU with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two blocks.

• Whiting is third on the squad in scoring with 10.7 points per game and tied for the team lead in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and paces the team in assists (63; 4.2 apg). Against Houston, Whiting tallied 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.

• Kansas State has opened the season with a 16-1 overall record.

• This is the second straight season and equals the best 16-game start for K-State in the Jeff Mittie era.

• In program history, K-State has opened a season 16-1 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 11-game winning streak is tied for 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.

Three is not a Crowd, It’s a Benefit

• Since 2011-12, when three or more players reach double figures in scoring in the same game, K-State is 190-85 (.691) including a 15-1 record in the 2024-25 season.

• The Wildcats had a season-high six players reach double figures against Milwaukee on Nov. 20.

• The combination of Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell have scored in double figures in 45 of 74 games played together since 2021-22.

• Lee and Sundell combined to score 52 points in a win over New Mexico State on Dec. 18. This is the third time the duo has combined to score 50 or more points in the same game including the school record of 72 against Oklahoma on Jan. 23, 2022.

K-State Holds Foes to Single-Digits

• In the 10th season of the quarter system in women’s college basketball, K-State’s defense has limited its opponents point production for 10 minute durations.

• Kansas State is 108-29 (.788) when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game.

• K-State has held foes to 20 quarters this season with single-digits. The Wildcats are 14-0 when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game.

• Against USC Upstate on Dec. 5, K-State held the Spartans to two points in two different quarters (first and fourth quarters). The 2 points in a quarter tied the school record for fewest points allowed in any quarter.

• K-State held USC Upstate to 11 points in the second half (9 pts - 3rd qtr; 2 pts - 4th qtr). The 11 points in the second half were the fewest K-State allowed since holding Clemson on Nov. 24, 2022, to 9 second half points.

• In the 2023-24 season, K-State held its opponents to 25 quarters with single digits. The Wildcats were 16-1 last season when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter of a game.

• At Baylor on Jan. 22, the Wildcats held the Bears to 16 points in the second half allowing eight points in both the third and fourth quarters. This was the first time in 10 years that Baylor was held under 20 points in the second half of a game.

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

• This season, Poindexter is 35-of-98 (.357) from 3-point range. She has 10 games with two or more connections from long range. She ranks 12th in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (2.06).

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

• In her collegiate career, Poindexter is 216-of-681 (.317) from distance. She owns 64 career games with two or more 3-point field goals made, including 18 career games with four or more 3-point field goals made.

• Jaelyn Glenn continues to provide K-State with diverse lines.

• In the season-opener against Green Bay on Nov. 4, Glenn tallied 17 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. With the effort, she is the seventh player in the Jeff Mittie era to register a single-game stat line of 15 or more points, five or more rebounds, five or more assists and two or more steals.

• At Utah on Jan. 8, Glenn notched 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals.

• Against Belmont on Nov. 7, Glenn notched 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

• In her career, Glenn owns 22 career games with 10 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more steals in a game.

• Glenn is the fifth player in program history and first since 2009 with 1,000 or more points, 500 or more rebounds, 250 or more assists and 225 or more steals.

•&nbsp; Glenn ended the 2023-24 regular season with diverse lines. In the regular season home finale against Iowa State, Glenn tallied 15 points, six rebounds and three steals. At Texas Tech in the regular season finale, Glenn carded 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

• These were her second and third games this seson with 10 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more steals.

• In the 2022-23 season, Glenn’s diverse stat line included averaging 11.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.1 assists.

• Glenn was one of two players in the Big 12 in the 2022-23 season to average 11 or more points, five or more rebounds, two or more assists and two or more steals.

• She was the only player in the Big 12 and one of five in the nation in the 2022-23 season with totals of 400 or more points, 175 or more rebounds and 90 or more steals. Glenn was the first Wildcat in program history to reach 400 or more points, 175 or more rebounds and 90 or more steals in a season.

• Glenn established career season-highs for points (406), field goals made and attempted (150-of-363), field goal percentage (.413), 3-point field goals made and attempted (71-of-195), three-point field goal percentage (.364), free throws made and attempted (35-of-52), free throw percentage (.673), steals (91) and blocked shots (17).

• At Iowa State on Jan. 11, 2023, Glenn tallied 17 points, 10 rebounds, six steals, three assists and two blocks. According to HerHoopStats, Glenn was the only Power 5 player in the nation and one of just four nationally in the 2022-23 season to reach these marks in a game. She was the only K-State player to achieve these numbers in all of these categories in a game since at least 2009-10.

• Serena Sundell continues to use her length to disrupt her opponents on the defensive end.

• In her career, Sundell owns 89 career blocked shots (0.74 bpg) and ranks ninth in school history and owns the school record for career blocked shots by a guard.

• Sundell has 18 games with two or more blocks including a career-high four at Oklahoma State on Jan. 5, 2022.

• She has tallied 160 steals (1.33 spg) in her career and has 42 career games with two or more steals including nine career games with four or more steals.

• In the 2023-24 season, Sundell averaged 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks. She tallied 12 games with two or more steals and six games with two or more blocks. She had two games last season with three steals and three blocks in the same game - Presbyterian (Nov. 6) and Kansas (Jan. 20).

• Ayoka Lee has continued to own the glass in her K-State career and owns the top spot in the category in program history.

• Lee holds the school record for career rebounds with 1,217 and was the second player in school history with 1,000 or more career rebounds (Kendra Wecker, 2001-05; 1,087).

• Lee is sixth in Big 12 history for career rebounds and is second among active NCAA Division I players for career rebounds and fifth for career rebound average.

• She owns the school record for career rebounding average and ranks fourth in Big 12 history at 9.4 rebounds per game.

• She owns the school record for career games with 15 or more rebounds (8).

• This season, Lee is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game and has 10 games with five or more rebounds including a season-high 11 against Little Rock on Nov. 18 and New Mexico State on Dec. 18.

• In the 2023-24 season, Lee lead the Wildcats with 8.6 rebounds per game (231 total rebounds) and was third in the Big 12.

• Lee is one of four players in school history with four or more consecutive seasons with 200 or more rebounds.

• When combining her total from her last active season of 2021-22 (339), she has registered 570 rebounds which ranks second in school history for rebounds in consecutive active seasons.

• In the 2021-22 season, Lee ranked second in the Big 12 and 31st in the nation with 10.3 rebounds per game. She ranked 17th in the nation in total rebounds (339). In Big 12-only games, Lee was second in the league in rebounding with 9.78 per game.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -&nbsp;(12/10) K-State (16-1, 4-0 Big 12) ends a two-game road trip through the state of Utah, as the Wildcats visit BYU (10-5, 1-3) on Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT).• K-State has opened this season with a 16-1 record for the second straight season and the third time since 2008-09. With a win Saturday, K-State would achieve the fifth 17-1 or better start to a season in school history and its second straight.• Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Spencer Linton (play-by-play) and Kristen Kozlowski (analyst) 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 11. This is the second straight season (14, Dec. 1, 2023 - Jan. 31, 2024) the Wildcats have recorded a double figure win streak.2. Handful of 1,000+ Point Scorers• K-State features four players with 1,000 or more career points: Ayoka Lee (2,450), Temira Poindexter (1,761), Serena Sundell (1,479) and Jaelyn Glenn (1,027). The Wildcats and Miami (Fla.) are the only two teams in the nation with a 2,000+ point scorer, 1,500+ point scorer and a 1,000+ point scorer on their roster.3. Mittie Tied With a K-State Legend• K-State head coach Jeff Mittie needs one win (206-136, .602; 2014-present) to pass Judy Akers (206-94, .687; 1968-79) for second on the K-State career wins list.4. Cats Pacing the Nation• K-State leads the nation in field goal percentage (.508), field goal percentage defense (.316) and assists per game (22.9).5. Lee Named to Midseason Wooden List• Senior center and All-America candidate Ayoka Lee has been named to the 2025 Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 Watch List. This is the fourth time in her career that she has been named to the award’s midseason watch list.Number to Know43• This season, K-State has shot 50.0 percent or better in 43 quarters.• Of the 68 quarters played this season, the Wildcats have registered a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better in 63.2 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 WatchJeff Mittie• Needs one win to move into second on the K-State Women’s Basketball wins list (Judy Akers, 206)Ayoka Lee• Needs three double-doubles to move into second in Big 12 history for career double-doubles• Needs 175 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds• Needs 22 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws madeSerena Sundell• Needs 21 points to reach 1,500 career pointsJaelyn Glenn• Needs 57 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list• Needs 39 rebounds for sole possession of 20th on the K-State career rebounds listAt a Glance: BYU• BYU (10-5, 1-3 Big 12) snapped a three-game losing streak with an 89-75 win over Houston on Wednesday night.• On the sideline, BYU is led by third-year head coach Amber Whiting. Whiting, a 2001 graduate of BYU, is 42-39 (.519) during her time in Provo.• On the floor, the Cougars feature three players in double figures including freshman guard Delaney Gibb, senior forward Emma Calvert and sophomore Amari Whiting.• Gibb, a guard from Raymond, Alberta, Canada, paces BYU in scoring at 16.5 points per game and 3-point field goals made and attempted (39-of-99). She is second on the squad in assists (56; 3.7 apg). Against Houston, Gibb tallied 16 points, four rebounds and three assists.• Calvert, a forward from Farr West, Utah, is second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), leads the team in field goal percentage (.541) and blocks (17) and is third in rebounding (5.5 rpg). Against the Cougars, Calvert led BYU with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two blocks.• Whiting is third on the squad in scoring with 10.7 points per game and tied for the team lead in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and paces the team in assists (63; 4.2 apg). Against Houston, Whiting tallied 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.Wildcats Off to Fast Start• Kansas State has opened the season with a 16-1 overall record.• This is the second straight season and equals the best 16-game start for K-State in the Jeff Mittie era.• In program history, K-State has opened a season 16-1 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 11-game winning streak is tied for 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.Three is not a Crowd, It’s a Benefit• Since 2011-12, when three or more players reach double figures in scoring in the same game, K-State is 190-85 (.691) including a 15-1 record in the 2024-25 season.• The Wildcats had a season-high six players reach double figures against Milwaukee on Nov. 20.• The combination of Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell have scored in double figures in 45 of 74 games played together since 2021-22.• Lee and Sundell combined to score 52 points in a win over New Mexico State on Dec. 18. This is the third time the duo has combined to score 50 or more points in the same game including the school record of 72 against Oklahoma on Jan. 23, 2022.K-State Holds Foes to Single-Digits• In the 10th season of the quarter system in women’s college basketball, K-State’s defense has limited its opponents point production for 10 minute durations.• Kansas State is 108-29 (.788) when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game.• K-State has held foes to 20 quarters this season with single-digits. The Wildcats are 14-0 when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game.• Against USC Upstate on Dec. 5, K-State held the Spartans to two points in two different quarters (first and fourth quarters). The 2 points in a quarter tied the school record for fewest points allowed in any quarter.• K-State held USC Upstate to 11 points in the second half (9 pts - 3rd qtr; 2 pts - 4th qtr). The 11 points in the second half were the fewest K-State allowed since holding Clemson on Nov. 24, 2022, to 9 second half points.• In the 2023-24 season, K-State held its opponents to 25 quarters with single digits. The Wildcats were 16-1 last season when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter of a game.• At Baylor on Jan. 22, the Wildcats held the Bears to 16 points in the second half allowing eight points in both the third and fourth quarters. This was the first time in 10 years that Baylor was held under 20 points in the second half of a game.Poindexter Attacks from 3• Senior Temira Poindexter has sparked K-State from deep to open the 2024-25 season.• This season, Poindexter is 35-of-98 (.357) from 3-point range. She has 10 games with two or more connections from long range. She ranks 12th in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (2.06).• Against Belmont on Nov. 7, Poindexter made a personal season-high five 3-point field goals.• In her collegiate career, Poindexter is 216-of-681 (.317) from distance. She owns 64 career games with two or more 3-point field goals made, including 18 career games with four or more 3-point field goals made.Glenn Reaches Rare Lines• Jaelyn Glenn continues to provide K-State with diverse lines.• In the season-opener against Green Bay on Nov. 4, Glenn tallied 17 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. With the effort, she is the seventh player in the Jeff Mittie era to register a single-game stat line of 15 or more points, five or more rebounds, five or more assists and two or more steals.• At Utah on Jan. 8, Glenn notched 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals.• Against Belmont on Nov. 7, Glenn notched 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.• In her career, Glenn owns 22 career games with 10 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more steals in a game.• Glenn is the fifth player in program history and first since 2009 with 1,000 or more points, 500 or more rebounds, 250 or more assists and 225 or more steals.•&nbsp; Glenn ended the 2023-24 regular season with diverse lines. In the regular season home finale against Iowa State, Glenn tallied 15 points, six rebounds and three steals. At Texas Tech in the regular season finale, Glenn carded 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.• These were her second and third games this seson with 10 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more steals.• In the 2022-23 season, Glenn’s diverse stat line included averaging 11.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.1 assists.• Glenn was one of two players in the Big 12 in the 2022-23 season to average 11 or more points, five or more rebounds, two or more assists and two or more steals.• She was the only player in the Big 12 and one of five in the nation in the 2022-23 season with totals of 400 or more points, 175 or more rebounds and 90 or more steals. Glenn was the first Wildcat in program history to reach 400 or more points, 175 or more rebounds and 90 or more steals in a season.• Glenn established career season-highs for points (406), field goals made and attempted (150-of-363), field goal percentage (.413), 3-point field goals made and attempted (71-of-195), three-point field goal percentage (.364), free throws made and attempted (35-of-52), free throw percentage (.673), steals (91) and blocked shots (17).• At Iowa State on Jan. 11, 2023, Glenn tallied 17 points, 10 rebounds, six steals, three assists and two blocks. According to HerHoopStats, Glenn was the only Power 5 player in the nation and one of just four nationally in the 2022-23 season to reach these marks in a game. She was the only K-State player to achieve these numbers in all of these categories in a game since at least 2009-10.Sundell Uses Her Length• Serena Sundell continues to use her length to disrupt her opponents on the defensive end.• In her career, Sundell owns 89 career blocked shots (0.74 bpg) and ranks ninth in school history and owns the school record for career blocked shots by a guard.• Sundell has 18 games with two or more blocks including a career-high four at Oklahoma State on Jan. 5, 2022.• She has tallied 160 steals (1.33 spg) in her career and has 42 career games with two or more steals including nine career games with four or more steals.• In the 2023-24 season, Sundell averaged 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks. She tallied 12 games with two or more steals and six games with two or more blocks. She had two games last season with three steals and three blocks in the same game - Presbyterian (Nov. 6) and Kansas (Jan. 20).Lee Owns Career Boards Record• Ayoka Lee has continued to own the glass in her K-State career and owns the top spot in the category in program history.• Lee holds the school record for career rebounds with 1,217 and was the second player in school history with 1,000 or more career rebounds (Kendra Wecker, 2001-05; 1,087).• Lee is sixth in Big 12 history for career rebounds and is second among active NCAA Division I players for career rebounds and fifth for career rebound average.• She owns the school record for career rebounding average and ranks fourth in Big 12 history at 9.4 rebounds per game.• She owns the school record for career games with 15 or more rebounds (8).• This season, Lee is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game and has 10 games with five or more rebounds including a season-high 11 against Little Rock on Nov. 18 and New Mexico State on Dec. 18.• In the 2023-24 season, Lee lead the Wildcats with 8.6 rebounds per game (231 total rebounds) and was third in the Big 12.• Lee is one of four players in school history with four or more consecutive seasons with 200 or more rebounds.• When combining her total from her last active season of 2021-22 (339), she has registered 570 rebounds which ranks second in school history for rebounds in consecutive active seasons.• In the 2021-22 season, Lee ranked second in the Big 12 and 31st in the nation with 10.3 rebounds per game. She ranked 17th in the nation in total rebounds (339). In Big 12-only games, Lee was second in the league in rebounding with 9.78 per game.

 K-State WBB Faces BYU Saturday Afternoon in Provo

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Tickets for Kansas State’s 2025 season opener in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic will go on sale in the coming weeks. This on-sale window is for tickets only and does not include premium seats or travel packages. Individuals who have already purchased official travel packages have game tickets included in their packages, and they do not need to purchase tickets during this on-sale window.

Tickets to the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in the official K-State sections are only available during the dates listed below and are available while supplies last. Tickets can be purchased by&nbsp;<a href="https://app.kstatesports.com/Ireland" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Ahearn Fund members can begin requesting tickets on Tuesday, January 21, with a deadline of 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 30. Ahearn Fund requests will be fulfilled via priority point order.

Remaining tickets will go on sale to the public online only beginning at 5 p.m., on Monday, February 3, with a pick-your-own seat map. Phone and in-person orders will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 4.

The public on-sale window is Monday, February 3, through Friday, February 28, prior to tickets going on sale to the Irish public on Monday, March 3.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Tickets for Kansas State’s 2025 season opener in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic will go on sale in the coming weeks. This on-sale window is for tickets only and does not include premium seats or travel packages. Individuals who have already purchased official travel packages have game tickets included in their packages, and they do not need to purchase tickets during this on-sale window.Tickets to the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in the official K-State sections are only available during the dates listed below and are available while supplies last. Tickets can be purchased by&nbsp;<a href="https://app.kstatesports.com/Ireland" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.Ahearn Fund members can begin requesting tickets on Tuesday, January 21, with a deadline of 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 30. Ahearn Fund requests will be fulfilled via priority point order.Remaining tickets will go on sale to the public online only beginning at 5 p.m., on Monday, February 3, with a pick-your-own seat map. Phone and in-person orders will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 4.The public on-sale window is Monday, February 3, through Friday, February 28, prior to tickets going on sale to the Irish public on Monday, March 3.

Tickets for Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Sale Soon

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said he was trying to throw the ball into the ground. Notre Dame defensive back Christian Gray dove for it anyway and — luck of the Irish — the ball ended up right in his hands.

A few seconds later, Gray and Notre Dame found themselves with a spot in the national title game after a thrill-a-minute 27-24 victory Thursday night in the Orange Bowl.

Gray's snag of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drew-allar-penn-state-cfp-orange-bowl-3cb58be7733cc04cd3888c23ab831695">Allar's ill-advised pass</a>&nbsp;across the middle at the Penn State 42 with 33 seconds left, set up a 19-yard drive that ended with Mitch Jeter's winning 41-yard field goal.

The Irish (14-1), seeded seventh in this, the first 12-team college playoff, will have a chance to bring their 12th title and first since 1988 back under the Golden Dome with a game Jan. 20 in Atlanta. Their opponent will be the winner Friday night of the Texas-Ohio State semifinal in the Cotton Bowl.

“Just catch the ball. Just catch the ball,” Gray said about his interception. “That was going through my mind and I knew I was going to make a play.”

Penn State QB was trying to throw it away

Allar explained he saw his first two options covered on the play, then wanted to throw the ball into the dirt. But the throw, under pressure and across his body, didn't have enough zip on it to reach either receiver Omari Evans or the ground before Gray slid in.

“Honestly, I was trying to ‘dirt’ it at his feet,” said the junior quarterback. “I should’ve thrown it away when I saw the first two progressions were not open. I didn’t execute.”

It was the most memorable play of a game that was the best of what's been a sleepy few weeks of playoff football. It featured three ties and three lead changes, along with 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.

In the final, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will try to become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-coaches-franklin-freeman-playoff-522b80d7553d3494889f9b0e8da5539a">the first Black coach to win the title at college</a>&nbsp;football’s highest level. Freeman, whose mother is South Korean, also is the first coach of Asian heritage to get this far.

“We found a way to make a play when it mattered the most,” Freeman said. “In my opinion, great teams, great programs, find a way to do that.”

Penn State coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions ended the season at 13-3.

“Everyone wants to look at a specific play,” Franklin said. “But there's probably eight to 12 plays in that game that could have made a difference. I'm not going to call out specific plays or specific players. There are a ton of plays where we could have done better.”

Hit on Leonard shook up the QB and shook up the Irish

Notre Dame quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/notre-dame-riley-leonard-4fb493f918fcf60876e38e42b9134b00">Riley Leonard shook off a hit</a>&nbsp;late in the second quarter that sent him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He came back and led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half, including the last one.

“He’s a competitor and competitors find a way to win, and that’s what Riley does," Freeman said. "That’s what this team does.”

Leonard finished with 223 yards passing, including a key 10-yard dart to Jaden Greathouse to convert third-and-3 on the last drive. Leonard also had 35 yards rushing, and passed and ran for a score each.

With 4:38 left in the game, the senior quarterback hit Greathouse for a 54-yard score to tie it at 24 after a defender slipped.

The game started slow (and boring), but Riley’s injury injected life into things. He led Notre Dame on TD drives of 75 and 72 yards in the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead.

At that point, the fun was just getting started.

Penn State had its chances, and Allar, considered a first-round pick by some if he leaves for the NFL, will spend the offseason reliving that last throw — or trying to forget it.

Penn State forced a Notre Dame punt and looked assured of at least going to overtime when they took over at their 15 with 47 seconds left.

After a gain of 13, Allar dropped to pass and had pressure coming. He threw across his body to the middle of the field, where Gray dove for the pick.

A review showed it was a catch, and the Irish were onto the next step on a road that looked all but impossible when they fell 16-14 to Northern Illinois back in September.

“To see how far we’ve come after the hiccup early on, just to know that we have one more guaranteed, one last one guaranteed, it’s just so exciting,” Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser said.

Nick Singleton ran for 84 yards and all three Penn State touchdowns. Off target for much of the day, Allar finished 12 for 23 for 135 yards with the interception.

“He's hurting right now. He should be. We're all hurting,” Franklin said.

The quarterback didn't duck questions about the play or his role in the loss.

“We didn’t win the game so it wasn't good enough, it’s plain and simple,” Allar said. “I’ll try to learn from it, do everything in my power to get better and just grow from it.”

When Leonard went out, backup Steve Angeli came in and injected life into the Fighting Irish offense on the way to its first score.

Angelli went 6 for 7 for 44 yards and moved Notre Dame to field goal range to trim its deficit to 10-3 just before halftime.

“We have a lot of confidence in Steve,” Freeman said when asked why he allowed the Irish to play aggressively when he entered.

The kickoff temperature was 56 degrees, unseasonably cool for South Florida — and making it the second-coldest Orange Bowl ever, next to the Georgia Tech-Iowa game in 2010 that started at 49 and felt like the upper 30s.

Notre Dame will face either Ohio State or Texas in the CFP national championship game on Jan. 20. Penn State opens its 2025 season at home against Nevada on Aug. 30.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said he was trying to throw the ball into the ground. Notre Dame defensive back Christian Gray dove for it anyway and — luck of the Irish — the ball ended up right in his hands.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">TEAM GLORY ☘️ ORANGE BOWL CHAMPIONS <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a> <a href="https://t.co/CbqnL8fYTG">pic.twitter.com/CbqnL8fYTG</a>&mdash; Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/1877584129094484314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">2025 ORANGE BOWL CHAMPIONS<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a> <a href="https://t.co/V6Q4YLQA5h">pic.twitter.com/V6Q4YLQA5h</a>&mdash; Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/1877570838897029277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A few seconds later, Gray and Notre Dame found themselves with a spot in the national title game after a thrill-a-minute 27-24 victory Thursday night in the Orange Bowl.Gray's snag of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drew-allar-penn-state-cfp-orange-bowl-3cb58be7733cc04cd3888c23ab831695">Allar's ill-advised pass</a>&nbsp;across the middle at the Penn State 42 with 33 seconds left, set up a 19-yard drive that ended with Mitch Jeter's winning 41-yard field goal.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">GOOD FROM 4️⃣1️⃣ MITCH JETER IS CLUTCH. MR. JANUARY. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a> <a href="https://t.co/W3HO408OHQ">pic.twitter.com/W3HO408OHQ</a>&mdash; Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/1877569954662293539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Irish (14-1), seeded seventh in this, the first 12-team college playoff, will have a chance to bring their 12th title and first since 1988 back under the Golden Dome with a game Jan. 20 in Atlanta. Their opponent will be the winner Friday night of the Texas-Ohio State semifinal in the Cotton Bowl.“Just catch the ball. Just catch the ball,” Gray said about his interception. “That was going through my mind and I knew I was going to make a play.”<h2>Penn State QB was trying to throw it away</h2>Allar explained he saw his first two options covered on the play, then wanted to throw the ball into the dirt. But the throw, under pressure and across his body, didn't have enough zip on it to reach either receiver Omari Evans or the ground before Gray slid in.“Honestly, I was trying to ‘dirt’ it at his feet,” said the junior quarterback. “I should’ve thrown it away when I saw the first two progressions were not open. I didn’t execute.”It was the most memorable play of a game that was the best of what's been a sleepy few weeks of playoff football. It featured three ties and three lead changes, along with 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.In the final, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will try to become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-coaches-franklin-freeman-playoff-522b80d7553d3494889f9b0e8da5539a">the first Black coach to win the title at college</a>&nbsp;football’s highest level. Freeman, whose mother is South Korean, also is the first coach of Asian heritage to get this far.“We found a way to make a play when it mattered the most,” Freeman said. “In my opinion, great teams, great programs, find a way to do that.”Penn State coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions ended the season at 13-3.“Everyone wants to look at a specific play,” Franklin said. “But there's probably eight to 12 plays in that game that could have made a difference. I'm not going to call out specific plays or specific players. There are a ton of plays where we could have done better.”<h2>Hit on Leonard shook up the QB and shook up the Irish</h2>Notre Dame quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/notre-dame-riley-leonard-4fb493f918fcf60876e38e42b9134b00">Riley Leonard shook off a hit</a>&nbsp;late in the second quarter that sent him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He came back and led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half, including the last one.“He’s a competitor and competitors find a way to win, and that’s what Riley does," Freeman said. "That’s what this team does.”Leonard finished with 223 yards passing, including a key 10-yard dart to Jaden Greathouse to convert third-and-3 on the last drive. Leonard also had 35 yards rushing, and passed and ran for a score each.With 4:38 left in the game, the senior quarterback hit Greathouse for a 54-yard score to tie it at 24 after a defender slipped.The game started slow (and boring), but Riley’s injury injected life into things. He led Notre Dame on TD drives of 75 and 72 yards in the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead.At that point, the fun was just getting started.Penn State had its chances, and Allar, considered a first-round pick by some if he leaves for the NFL, will spend the offseason reliving that last throw — or trying to forget it.Penn State forced a Notre Dame punt and looked assured of at least going to overtime when they took over at their 15 with 47 seconds left.After a gain of 13, Allar dropped to pass and had pressure coming. He threw across his body to the middle of the field, where Gray dove for the pick.A review showed it was a catch, and the Irish were onto the next step on a road that looked all but impossible when they fell 16-14 to Northern Illinois back in September.“To see how far we’ve come after the hiccup early on, just to know that we have one more guaranteed, one last one guaranteed, it’s just so exciting,” Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser said.Nick Singleton ran for 84 yards and all three Penn State touchdowns. Off target for much of the day, Allar finished 12 for 23 for 135 yards with the interception.“He's hurting right now. He should be. We're all hurting,” Franklin said.The quarterback didn't duck questions about the play or his role in the loss.“We didn’t win the game so it wasn't good enough, it’s plain and simple,” Allar said. “I’ll try to learn from it, do everything in my power to get better and just grow from it.”<h2>Cameo from Notre Dame's backup</h2>When Leonard went out, backup Steve Angeli came in and injected life into the Fighting Irish offense on the way to its first score.Angelli went 6 for 7 for 44 yards and moved Notre Dame to field goal range to trim its deficit to 10-3 just before halftime.“We have a lot of confidence in Steve,” Freeman said when asked why he allowed the Irish to play aggressively when he entered.<h2>Chilly Orange Bowl</h2>The kickoff temperature was 56 degrees, unseasonably cool for South Florida — and making it the second-coldest Orange Bowl ever, next to the Georgia Tech-Iowa game in 2010 that started at 49 and felt like the upper 30s.<h2>Up next</h2>Notre Dame will face either Ohio State or Texas in the CFP national championship game on Jan. 20. Penn State opens its 2025 season at home against Nevada on Aug. 30.

🏈 Notre Dame gets late field goal to make title game with win over Penn State

The Kansas Wesleyan men played well for the first 32½ minutes of their game against Bethel. The final 7½ minutes were their undoing, though.

The Threshers erased an 18-point deficit by outscoring the Coyotes 27-6 down the stretch and eked out a 74-71 Kansas Conference victory Wednesday night inside Mabee Arena.

KWU fell to 8-7 overall, 3-6 in the conference while Bethel improved to 9-6 and 5-4.

The heartbreaking loss overshadowed outstanding performances by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4453a313-79e1-4491-892f-744ad1485506?elinkdata=17131">Alex Littlejohn</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d8bff2af-3005-41aa-acc1-90029f8129e0?elinkdata=17131">Evens Appolon</a>.

Littlejohn scored 21 points and moved within 12 of becoming KWU's career scoring leader. Gary Cassel's record of 1,544 points has lasted 70 years (1955) but Littlejohn could pass him when the Coyotes play Avila on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo. Littlejohn also had 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks while playing 32½ minutes.

Appolon, KWU's 6-foot-8 center, scored a career-high 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting that included four thunderous second-half dunks. He also grabbed eight rebounds and blocked five shots.

Wesleyan trailed by 10 twice in the first half but outscored Bethel 15-7 the final 6½ minutes and led 34-32 at the intermission.

Leading 45-42 early in the second half the Coyotes went on a 20-5 surge and led 65-47 with 7:45 left in the game. Bethel responded with 12 unanswered points, but KWU still had a 69-62 with 2:26 left after two Appolon baskets that sandwiched an Eli Wiseman 3-pointer.

The Threshers, though, scored the next eight points and took the lead 71-69 on two Harper Jonas free throws with 58 seconds left.

Two Littlejohn free throws tied it at 17 with 45.5 seconds remaining but Bethel regained the lead 73-71 on a Carmelo Yakubu basket with 31 seconds left. Littlejohn missed a closely guarded shot inside and Yakubu made one of two free throws with 5.1 seconds left for the game's final point.

Yakubu scored a game-high 24 points, 18 in the second half, 10 the final 2:15.

"When they started pressing us a little bit it sped us up and we just made some really careless plays that gave them momentum," KWU coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f2f1fa30-5ff6-4e17-af09-6eca64c4b8c2?elinkdata=17131">Anthony Monson</a> said on his postgame radio show. "They got downhill and we thought we had a bigger lead than we really did. It evaporated really quickly because they got a lot of transition buckets.

"Carmelo Yakubu made a lot of plays getting to the basket and we couldn't stop them from scoring. Give them credit, they knocked the free throws at the end to seal it."

KWU had 12 turnovers that led to 25 Bethel points while the Coyotes scored nine off the Threshers' eight turnovers. Bethel also had 17 offensive rebounds to Wesleyan's nine and Bethel won the overall rebounding battle 41-38.

"This game was a game of runs and they had one last run," Monson said. "We've got to be better down the stretch and really value that basketball. I think we got a little too loose with it and that's on me. I've got to do a better job by making sure that we take care of it and get us into what we want to get into. When we did, we did a good job."

KWU shot 47.5 percent (29 of 61) while Bethel shot 39.7 percent (27 of 68). The Threshers were 13 of 20 at the foul line, the Coyotes 7 of 12.

The Kansas Wesleyan men played well for the first 32½ minutes of their game against Bethel. The final 7½ minutes were their undoing, though.The Threshers erased an 18-point deficit by outscoring the Coyotes 27-6 down the stretch and eked out a 74-71 Kansas Conference victory Wednesday night inside Mabee Arena.KWU fell to 8-7 overall, 3-6 in the conference while Bethel improved to 9-6 and 5-4.The heartbreaking loss overshadowed outstanding performances by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4453a313-79e1-4491-892f-744ad1485506?elinkdata=17131">Alex Littlejohn</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d8bff2af-3005-41aa-acc1-90029f8129e0?elinkdata=17131">Evens Appolon</a>.Littlejohn scored 21 points and moved within 12 of becoming KWU's career scoring leader. Gary Cassel's record of 1,544 points has lasted 70 years (1955) but Littlejohn could pass him when the Coyotes play Avila on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo. Littlejohn also had 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks while playing 32½ minutes.Appolon, KWU's 6-foot-8 center, scored a career-high 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting that included four thunderous second-half dunks. He also grabbed eight rebounds and blocked five shots.Wesleyan trailed by 10 twice in the first half but outscored Bethel 15-7 the final 6½ minutes and led 34-32 at the intermission.Leading 45-42 early in the second half the Coyotes went on a 20-5 surge and led 65-47 with 7:45 left in the game. Bethel responded with 12 unanswered points, but KWU still had a 69-62 with 2:26 left after two Appolon baskets that sandwiched an Eli Wiseman 3-pointer.The Threshers, though, scored the next eight points and took the lead 71-69 on two Harper Jonas free throws with 58 seconds left.Two Littlejohn free throws tied it at 17 with 45.5 seconds remaining but Bethel regained the lead 73-71 on a Carmelo Yakubu basket with 31 seconds left. Littlejohn missed a closely guarded shot inside and Yakubu made one of two free throws with 5.1 seconds left for the game's final point.Yakubu scored a game-high 24 points, 18 in the second half, 10 the final 2:15."When they started pressing us a little bit it sped us up and we just made some really careless plays that gave them momentum," KWU coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f2f1fa30-5ff6-4e17-af09-6eca64c4b8c2?elinkdata=17131">Anthony Monson</a> said on his postgame radio show. "They got downhill and we thought we had a bigger lead than we really did. It evaporated really quickly because they got a lot of transition buckets."Carmelo Yakubu made a lot of plays getting to the basket and we couldn't stop them from scoring. Give them credit, they knocked the free throws at the end to seal it."KWU had 12 turnovers that led to 25 Bethel points while the Coyotes scored nine off the Threshers' eight turnovers. Bethel also had 17 offensive rebounds to Wesleyan's nine and Bethel won the overall rebounding battle 41-38."This game was a game of runs and they had one last run," Monson said. "We've got to be better down the stretch and really value that basketball. I think we got a little too loose with it and that's on me. I've got to do a better job by making sure that we take care of it and get us into what we want to get into. When we did, we did a good job."KWU shot 47.5 percent (29 of 61) while Bethel shot 39.7 percent (27 of 68). The Threshers were 13 of 20 at the foul line, the Coyotes 7 of 12.

KWU MBB falters late, drops heartbreaker to Bethel 74-71

Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball fell behind to the Bethel Threshers and couldn't find a rally late as Bethel knocked off the Coyotes 69-61 on Wednesday night at Mabee Arena.

It was the first KCAC loss this season for the Coyotes, who dropped the 12-3 overall and 8-1 in the KCAC, and saw a 10-game winning streak snapped.

Wesleyan jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the game, but Bethel came back with a 7-0 run to take a 7-4 lead as the Threshers made 17 of 30 first half shots (56.7 percent).

A bucket by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d60fec53-3435-43f0-8a24-42c2d649573b?elinkdata=17161">Angel Lee</a> stopped Bethel's run, but the Threshers pushed the lead out to six points at 14-8 with 4:38 left in the half.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0e2d133f-99d1-4a28-bdaa-f6cb9a532fb8?elinkdata=17161">Alexis Dixon</a> scored for the Coyotes with 3:39 left in the first as KWU cut the lead to two at 14-12, but Bethel made another run with five straight to take a 19-12 lead with 2:32 to go.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9e36e61d-b748-46fa-858d-39477e03cc53?elinkdata=17161">Hampton Williams</a> cut Bethel's lead to a point at 20-19 with 25 seconds left, but Bethel got a score right before the first quarter buzzer to lead 22-19 after one.

Bethel led for a majority of the second quarter until the Coyotes took their first lead since early on when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7634ea60-b079-4900-89b9-a842a03ab15f?elinkdata=17161">LaMyah Ricks</a> scored with 3:04 left, putting Wesleyan up 35-33 on a three-point play.

The Threshers closed the half on a 7-0 run to take a 40-35 lead into the break.

Bethel again pushed its lead out to seven at 44-37 with 7:39 left in the third, but the Coyotes battled back again getting within two at 46-44 with 4:44 left on a bucket by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/43db5ae9-768c-4286-a76d-6eb75084354d?elinkdata=17161">Paige Chauncey</a> and were within a point at 49-48 on a Williams score, but could not retake the lead, trailing 54-50 after three.

A 3-pointer by Ricks to open the fourth got the Coyotes within a point, but again Bethel answered pushing its lead out to seven at 60-53 with 5:49 to go.

Wesleyan was within three twice, the last time at 62-59 on a score by Ozuna, but six straight by the Threshers pushed the lead out to a game-high nine points at 68-59 with 37 seconds left.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4d1568ea-10c9-41aa-bc44-6407dbdfebbd?elinkdata=17161">Angel Lee</a> led four double figure scorers for the Coyotes with 13 points, while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/25bb8519-7c9c-4d5c-8112-fcbc2b591c51?elinkdata=17161">Catherine Bowman</a> had 12, Ricks 11 and Williams 10. The Coyotes dominated the boards 42-28, led by eight each by Ricks and Williams, while Ozuna added seven. Wesleyan did have 18 turnovers that resulted in 22 Bethel points.

Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball fell behind to the Bethel Threshers and couldn't find a rally late as Bethel knocked off the Coyotes 69-61 on Wednesday night at Mabee Arena.It was the first KCAC loss this season for the Coyotes, who dropped the 12-3 overall and 8-1 in the KCAC, and saw a 10-game winning streak snapped.Wesleyan jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the game, but Bethel came back with a 7-0 run to take a 7-4 lead as the Threshers made 17 of 30 first half shots (56.7 percent).A bucket by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d60fec53-3435-43f0-8a24-42c2d649573b?elinkdata=17161">Angel Lee</a> stopped Bethel's run, but the Threshers pushed the lead out to six points at 14-8 with 4:38 left in the half.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0e2d133f-99d1-4a28-bdaa-f6cb9a532fb8?elinkdata=17161">Alexis Dixon</a> scored for the Coyotes with 3:39 left in the first as KWU cut the lead to two at 14-12, but Bethel made another run with five straight to take a 19-12 lead with 2:32 to go.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9e36e61d-b748-46fa-858d-39477e03cc53?elinkdata=17161">Hampton Williams</a> cut Bethel's lead to a point at 20-19 with 25 seconds left, but Bethel got a score right before the first quarter buzzer to lead 22-19 after one.Bethel led for a majority of the second quarter until the Coyotes took their first lead since early on when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7634ea60-b079-4900-89b9-a842a03ab15f?elinkdata=17161">LaMyah Ricks</a> scored with 3:04 left, putting Wesleyan up 35-33 on a three-point play.The Threshers closed the half on a 7-0 run to take a 40-35 lead into the break.Bethel again pushed its lead out to seven at 44-37 with 7:39 left in the third, but the Coyotes battled back again getting within two at 46-44 with 4:44 left on a bucket by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/43db5ae9-768c-4286-a76d-6eb75084354d?elinkdata=17161">Paige Chauncey</a> and were within a point at 49-48 on a Williams score, but could not retake the lead, trailing 54-50 after three.A 3-pointer by Ricks to open the fourth got the Coyotes within a point, but again Bethel answered pushing its lead out to seven at 60-53 with 5:49 to go.Wesleyan was within three twice, the last time at 62-59 on a score by Ozuna, but six straight by the Threshers pushed the lead out to a game-high nine points at 68-59 with 37 seconds left.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4d1568ea-10c9-41aa-bc44-6407dbdfebbd?elinkdata=17161">Angel Lee</a> led four double figure scorers for the Coyotes with 13 points, while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/25bb8519-7c9c-4d5c-8112-fcbc2b591c51?elinkdata=17161">Catherine Bowman</a> had 12, Ricks 11 and Williams 10. The Coyotes dominated the boards 42-28, led by eight each by Ricks and Williams, while Ozuna added seven. Wesleyan did have 18 turnovers that resulted in 22 Bethel points.

Coyote WBB can't overcome deficit, drop first KCAC game to Bethel 69-61

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah&nbsp;– (12/10) K-State used a big second half to roll past (22/22) Utah, 71-47, on Wednesday night at Huntsman Center. The win improves K-State’s win streak to 11. The 11-game win streak is tied for the sixth-longest win streak in program history.

K-State improved its overall record to 16-1 for the second time under the direction of head coach Jeff Mittie. This is the second straight season K-State has opened with a 16-1 record. In its history, K-State has opened a season 16-1 or better five times.

With the win, Mittie improved his record at K-State to 206-136 (.602) and is tied for second in program history for wins with Judy Akers (1968-79; 206).

The Wildcats put four in double figures led by senior guard and All-America candidate Serena Sundell with 15 points, five assists and three rebounds. Sundell has handed out five or more assists in 11 straight games.

Senior center and All-America candidate Ayoka Lee notched 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. With her 14 points, Lee has moved into the top-100 on the NCAA Division I career scoring list.

Senior guard Jaelyn Glenn tallied her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her career with 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. This was Glenn’s 22nd&nbsp;career game with 10 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more steals.

Senior forward Temira Poindexter notched 11 points including 3-of-7 from distance, three rebounds and two assists.

- K-State (16-1, 4-0 Big 12) held a 31-22 lead at halftime, after Utah (12-3, 3-1) cut the Wildcat lead from 18 points to nine at the break with an 11-2 run to end the second quarter.

- K-State used a 14-4 run to end the third quarter and build a 57-35 lead. Taryn Sides buried a pair of 3-pointers during the run to boost K-State’s scoring. The Wildcats shot 50.0 percent (10-of-20) from the field in the frame.

- The Wildcats dashed any hope of a comeback by the Utes with a 12-4 run over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter to build the advantage to its largest of the night at 30 points, 69-39.

- K-State ended the night shooting 49.2 percent (30-of-61) from the field and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from beyond the arc. The Wildcats handed out 22 assists on its 30 made field goals.

- Defensively, the Wildcats held Utah to its lowest point total of the season and a 30.0 percent (18-of-60) effort from the field. K-State also limited the Utes to 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from the 3-point line and holding Utah well below its average of 10.5 three-point field goals made per game.

- The series between the schools is tied, 4-4, and K-State has won two straight. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 11-8 (.579) in his career against Utah.

- The Wildcats are 236-242 (.494) in Big 12 games.

- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 660-371 (.640), including a mark of 206-136 (.602). Mittie needs one win to move into second on the K-State career wins list.

- K-State owns a record of 264-96 (.733) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 21-4 (.840) all-time when ranked 12th in the nation. The Wildcats are 93-243 against teams ranked in the AP poll, including a 21-66 mark under Jeff Mittie. K-State is 5-5 against teams ranked 22nd in the AP poll.

- The Wildcats are 262-193 (.576) in games played in the month of January. Under Mittie, K-State is 42-41 (.506) in games during the first month.

- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 15th time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 129th career start for Lee, the 120th career start for Sundell, the 116th career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 104th career collegiate start and 17th at K-State for Poindexter and the 17th career start for Walker. With her 129th career start at K-State, Lee moves into a tie for second in program history for career starts with Megan Mahoney (2001-05; 129). With her 120th&nbsp;career start, Sundell is ninth in program history for career starts.

- The Wildcats held a 31-22 lead at halftime on Wednesday. Under Mittie, K-State is 165-19 (.897) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 15 games this season (15-0).

- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 40 times this season, including the first and third quarters on Wednesday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 148-62 (.705) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.

- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in three quarters on Wednesday (first, third and fourth quarters). The Wildcats have 43 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting.

- K-State improved to 105-8 (.929) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in 13 games this season (13-0).

- K-State improves to 60-3 (.952) over the last four seasons when holding foes to 60 points or less. The Wildcats are 64-0 in the Mittie era when holding an opponent to 49 points or less.

- With her 14 points on Wednesday, Lee boosted her career total to 2,450 and remains in seventh on the Big 12 career scoring list. Lee registered her 118th career game with 10 or more points. Her 118 career games with 10 or more points is second in program history. Lee has scored in every game of her career,129 games, and remains in third in school history for consecutive games scoring.

- Lee hauled in six rebounds on Wednesday. Lee’s career total for rebounds stands at 1,217, improving upon her own school record for career rebounds and remaining in sixth in Big 12 history for career boards. She owns 112 career games with five or more rebounds.

- Lee registered two blocks on Wednesday and boosted her career total to 342. Lee is fourth in Big 12 history for career blocks. This was her 89th&nbsp;career game with two or more blocks.

- Sundell notched her 84th career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,479 career points and remains in 14th&nbsp;on the K-State career scoring list.

- Sundell’s five assists on Wednesday improved her career total to 673. This was her 79th career game with five or more assists and her 14th&nbsp;this season including her 11th&nbsp;straight.

- Sundell hauled in three rebounds on Wednesday to improve her career total to 496.

- Sundell sent back a shot on Wednesday. Sundell boosted her career total to 89 and ranks ninth in school history for career blocks and owns the school record for blocks by a guard.

- With her 11 points on Wednesday, Glenn improved her career total to 1,027 points. She is the 46th&nbsp;player in program history to score 1,000 or more career points at K-State and ranks 44th&nbsp;on the Wildcat career scoring list. This was her 48th&nbsp;career game with 10 or more points.

- Glenn pulled in a season-high 10 rebounds on Wednesday and improved her career total to 546 and sole possession of 25th&nbsp;on the K-State career rebounds list.

- Glenn pocketed two steals on Wednesday. She improved her career total to 232 and remains in sixth in school history for career steals.

- With her 11 points on Wednesday, Poindexter increased her collegiate point total to 1,761 points (1,560 at Tulsa; 201 at K-State). This was her 90th&nbsp;career game and her ninth this season with 10 or more points.

- Poindexter made three 3-pointers on Wednesday. This was her 64th career game with two or more connections.

- Sophomore guard Taryn Sides connected on two 3-pointers on Wednesday. This was her 20th&nbsp;career game and her 12th&nbsp;this season with two or more made 3-pointers.

"I think that we got off a great start, and I think we wanted to get some things established as best we could. I think one, our perimeter defense needed to be really, really good, because we knew, certainly, Torre was coming off a big game, and Kneepkens is so good that we wanted to make sure that we got off to a good start there. I thought Zy Walker was a big key for us early, because she set the tone up top of our defense, and I thought was disruptive up top. And then offensively, Poindexter got some early looks, and I was proud of our group for getting off against a really good Utah team. You know, we had a good night tonight. I think our group really worked hard to have a good night tonight. So proud of them."

On Utah cutting the lead to nine at halftime...

"A team like Utah is going to come back at you. I did feel like we contributed to some of that. We had some scattered possessions that weren't very good, so we needed to clean that up. I think two big keys coming out in the second half were we rebounded the ball better, and our bench played really, really well. We had zero points from the bench at half. We end up with 12 points in the second half from our bench. Those are big keys. I thought we got a lift from Imani Lester tonight. We were able to run good offense with her in the game. Taryn Sides second half, she had a rough first half. Second half, we were able to get her some open looks. So, you know, in games like this, you're gonna have to answer. I don't think there was any magical thing at halftime that we did. I think those things are overrated, sometimes. We just kind of talked about, hey, here's what we want to be able to do. Let's execute what we practice. And our group did that."

"I thought early Sundell did a good job on her. You know, we wanted to make sure that she didn't get any freebie looks early. And so I thought Sundell got us off to a good start. And then I think when we guarded her with bigs, I thought they did a good job of just being physical with her and making it tough. And this was a physical game. I mean, both teams down low. There was a lot of contact down there, but I think we played through it better in the second half than we did in the first half, and I think that was a big key for us."

On the interior defense against Utah...

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah&nbsp;– (12/10) K-State used a big second half to roll past (22/22) Utah, 71-47, on Wednesday night at Huntsman Center. The win improves K-State’s win streak to 11. The 11-game win streak is tied for the sixth-longest win streak in program history.K-State improved its overall record to 16-1 for the second time under the direction of head coach Jeff Mittie. This is the second straight season K-State has opened with a 16-1 record. In its history, K-State has opened a season 16-1 or better five times.With the win, Mittie improved his record at K-State to 206-136 (.602) and is tied for second in program history for wins with Judy Akers (1968-79; 206).The Wildcats put four in double figures led by senior guard and All-America candidate Serena Sundell with 15 points, five assists and three rebounds. Sundell has handed out five or more assists in 11 straight games.Senior center and All-America candidate Ayoka Lee notched 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. With her 14 points, Lee has moved into the top-100 on the NCAA Division I career scoring list.Senior guard Jaelyn Glenn tallied her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her career with 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. This was Glenn’s 22nd&nbsp;career game with 10 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more steals.Senior forward Temira Poindexter notched 11 points including 3-of-7 from distance, three rebounds and two assists.HOW IT HAPPENED- K-State (16-1, 4-0 Big 12) held a 31-22 lead at halftime, after Utah (12-3, 3-1) cut the Wildcat lead from 18 points to nine at the break with an 11-2 run to end the second quarter.- K-State used a 14-4 run to end the third quarter and build a 57-35 lead. Taryn Sides buried a pair of 3-pointers during the run to boost K-State’s scoring. The Wildcats shot 50.0 percent (10-of-20) from the field in the frame.- The Wildcats dashed any hope of a comeback by the Utes with a 12-4 run over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter to build the advantage to its largest of the night at 30 points, 69-39.- K-State ended the night shooting 49.2 percent (30-of-61) from the field and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from beyond the arc. The Wildcats handed out 22 assists on its 30 made field goals.- Defensively, the Wildcats held Utah to its lowest point total of the season and a 30.0 percent (18-of-60) effort from the field. K-State also limited the Utes to 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from the 3-point line and holding Utah well below its average of 10.5 three-point field goals made per game.QUICK FACTS- The series between the schools is tied, 4-4, and K-State has won two straight. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 11-8 (.579) in his career against Utah.- The Wildcats are 236-242 (.494) in Big 12 games.- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 660-371 (.640), including a mark of 206-136 (.602). Mittie needs one win to move into second on the K-State career wins list.- K-State owns a record of 264-96 (.733) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 21-4 (.840) all-time when ranked 12th in the nation. The Wildcats are 93-243 against teams ranked in the AP poll, including a 21-66 mark under Jeff Mittie. K-State is 5-5 against teams ranked 22nd in the AP poll.- The Wildcats are 262-193 (.576) in games played in the month of January. Under Mittie, K-State is 42-41 (.506) in games during the first month.TEAM NOTES- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 15th time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 129th career start for Lee, the 120th career start for Sundell, the 116th career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 104th career collegiate start and 17th at K-State for Poindexter and the 17th career start for Walker. With her 129th career start at K-State, Lee moves into a tie for second in program history for career starts with Megan Mahoney (2001-05; 129). With her 120th&nbsp;career start, Sundell is ninth in program history for career starts.- The Wildcats held a 31-22 lead at halftime on Wednesday. Under Mittie, K-State is 165-19 (.897) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 15 games this season (15-0).- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 40 times this season, including the first and third quarters on Wednesday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 148-62 (.705) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in three quarters on Wednesday (first, third and fourth quarters). The Wildcats have 43 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting.- K-State improved to 105-8 (.929) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in 13 games this season (13-0).- K-State improves to 60-3 (.952) over the last four seasons when holding foes to 60 points or less. The Wildcats are 64-0 in the Mittie era when holding an opponent to 49 points or less.PLAYER NOTES- With her 14 points on Wednesday, Lee boosted her career total to 2,450 and remains in seventh on the Big 12 career scoring list. Lee registered her 118th career game with 10 or more points. Her 118 career games with 10 or more points is second in program history. Lee has scored in every game of her career,129 games, and remains in third in school history for consecutive games scoring.- Lee hauled in six rebounds on Wednesday. Lee’s career total for rebounds stands at 1,217, improving upon her own school record for career rebounds and remaining in sixth in Big 12 history for career boards. She owns 112 career games with five or more rebounds.- Lee registered two blocks on Wednesday and boosted her career total to 342. Lee is fourth in Big 12 history for career blocks. This was her 89th&nbsp;career game with two or more blocks.- Sundell notched her 84th career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,479 career points and remains in 14th&nbsp;on the K-State career scoring list.- Sundell’s five assists on Wednesday improved her career total to 673. This was her 79th career game with five or more assists and her 14th&nbsp;this season including her 11th&nbsp;straight.- Sundell hauled in three rebounds on Wednesday to improve her career total to 496.- Sundell sent back a shot on Wednesday. Sundell boosted her career total to 89 and ranks ninth in school history for career blocks and owns the school record for blocks by a guard.- With her 11 points on Wednesday, Glenn improved her career total to 1,027 points. She is the 46th&nbsp;player in program history to score 1,000 or more career points at K-State and ranks 44th&nbsp;on the Wildcat career scoring list. This was her 48th&nbsp;career game with 10 or more points.- Glenn pulled in a season-high 10 rebounds on Wednesday and improved her career total to 546 and sole possession of 25th&nbsp;on the K-State career rebounds list.- Glenn pocketed two steals on Wednesday. She improved her career total to 232 and remains in sixth in school history for career steals.- With her 11 points on Wednesday, Poindexter increased her collegiate point total to 1,761 points (1,560 at Tulsa; 201 at K-State). This was her 90th&nbsp;career game and her ninth this season with 10 or more points.- Poindexter made three 3-pointers on Wednesday. This was her 64th career game with two or more connections.- Sophomore guard Taryn Sides connected on two 3-pointers on Wednesday. This was her 20th&nbsp;career game and her 12th&nbsp;this season with two or more made 3-pointers.FROM THE HEAD COACHK-State Head Coach Jeff MittieOpening statement..."I think that we got off a great start, and I think we wanted to get some things established as best we could. I think one, our perimeter defense needed to be really, really good, because we knew, certainly, Torre was coming off a big game, and Kneepkens is so good that we wanted to make sure that we got off to a good start there. I thought Zy Walker was a big key for us early, because she set the tone up top of our defense, and I thought was disruptive up top. And then offensively, Poindexter got some early looks, and I was proud of our group for getting off against a really good Utah team. You know, we had a good night tonight. I think our group really worked hard to have a good night tonight. So proud of them."On Utah cutting the lead to nine at halftime..."A team like Utah is going to come back at you. I did feel like we contributed to some of that. We had some scattered possessions that weren't very good, so we needed to clean that up. I think two big keys coming out in the second half were we rebounded the ball better, and our bench played really, really well. We had zero points from the bench at half. We end up with 12 points in the second half from our bench. Those are big keys. I thought we got a lift from Imani Lester tonight. We were able to run good offense with her in the game. Taryn Sides second half, she had a rough first half. Second half, we were able to get her some open looks. So, you know, in games like this, you're gonna have to answer. I don't think there was any magical thing at halftime that we did. I think those things are overrated, sometimes. We just kind of talked about, hey, here's what we want to be able to do. Let's execute what we practice. And our group did that."On the defense on Maye Torre..."I thought early Sundell did a good job on her. You know, we wanted to make sure that she didn't get any freebie looks early. And so I thought Sundell got us off to a good start. And then I think when we guarded her with bigs, I thought they did a good job of just being physical with her and making it tough. And this was a physical game. I mean, both teams down low. There was a lot of contact down there, but I think we played through it better in the second half than we did in the first half, and I think that was a big key for us."FROM THE FLOORK-State Senior Center Ayoka LeeOn the interior defense against Utah..."I mean, I was just talking to one of our assistants about this. I think our centers just take so much pride in our post defense. I think that just didn't change tonight. We knew they had a good inside game. And we just take, I take a lot of pride in my post defense, and I know Kennedy and Imani do too, and Serena as well, did a great job. So I think it just comes down to our standard in there."On the double and triple teams and moving the ball out of them..."I think it's just such a great feeling. And I think it just shows that our offense is flowing when we're able to find open shooters. I think it definitely is plays like that we definitely build off of when we go on runs and stuff. I think it's just a testament to us continuing to just have a fluid offense."UP NEXTK-State completes its two-game road trip to the state of Utah on Saturday, as the Wildcats visit BYU on Saturday evening at 5 p.m. (CT).

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