(Courtesy K-State Sports Information)
WICHITA, Kan. – Kansas State used a strong defensive effort and an 11-0 run to open the second half to defeat Wichita State on Tuesday night, 48-43. The Wildcats are now 6-0 for the third time under head coach Deb Patterson and the sixth time in school history.
Brittany Chambers paced the Wildcats with a game-high 18 points. She also added six rebounds, three steals and an assist to her final stat line.
K-State used a quick 9-2 start to take control of the early stages of the first half. Chambers led the early charge with seven points, which included three layups and a free throw.
Wichita State chipped its way back to within three, 9-6, to force a K-State timeout with 14:29 to play. The timeout was successful, as the Wildcats surged to an 8-0 run to secure a 17-6 lead with 10:24 remaining in the opening stanza. Haley Texada tallied four points during the K-State run and finished with six points on the night.
After taking the 11-point lead, the Wildcats went cold from the field for the final 10 minutes of the first half, making just one field goal during the stretch. The Shockers were able to capitalize on the K-State drought and bring the K-State lead to five at the half, 20-15.
Both teams shot .300 from the field in the opening half, as K-State was 9-of-30 while Wichita State was 6-of-20. The Wildcats forced the Shockers into 11 turnovers, with K-State scoring 10 points off of those miscues.
After Wichita State cut the K-State lead to three to start the second half, the Wildcats burst out on an 11-0 run to boost its lead to 14, 31-17, with 14:50 to play.
Chambers jump started the run with a layup followed by the Wildcats’ first three-point field goal of the night from Kendra Spresser. ChamPbers converted 1-of-2 from the foul line, then poured in a jumper after Chantay Caron chased down Chambers’ missed free throw. Mariah White tallied her first points of the season by banking in a deep 3-point field goal to beat the shot clock with 15:12 to play. White notched five points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in her first action of the 2012-13 season.
With a 17-5 run over a four and half minute stretch midway through the second half, the Shockers trimmed the K-State lead to three, 41-38, with 5:50 to play. Alex Harden recorded seven points during the rally for Wichita State.
A jumper from Jessica Diamond brought the Shockers to within two, 42-40, but Caron answered with her first points of the night with a jumper in the lane with 2:09 remaining. After a defensive stop by the Wildcats, Chambers converted an acrobatic layup as the shot clock expired to give K-State a 46-40 lead.
K-State returns to Bramlage Coliseum to start a two-game home stand on Sunday afternoon against South Dakota at 2 p.m. Pregame begins at 1:30 from the K-State Sports Network on SportsRadio 1350 KMAN.
For full video wrap-ups, including analysis, highlights, coaches & player interviews of K-State Football & Basketball check out PowerCatGameday.com
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