LUBBOCK, Texas (Kansas State Athletics) – K-State, ranked 25th in the Associated Press top-25 this week, got off to a slow start on Saturday afternoon at United Supermarkets Arena and were unable to overcome a double-figure halftime deficit to fall at Texas Tech, 64-45.
Texas Tech (9-7, 2-3 Big 12) dashed out to a 23-7 lead after the first quarter. The Wildcats were held to 23.1 percent shooting (3-of-13) from the field, while the Lady Raiders checked in at 52.6 percent (10-of-19). The 23 points allowed by K-State in the first stanza were the most the Wildcats have allowed in an opening quarter this season.
K-State (13-4, 3-2 Big 12) closed the deficit to 14, 34-20, with 3:34 remaining in the second quarter after Serena Sundell buried a 3-pointer. The Lady Raiders used a 6-0 run to increase its lead to 40-20 before Cymone Goodrich ended the quarter with a layup to pull the Wildcats within 18, 40-22.
The 18-point halftime deficit was the largest of the season for the Wildcats, as they shot 28.1 percent (9-of-32) in the opening the half.
K-State used a 21-13 third quarter to pull to within 10, 53-43, at the end of the frame. Sundell tallied nine of K-State’s 21 points in the third quarter on 3-of-5 shooting and a 2-of-2 effort from the free throw line.
Texas Tech used an 11-2 fourth quarter to increase its lead back to 17, 62-45. Over the final five and a half minutes of the fourth quarter, K-State was 0-of-12 from the field
Sundell and Ayoka Lee led the Wildcats with 12 points each. Lee paced the Wildcats with eight rebounds and three blocks.
K-State finished the afternoon by shooting its second-lowest percentage of the season at 28.6 percent (18-of-63). Texas Tech shot 45.0 percent (27-of-60) from the field. The Lady Raiders held a 44-36 edge on the boards. Texas Tech was paced by Vivian Gray with 23 points, while Bryn Gerlich added 16.
K-State will return to Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats host Kansas in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at 6:30 p.m.
