BROOKINGS, South Dakota (Kansas State Athletics) – K-State trailed entering the fourth quarter, but used double-doubles from Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell to finish the come back to win, 79-73, on Saturday afternoon at Frost Arena.
K-State (9-2) won consecutive non-conference road games for the first time since December 21 and December 29, 2012, when the Wildcats defeated UNLV and UC Santa Barbara.
The Wildcats were led by 2022 All-America candidate Ayoka Lee with 38 points on 16-of-30 shooting and added 14 rebounds and six blocks to her final line. Saturday’s effort was Lee’s 27th career game with 20 or more points including her sixth this season.
Freshman Serena Sundell recorded her first career double-double with 16 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and five steals.
Junior Emilee Ebert chipped in with nine points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal.
The Wildcats trailed by two, 64-62, entering the fourth quarter. South Dakota State would hold a 71-68 lead with 5:36 remaining. The Wildcats rallied into the lead with a 7-0 run, as Sundell knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the score at 71 with 5:20 to play. Lee then finished a pair of layups to send the Wildcats in front, 75-71, with 3:02 to play.
The teams remained scoreless for the next two and a half minutes before the Jackrabbits made a layup with 18 seconds remaining to close within two, 75-73. Lee closed out the win with four straight free throws to provide the final margin.
K-State ended the afternoon shooting 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the field and were 13-of-18 (.722) from the foul line. The Wildcats dished out 25 assists and only committed seven turnovers.
The Wildcats gave the Jackrabbits a healthy dose of Lee in the first quarter, as she scored 16 of the K-State’s 22 points to build an 12-point advantage, 22-10. The Wildcats opened the game with an 18-3 run before South Dakota State (3-6) narrowed the game to seven, 18-10, with 0:56 seconds remaining. Two field goals from Lee in the final minute, including a buzzer-beater pushed the edge to 12.
In the second quarter, the Wildcats would build a 13-point advantage, 36-23, following Rebekah Dallinger’s second 3-pointer of the frame with 3:13 remaining. South Dakota State would end the quarter on a 14-4 run to pull within three, 40-37, at halftime.
South Dakota State took its first lead of the afternoon with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter, as Tori Nelson connected on a 3-pointer. The Jackrabbits would increase its lead to six, 50-44, with 6:13 left in the third but a putback from Laura Macke brought the Wildcats back to within four, 52-48, with 4:58 left. Macke ended the game with eight points.
K-State fought back to within two, 64-62, at the end of the quarter. Sundell connected on a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions before a pair of Lee free throws ended the quarter.
K-State returns to Bramlage Coliseum next Saturday, December 18, as the Wildcats host Oregon at 6:30 p.m.
