KANSAS CITY, Mo. – K-State was on the verge of becoming the first 10-seed to reach the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship, holding a seven-point lead with under two minutes to play on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, but a 10-1 run from (17/20) West Virginia including a buzzer-beating layup sent the Mountaineers into the semifinals with a 58-56 win in Municipal Auditorium
K-State (9-18) held a four-point lead, 52-48, and had possession of the basketball. Emilee Ebert found Rachel Ranke with a cross-court pass, and for the second consecutive game Ranke buried a late 3-pointer with 1:44 remaining. Ranke’s three pushed K-State in front by seven, 55-48.
“It felt good because I wasn't really hitting all game, but the ones that counted for sure felt good,” said Ranke about hitting another big 3-pointer. “Just knowing that my teammates trusted me in those moments was big on them.”
Ranke finished the night with 12 points and seven rebounds. She knocked down four 3-pointers and ranks fifth in school history for career 3-point field goals made in Big 12 Championship play with 14.
West Virginia (20-5) started its comeback with a 3-pointer from Kysre Gondrezick with 54 seconds left to cut the K-State lead to four, 55-51. Gondrezick led all scorers with 26 points.
K-State’s Christianna Carr made one of two free throws with 43 seconds remaining to push K-State into a five-point advantage, 56-51. Carr tied Ranke for team-high honors with 12 points. Carr hauled down six rebounds. This was the 20th time this season Carr reached double figures.
The Mountaineers charged up the floor and Kirsten Deans finished an uncontested reverse layup with 35 seconds left. After two tie-ups, West Virginia found Deans again. She tied the game, 56-56, with a three-pointer with 19 seconds left.
K-State raced up the floor with a chance to win the game in regulation, but the ball was knocked away from Carr with five seconds left. The ensuing K-State inbound play resulted in a loose ball and steal by Deans. She raced up the floor and put her game-winning layup in as time expired to send the Mountaineers into the semifinals.
K-State’s Ayoka Lee tallied her 10th double-double this season and the 28th of her career with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Lee is the sixth player in school history with two or more career double-doubles in Big 12 Championship play.
With her four blocks, Lee boosted her total for the Big 12 Championship to 11. In the history of the Big 12 Championship, Lee is tied for seventh in league history for blocks in a single Big 12 Championship weekend.
Ebert also posted double digits with 10 points. She also tallied five assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. This was Ebert’s fifth game this season with 10 or more points.
The Wildcats trailed by three at the end of the first quarter, 17-14. After a three-pointer by the Mountaineers to increase the lead to 20-14, K-State rolled to a 13-0 run to build a 27-20 lead with 3:05 remaining in the second quarter.
A pair of free throws from Lee started the rally with 8:40 left. Cymone Goodrich followed with a driving layup. Ranke then connected in her second 3-pointer of the game to put the Wildcats in front, 21-20, with 6:35 left.
Ebert finished a driving left-handed layup, which was followed by a post-up and layup by Carr. After the media timeout, K-State collected two offensive rebounds before Taylor Lauterbach finished a layup with 3:07 to play.
The Wildcats would go scoreless for the final 3:06 of the quarter, but held a 27-22 lead at the break.
K-State limited West Virginia to five points in the second quarter, tying the Big 12 record for fewest points allowed in a quarter in Big 12 Championship history. The five points were the fewest the Mountaineers have scored in any quarter this season. West Virginia was 1-of-10 from the field in the second quarter.
For the night, K-State shot 38.9 percent (21-of-54) from the field and held a 43-35 advantage on the boards. West Virginia shot 35.9 percent (23-of-64) from the floor. The Mountaineers pocketed 17 steals which resulted in a 26-11 edge in points off turnovers.
K-State concludes the 53rd season in program history. The Wildcats will return 2021 All-Big 12 recipients Lee and Carr and preseason 2020-21 All-Big 12 honorable mention selection Ranke for the 2021-22 season. K-State also adds 2021 signees Brylee Glenn, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell to next season’s roster.
– kstatesports.com –