MANHATTAN, Kansas (KStateSports.com) – K-State held a two-point halftime edge over Colorado following a sneaky play from Serena Sundell, but a cold effort from the field in the second half closed out the season for the Wildcats, 63-50, in the second round of the of the Albany 2 Region in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.
For the seventh time this season, K-State (26-8) saw the trio of Gabby Gregory (12 points), Serena Sundell (11) and Ayoka Lee (10 points) score in double figures in the same game.
Gregory scored a team-high 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Sundell notched 11 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Lee tallied her 60th career double-double with 10 points, a game-high 11 rebounds and six blocked shots. This was Lee’s second career double-double in an NCAA Tournament game, tying the school record for an NCAA Tournament career.
Colorado (24-9), which advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2002, was led by Maddie Nolan with 11 points and Quay Miller with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
– K-State used a 12-1 run spanning the end of the first quarter to 6:48 in the second quarter to build a 22-15 lead and force a Colorado timeout. Trailing 14-10, Jaelyn Glenn opened the rally with a layup and the Wildcats closed the quarter with a jumper from Serena Sundell as time expired. Taryn Sides then hit K-State’s first 3-pointer of the afternoon with 8:05 remaining in the second frame and was quickly followed by a 3-pointer from Gabby Gregory. Gregory then carded a layup on the next possession to force the timeout by the Buffaloes.
– Colorado used a 9-0 run to tie the game at 33, capped by a layup from Aaronette Vonleh with 1:11 to play.
– K-State had a baseline inbound with 1.1 seconds remaining in the first half. Sundell proceeded to bounce the ball off the back of Brianna McLeod, catch and shoot to send the Wildcats into the locker room with a 35-33 lead.
– K-State’s 21 points in the second quarter set the school record for points in a second quarter in an NCAA Tournament game.
– Following a layup from Lee with 7:57 remaining in the third quarter, Colorado used an 11-2 run to take a 48-41 lead with 2:28 to play in the third quarter.
– Colorado would win the third quarter, 19-7, as the Wildcats were held to 20.0 percent (3-of-15) shooting in the third and trail 52-42 entering the fourth stanza.
– K-State pulled to within six points, 52-46, with 7:44 remaining following a steal and layup from Jaelyn Glenn and forcing a Colorado timeout. Both teams would go scoreless over the next four minutes before Miller finished a layup with 3:41 to play to push the Buffaloes back into a 54-46 lead.
– Gregory buried her second 3-pointer of the game on K-State’s next possession to close within five, 54-49, with 3:20 to play. Colorado would hold K-State without a field goal for the final 3:19 of game and ending the contest on a 9-1 run.
– K-State shot 38.5 percent (20-of-52) from the field and shot just 50.0 percent (5-of-10) from the free throw line. The Wildcats were forced into 22 turnovers, which led to 19 points for the Buffaloes.
– Colorado was held to 35.1 percent (20-of-57) from the floor, but shot 76.0 percent (19-of-25) from the foul line.
QUICK FACTS
– K-State leads the series with Colorado, 35-34. The Wildcats are 18-14 against the Buffaloes in games played in Manhattan. This was the first meeting between the schools in the NCAA Tournament.
– The Wildcats own an all-time record of 15-18 in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are 8-3 record in NCAA Tournament games played in Manhattan.
– Head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 644-370 (.635) in 32 seasons as a head coach and is 190-135 (.585) during his 10-seasons at K-State. Mittie is 4-5 in his five NCAA Tournament appearances with K-State.
– K-State is 396-156 (.717) in its 36-season history inside Bramlage Coliseum, including a 16-2 mark this season. The Wildcats own a 229-30 (.884) record against non-conference opponents inside Bramlage.
– K-State owns a record of 248-95 (.723) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 12-8 (.600) all-time when ranked 15th in the nation. The Wildcats are 5-4 against AP ranked opponents this season. K-State is 4-10 (.286) all-time against AP teams ranked 17th.
– Today’s attendance in Bramlage Coliseum was 10,692, which was the largest women’s basketball crowd in Bramlage since Dec. 11, 2016, against UConn (12,528). K-State is 18-6 (.750) when the crowd is 10,000 or larger inside Bramlage Coliseum.
– K-State’s overall season attendance inside Bramlage in 2023-24 was 99,552, which is the fifth-largest single-season attendance total in program history.
TEAM NOTES
– K-State’s starting five consisted of guards: Jaelyn Glenn, Serena Sundell, Brylee Glenn, Gabby Gregory and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 27th time (21-6) this starting five has been used this season. This was the 114th career start for Lee, the 112th collegiate career start and the 66th start at K-State for Gregory, the 103rd career start for Sundell, the 99th career start for Jaelyn Glenn and the 93rd career start for Brylee Glenn.
– The Wildcats held a 35-33 lead at halftime on Sunday. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 150-19 (.888) when leading at halftime, including a 21-2 record this season.
– K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter once on Sunday. This season, the Wildcats had 48 quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better. The 48 quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better is the highest in program history since the start of the quarter system in 2015-16.
– The Wildcats were 19-1 this season when holding opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field.
– With its eight blocked shots on Sunday, K-State set the school record for blocks in a single-season with 178.
– With 13 assists on Sunday, K-State set the school record for assists in a season with 631.
PLAYER NOTES
– Lee tallied her 60th career double-double. This was her second career double-double in an NCAA tournament game, tying the school record with Kendra Wecker and Nicole Ohlde.
– Lee recorded her 105th career game with 10 or more points. Lee has scored in every game of her career (114 games). Lee’s career point total stands at 2,194 and trails Nicole Ohlde (2000-04; 2,241) for second on the K-State career scoring list.
– Lee has shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in 78 career games.
– Lee hauled in 11 rebounds on Sunday. Lee’s career total for rebounds stands at 1,118, improving upon her own school record for career rebounds. Lee remains in ninth in Big 12 history for career rebounds. This was Lee’s 105th career game with five or more rebounds. Lee’s 11 rebounds today pushed her into a tie for third in program history for career NCAA Tournament rebounds with 43, joining Angie Bonner’s (1981-84) total of 43.
– Lee improved her career blocked shot total to 310, improving her school record for career blocked shots. Her six blocks tied the school record for blocks in an NCAA Tournament game, joining Breanna Lewis and her six blocks against George Washington on March 18, 2016. This was Lee’s 83rd career game with two or more blocked shots and her 21st career game with five or more blocks improving upon her own school record. Lee ranks fifth all-time in Big 12 history for career blocked shots. Lee’s nine career blocks in NCAA Tournament games ties the school record for an NCAA Tournament career.
– Sundell notched her 71st career game with 10 or more points, including her 26th this season. Sundell owns 1,263 career points and moved into 22nd on the K-State career scoring list passing Kayla Goth (2015-19; 1,253).
– Sundell made two 3-pointers on Sunday. This was her 25th career game and her 11th this season with two or more connections from 3-point range.
– Sundell’s six assists on Sunday improved her career total to 549 and ranks fourth in school history for career assists. This was Sundell’s 65th career game with five or more assists. Sundell’s assist total this season (189) ranks tied for fifth in school history for a single season.
– Gregory registered her 85th career game, her 44th at K-State and her 15th this season with 10 or more points.
– Gregory made two 3-pointers on Sunday, which was the 71st time in her career with two or more connections from long range, including 17 games this season.
TO CLOSE
K-State completed the 56th season in program history, as the Wildcats achieved its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and collected 26 wins for the first time since the 2002-03 season. The Wildcats were ranked among the Associated Press top-25 for 18 consecutive weeks, including a high of number two in the nation on January 29.
