From K-State Athletics
Facing its Big 12-high sixth Associated Press top-25 opponent this season, Kansas State never trailed on Wednesday night as the Wildcats picked up their first win against a ranked opponent in the 2018-19 season with an 87-69 victory over (11/11) Texas on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (11-6, 2-3 Big 12) has defeated an AP top-25 opponent in 13 straight seasons. With the win, the Wildcats ended a nine-game losing streak against ranked opponents dating back to the 2017-18 season. This was the highest ranked opponent K-State has defeated since downing 10th-ranked Texas Tech in Lubbock on January 14, 2012.
The Wildcats had four players in double figures and were led by senior guard and 2019 Nancy Lieberman Award candidate Kayla Goth with her third double-double of the season. Goth finished with 20 points and 12 assists. The 12 assists tied her career-high and marks the most assists by a Big 12 player this season.
Adding to the K-State attack was freshman guard Christianna Carr. The product of Manhattan, Kansas, finished with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting including a 4-of-7 effort from beyond the arc.
Junior forward and 2019 Katrina McClain Award candidate Peyton Williams added 18 points and eight rebounds. Williams paced K-State in the first quarter, as Kansas State came out red hot from the field in the first quarter, shooting 61.5 percent in the frame on the way to a 23-13 lead. The 23 points were the most by K-State in a first quarter this season.
Williams led all scorers in the opening quarter with 11 points including a career-high three 3-pointers. Her 11 first quarter points tied her own school record for points in an opening quarter.
Goth handed out seven assists on eight of K-State’s made field goals in the first quarter, setting a new school record for assists in a first quarter.
K-State dashed out on a 6-0 run to begin the second quarter and build a 29-13 lead and force Texas into a timeout with 8:09 to play in the first half. The Wildcat defense was strong to open the quarter, as the Longhorns were held without a made field goal for the first six minutes of the quarter.
The Wildcats continued to put pressure on the Longhorns and would outscore Texas, 19-10, in the second quarter on the way to a 42-23 lead at the half. Williams finished the quarter with a pair of free throws, then beat the buzzer on a putback.
Of the eight Wildcats to see the floor in the first half, seven registered at least two points as K-State shot 50.0 percent (15-of-30) from the field in the first 20 minutes.
Texas (14-3, 4-1) raced out of the locker room with a 7-0 run to begin the third quarter and force a K-State timeout with 8:10 to play in the frame.
The Wildcats answered back with a 9-2 run, as Goth had a hand in four straight field goals for K-State to rebuild the lead to 51-32 with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter. The teams exchanged baskets for the remainder of the stanza, as K-State entered the final quarter leading, 60-43.
In the final quarter, K-State held off the rally by Texas, outscoring the Longhorns 27-26 in the final frame. The Wildcats shot 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from the field in the fourth quarter, including a 3-of-3 effort from beyond the arc. The 27 points K-State scored in the final quarter were the most by the Wildcats in the fourth quarter this season.
K-State ended the night shooting 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the field including a 57.9 percent (11-of-19) performance from beyond the arc. The 11 made three-pointers are tied for the most by K-State this season.
Texas improved to 43.9 percent from the floor (25-of-57) and were 8-of-20 (.400) from 3-point range. K-State held the advantage in points off turnovers, 20-11, as Texas surrendered 14 turnovers to K-State’s 10.
The 87 points by K-State were the most scored by the Wildcats against Texas in the history of the series. With the win, Kansas State ended a seven-game losing streak to the Longhorns.
