K-State Sports
MANHATTAN (24/25) K-State trailed by four at the half but a cold third quarter by the Wildcats pushed the Jackrabbits to an 82-78 win at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon.
K-State (9-2) was led by senior Gabby Gregory with a game-high 31 points and she paced the Wildcats with six rebounds. With a layup in the second quarter, Gregory reached the 1,000-point mark in her collegiate career.
Sophomore Serena Sundell added 15 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
South Dakota State attempted to distance itself from K-State in the second quarter, but Gregory and Eliza Maupin kept the Wildcats close in the frame. Gregory registered 12 of her 17 first-half points in the second quarter, while Maupin added six including four on a pair of alley-oop layups.
The Jackrabbits held a six-point lead with six seconds remaining in the second quarter, but a buzzer-beating jumper from Gregory pulled the Wildcats within four at half, 41-37.
The Jackrabbits led by as many as 12, 58-46, in the third quarter. An 8-0 K-State run over a two-minute stretch brought the Wildcats back within four, 58-54, as Jaelyn Glenn capped the run with her second 3-pointer of the afternoon. A pair of South Dakota State free throws and a buzzer beating layup gave the Jackrabbits a 62-54 lead entering the fourth quarter.
In the third quarter, K-State shot 6-of-19 (.316) from the field and were 2-of-10 from 3-point range.
South Dakota State would build its lead to 14, 71-57, on a 13-3 run capped by Madysen Vlastuin's fourth 3-pointer of the day with 6:57 remaining.
A late comeback attempt by K-State brought the Wildcats to within three with 10 seconds remaining but South Dakota State made three of four free throw attempts to end the comeback.