GAME #10
USC Upstate (2-8, 0-0 Big South) at (13/12) Kansas State (8-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Thursday, December 5, 2024 | 6:30 p.m. | Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) | Manhattan, Kan.
TELEVISION
ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Brian Smoller
Analyst: Missy Heidrick
Sideline: Sophie Smith
RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Matt Walters
Analyst: Kristin Waller
LIVE STATS
SERIES HISTORY vs. USC Upstate
0-0
• This is the first meeting between the schools.
• Head coach Jeff Mittie is facing USC Upstate for the first time.
• The Wildcats are 1-1 against current members of the Big South Conference.
(13/12) K-State Ends Homestand Thursday Against USC Upstate
MANHATTAN, Kansas - (13/12) K-State (8-1) caps its three-game homestand on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m., as the Wildcats host USC Upstate (2-8).
• Thursday’s game will air on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Sophie Smith (sideline).
Starting 5
Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball
1. Lee Sets K-State Scoring Record
• Senior center and 2024-25 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Ayoka Lee needs is the new K-State career scoring leader with 2,336 points and ranks 10th in Big 12 history. Lee also owns the K-State career record for scoring average at 19.1 points per game.
2. Lock Down
• K-State leads the Big 12 and ranks eighth in the nation in field goal percentage defense (.324). The Wildcats have held three foes under 30.0 percent from the field - Little Rock (23.3), Central Arkansas (28.0) and Eastern Illinois (28.1).
3. Assistance Available
• K-State leads the Big 12 and ranks second in the nation for assists per game (23.0) and third in the nation for assist/turnover ratio (1.86). The Wildcats have registered an assist on 67.9 of its made field goals this season, which ranks 12th in the nation.
4. Sundell with 600 Helpers
• Senior guard and Nancy Lieberman Award candidate Serena Sundell became the second player in program history with 600 or more career assists (602), joining Shalee Lehning (2005-09; 800). Sundell ranks third among active NCAA Division I players for career assists.
5. Glenn Closing in on 1K Club
• With 58 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 (1,364 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 (1,648 pts; 1,560 at Tulsa).
Number to Know
1.00
• Through nine games this season, K-State is averaging 1.00 points per play.
• Points per play is points scored per play finished with a shot, free throw trip or turnover.
• The Wildcats rank sixth in the nation in points per play and are just one of seven teams in the nation to record 1.00 or better points per play.
• K-State’s top single-game effort in points per play came against Milwaukee on Nov. 20 at 1.19.
2024-25 K-State Coach & Player Milestones to Watch
Jeff Mittie
• Needs two wins to become third K-State Women’s Basketball head coach with 200 or more wins at K-State
• Needs nine 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 226 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds
• Needs 42 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws made
Serena Sundell
• Needs 127 points to reach 1,500 career points
Jaelyn Glenn
• Needs 58 points to reach 1,000 career points
• Needs 70 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list
• Needs three rebounds to move into 29th on the K-State career rebounds list
At a Glance: USC Upstate
• USC Upstate (2-8) is making a two-game swing through the Big 12, as the Spartans dropped a 92-35 decision at (20) Iowa State on Tuesday night.
• On the sideline, the Spartans are led by third-year head coach Jason Williams. Williams has registered a record of 29-44 (.397) during his time in Spartanburg.
• On the floor, USC Upstate is led by Rebekah Gordon.
• Gordon is averaging 10.1 points on a .457 field goal percentage and a team-best 9.6 rebounds per game.
Halftime Lead = K-State ‘W’
• Since the 2001-02 season, K-State is 383-52 (.880) when leading at the break, including a 8-0 record in the 2024-25 season.
• K-State is 158-19 (.893) when leading at the break under head coach Jeff Mittie.
• Since the start of the 2007-08 season, K-State is 289-19 (.938) when leading with five minutes to play including a 173-8 (.956) record under Mittie.
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 183-85 (.683) including an 8-1 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 the same game 40 times since 2021-22.
K-State Attacking the Paint
• K-State opened the 2024-25 season similar to how it attacked the 2023-24 season.
• The Wildcats have registered 30 or more points in the lane in its first nine games this season including a season-high 56 points in the paint against Milwaukee on Nov. 20 and DePaul on Nov. 27. The 56 points are the most since scoring 58 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023.
• This season, K-State is averaging 46.2 points per game (416 points) in the paint with 53.7 percent of its points from inside the lane and have outscored its foes in the lane in nine games.
• In the 2023-24 season, K-State scored 1,268 points (37.3 ppg) in the paint which was 52.0 percent of K-State’s overall point total.
• The 1,268 points in the paint were the most scored in the lane in Jeff Mittie’s 11 seasons in Manhattan. K-State has scored 1,000 or more points in the paint in four of Mittie’s 11 seasons.
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 101-29 (.777) when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game.
• K-State has held foes to 10 quarters this season with single-digits. The Wildcats are 7-0 when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game.
• Against Green Bay on Nov. 4 and against Central Arkansas on Dec. 1, K-State held each team to five points in a quarter (Green Bay, second quarter; Central Arkansas, first quarter). The 5 points in a quarter were the fewest K-State allowed in a quarter since holding Cincinnati to five points on Dec. 30, 2024.
• 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.
• K-State held Presbyterian and Little Rock to three quarters in each game with single digit scoring.
• Against Houston on Jan. 3, K-State limited Houston to 14 second half points including five points in the fourth quarter. The 14 points in the second half were the fewest K-State allowed in the second half last season and fewest since holding Clemson on Nov. 24, 2022, to nine second half points.
• 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.
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 53 assists (5.9 apg) to rank tied for first on the Wildcats. She ranks tied for fifth in the Big 12 for assists per game and tied for 19th in the nation. She is third in the league for assist/turnover ratio (3.31).
• 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 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 22.6 minutes per game. She is shooting 50.9 percent from the field including 51.2 percent from 3-point range.
• Against Central Arkansas on Dec. 1, Sides carded a career-high with 15 points, including a career-high five connections from long range.
• In her debut season in 2023-24, the native of Phillipsburg, Kansas, averaged 3.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.