K-State downs KU in Sunflower Showdown
LAWRENCE, Kansas – K-State used a hot third quarter from Christianna Carr and double-double performances from Ayoka Lee and Peyton Williams to capture the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse, 69-61, over Kansas.
“I think every time we play this game it has been one of these knock it out type games that isn’t played real well and looks good in terms of the score,” said K-State head coach Jeff Mittie. “I thought their physicality bothered us early. I thought as the game went on, we were more comfortable and we ran some things that our players did a nice job of.”
K-State secured the 75th win in the series and holds an overall record against Kansas of 75-47. The Wildcats have won 34 of the last 41 meetings in the series with the Jayhawks.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, as K-State (9-9, 3-4 Big 12) held a 24-22 lead. The Wildcats caught fire from 3-point range going 5-of-7 in the first six minutes to build a 43-37 lead. Carr connected on three, while Angela Harris and Williams added one each.
After the media timeout, Carr buried her fourth 3-pointer of the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 46-37 lead. Carr’s four 3-pointers tied the school record for 3-point field goals made in a third quarter.
“It is nice to be able to get back on the making side of things after a long couple games,” said Carr. “I was just thinking next play. I wanted to be ready for different things. If I had an open shot I was going to take it, but also be ready if they ran at me to drive or kick.”
Kansas would close the deficit to three, 48-45, at the conclusion of the third stanza by using an 8-2 run.
To begin the fourth quarter, Ayoka Lee scored five straight points for the Wildcats and keep K-State in front, 55-50, with 5:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. Kansas (12-7, 1-7) would pull to within one possession, 55-52, with 4:41 remaining.
K-State’s defense would lock down the Jayhawks in the final four minutes, as the Wildcats outscored Kansas, 14-9, to secure the victory.
K-State was led by Carr’s game-high 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting including a 4-of-9 effort from beyond the arc. This was her fourth 20-point game of the season and her first in Big 12 action this season.
Lee added to her double-double tally with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year candidate has 10 double-doubles this season, which are the most by a K-State freshman since Kendra Wecker set the freshman record at 12 in the 2001-02 season.
For the sixth time this season, Williams joined Lee with a double-double as she carded 17 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. The product of Topeka, Kansas, tallied her 30th career double-double and is the third player in program history with 30 or more career double-doubles.
The Wildcats shot 37.1 percent (23-of-62) for the night, including a 6-of-14 effort from 3-point range. The Jayhawks were held to a 33.3 percent performance (24-of-72).
K-State concludes a two-game road trip on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU at 1 p.m. Saturday’s game can be seen on FOX Sports Southwest and can be heard on the K-State Sports Network and for free at kstatesports.com.
Courtesy: K-State Athletics