GAME #11
North Florida (4-7, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) at (12/16) K-State (9-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Saturday, December 16, 2023 | 4 p.m. | Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) | Manhattan, Kan.
TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Brian Smoller
Analyst: Missy Heidrick
Sideline: Hannah Whetstone
K-State Sports Network
Flagship: Sunny 102.5 & 1350 KMAN
Online: kstatesports.com
Play-by-Play: Matt Walters
Analyst: Kindred Orpin
Game also available on SiriusXM Channels 200 or 211 or the SiriusXM app
LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com
SERIES HISTORY vs. North Florida
0-0
• K-State and North Florida will meet for the first time.
• Head coach Jeff Mittie will face North Florida for the first time.
• The Wildcats are 8-0 against current members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
MANHATTAN, Kansas (K-State Sports) – (12/16) K-State will play three home games in five days, as the Wildcats start the home stand against North Florida on Saturday at 4 p.m.
• Saturday’s game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Hannah Whetstone (sideline) will have the call.
Starting 5
Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball
1. Cleaning the Boards
• K-State has outrebounded its opponents in nine of 10 games this season (8-1). The Wildcats are averaging 44.2 rebounds per game and rank fourth in the Big 12. Over the last five games, K-State is averaging 47.2 rebounds and a margin of +15.4 over its opponents.
2. Big Third Quarters
• In the last two games, K-State has scored 30 or more points in the third quarters (30 vs. McNeese State; 36 vs. Missouri). The 36 points against Missouri set the school record for points in a third quarter. K-State is averaging 21.4 points per game in the third quarter this season.
3. Sundell Approaching 1K
• Junior Serena Sundell needs 48 points to become the 45th player in program history with 1,000 or more career points. When Sundell reaches the 1,000-point mark, she will become the first player in program history with 1,000 or more points, 400 or more assists and 50 or more blocked shots.
4. Lee To Pass Williams on Rebound List
• With five rebounds, senior center Ayoka Lee (963) will pass former K-State teammate Peyton Williams (967) for third on the K-State career rebounds list.
5. Double-Double in Trouble-Trouble
• Ayoka Lee has 52 career double-doubles and needs one more to set the school record for double-doubles in a career and pass Kendra Wecker (2001-05, 52).
Number to Know
35
• In its last two games, K-State has made 35 or more field goals in both games and have tallied 75 total made field goals (75-149, .503).
• Since the start of the Jeff Mittie era in the 2014-15 season, K-State has made 35 or more field goals in a game eight times.
• This is the first time in the Mittie era in which the Wildcats made 35 or more field goals in consecutive games.
• K-State’s 40 made field goals against McNeese State on Dec. 6, marked the most field goals by a K-State team since making 41 against Illinois State on Nov. 26, 2004.
Last Time Out
(13/16) K-State 84, Missouri 56 (Dec. 9, 2023; St. Joseph, Mo.)
• K-State outscored Missouri, 55-22, in the second and third quarters to capture the first Bill Snyder Basketball Classic.
• The Wildcats have now defeated a team from the ACC (North Carolina), Big Ten (Iowa) and SEC (Missouri) during its non-conference schedule this season.
• K-Stae had four players in double figures led by Ayoka Lee with 28 points and nine rebounds. Brylee Glenn carded 12 points. Playing near her hometown of Maryville, Serena Sundell filled the stat sheet with 11 points, eight assists and two steals with Gabby Gregory adding 10 points and eight rebounds.
At a Glance: North Florida
• North Florida (4-7) enters Saturday’s matchup following a 105-66 win over Piedmont, an NCAA Division III program, on Wednesday afternoon. The Ospreys made 17 three-pointers against Piedmont.
• On the sideline, North Florida is led by first-year head coach Erika Lambert. The 2008 graduate of College of Charleston was an assistant coach at Abilene Christian before her appointment as the head coach of North Florida.
• The Ospreys feature three players averaging double figures and are led by Lyric Swann and Kaila Rougier.
• Swann, a redshirt senior from Elkridge, Maryland, is averaging a team-high 11.6 points and is second on the team for three-point field goals made (25).
• Rougier, a junior from Savannah, Georgia, is averaging 11.0 points, is second on the team in rebounding with 4.6 per game and leads the team with 1.7 steals per game.
Wildcats Off to Fast Start
• Kansas State has opened the season with a 9-1 overall record.
• This is the second straight season K-State has begun a season with a 9-1 record and the fifth time in the Jeff Mittie era with nine wins in their first 10 games. The Wildcats started the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons with 9-1 records.
• In program history, K-State owns 15 seasons with a 9-1 or better start to a season.
Wildcats With 375+ Wins in Bramlage
• K-State is 384-154 (.714) all-time inside Bramlage Coliseum, which is in its 36th season of existence.
• This season, the Wildcats are 4-0 in Bramlage.
• Over the last three seasons, K-State is 33-7 (.825) in home contests.
• The Wildcats carded a 15-4 record at home in the 2022-23 season and tied the longest home-court winning streak in the Jeff Mittie era to open the season with nine wins.
• This was the 32nd time in program history that the Wildcats reached double figures in home victories. It marked the 24th season K-State has won 10 or more games in Bramlage.
• In his career in games played in his home venue, Mittie is 388-111 (.778) including an 114-46 (.713) record at K-State.
• Kansas State has protected Bramlage Coliseum with determination against non-conference foes with a record of 225-29 (.886) with an active 25-game winning streak against non-con opponents. Mittie is 71-8 (.899) in non-conference games in Bramlage Coliseum.
Magic Number is 70 Points
• Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 98-19 (.838) when scoring 70 or more points in a game.
• The Wildcats are averaging 76.0 points per game this season and have scored 70 or more points in a game seven times (6-1).
• Kansas State tallied a season-high 101 points against McNeese State on Dec. 6. This was the most points by the Wildcats since scoring 103 against Central Arkansas on Nov. 9, 2021.
• In its history, K-State has scored 100 or more points in a game 27 times (27-0) including four times in the Jeff Mittie era.
• K-State averaged 70.1 points per game in the 2022-23 season on a .402 field goal percentage. The 70.1 points per game last season was the highest since K-State averaged 71.4 in the 2004-05 season.
• The Wildcats scored 70 or more points in a game 21 times (16-5) including a season-high 93 against Northern Arizona on Nov. 25 during the Paradise Jam.
• The 21 games with 70 or more points scored were the most in the Jeff Mittie era and the highest since the 2001-02 season (23).
20-Pt Quarters For the Wildcats
• Since the inception of the quarter system in the 2015-16 season, K-State owns an overall record of 120-58 (.674) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter in a game.
• This season, K-State has 16 quarters with 20 or more points scored.
• The Wildcats scored a season-high 36 points in the third quarter against Missouri on Dec. 9. The 36 points tied the school record for points in any quarter (36, at Omaha, 12/8/21) and set the school record for points in a third quarter.
• Since the 2015-16 season, K-State has registered 283 quarters with 20 or more points with a high of 50 in the 2022-23 season.
• K-State registered five straight quarters of 20 points or more in the final two quarters against Presbyterian followed by the first three quarters at Little Rock.
Board Work Not Boring
• K-State has held the advantage on the glass this season. The Wildcats have out-rebounded its opponents in nine games this season (8-1).
• Since the 2001-02 season, Kansas State owns a record of 275-45 (.859) when holding the edge on the glass.
• For the season, the Wildcats are averaging 44.2 rebounds per game and hold a +11.5 rebound margin. K-State leads the Big 12 and is sixth in the nation for defensive rebounds per game (32.5 drpg) and are third in the Big 12 and 19th in the nation in rebound margin.
• The Wildcats hauled in a season-high 58 rebounds against McNeese State on Dec. 6. This was the most rebounds for the Cats since pulling in 61 against Northwestern State on Nov. 27, 2021.
• K-State’s largest margin on the glass this season also came against McNeese State, as the Wildcats outrebounded the Cowgirls by +31 (58-27).
• The Wildcats recorded a season-high 22 second-chance points against Jackson State on Dec. 1. The 22 second-chance points were the most since scoring 23 against Kansas on Feb. 13, 2021. K-State owns an active streak of three straight games with 20 or more second chance points.
Bench Boost
• K-State has found offense from its second unit this season.
• The Wildcats have tallied 257 points (25.7 ppg) from its bench this season and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in the category.
• K-State’s bench has outscored the opposing team’s bench in every game this season (257-103; +154).
• The Wildcats have received 20 or more points from its bench in nine games this season.
Wildcats’ Defense Forges Identity
• K-State has continued to be a force on the defensive end during head coach Jeff Mittie‘s 10 seasons on the bench.
• In the 2023-24 season, K-State is holding opponents to 51.5 points per game and a field goal percentage of .320. The Wildcats are second in the Big 12 and rank 11th in the nation for scoring defense and lead the Big 12 and rank third in the nation for field goal percentage defense and third for 3-point field goal percentage defense (.205).
• In the season-opener, K-State held Presbyterian to 35 points. This marked the fewest points allowed by the Wildcats since holding UT Martin to 30 points on November 12, 2021.
• During the last 21 seasons, K-State is 133-3 (.978) when holding an opponent to 49 points or less including a 52-0 mark in the Mittie era. During Mittie’s tenure K-State has held 17 opponents to 40 or fewer points.
• The Wildcats held Iowa on Nov. 16 to 58 points, 34 points below its 2023-24 season average and their fewest points since 2019.
950 | 400
• K-State guard Serena Sundell is the fifth Wildcat in program history to register 950 or more career points and 400 or more career assists.
Glow of Sundell
• Serena Sundell continues to fill up the stat sheet with her diverse skills and is approaching a rare career stat line.
• When Sundell reaches the 1,000-career point mark, she will become the first player in program history with 1,000 or more career points, 400 or more career assists and 50 or more career blocked shots.
• In her career, Sundell owns 30 career games with 10 or more points and five or more assists.
• At the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, Sundell owned the most diverse stat line in the nation. She was the only player in the nation during the 2022-23 season with 500 or more points, 180 or more assists and 60 or more steals.
• Since 2009-10, she was one of two Wildcats (Kayla Goth, 2017-18) to achieve these marks in a single-season. In the same time frame, Sundell was one of three players in the Big 12 to achieve these marks in a single season (Goth; Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma, 2009-10).
No Side Eye for Sides
• Freshman guard Taryn Sides has kept the offensive attack rolling in her time on the floor.
• In her debut season, the native of Phillipsburg, Kansas, is averaging 5.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Sides is the national leader for assist to turnover ratio (6.33).
• This season, Sides has three games with five or more assists and no turnovers including a career-high eight assists against McNeese State on Dec. 6. She has four games with five or more assists.
• In her first career game against a ranked opponent, at second ranked Iowa on Nov. 16, Sides notched a season-high eight points, six rebounds and three assists. She made a pair of free throws with nine seconds left to ice the win at Iowa.
Sanchez Boosting Bench
• Redshirt sophomore Gisela Sanchez has brought the heat to K-State’s bench unit this season.
• The product of Barcelona, Spain, is averaging 7.2 points on a .448 field goal percentage, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.7 blocks.
• Over the last five games, Sanchez is averaging 9.2 points on a .500 field goal percentage, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocks.
• In her brief time at K-State, the transfer from Arizona has established career season-highs in every statistical category.
• During the Gulf Coast Showcase, Sanchez had a breakout three games as she averaged 8.3 points on a .474 field goal percentage and 6.7 rebounds in 21.0 minutes off the bench.
• Against North Carolina on November 25, Sanchez notched 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and five rebounds. Sanchez helped ice the game with four free throws in the final 30 seconds.
• Against McNeese State on December 6, Sanchez tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, a career-high four blocks, two assists and a steal in 21 minutes of action. According to HerHoopStats.com, Sanchez joins Breanna Lewis and Ayoka Lee as the only Wildcats since 2009-10 to register 10 or more points, 8 or more rebounds and four or more blocks in 22 minutes or less.
Lee Efficient from the Field
• Ayoka Lee continues to put the ball in the hoop at a high rate and is among the top-five on the K-State career field goal percentage list.
• In her career, Lee has a field goal percentage of .586 (744-of-1269) and ranks third in program history for career field goal percentage. Among active NCAA career leaders for field goal percentage, Lee ranks 15th. Her career field goal percentage ranks fifth in Big 12 history.
• Lee is the fifth player in program history with 700 or more field goals made in a career and the first since Brittany Chambers (2009-13). Lee ranks fifth in school history for career field goals made.
• Lee owns 68 career games with a field goal percentage of .500 or better. She has made 10 or more field goals in a game 24 times in her career tying the school record held by Tammie Romstad.
• This season, Lee is shooting .653 (79-of-121) from the field and ranks second in the Big 12. She has made five or more field goals in every game this season including a high of 13 at Little Rock on Nov. 11.
• In the 2021-22 season, Lee shot .563 (296-of-526) from the field. Lee ranked 20th in the nation and led the Big 12 in field goal percentage. She was second in the nation in total field goals made (296) and ranked 17th for field goals attempted (526).
• Lee set a new school record for field goals made in a single season. She ranked fifth in school history for field goals attempted in a season. Her 526 field goals attempted were the most by a Wildcat since Brittany Chambers in the 2012-13 season.
• Against Oklahoma on Jan. 23, Lee set the Big 12 and K-State records for field goals made with 23. Of the 23 made field goals, 22 came inside the paint and needed only three total dribbles.
• According to HerHoopStats.com, Lee was the first player since at least the 2009-10 season to record a field goal percentage of 75.0 percent or better on 26 or more field goal attempts.
• Against Iowa State on Jan. 11, Lee made 18 field goals which was fourth in school history and tied for the fifth-most made field goals in Big 12 history in a single game.
• Lee has attempted a career-high 30 field goals twice. This was the fourth-most field goals attempted in a game in school history.
We Are An Ag School
• Fans and media may notice a stuffed four-legged friend on the K-State bench this season.
• During the summer, the K-State coaching staff encouraged the team to get gaps which are three consecutive stops on defense and to do this seven times in a game.
• Before the season, head coach Jeff Mittie asked Serena Sundell, Gabby Gregory and Ayoka Lee to make this their own and to embrace the three straight defensive stops. Enter Gap Goat.
• Gap Goat, who can be followed on Instagram (@GapGoat7), is hoisted aloft when the Wildcats register three consecutive defensive stops. Gap Goat lives at the Ice Basketball Training Center and comes to Bramlage and on road trips to get gaps.
• Gap Goat’s apparel includes a K-State jersey and gold chains with one chain featuring a goal number seven pendant.
• Gregory chose a goat because it is her favorite animal.