Manhattan, KS (Randy Peterson) – Behind a dominant performance on the boards from Breanna Lewis, Kansas State defeated Kansas Wednesday night in Bramlage Coliseum, 73-60. K-State improved to 9-1 at home this season and secured the 28th win in the last 34 games over the Jayhawks including a 6-0 mark in the Jeff Mittie era.
Kansas State (13-4, 3-2 Big 12) was led by Lewis with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Lewis, a Naismith Trophy candidate, recorded her 17th career double-double and her fifth this season. Junior guard Karyla MIddlebrook added 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Kansas (6-10, 0-5 Big 12) was led by junior Jessica Washington, who came off the bench to score 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including 7-of-10 from downtown.
K-State shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, while Kansas shot 37.5 percent (21-of-56). The Wildcats had the edge on the boards for the 13th time this season, 41-31, and outscored the Jayhawks 38-20 in the paint.
The Wildcats raced out to a 16-0 lead, as Lewis dominated the glass with seven offensive rebounds in the first five minutes while also tallying seven points. Kansas answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to push within 10, but K-State extended the lead back to 13 twice before taking a 22-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats and Jayhawks traded baskets for the first five minutes of the second quarter before a Washington 3-pointer trimmed the lead to nine, 30-21, and forced a K-State timeout with 4:09 to play in the half.
The Jayhawks held K-State to just one field goal in the last five minutes of the first half to cut the Wildcat lead to seven, 33-26, to close the half.
Lewis led the way for the Wildcats in the opening half, scoring nine points and setting a team season-high with eight offensive rebounds. Middlebrook and Kaylee Page each added six points.
In the opening half, K-State shot just 34.3 percent (12-of-35) but tallied 14 offensive rebounds and outscored the Jayhawks 13-3 on second chance points. Kansas was held to 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from the field in the first half.
K-State opened the second half on a 12-0 run behind three consecutive layups and extended their lead to 47-30 with 4:46 to go in the third quarter.
After a Kylee Kopatich 3-pointer, Kindred Wesemann drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Wildcats up 57-36 after three quarters.
The Wildcats pushed their lead to 25 two separate times early in the fourth quarter before the Jayhawks used an 8-0 run to fight back within 11 at the 1:48 mark. K-State made free throws down the stretch to secure the victory, 73-60.
K-State returns to the road this weekend, as the Wildcats travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma State on Saturday. Game time at Gallagher-Iba Arena is set for 4 p.m.
