LAWRENCE, Kan. – (11/11) K-State used a complete team effort to ease past Kansas, 91-64, in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Sunday afternoon in Allen Fieldhouse. This was K-State’s largest margin of victory in the series since a 33-point win at home in the 2008-09 season.
K-State (21-2, 9-1 Big 12) saw all nine players score at least three points and registered four players in double digits led by senior guard Jaelyn Glenn with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Sophomore guard Taryn Sides tallied 14 points on a 4-of-9 performance and added eight assists and four rebounds.
Sophomore guard Zyanna Walker added 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Senior forward Temira Poindexter registered 12 points, three rebounds and two steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- K-State owned the opening 20 minutes, as the Wildcats shot 60.0 percent (15-of-25) from the field to build a 37-25 lead at halftime. Eight of the nine players to see the floor in the opening half for K-State registered two or more points and were led by Jaelyn Glenn with eight points, while Zyanna Walker carded seven.
- The Wildcats distanced themselves from the Jayhawks early in the second quarter, using a 10-0 run in the first three minutes highlighted by Glenn scoring five of the 10 points.
- K-State raced out of the halftime locker room with an 11-2 run to build a 48-27 lead and force a Kansas timeout with 6:49 to play in third quarter. Walker opened the scoring with a layup and was followed by four points from Kennedy Taylor. Walker carded a fastbreak layup before Sides buried a corner three-pointer to force the timeout.
- The Wildcats continued to roll in the third quarter, outscoring the Jayhawks 30-13 in the third to build a 67-38 lead. K-State forced Kansas into 11 turnovers in the third quarter.
- Kansas (14-8, 4-7) would win the fourth quarter, 26-24, and shot 69.2 percent in the final stanza.
- For the game, K-State shot 59.6 percent (34-of-57) from the field. This was its second-highest field goal percentage of the season and trails only a 60.0 percent effort against Milwaukee on Nov. 20.
- The Wildcats made a season-high 15 three-pointers on just 23 attempts. The 15 made 3-pointers was one away from tying the school record for 3-point field goals made in a game (twice: vs. Oklahoma State, Jan. 23, 2013; at Omaha, Dec. 8, 2021). The 65.2 percent performance from long distance is a season-high and the highest for a K-State team since at least the 2009-10 season (min. 20 attempts).
- K-State dished out 26 assists on its 34 made field goals.
QUICK FACTS
- K-State leads the series with Kansas, 81-51. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 21-10 in his career against Kansas, including an 18-5 mark during his time at K-State. The Wildcats are 34-29 in games played in Lawrence between the schools.
- The Wildcats are 241-243 (.498) in its history in Big 12 games.
- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 665-372 (.641), including a mark of 211-137 (.606).
- K-State owns a record of 269-97 (.735) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 33-5 (.868) all-time when ranked 11th in the nation.
- The Wildcats are 233-201 (.537) in games played in the month of February. Under Mittie, K-State is 36-42 (.462) in games during the second month. K-State has notched a .500 or better record in the month of February 27 times.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forwards Temira Poindexter and Kennedy Taylor. This was the fourth time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 126th career start for Sundell, the 122nd career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 110th career collegiate start and 23rd at K-State for Poindexter, the 45th career start and fourth at K-State for Taylor and the 23rd career start for Walker. Sundell remains in fifth in program history for career starts. With her 121st career start, Glenn remains in 10th in program history for career starts.
- The Wildcats held a 37-25 lead at halftime on Sunday. Under Mittie, K-State is 170-19 (.899) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 20 games this season (20-0).
- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in all four quarters on Sunday. The Wildcats have 56 quarters this season, which are the most in program history for a full season, of 50.0 percent or better shooting.
- K-State is 20-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points, including a 14-0 mark when scoring 80 or more points. This was K-State’s seventh game this season with 90 or more points and trails only the school record of eight set in 1983-84.
- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 49 times this season, including the first, third and fourth quarters on Sunday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 153-62 (.712) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.
- K-State improved to 109-8 (.932) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in 17 games this season (17-0).
PLAYER NOTES
- Glenn reached double figures for 52nd time in her career and the 13th time this season. Glenn moved into 38th on the K-State career scoring list with 1,082 points.
- Glenn connected on five 3-pointers on Sunday. This was her eighth career game with four or more connections and her 62nd career game with two or more 3-pointers made. She improves her career total to 201 three-point field goals made and remains in eighth in school history. She is the eighth player in program history with 200 or more career 3-point field goals made.
- Sides reached double figures for the 11th time this season and the 14th time in her career.
- Sides knocked down four 3-pointers on Sunday. She has made four or more 3-pointers in a game five times in her career. This was her 24th career game and her 16th this season with two or more connections from long range.
- Walker reached double figures for the 19th time in her career and the eighth time this season.
- With her 12 points on Sunday, Poindexter increased her collegiate point total to 1,849 points (1,560 at Tulsa; 289 at K-State).
- Poindexter made three 3-pointers on Sunday. This was her 70th career game and her 16th this season with two or more connections.
- Eliza Maupin registered a career-high three blocks on Sunday. This was her sixth career game with two or more blocks.
- Sundell owns 1,565 career points and remains in 10th on the K-State career scoring list.
- Sundell’s five assists on Sunday improved her career total to 715. She is the second player in program history with 700 or more assists (Shalee Lehning, 2005-09; 800). This was her 84th career game with five or more assists and her 19th this season.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
Opening statement...
"We got good production from everybody that played in this game. I thought our centers gave us a big lift today. We thought from Kennedy to getting off Liza mopping, blocking shots Imani Lester, continuing to play solid, very good minutes across the board."
On matchup with KU in 20 days...
"I thought we played well today. I mean, Kansas is a talented team. It'll be a different ball game. I'm sure in 20 days, in terms of, just like any time you play somebody twice in a league, they'll make adjustments. But boy, 20 days seems like an eternity right now when you're in the midst of this. So, you know, we'll evaluate the film of what we can do better. I don't have a lot of qualms, other than we gave up some drives late in the game that we can do better, but I'll just say today, really proud of our group for playing well."
On players stepping up with Sundell in foul trouble...
"I thought these two both had great days. I thought Zy Walker continued to defend all day, really, we got good production across the board. You know, Serena picked up the early fouls and but I thought Serena came back in and did what she needed to do, too. Led us in a lot of ways. We were able to run offense through her but Taryn and Jaelyn both played very well today, and I thought Zy Walker played with a lot of energy at the defensive end and gave us a lot of good plays in that area."
FROM THE FLOOR
K-State Senior Guard Jaelyn Glenn
On the third quarter...
"We wanted to come out hot, come out with a lot of energy, yeah, and just make a big push in the third quarter. Didn't want them to make the push first."
On winning at Kansas for the first time...
"It's super exciting. Nice to go out with a bang. And it was a really fun game. It was a really good game."
K-State Sophomore Guard Taryn Sides
On shooting 65 percent from 3...
"Probably not like that. No, 65% that's pretty, pretty good from three. I think just goes to show when we push the ball and just find open players and play well together. Anyone can knock down that shot, and that's fun basketball."
On the third quarter...
"Coach Mittie said this is where they're going to get their push. So we got to push back at them, and we got to make them call the first timeout after the half. And they did. We did a really good job bringing energy and just making shots after halftime."
UP NEXT
K-State returns to Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m., as the Wildcats host (9/9) TCU. For tickets, visit kstatesports.com/tickets or call (800) 221-CATS.