By ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

Sacred Heart finished up its games at Chapman's Irish Classic on Saturday by sweeping a doubleheader against Bishop Ward. The girls never trailed in a 65-11 blowout while the boys stayed unbeaten with a 61-48 win.

In the opening game, with the score 4-2, the Lady Knights ended the first quarter on a 22-0 run and never looked back. The advantage ballooned to 43-6 at halftime and 59-9 after three quarters.

Nine different Sacred Heart players scored in the 54-point win with Skylar Douglas leading the way with 20 points. Adelyn Lee added 15 and Mia Hamilton netted 10 points off the bench.

The Lady Knights are now 2-2 as they'll return home Tuesday night for a matchup with Berean Academy.

In the second half of the twinbill, Sacred Heart got its first four points from Noah Hines. Unfortunately, he also picked up two early fouls and had to be taken out of the game. Will Tuttle proceeded to take over and score the final 18 first-quarter points for the Knights to make the score 22-13.

In a back-and-forth second quarter, each team wound up with 10 points and the Knights led 32-23 at halftime. The Cyclones edged a little closer in the third quarter and trailed 42-35 heading into the final period.

In the fourth quarter, after trailing by as many as 12 points, Bishop Ward made one last run to cut the deficit to four, but that was as close as they could get. Sacred Heart pulled away and ended the tournament with a 13-point win.

Tuttle led the Knights with 32 points and Hines added 16. Ben Disberger and Dominic Matteucci scored six and five points, respectively, off the bench.

The Sacred Heart boys are now 4-0 and will head back to Salina to face Berean Academy Tuesday night.

Tipoff is scheduled for 6pm for the girls with the boys to follow. Coverage of both games can be found at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

By ADAM COULTER Salina Post ContributorSacred Heart finished up its games at Chapman's Irish Classic on Saturday by sweeping a doubleheader against Bishop Ward. The girls never trailed in a 65-11 blowout while the boys stayed unbeaten with a 61-48 win.<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>In the opening game, with the score 4-2, the Lady Knights ended the first quarter on a 22-0 run and never looked back. The advantage ballooned to 43-6 at halftime and 59-9 after three quarters.Nine different Sacred Heart players scored in the 54-point win with Skylar Douglas leading the way with 20 points. Adelyn Lee added 15 and Mia Hamilton netted 10 points off the bench.The Lady Knights are now 2-2 as they'll return home Tuesday night for a matchup with Berean Academy.In the second half of the twinbill, Sacred Heart got its first four points from Noah Hines. Unfortunately, he also picked up two early fouls and had to be taken out of the game. Will Tuttle proceeded to take over and score the final 18 first-quarter points for the Knights to make the score 22-13.In a back-and-forth second quarter, each team wound up with 10 points and the Knights led 32-23 at halftime. The Cyclones edged a little closer in the third quarter and trailed 42-35 heading into the final period.In the fourth quarter, after trailing by as many as 12 points, Bishop Ward made one last run to cut the deficit to four, but that was as close as they could get. Sacred Heart pulled away and ended the tournament with a 13-point win.Tuttle led the Knights with 32 points and Hines added 16. Ben Disberger and Dominic Matteucci scored six and five points, respectively, off the bench.The Sacred Heart boys are now 4-0 and will head back to Salina to face Berean Academy Tuesday night.Tipoff is scheduled for 6pm for the girls with the boys to follow. Coverage of both games can be found at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

Sacred Heart sweeps Bishop Ward on final day of Irish Classic

Kansas State running back D.J. Giddens has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Giddens, a former Junction City Blue Jay football player,&nbsp; announced his decision about declaring for the Draft on Instagram.

Kansas State running back D.J. Giddens has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734231578610.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Giddens, a former Junction City Blue Jay football player,&nbsp; announced his decision about declaring for the Draft on Instagram.

K-State running back D.J. Giddens declares for NFL Draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zeke Mayo hit five 3s and scored 26 points, Hunter Dickinson had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 10 Kansas bounced back from consecutive losses with a 75-60 rout of NC State on Saturday.

Dajuan Harris Jr. added 15 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (8-2), who scored the first 15 points of the game but didn't have it in hand until midway through the second half, when Dickinson scored eight consecutive points to bury the Wolfpack.

Kansas won its 20th consecutive nonconference home game and avoided its first three-game skid since the 2022-23 season.

Ben Middlebrooks had 14 points and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield finished with 12 for the Wolfpack (7-4), who have lost their last 13 games to Kansas since winning their first matchup at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 20, 1958.

NC State was able to get the Kansas big men into foul trouble, and that allowed Middlebrooks to have success. But the Wolfpack didn't get enough production from the perimeter, where Dontrez Styles and Marcus Hill struggled.

Kansas proved it could survive foul trouble in the paint. Dickinson had three fouls and KJ Adams Jr. and Flory Bidunga four apiece with 12 minutes left. But the Jayhawks' guards, and Mayo in particular, were able to take over the game.

The Jayhawks led 48-41 with 13:10 left when Mayo rattled in a 3-pointer from the corner. He added a free throw moments later, then a blow-by layup, giving Kansas a 54-41 lead with 12 minutes to go.

5 — Harris hit a layup with 18:14 left to give him 1,001 points for his career. He's the fifth member of the team to surpass that plateau, joining Mayo, Dickinson, David Coit and Shakeel Moore.

NC State plays Rider on Dec. 22. Kansas plays Brown the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734222532840.png" alt="Photo Kansas athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zeke Mayo hit five 3s and scored 26 points, Hunter Dickinson had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 10 Kansas bounced back from consecutive losses with a 75-60 rout of NC State on Saturday.Dajuan Harris Jr. added 15 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (8-2), who scored the first 15 points of the game but didn't have it in hand until midway through the second half, when Dickinson scored eight consecutive points to bury the Wolfpack.Kansas won its 20th consecutive nonconference home game and avoided its first three-game skid since the 2022-23 season.Ben Middlebrooks had 14 points and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield finished with 12 for the Wolfpack (7-4), who have lost their last 13 games to Kansas since winning their first matchup at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 20, 1958.<h2>Takeaways</h2>NC State was able to get the Kansas big men into foul trouble, and that allowed Middlebrooks to have success. But the Wolfpack didn't get enough production from the perimeter, where Dontrez Styles and Marcus Hill struggled.Kansas proved it could survive foul trouble in the paint. Dickinson had three fouls and KJ Adams Jr. and Flory Bidunga four apiece with 12 minutes left. But the Jayhawks' guards, and Mayo in particular, were able to take over the game.<h2>Key moment</h2>The Jayhawks led 48-41 with 13:10 left when Mayo rattled in a 3-pointer from the corner. He added a free throw moments later, then a blow-by layup, giving Kansas a 54-41 lead with 12 minutes to go.<h2>Key stat</h2>5 — Harris hit a layup with 18:14 left to give him 1,001 points for his career. He's the fifth member of the team to surpass that plateau, joining Mayo, Dickinson, David Coit and Shakeel Moore.<h2>Up next</h2>NC State plays Rider on Dec. 22. Kansas plays Brown the same day.

🏀 Mayo scores 26 as No. 10 KU beats NC State

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

On Friday night, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams played to another split, this time in a Trojan War with Beloit on their home floor in Gypsym.

Southeast’s Lady Trojans would dominate Beloit 66-31, while Beloit’s Trojans held on for an 81-68 victory over SES.

After coming back to knock off Abilene on Tuesday, the Lady Trojans of Southeast of Saline rode a wave of momentum into this game with Beloit leading 17-12 at the end of the first before exploding for a 41-21 halftime advantage.

Much of that damage was dealt beyond the three-point line where Southeast knocked down five second-quarter triples and 11 for the game.

On the other end, the Lady Trojans buckled down in the second half, allowing just eight points in the third quarter and holding Beloit to two points without a single field goal in the fourth.

“I thought everybody did their job tonight,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We needed to be better about working as a team because if four people are doing the right things and one isn’t, that doesn’t work. Defensively and offensively, everyone stepped up.”

One notable change came in the Lady Trojan lineup where two freshmen started for Southeast, but the change worked like a charm as newly added Kyiah Samuelson led the way with 14 points, and Regan Duran dropped 12 off the bench.

“Some kids are better coming off the bench and our girls know they’ll still get their minutes,” Smith said. “Regan responded well, and she gave us some big-time threes in this game. Kaya is really good offensively, she gets to the rim and we need that.”&nbsp;

On the other side of the matchup Cassandra Thompson was the only Beloit Lady Trojan in double figures with 20 points including 10 makes from the charity stripe.

Southeast moves to 2-1 on the season while Beloit falls to 1-2.

On the boy’s side, Southeast challenged their rivals in Beloit but couldn’t match pace early as the orange Trojans used a big late run to pull away to victory.

SES trailed by as many as 14 points but bookended halftime with a big run to take the lead in the third quarter.

From there, however, Beloit would go on a 15-0 run of their own and the Trojans in purple and white would struggle to recover down the stretch.

“We were up 54-53 but the next time you look up at the scoreboard, they were ahead 66-54 and that was the difference in this game,” SES head coach Francis Flax said. “We had a stretch where we couldn’t hit a bucket or get to the free throw line but other than that, I wasn’t disappointed with anything else we did tonight.”

While this will go down as a loss, dropping Southeast to 0-3 on the young season, there were a lot of things in this game that should reassure the Gypsum faithful.

After scoring just 38 points in their season opener, and 43 against Abilene on Tuesday, Southeast found their footing offensively with 68 points in this game.

“Gannon played better than he has all year, Owen played well in the second half, and Tiernen hit some big threes for us,” Flax said. “We did a lot of good things but it’s tough with what he have to combat their height and weight inside. We didn’t do a great job of helping on the back side but we did a lot of good things, and we’re going to have some sore boys after this one.”

Four different Southeast Trojans finished this game in double digits, led by Owen Bailey (21), Gannon Jacobson (18), Tiernen Ptacek (13), and Sam Knopf (12).

Beloit’s big three did enough to make up for that headway, with a 23-point night for Eli Johnson, 21 for Luke Cheney and 18 for Jackson Cheney.

SES falls to 0-3 while 7th-ranked Beloit gets their first win of the season at 1-2.

Southeast will be back in action next Thursday for one last contest in 2024 when they travel to take on the Hillsboro Trojans and Lady Trojans.

Both SES vs. Beloit games can be streamed any time on-demand below.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn Friday night, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams played to another split, this time in a Trojan War with Beloit on their home floor in Gypsym.Southeast’s Lady Trojans would dominate Beloit 66-31, while Beloit’s Trojans held on for an 81-68 victory over SES.<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: Beloit 31, SE of Saline 66After coming back to knock off Abilene on Tuesday, the Lady Trojans of Southeast of Saline rode a wave of momentum into this game with Beloit leading 17-12 at the end of the first before exploding for a 41-21 halftime advantage.Much of that damage was dealt beyond the three-point line where Southeast knocked down five second-quarter triples and 11 for the game.On the other end, the Lady Trojans buckled down in the second half, allowing just eight points in the third quarter and holding Beloit to two points without a single field goal in the fourth.“I thought everybody did their job tonight,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We needed to be better about working as a team because if four people are doing the right things and one isn’t, that doesn’t work. Defensively and offensively, everyone stepped up.”One notable change came in the Lady Trojan lineup where two freshmen started for Southeast, but the change worked like a charm as newly added Kyiah Samuelson led the way with 14 points, and Regan Duran dropped 12 off the bench.“Some kids are better coming off the bench and our girls know they’ll still get their minutes,” Smith said. “Regan responded well, and she gave us some big-time threes in this game. Kaya is really good offensively, she gets to the rim and we need that.”&nbsp;On the other side of the matchup Cassandra Thompson was the only Beloit Lady Trojan in double figures with 20 points including 10 makes from the charity stripe.Southeast moves to 2-1 on the season while Beloit falls to 1-2.Boys: Beloit 81, SE of Saline 68On the boy’s side, Southeast challenged their rivals in Beloit but couldn’t match pace early as the orange Trojans used a big late run to pull away to victory.SES trailed by as many as 14 points but bookended halftime with a big run to take the lead in the third quarter.From there, however, Beloit would go on a 15-0 run of their own and the Trojans in purple and white would struggle to recover down the stretch.“We were up 54-53 but the next time you look up at the scoreboard, they were ahead 66-54 and that was the difference in this game,” SES head coach Francis Flax said. “We had a stretch where we couldn’t hit a bucket or get to the free throw line but other than that, I wasn’t disappointed with anything else we did tonight.”While this will go down as a loss, dropping Southeast to 0-3 on the young season, there were a lot of things in this game that should reassure the Gypsum faithful.After scoring just 38 points in their season opener, and 43 against Abilene on Tuesday, Southeast found their footing offensively with 68 points in this game.“Gannon played better than he has all year, Owen played well in the second half, and Tiernen hit some big threes for us,” Flax said. “We did a lot of good things but it’s tough with what he have to combat their height and weight inside. We didn’t do a great job of helping on the back side but we did a lot of good things, and we’re going to have some sore boys after this one.”Four different Southeast Trojans finished this game in double digits, led by Owen Bailey (21), Gannon Jacobson (18), Tiernen Ptacek (13), and Sam Knopf (12).Beloit’s big three did enough to make up for that headway, with a 23-point night for Eli Johnson, 21 for Luke Cheney and 18 for Jackson Cheney.SES falls to 0-3 while 7th-ranked Beloit gets their first win of the season at 1-2.Southeast will be back in action next Thursday for one last contest in 2024 when they travel to take on the Hillsboro Trojans and Lady Trojans.Both SES vs. Beloit games can be streamed any time on-demand below.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V0tZ4zo6YAE"></iframe>
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Southeast of Saline splits Trojan War in Gypsum

The Salina Central Mustangs have had the Cougar’s number in this year’s Mayors Cup series, and on Friday night, they tightened that stranglehold in a doubleheader sweep on the hardwood at Mabee Arena.

On the girl’s side, the Lady Mustangs would use hot three-point shooting to pick up their first win of the year 54-40, while the boys held on for dear life to a 63-59 victory.

Girls: Salina Central 54, Salina South 40

First-year head coach Paige Talbott’s first victory in maroon and white was an emphatic one, as her fresh-faced varsity squad began to put the pieces together against their biggest rival.

After graduating eight seniors the season prior, scoring had been an issue for the Lady Mustangs, but on Friday they found their footing, scoring 33 second-half points and pulling away in the fourth quarter.

South got off to a hot start in this contest, rattling off an 8-0 run to start the game.&nbsp;

Central quickly responded with a timeout and a 10-2 run of their own to even the score at 12 apiece.

The deadlock held through the intermission, and at the end of the third, the Lady Mustangs led by just four points, but from that point on it would be all Central.

All 40 of Salina South’s points came from just three players, two of which fouled out in the fourth quarter. Without Tamia Cheeks (18) and Brooklyn Jordan (8) on the floor, Paityn Fritz (14) was left to try and do all the scoring work herself.

More impressively, Central locked in defensively, allowing just one made field goal in the final eight minutes as their offense heated up.

When the final buzzer sounded eight different Lady Mustangs had scored, led by a monster performance from Tahlia Morris, who dropped 17 points behind five three-pointers.

Salina Central improves to 1-2 while South falls to 1-2.

Boys: Salina Central 63, Salina South 59

The boy's game would be one of the best, if not the best game in the state of Kansas on Friday night, with heavy firepower and late drama to delight a packed Mabee Arena.

South jumped on their rival right out of the gate, taking a 19-11 lead into the second quarter, but much like the girl’s game, Central responded with a run of their own to cut that lead to one before half.

With Kaden Snyder garnering a ton of attention down low, Finley Waltman and Kamryn Jones got to work on the outside, combining for eight made triples on the night.

The fourth quarter was an electric back-and-forth affair with 4o points scored between the two squads, but four late Kamryn Jones free throws would put the game on ice for the Mustangs who won it 63-59.

Jones and Waltman would each finish the night with 24 points, joined in double figures by Kaden Snyder (11).&nbsp;

South meanwhile got 15 from their leading scorer Jace Humphrey, and 9 from Gavin Devoe.

The Mustangs improve to 2-1 while the Cougars drop to 1-2 on the year.

All four teams will play at home next Tuesday as Central prepares to host Goddard, and South gets ready to entertain Newton.

Both of these games can be played back any time on-demand below.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Salina Central Mustangs have had the Cougar’s number in this year’s Mayors Cup series, and on Friday night, they tightened that stranglehold in a doubleheader sweep on the hardwood at Mabee Arena.On the girl’s side, the Lady Mustangs would use hot three-point shooting to pick up their first win of the year 54-40, while the boys held on for dear life to a 63-59 victory.<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: Salina Central 54, Salina South 40First-year head coach Paige Talbott’s first victory in maroon and white was an emphatic one, as her fresh-faced varsity squad began to put the pieces together against their biggest rival.After graduating eight seniors the season prior, scoring had been an issue for the Lady Mustangs, but on Friday they found their footing, scoring 33 second-half points and pulling away in the fourth quarter.South got off to a hot start in this contest, rattling off an 8-0 run to start the game.&nbsp;Central quickly responded with a timeout and a 10-2 run of their own to even the score at 12 apiece.The deadlock held through the intermission, and at the end of the third, the Lady Mustangs led by just four points, but from that point on it would be all Central.All 40 of Salina South’s points came from just three players, two of which fouled out in the fourth quarter. Without Tamia Cheeks (18) and Brooklyn Jordan (8) on the floor, Paityn Fritz (14) was left to try and do all the scoring work herself.More impressively, Central locked in defensively, allowing just one made field goal in the final eight minutes as their offense heated up.When the final buzzer sounded eight different Lady Mustangs had scored, led by a monster performance from Tahlia Morris, who dropped 17 points behind five three-pointers.Salina Central improves to 1-2 while South falls to 1-2.Boys: Salina Central 63, Salina South 59The boy's game would be one of the best, if not the best game in the state of Kansas on Friday night, with heavy firepower and late drama to delight a packed Mabee Arena.South jumped on their rival right out of the gate, taking a 19-11 lead into the second quarter, but much like the girl’s game, Central responded with a run of their own to cut that lead to one before half.With Kaden Snyder garnering a ton of attention down low, Finley Waltman and Kamryn Jones got to work on the outside, combining for eight made triples on the night.The fourth quarter was an electric back-and-forth affair with 4o points scored between the two squads, but four late Kamryn Jones free throws would put the game on ice for the Mustangs who won it 63-59.Jones and Waltman would each finish the night with 24 points, joined in double figures by Kaden Snyder (11).&nbsp;South meanwhile got 15 from their leading scorer Jace Humphrey, and 9 from Gavin Devoe.The Mustangs improve to 2-1 while the Cougars drop to 1-2 on the year.All four teams will play at home next Tuesday as Central prepares to host Goddard, and South gets ready to entertain Newton.Both of these games can be played back any time on-demand below.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_DS8OuQ7I18"></iframe>
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Mustangs sweep hardwood edition of Mayor's Cup matchup

Chapman and Bishop Ward faced off Friday evening as the Irish Classic tournament continued. The Lady Irish blew out the Lady Cyclones 59-13 and, in the boy's game, Bishop Ward rolled Chapman 61-21.

The Lady Irish never trailed in their game as they led 17-6 after the opening quarter and 28-9 at halftime. Chapman had a 50-13 advantage after three quarters on the way to a 46-point win.

Jai Rogers, Abigail Gaston, and Avery Baer each had 12 points for the Lady Irish. A total of nine Chapman players scored in the game.

The boy's game rounded out Friday's schedule at the Irish Classic. Bishop Ward began on a 21-5 run on its way to a 40-point victory. Leading 39-12 at the half and 56-14 after the third quarter, the outcome was never in doubt as the Cyclones led wire-to-wire.

Tyler Holmes led Bishop Ward and all scorers with 25 points. Jed Moody netted nine points for Chapman and Issac Van Meter added five off the bench.

The Irish will face Rossville on Saturday to wrap up the Irish Classic. Tipoff for the girl's game will be at 1 pm and the boy's game will follow.

Coverage of all the day's games will be broadcast with live-streaming audio and video at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

By ADAM COULTER Salina Post ContributorChapman and Bishop Ward faced off Friday evening as the Irish Classic tournament continued. The Lady Irish blew out the Lady Cyclones 59-13 and, in the boy's game, Bishop Ward rolled Chapman 61-21.<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>The Lady Irish never trailed in their game as they led 17-6 after the opening quarter and 28-9 at halftime. Chapman had a 50-13 advantage after three quarters on the way to a 46-point win.Jai Rogers, Abigail Gaston, and Avery Baer each had 12 points for the Lady Irish. A total of nine Chapman players scored in the game.The boy's game rounded out Friday's schedule at the Irish Classic. Bishop Ward began on a 21-5 run on its way to a 40-point victory. Leading 39-12 at the half and 56-14 after the third quarter, the outcome was never in doubt as the Cyclones led wire-to-wire.Tyler Holmes led Bishop Ward and all scorers with 25 points. Jed Moody netted nine points for Chapman and Issac Van Meter added five off the bench.The Irish will face Rossville on Saturday to wrap up the Irish Classic. Tipoff for the girl's game will be at 1 pm and the boy's game will follow.Coverage of all the day's games will be broadcast with live-streaming audio and video at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

Chapman trades lopsided wins with Bishop Ward at Irish Classic

The Irish Classic resumed games on Friday at Chapman with the Rossville girls pulling away from Sacred Heart for a 57-50 win. In the boys game, the Knights were victorious by a 69-56 score.

The girls game began with both teams firing away with three-pointers. Adelyn Lee, Skylar Douglas, and Nicole Richards all connected from behind the arc for Sacred Heart in the opening quarter. Rylee Dick also netted points from the outside for Rossville.

Rossville clung to a one-point lead after the opening quarter with the score 15-14 and extended the advantage to 25-20 at halftime.

Sacred Heart found itself trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter, but closed the gap to 40-39 heading into the final period.

The Lady Bulldogs then opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to put the game away defeating the Lady Knights by seven points.

Lee led Sacred Heart with 23 points. Dick also scored 23 for Rossville and Nora Burdiek added 20 points.

Much like the girls game before it, the boys matchup began with several baskets from three-point range. Will Tuttle, Noah Hines, Maddox Wells, and Dom Matteucci all scored from the outside for the Knights in the opening period. Jack Donovan and Cameron Miller each had an early three-pointer as well.

In a closely contested opening half, Sacred Heart led 16-14 after the opening quarter and 35-30 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Tuttle caught fire as the Knights pulled away for good. He scored 18 of his game-high 29 to guide his team to a 56-43 cushion heading into the final quarter.

Sacred Heart went on to beat Rossville by a 13-point margin. Hines and Matteucci each added 11 points for the Knights.

On Saturday, the Knights will face Bishop Ward on their final day of the tournament. Tipoff has been rescheduled to start an hour earlier than originally planned. The girls will tipoff at 1pm with the boys to follow.

Once again, every game from the Irish Classic can be seen and heard at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

By ADAM COULTER Salina Post ContributorThe Irish Classic resumed games on Friday at Chapman with the Rossville girls pulling away from Sacred Heart for a 57-50 win. In the boys game, the Knights were victorious by a 69-56 score.<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>The girls game began with both teams firing away with three-pointers. Adelyn Lee, Skylar Douglas, and Nicole Richards all connected from behind the arc for Sacred Heart in the opening quarter. Rylee Dick also netted points from the outside for Rossville.Rossville clung to a one-point lead after the opening quarter with the score 15-14 and extended the advantage to 25-20 at halftime.Sacred Heart found itself trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter, but closed the gap to 40-39 heading into the final period.The Lady Bulldogs then opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to put the game away defeating the Lady Knights by seven points.Lee led Sacred Heart with 23 points. Dick also scored 23 for Rossville and Nora Burdiek added 20 points.Much like the girls game before it, the boys matchup began with several baskets from three-point range. Will Tuttle, Noah Hines, Maddox Wells, and Dom Matteucci all scored from the outside for the Knights in the opening period. Jack Donovan and Cameron Miller each had an early three-pointer as well.In a closely contested opening half, Sacred Heart led 16-14 after the opening quarter and 35-30 at halftime.In the third quarter, Tuttle caught fire as the Knights pulled away for good. He scored 18 of his game-high 29 to guide his team to a 56-43 cushion heading into the final quarter.Sacred Heart went on to beat Rossville by a 13-point margin. Hines and Matteucci each added 11 points for the Knights.On Saturday, the Knights will face Bishop Ward on their final day of the tournament. Tipoff has been rescheduled to start an hour earlier than originally planned. The girls will tipoff at 1pm with the boys to follow.Once again, every game from the Irish Classic can be seen and heard at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

Sacred Heart splits with Rossville as Irish Classic continues

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far guys that didn’t practice today, D.J. (Humphries) did not practice today. We’ll just keep on with this thing and see where we end up with – by Sunday. The other guys worked in and did a nice job, kind of had a little rotation going there. We’ll just see where we end up. Other than that, we look forward to the challenge of playing the Browns, good football team and well coached. They’ve got good players so we’re looking forward to that challenge – as every week is in the National Football League. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: On Hollywood Brown’s practice window opening up.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I should’ve mentioned that. He (Hollywood Brown) practiced today. He did a nice job.”

Q: Is he a guy you’ll have to hold back to make sure he feels right?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Hollywood Brown) won’t play this week, yeah for sure but it’s nice to have him back out there and going. He got a lot of nice work in today (and) you can tell he’s been working. The conditioning part wasn’t the problem, like I said, he took quite a few reps.”

Q: What has the work been like for him in meetings during this time?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Hollywood Brown) stays in tune with it. (He’s) very conscientious that way.”

Q: How did Harrison Butker do in practice?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Harrison Butker) did alright. Again, I’m hesitant to say anything. We’ll just see how he is after this practice (and) how it went at the special teams practice earlier, so we’ll just see where he’s at.”

Q: Is there a chance Harrison Butker could play?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there’s a chance. I won’t lead you one way or another here.”

Q: Are you still weighing options at left tackle for Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’ll see where we’re at with it. We rotated guys in there, so we’ll see what the end result is there.”

Q: What are your thoughts on Bill Belichick at the collegiate level?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 13, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far guys that didn’t practice today, D.J. (Humphries) did not practice today. We’ll just keep on with this thing and see where we end up with – by Sunday. The other guys worked in and did a nice job, kind of had a little rotation going there. We’ll just see where we end up. Other than that, we look forward to the challenge of playing the Browns, good football team and well coached. They’ve got good players so we’re looking forward to that challenge – as every week is in the National Football League. With that, time’s yours.”Q: On Hollywood Brown’s practice window opening up.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I should’ve mentioned that. He (Hollywood Brown) practiced today. He did a nice job.”Q: Is he a guy you’ll have to hold back to make sure he feels right?REID:&nbsp;“He (Hollywood Brown) won’t play this week, yeah for sure but it’s nice to have him back out there and going. He got a lot of nice work in today (and) you can tell he’s been working. The conditioning part wasn’t the problem, like I said, he took quite a few reps.”Q: What has the work been like for him in meetings during this time?REID:&nbsp;“He (Hollywood Brown) stays in tune with it. (He’s) very conscientious that way.”Q: How did Harrison Butker do in practice?REID:&nbsp;“He (Harrison Butker) did alright. Again, I’m hesitant to say anything. We’ll just see how he is after this practice (and) how it went at the special teams practice earlier, so we’ll just see where he’s at.”Q: Is there a chance Harrison Butker could play?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there’s a chance. I won’t lead you one way or another here.”Q: Are you still weighing options at left tackle for Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’ll see where we’re at with it. We rotated guys in there, so we’ll see what the end result is there.”Q: What are your thoughts on Bill Belichick at the collegiate level?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-13-24

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas senior cornerback Cobee Bryant was named Second Team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the organization announced on Friday morning.&nbsp;Bryant, a native of Evergreen, Alabama, becomes the seventh Kansas football player named to the AFCA All-America team, and the first since Bruce Kallmeyer was selected as a First Team All-American in 1983. Other past Jayhawks to earn a spot on the team were David Jaynes (1973), Bobby Douglass (1968), John Zook (1968) and Gale Sayers (1963, 1964), all of which were first team selections.&nbsp;

The AFCA All-America team is one of five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-Americans (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation). The teams have been chosen since 1945 and have evolved to now include each of the AFCA's five divisions. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.

With his selection, Bryant becomes the second Kansas football player to receive All-America recognition this week, joining fellow cornerback Mello Dotson, who was named a Second Team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation on Thursday night. Dotson and Bryant become the first defensive back duo in program history to earn All-America honors in the same season.&nbsp;

Bryant, who previously became the first Kansas football player to earn All-Big 12 First Team honors in three consecutive seasons, ranked third in the Big 12 with four interceptions this season. He finished his career with 13 interceptions, which tied for the third-most among active cornerbacks nationally at the conclusion of the 2024 regular season. Bryant's 13 career interceptions are also tied for No. 2 in Kansas football program history, trailing only Ray Evans, who finished his career with 17 interceptions.&nbsp;

In four seasons at Kansas, Bryant totaled 128 tackles (107 solo, 21 assist) and added 22 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks. He scored four career touchdowns, one fumble recovery (vs. BYU, 2023), two interception returns (at Texas, 2021; vs. West Virginia, 2022) and one blocked field goal return (vs. Tennessee Tech, 2022). He had at least two interceptions in each of his four seasons at Kansas, included four during both his junior and senior seasons.&nbsp;Bryant made history in Kansas' 42-14 victory over Houston on Oct. 19, as he tied the single-game school record with three interceptions. 

For his performance, Bryant was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Player of the Week, Reese's Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week and East-West Shrine Bowl Defensive Player of the Week. He was the only FBS player with three interceptions in a game this season and the first power-four player to accomplish the feat since 2022.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas senior cornerback Cobee Bryant was named Second Team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the organization announced on Friday morning.&nbsp;Bryant, a native of Evergreen, Alabama, becomes the seventh Kansas football player named to the AFCA All-America team, and the first since Bruce Kallmeyer was selected as a First Team All-American in 1983. Other past Jayhawks to earn a spot on the team were David Jaynes (1973), Bobby Douglass (1968), John Zook (1968) and Gale Sayers (1963, 1964), all of which were first team selections.&nbsp;The AFCA All-America team is one of five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-Americans (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation). The teams have been chosen since 1945 and have evolved to now include each of the AFCA's five divisions. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.With his selection, Bryant becomes the second Kansas football player to receive All-America recognition this week, joining fellow cornerback Mello Dotson, who was named a Second Team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation on Thursday night. Dotson and Bryant become the first defensive back duo in program history to earn All-America honors in the same season.&nbsp;Bryant, who previously became the first Kansas football player to earn All-Big 12 First Team honors in three consecutive seasons, ranked third in the Big 12 with four interceptions this season. He finished his career with 13 interceptions, which tied for the third-most among active cornerbacks nationally at the conclusion of the 2024 regular season. Bryant's 13 career interceptions are also tied for No. 2 in Kansas football program history, trailing only Ray Evans, who finished his career with 17 interceptions.&nbsp;In four seasons at Kansas, Bryant totaled 128 tackles (107 solo, 21 assist) and added 22 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks. He scored four career touchdowns, one fumble recovery (vs. BYU, 2023), two interception returns (at Texas, 2021; vs. West Virginia, 2022) and one blocked field goal return (vs. Tennessee Tech, 2022). He had at least two interceptions in each of his four seasons at Kansas, included four during both his junior and senior seasons.&nbsp;Bryant made history in Kansas' 42-14 victory over Houston on Oct. 19, as he tied the single-game school record with three interceptions. For his performance, Bryant was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Player of the Week, Reese's Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week and East-West Shrine Bowl Defensive Player of the Week. He was the only FBS player with three interceptions in a game this season and the first power-four player to accomplish the feat since 2022.

Cobee Bryant Named AFCA Second Team All-America

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas senior cornerback Mello Dotson was named Second Team All-America by the Walter Camp Foundation, the organization announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday night.

Dotson, of Daytona Beach, Fla., becomes Kansas’ first All-American since 2018 and the Jayhawks’ first cornerback to be honored since Aqib Talib in 2007. Dotson becomes Kansas’ sixth Walter Camp All-American all-time, joining Talib (2007), Anthony Collins (2007), David Jaynes (1973) and Gale Sayers (1963, 1964).

The Walter Camp All-America team is the nation’s oldest college football All-America team and is one of five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-Americans (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and the American Football Coaches Association).

Dotson’s standout senior season was highlighted by a Big 12-leading five interceptions, which were the third-most among cornerbacks nationally. Dotson returned two of his four interceptions for touchdowns, which were tied for the most nationally.

Over his career, Dotson totaled 12 interceptions, 177 total tackles and 37 passes defended. Dotson’s four interceptions returned for touchdowns set the Kansas school record.

Following the 2024 season, Dotson was named First Team All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Honorable Mention. Dotson’s performance vs. No. 17 Iowa State, which included a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown, earned him the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

This year is the 135th edition of the Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest college football All-America team. Twenty-five players were selected to the first team by the 131 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. In addition, 25 players were selected to the Second Team.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas senior cornerback Mello Dotson was named Second Team All-America by the Walter Camp Foundation, the organization announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday night.Dotson, of Daytona Beach, Fla., becomes Kansas’ first All-American since 2018 and the Jayhawks’ first cornerback to be honored since Aqib Talib in 2007. Dotson becomes Kansas’ sixth Walter Camp All-American all-time, joining Talib (2007), Anthony Collins (2007), David Jaynes (1973) and Gale Sayers (1963, 1964).The Walter Camp All-America team is the nation’s oldest college football All-America team and is one of five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-Americans (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and the American Football Coaches Association).Dotson’s standout senior season was highlighted by a Big 12-leading five interceptions, which were the third-most among cornerbacks nationally. Dotson returned two of his four interceptions for touchdowns, which were tied for the most nationally.Over his career, Dotson totaled 12 interceptions, 177 total tackles and 37 passes defended. Dotson’s four interceptions returned for touchdowns set the Kansas school record.Following the 2024 season, Dotson was named First Team All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Honorable Mention. Dotson’s performance vs. No. 17 Iowa State, which included a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown, earned him the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.This year is the 135th edition of the Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest college football All-America team. Twenty-five players were selected to the first team by the 131 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. In addition, 25 players were selected to the Second Team.

Mello Dotson Earns Walter Camp Second Team All-America Honors

Middle Tennessee (7-3, 0-0 CUSA) vs. (13/12) Kansas State (10-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Saturday, December 14, 2024&nbsp; |&nbsp; 5 p.m. |&nbsp; Civic Arena (3,500)&nbsp; |&nbsp; St. Joseph, Missouri

<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com</a>

SERIES HISTORY vs. Middle Tennessee

• K-State leads the series between the schools, 2-1.

• Head coach Jeff Mittie is facing Middle Tennessee for the first time in his career.

• The Wildcats are 15-13 against current members of CUSA.

(13/12) K-State Squares Off with MTSU in Bill Snyder Classic

MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;(13/12) K-State (10-1) takes part in the second annual Bill Snyder Basketball Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri, as the Wildcats face Middle Tennessee (7-3) on Saturday evening at 5 p.m.

• Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Kyle Schmidt (play-by-play) and Rob Edmisson (analyst) will have the call.

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

• K-State head coach Jeff Mittie collected the 200th win of his K-State tenure at Texas A&amp;M on Dec. 8. Mittie joins Deb Patterson (350) and Judy Akers (206) as the only K-State coaches to win 200 or more games with the Wildcats.

• K-State leads the Big 12 in seven categories: scoring offense (88.5 ppg), scoring margin (+38.18), field goal percentage (.514), field goal percentage defense (.316), assists per game (23.36), assist/turnover ratio (1.98), defensive rebounds per game (32.36) and defensive rebound percentage (.777).

• K-State leads the Big 12 and is second in the nation for assists per game (23.4). The Wildcats have registered an assist on 68.2 percent of its made field goals this season, which ranks 11th in the nation.

• Sophomore guard Taryn Sides has been on a hot streak from beyond the arc over the last five games, as she is shooting .686 (24-of-35) from long range. Sides has already established a career season-high for 3-point field goals made this season (33).

• With 38 points, senior guard Jaelyn Glenn would become the 46th player in program history to score 1,000 or more points during their time at K-State. Glenn would join current teammates Ayoka Lee (2,336 pts) and Serena Sundell (1,390 pts) on the list. When Glenn reaches the mark, she would be the fourth active player on the roster with 1,000 or more career points with Lee, Sundell and Temira Poindexter (1,673 pts; 1,560 at Tulsa).

• K-State has seen four different players register four or more made 3-point field goals in a game this season.

• The four players to card four or more makes are: Taryn Sides (3x), Temira Poindexter, Jaelyn Glenn, Zyanna Walker.

• A season ago, K-State topped out at three made 3-point field goals in a game by a player, with seven different players reaching the mark.

• For the season, K-State is averaging 8.8 three-point field goals made per game. The school record for 3-point field goals made per game in a season is 8.78 in the 2012-13 season.

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

• Needs seven wins to move into second on the K-State Women’s Basketball wins list (Judy Akers, 206)

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

• Needs 222 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds

• Needs 40 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws made

• Needs 85 points to reach 1,500 career points

• Needs 38 points to reach 1,000 career points

• Needs 70 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list

• Needs 11 rebounds to move into 28th on the K-State career rebounds list

• Middle Tennessee (7-3) has lost two of its last three games including a 65-52 loss at Belmont on Dec. 7.

• On the sideline, the Blue Raiders are led by 20th-year head coach Rick Insell. A 1977 graduate of Middle Tennessee, Insell has registered a record of 470-159 (.747) during his time in Murfreesboro.

• On the floor, Middle Tennessee is led by Ta’Mia Scott and Anastasiia Boldyreva.

• Scott, a junior guard from Clarksville, Tennessee, paces the Blue Raiders with 15.4 points per game while shooting .470 from the field. She has also hauled in 5.2 rebounds and dished out 2.1 assists. At Belmont, Scott tallied 15 points and four rebounds.

• Boldyreva, a 6’7” senior center from Moscow, Russia, is averaging 15.0 points and a team best 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.

• In the 57th year of women’s basketball at K-State, the Wildcats own a record of 248-103 (.707) in the month of December.

• Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 47-18 (.723) in the month of December.

• K-State has had a .500 or better record in the month of December 49 times in its history, including a current streak of 29 consecutive seasons.

• Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 116-21 (.847) when scoring 70 or more points in a game. The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 10 games this season.

• 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.

• K-State is averaging 88.5 points per game this season to lead the Big 12 and rank eighth in the nation. K-State’s field goal percentage of .514 leads the Big 12 and second in the nation.

• The Wildcats have scored 90 or more points in a game five times this season, which is the ninth time in program history K-State has scored 90 or more points in five or more games in a season and the first time since 2003-04 (5). The school record for games with 90 or more points came in 1983-84 with eight.

• K-State has received an offensive boost from its second unit this season.

• The Wildcats are averaging 27.8 points per game (306 points) from the bench this season and ranks 43rd in the nation. K-State has had the upperhand in bench points in nine games this season (8-1).

• K-State registered a season-high of 41 bench points against USC Upstate on Dec. 5. This was the highest bench total since scoring 47 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023.

• Last season, the Wildcats tallied 672 points (19.8 ppg) from its bench last season and ranked fifth in the Big 12 and 108th in the nation in the category.

• K-State’s bench outscored the opposing team’s bench in 26 games last season (23-3).

• K-State’s 672 bench points last season marked the second time in the Jeff Mittie era in which the bench recorded 600 or more points in a season. The top mark for bench points in the Mittie era stands at 708 in the 2016-17 season.

• Sophomore Zyanna Walker has been a reliable distributor in the early stages of the 2024-25 season.

• Walker, a product of Wichita, Kansas, has dished out a career-high 59 assists (5.4 apg) to rank second on the Wildcats. She ranks seventh in the Big 12 for assists per game and 32nd in the nation. She is third in the league for assist/turnover ratio (3.11).

• Against Eastern Illinois on Dec. 3, Walker handed out a career-high 10 assists. She owns nine career games with five or more assists, including seven this season.

• Guard Taryn Sides has kept the offensive attack rolling in her time on the floor.

• This season, Sides is averaging 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. She is shooting 55.3 percent from the field including 55.0 percent from 3-point range. She ranks fourth in the nation and first in the Big 12 for 3-point percentage.

• Sides has boosted her career 3-point field goal percentage to .428, which is second in school history (min. 2 attempts/game). She has made two 3-pointers in a game 17 times, includes three games with four or more.

• In her last five games, Sides is averaging 16.0 points on a .667 field goal percentage including a .686 three-point field goal percentage, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. She has scored in double figures in five straight games for the first time in her career.

• Against USC Upstate on Dec. 5, Sides carded a career-high 23 points, including a career-high seven connections from long range.

• With her 19-point, 5-of-7 three-point effort, seven rebounds and six assists at Texas A&amp;M on Dec. 8, Sides became the third Wildcat since 2002-03 (Brittany Chambers, 6 times; Laurie Koehn) with five or more 3-point field goals made, five or more rebounds and five or more assists in a game.

• In her debut season in 2023-24, the native of Phillipsburg, Kansas, averaged 3.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

GAME #12Middle Tennessee (7-3, 0-0 CUSA) vs. (13/12) Kansas State (10-1, 0-0 Big 12)Saturday, December 14, 2024&nbsp; |&nbsp; 5 p.m. |&nbsp; Civic Arena (3,500)&nbsp; |&nbsp; St. Joseph, MissouriTELEVISIONESPN+Play-by-Play: Kyle SchmidtAnalyst: Rob EdmissonRADIOK-State Sports NetworkPlay-by-Play: Brian SmollerAnalyst: Randy PetersonLIVE STATS<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com</a>SERIES HISTORY vs. Middle Tennessee2-1• K-State leads the series between the schools, 2-1.• Head coach Jeff Mittie is facing Middle Tennessee for the first time in his career.• The Wildcats are 15-13 against current members of CUSA.(13/12) K-State Squares Off with MTSU in Bill Snyder ClassicMANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;(13/12) K-State (10-1) takes part in the second annual Bill Snyder Basketball Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri, as the Wildcats face Middle Tennessee (7-3) on Saturday evening at 5 p.m.• Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Kyle Schmidt (play-by-play) and Rob Edmisson (analyst) will have the call.Starting 5Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball1. 200 for Mittie• K-State head coach Jeff Mittie collected the 200th win of his K-State tenure at Texas A&amp;M on Dec. 8. Mittie joins Deb Patterson (350) and Judy Akers (206) as the only K-State coaches to win 200 or more games with the Wildcats.2. League Leaders• K-State leads the Big 12 in seven categories: scoring offense (88.5 ppg), scoring margin (+38.18), field goal percentage (.514), field goal percentage defense (.316), assists per game (23.36), assist/turnover ratio (1.98), defensive rebounds per game (32.36) and defensive rebound percentage (.777).3. Assistance Available• K-State leads the Big 12 and is second in the nation for assists per game (23.4). The Wildcats have registered an assist on 68.2 percent of its made field goals this season, which ranks 11th in the nation.4. Sides Hustle• Sophomore guard Taryn Sides has been on a hot streak from beyond the arc over the last five games, as she is shooting .686 (24-of-35) from long range. Sides has already established a career season-high for 3-point field goals made this season (33).5. Glenn Closing in on 1K Club• With 38 points, senior guard Jaelyn Glenn would become the 46th player in program history to score 1,000 or more points during their time at K-State. Glenn would join current teammates Ayoka Lee (2,336 pts) and Serena Sundell (1,390 pts) on the list. When Glenn reaches the mark, she would be the fourth active player on the roster with 1,000 or more career points with Lee, Sundell and Temira Poindexter (1,673 pts; 1,560 at Tulsa).Number to Know4+• K-State has seen four different players register four or more made 3-point field goals in a game this season.• The four players to card four or more makes are: Taryn Sides (3x), Temira Poindexter, Jaelyn Glenn, Zyanna Walker.• A season ago, K-State topped out at three made 3-point field goals in a game by a player, with seven different players reaching the mark.• For the season, K-State is averaging 8.8 three-point field goals made per game. The school record for 3-point field goals made per game in a season is 8.78 in the 2012-13 season.2024-25 K-State Coach &amp; Player Milestones to WatchJeff Mittie• Needs seven wins to move into second on the K-State Women’s Basketball wins list (Judy Akers, 206)Ayoka Lee• Needs four double-doubles to move into second in Big 12 history for career double-doubles• Needs 222 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds• Needs 40 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws madeSerena Sundell• Needs 85 points to reach 1,500 career pointsJaelyn Glenn• Needs 38 points to reach 1,000 career points• Needs 70 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list• Needs 11 rebounds to move into 28th on the K-State career rebounds listAt a Glance: Middle Tennessee• Middle Tennessee (7-3) has lost two of its last three games including a 65-52 loss at Belmont on Dec. 7.• On the sideline, the Blue Raiders are led by 20th-year head coach Rick Insell. A 1977 graduate of Middle Tennessee, Insell has registered a record of 470-159 (.747) during his time in Murfreesboro.• On the floor, Middle Tennessee is led by Ta’Mia Scott and Anastasiia Boldyreva.• Scott, a junior guard from Clarksville, Tennessee, paces the Blue Raiders with 15.4 points per game while shooting .470 from the field. She has also hauled in 5.2 rebounds and dished out 2.1 assists. At Belmont, Scott tallied 15 points and four rebounds.• Boldyreva, a 6’7” senior center from Moscow, Russia, is averaging 15.0 points and a team best 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.K-State’s 12th Month Record• In the 57th year of women’s basketball at K-State, the Wildcats own a record of 248-103 (.707) in the month of December.• Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 47-18 (.723) in the month of December.• K-State has had a .500 or better record in the month of December 49 times in its history, including a current streak of 29 consecutive seasons.Magic Number is 70 Points• Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 116-21 (.847) when scoring 70 or more points in a game. The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in 10 games this season.• 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.• K-State is averaging 88.5 points per game this season to lead the Big 12 and rank eighth in the nation. K-State’s field goal percentage of .514 leads the Big 12 and second in the nation.• The Wildcats have scored 90 or more points in a game five times this season, which is the ninth time in program history K-State has scored 90 or more points in five or more games in a season and the first time since 2003-04 (5). The school record for games with 90 or more points came in 1983-84 with eight.Bench Boost• K-State has received an offensive boost from its second unit this season.• The Wildcats are averaging 27.8 points per game (306 points) from the bench this season and ranks 43rd in the nation. K-State has had the upperhand in bench points in nine games this season (8-1).• K-State registered a season-high of 41 bench points against USC Upstate on Dec. 5. This was the highest bench total since scoring 47 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023.• Last season, the Wildcats tallied 672 points (19.8 ppg) from its bench last season and ranked fifth in the Big 12 and 108th in the nation in the category.• K-State’s bench outscored the opposing team’s bench in 26 games last season (23-3).• K-State’s 672 bench points last season marked the second time in the Jeff Mittie era in which the bench recorded 600 or more points in a season. The top mark for bench points in the Mittie era stands at 708 in the 2016-17 season.Walker Handing Out Assists• Sophomore Zyanna Walker has been a reliable distributor in the early stages of the 2024-25 season.• Walker, a product of Wichita, Kansas, has dished out a career-high 59 assists (5.4 apg) to rank second on the Wildcats. She ranks seventh in the Big 12 for assists per game and 32nd in the nation. She is third in the league for assist/turnover ratio (3.11).• Against Eastern Illinois on Dec. 3, Walker handed out a career-high 10 assists. She owns nine career games with five or more assists, including seven this season.No Side Eye for Sides• Guard Taryn Sides has kept the offensive attack rolling in her time on the floor.• This season, Sides is averaging 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. She is shooting 55.3 percent from the field including 55.0 percent from 3-point range. She ranks fourth in the nation and first in the Big 12 for 3-point percentage.• Sides has boosted her career 3-point field goal percentage to .428, which is second in school history (min. 2 attempts/game). She has made two 3-pointers in a game 17 times, includes three games with four or more.• In her last five games, Sides is averaging 16.0 points on a .667 field goal percentage including a .686 three-point field goal percentage, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. She has scored in double figures in five straight games for the first time in her career.• Against USC Upstate on Dec. 5, Sides carded a career-high 23 points, including a career-high seven connections from long range.• With her 19-point, 5-of-7 three-point effort, seven rebounds and six assists at Texas A&amp;M on Dec. 8, Sides became the third Wildcat since 2002-03 (Brittany Chambers, 6 times; Laurie Koehn) with five or more 3-point field goals made, five or more rebounds and five or more assists in a game.• In her debut season in 2023-24, the native of Phillipsburg, Kansas, averaged 3.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

K-State WBB Squares Off with MTSU in Bill Snyder Classic

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: How did Harrison Butker look in practice yesterday?

TOUB: “He (Harrison Butker) looked good. You know, we have to see how he responds. He’s going to kick again today, and we’ll put a little bit more on him. I think he looks pretty good – we’ll see.”

Q: On Nikko Remigio’s return game.

TOUB: “He (Nikko Remigio) did a really good job, showed a lot of poise out there, good square catches, good decisions. That great hit was really good, that pooch punt where they – you know, the middle – he even tricked some of our guys. Some of our guys were like – they thought he made a fair catch, and he stole it. It was a great decision on his part. We have to do a better job of blocking for him, finishing it up and keep blocking till the whistle with him because he will take a little bit more of a risk but he’s smart too at the same time – really, really good job I thought.”

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesDecember 12, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: How did Harrison Butker look in practice yesterday?TOUB: “He (Harrison Butker) looked good. You know, we have to see how he responds. He’s going to kick again today, and we’ll put a little bit more on him. I think he looks pretty good – we’ll see.”Q: On Nikko Remigio’s return game.TOUB: “He (Nikko Remigio) did a really good job, showed a lot of poise out there, good square catches, good decisions. That great hit was really good, that pooch punt where they – you know, the middle – he even tricked some of our guys. Some of our guys were like – they thought he made a fair catch, and he stole it. It was a great decision on his part. We have to do a better job of blocking for him, finishing it up and keep blocking till the whistle with him because he will take a little bit more of a risk but he’s smart too at the same time – really, really good job I thought.”Q: On Matt Araiza and James Winchester being able to adjust with each of the kickers.TOUB: “It says a lot. I think I said something last week about that, those guys deserve a lot of credit. Matt (Araiza) being able to adjust – the holder is huge with new kickers. They want that ball a certain way and he’s able to just dial it up real quick. Then, James (Winchester) being consistent with his snaps as he always is. You know, they’re both veterans. Those guys were a huge part of our success with the backup kickers.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, I don’t have any wild words of wisdom so I’m going to just open it up and let you guys fire away.”Q:&nbsp;On the younger defensive backs.SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, it’s not going to be much different than it was this past week. We’re starting to play a number of people. I mean, you saw Jaden Hicks has played quite a bit, Josh (Joshua Williams) and NJ (Nazeeh Johnson) have both been in there. (I’d) like to try to keep working Chris Roland-Wallace in there, that hasn’t happened as much, but I think it’s probably time to do that. You never know when we’re going to have an injury and (when) we’re going to need these guys, so I think the experience is really good. Quite frankly, some of those guys have deserved it so we’ll get them in there.”Q:&nbsp;Where do you think your pass rush needs to be in order to be playoff ready?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I don’t know. We have to take it – we still have four more games. Right now, I don’t go too far forward. I know everything that’s lined up and I realize we won the division – that’s all great, but we’re playing the Cleveland Browns and that’s all we worry about. We’re hoping every game that the pass rush is intense and violent, and we do really well and then we evaluate at the end of each game so we keep putting guys out there and see what we can get.”Q:&nbsp;How do you coach eye discipline beyond the game?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think it comes back to the practice field, like even (during) yesterday’s practice – I mean, I began yesterday’s meeting with eye discipline – big power point, because I think that’s really important now. Back-end guys especially get their eyes tested. I mean, play action pass is supposed to test the eyes, right? They want you to think they’re running the football. We come – we’ve been harping on what we’re calling the two D’s – details and discipline, and the eye discipline is one of them. If you’re going to be a zone coverage team – or even if you’re in man (coverage), your eyes have to be on your man. When you play back there at linebacker or DB (defensive back) – at those two spots, it is all about the eyes. It begins there.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: Patrick Mahomes said some of the hits he’s taken are on him. How do you coach that part?NAGY:&nbsp;“There’s certainly a fine balance there because – especially (when) you look at third down, he (Patrick Mahomes) extends plays with his legs so if he has a good feel of getting it and he’s going to use his legs, that’s great. I think when you’re a quarterback and there’s so many elements that go into the play. Sometimes you see it for afar where it’s a guy (that) is open and for a different reason the ball is not thrown and it’s sometimes on the quarterback to trust it and sometimes it’s not. There’s different things that happen within your view from down there on the field with different games that the (defensive) line does. Trusting where to go with the football and really not trying to make – if they do a good job on defense, don’t make a bad play worse and balancing trying to do something because what we’ve all seen from Pat is the really crazy plays that not many people can do (but) he does it. It’s one of those deals where you say, ‘No, no, no, no, yes,’ that’s what he does a lot. In the general basic foundation of the offense, just staying true to your feet, staying true to your progression and trusting everybody, coaches and players.”Q: What’s it like watching Patrick Mahomes try to problem solve in real time?NAGY:&nbsp;“You feel good about it because he has a history of doing those things in his (Patrick Mahomes) career – in big time moments, that’s the other thing. It’s usually not when you’re down 20 when he makes a play like that, it’s usually a critical moment that he makes that play. That’s who he is. We want to feel good when we put in a play – do we like it? Then, on top of that, when do we call that play? If we all feel good as players and coaches then whatever they do, we’ve got to react. In that case, they dropped eight and played zone (coverage), (which was) difficult for that play that we called but it still worked. So, if you’re a defensive coordinator and you see that, I’m sure there’s some frustration but that’s Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes making a play in a big moment to win us a game. For us as coaches, there’s a balance and there’s also a trust in them knowing that if that throw wasn’t there to Travis, we feel good that Pat’s going to make the right decision and not make a poor decision and that’s important.”Q: What would make this game a success in your book offensively?