K-State Finishes Road Trip in Emerald City 
Courtesy: Kansas State University  |  Release: 12/29/2008

Game Notes (PDF)

The Shalee Element

SEATTLE, Wash. -  Kansas State will look for the best unbeaten start in school history, as the Wildcats conclude its three-game road trip at Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. (CT). K-State is one of eight unbeaten teams (11-0) in the nation and is currently in the midst of a seven-game road winning streak dating back to March 5, 2008 at Kansas.

Tuesday night’s game will be broadcast live by FSN Northwest with Brad Adam providing the play-by-play and basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes on the analysis. Check with your cable or satellite provider for availability in your area.

The contest can also be heard live on 1350 KMAN, as the award-winning Brian Smoller delivers the play-by-play.

This will be the second meeting in the series between the Wildcats and Huskies and the first time K-State has played against Washington in Seattle. K-State has been to Seattle before, as the Wildcats played in the 2005 NCAA Tournament in Bank of America Arena and advancing to the second round that season.

K-State equaled the school record for an unbeaten start (1968-69) with a 74-58 win at Washington State on Sunday. With the win, K-State also registered the longest win streak for the program since the 2003-04 season and the seventh straight road victory.

The Wildcats were led by its forwards, junior Ashley Sweat and senior Marlies Gipson. Sweat led the Wildcats with 30 points on 14-of-19 shooting from the field. Gipson carded her second double-double of the season and the 15th of her career with 16 points and a personal season-best of 13 rebounds. Gipson also chipped in with four assists, two blocks and a steal.

Also in double figures was junior guard Kari Kincaid. Kincaid celebrated her 21st birthday with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. She also tallied four rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal.

Streaks, Trends, Milestones, Etc.
K-State is currently one of just eight undefeated teams in the nation... The Wildcats own an 11-game season-opening winning streak, which is the longest streak to open a season since 1968-69 and the longets overall win streak since the 2003-04 season... K-State has made at least one 3-point field goal in 53 consecutive games, dating back to Feb. 7, 2007... Senior guard and preseason Wooden Award candidate Shalee Lehning became the first player in Big 12 and school history to register three career triple-doubles during K-State’s win on Nov. 25 at Arkansas State... Lehning is the K-State career assists queen and ranks fifth in Big 12 history with 668 assists... Lehning has started 105 consecutive games beginning on Dec. 6, 2005, which is tied for the second-longest current streak in the nation behind Renee Montgomery of Connecticut (110)... Ranks eighth in school history for career minutes played with 3,616... Lehning ranks 35th in school history in career points with 986... Lehning is sixth in career rebounds at K-State with 781 and needs three rebounds to pass Eileen Feeney (1976-80; 783) for fifth in school history... Lehning is the fiirst player among the Big 12 schools to register 750 rebounds and 650 assists for her career... Lehning became the seventh player in school history to record 200 steals for her career with 207... Lehning is tied for sixth in school history for career double-doubles with 16... Senior forward Marlies Gipson has started 93 consecutive games, which is the seventh-longest current streak in the nation... Gipson became the 34th player in school history to tally 1,000 points for her career and has scored 1,021 points for her career to rank 32nd in school history; she needs 16 points to pass Susie Norton (1972-76; 1,036) for 31st in school history... Gipson ranks 12th in school history for career rebounds with 668... Gipson owns the school career blocks record with 211, and ranks third in Big 12 history for career blocks... Gipson ranks eighth in school history for career double-doubles with 15... Junior forward Ashley Sweat ranks 36th in school history for career points with 917... Sweat has scored in double figures in nine of 11 games this season... Sweat has scored in 77 consecutive games and is the only current Wildcat to achieve this feat (every game of her career) and started 62 straight.

Cats Equal Best Start in School History
With 11 consecutive wins to open the 2008-09 season, K-State is off to the best start since the inaugural season of 1968-69 when the team opened 11-0. If the Wildcats are able to defeat Washington on Tuesday night, K-State will register the best unbeaten start in school history.

Win Streak Among Longest in School History
K-State’s season-opening 11-game win streak is the eighth time in school history that the Wildcats have tallied a double-digit win streak. This is the fifth time in the Deb Patterson-era that K-State has tallied a double-figure win streak.

If the Wildcats finish its road trip unbeaten, it would set the school record for best unbeaten start in school history and rank as the fourth-longest win streak in school history.

K-State Remains in Both Polls This Week
Kansas State remained ranked in both polls this week, staying at No. 22 in the Associated Press poll, while holding steady at No. 18 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll.

The Wildcats have now appeared in the AP poll for 150 weeks in the program’s history, including four straight weeks this season. A season ago, K-State was ranked for the final nine weeks of the season, reaching a peak of No. 15 on Feb. 18 and March 10.

Last season, K-State entered the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll for the first time on Jan. 29 at No. 21 and remained in the poll for the rest of the season (nine straight weeks). In the history of the program, K-State has appeared in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll for 79 weeks.

The 12th Month is the Best Month for Patterson
As the calendar rolls into the final month of 2008, the Wildcats will enter December with a mark of 177-73 (.708) during the program’s history. The 12th month, statistically, has been the best month during the Deb Patterson era, as K-State has registered a 73-14 (.839) mark in December.

Halftime Lead = K-State ‘W’ Since 1999-00
Having the edge after the first 20 minutes of action has proven to be prophetic since the 1999-00 season, as K-State is 167-21 (.888) when leading at the break.

Wildcats on the Road
K-State has a 221-217 (.505) record in road games during the program’s 41-year history. During the 21st century, K-State owns a 61-37 (.622) mark in road contests and are 78-71 (.523) during Deb Patterson’s 13 seasons on the K-State bench.

Dating back to last season, the Wildcats have won seven straight road games and 14 of their last 15. This season, Kansas State is the only member of the Big 12 to play more true road non-conference games than home games (seven road contests; six home).

During the 2007-08 season, K-State finished with an 8-4 road record and set a new school standard for conference road wins in a season with a 7-1 mark, becoming the first team in the Big 12 since the 2005-06 season (Oklahoma, 8-0) to win at least seven league road contests and the sixth overall. Of the six teams to have achieved the feat, five have won the Big 12 regular season title.

Patterson in 13th Season at K-State
Deb Patterson, the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach and the longest tenured women’s basketball coach in Kansas State history, has a career record of 251-138 (.645) and a record of 104-88 (.542) in the Big 12, including Big 12 regular season titles during the 2003-04 and 2007-08 seasons.

Following the 2007-08 season, Patterson was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league’s coaches and a number of media outlets. She also garnered national consideration, finishing as the Russell Athletic/WBCA Region V Coach of the Year and a finalist for the WBCA and Associated Press National Coach of the Year honors.

Patterson has steered the Wildcats to seven consecutive postseason appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Mideast Regional Semifinals in 2002, the 2006 WNIT Postseason crown and a second round trip during the 2008 NCAA Tournament. She is the only current head coach at K-State to guide his/her team to seven straight postseason appearances. While guiding the Wildcats to seven straight postseason appearances, Patterson has defended the floor in Bramlage Coliseum successfully during this time, posting a 100-17 (.855) record at home.

Wildcats vs. Pac-10 Conference
Kansas State is 7-8 (.467) against schools from the Pacific 10 Conference. Head coach Deb Patterson is 5-3 (.625) against Pac-10 schools during her 13 seasons at K-State.

Sharing is Caring for K-State
Through the first 11 games this season, K-State has tallied 20 or more assists three times, including a season-high 23 against UTSA on Nov. 23. K-State is leads the Big 12 in assists per game (17.3 apg) and are 19th in the nation. A season ago, the Wildcats registered six games with 20 or more assists and registered a season-high of 28 twice.

The Wildcats lead the Big 12 and are fourth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio with a ratio of 1.3. A season ago, Kansas State led the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.06 and finished 16th in the nation in the category. The Wildcats were the first team to win a conference title while leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio since the 2003-04 season when K-State set the Big 12 record at 1.33.

The Defense Doesn’t Rest
Kansas State’s defense has picked up where it left off last season, holding the first 11 opponents of 2008-09 to under 70 points and an average of 49.5 points with a season-low of 22 points allowed to Alcorn State on Dec. 5. The 22 points allowed to Alcorn State were the lowest since K-State held Mississippi Valley State to 18 points on Dec. 1, 2006. The Wildcats are second in the Big 12 in scoring defense and are second in the nation.  

Following the first five home games of this season, the Wildcats have now held 35 straight opponents in Bramlage Coliseum to 70 or fewer points. The Wildcats have not allowed an opponent to score 70 or more points in Manhattan since Nov. 13, 2006, when K-State defeated Creighton, 94-79. This season, K-State is allowing 49.4 points per game at home.

During the 2007-08 season, K-State held seven opponents to 49 points or less while allowing the third lowest opponent points per game average in school history at 58.0. At the conclusion of the 2007-08 season, K-State held 28 of its 32 foes to under 70 points which was the highest number since the 2002-03 season (29).

Sweat is Offensive  
Ashley Sweat has been on an offensive tear to start the 2008-09 season. The junior from McPherson, Kan., has led the Wildcats in scoring in seven of the first 11 games of the season, as she is averaging 15.5 points per game (6th in Big 12) on a .539 field goal percentage (5th in Big 12; 72nd in nation). Sweat registered a season-high 30 points on 14-of-19 shooting at Washington State and was the first Wildcat to go over 30 since she scored 31 at Wyoming on March 28, 2007 in the triple-overtime WNIT semifinal contest.

Sweat’s offensive abilities were on full display during the Commerce Bank Wildcat Classic, as she earned MVP honors with 15.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.0 assists during the two games.

Sweat continues to climb the career scoring list this season with 917 points for her career to rank 36th in school history.

Gipson is Queen of the Blocks
Marlies Gipson became the Kansas State career blocks leader, as she tallied six blocked shots at Indiana State on Dec. 20 to surpass Nicole Ohlde’s record of 204. Gipson now has 211 blocks for her career which ranks third in Big 12 history. She is the shortest player in Big 12 history to register 200 or more blocks for her career at six feet tall.

This season, Gipson leads the Wildcats and the Big 12 with 40 blocks (3.6 bpg) and is ranked fourth in the nation. During the last nine games, Gipson has blocked 38 shots for 4.2 blocks per game. She registered a season-high six blocked shots at Arkansas State and at Indiana State. She has also tallied five blocks against Alcorn State, Creighton and UT-Arlington. She has a school record 11 career games with five or more blocks and has five such contests this season.

During the last 43 games that she has played, Gipson has blocked 110 shots (2.6 bpg) which would rank fourth in school history for a career. Following the 2007-08 season, Gipson’s total of 70 blocks set the single-season school record, surpassing Nicole Ohlde’s previous school record of 69 during the 2001-02 season.

When comparing the career blocks numbers of Ohlde and Gipson, one must remember that Gipson lost the final 18 games of her sophomore season because of injury. In Ohlde’s career, she played in 126 games (4,103 career minutes) and rejected 204 shots which is one block every 20.1 minutes played. Gipson has played in 93 games (2,619 career minutes) and has blocked 211 shots which is one block every 12.4 minutes played.

Gipson Moves Up Career Scoring, Rebounding
Senior Marlies Gipson became the 34th player in school history to surpass the 1,000-point plateau, doing so at Indiana State on Dec. 20. Gipson has tallied 1,021 points for her career to rank 32nd in school history passing Kristie Bahner (1987-91; 1,017). This season she is averaging 13.6 points per game and is 15th in the Big 12 in the category. Gipson has also been efficient when scoring the ball this season, recording a .552 field goal percentage to rank fourth in the Big 12 and 25th in the nation.

Gipson has also improved on another career category during the early stages of the season, as she became the 13th player in school history to register 600 rebounds for her career and ranks 12th in school history for career rebounds with 668. She currently ranks 11th in the Big 12 with 7.2 rebounds per game.

Race to 1,000 Won by Gipson; Two Will Follow
Marlies Gipson became the 34th player in Kansas State history to surpass 1,000 points for her career during K-State’s win at Indiana State on Dec. 20. Gipson’s total of 1,021 points ranks 32nd in school history, passing Kristie Bahner (1987-91; 1,017) and needs just 16 points to pass Susie Norton (1972-76; 1,036) for 31st.

Shalee Lehning is on pace to become the 35th career 1,000-point scorer, needing just 14 points to reach the mark (986). Junior Ashley Sweat, currently ranked 36th in school history, is on the radar (917 career points) to join the 1,000-point club later in the season giving the Wildcats three 1,000-point scorers on the roster for the first time since the 2003-04 season (Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn and Megan Mahoney).

Lehning The Queen of Assists
Shalee Lehning became the Kansas State all-time leader in career assists, passing Megan Mahoney (2002-05; 589) for the milestone on Nov. 23 against UTSA. Lehning finished the game with a career-high and a school record-tying 13 assists and currently ranks fifth in Big 12 history with 668 career assists.

Through the first 11 games of the season, Lehning has tallied 97 assists (8.8 apg), including five games with 10 or more assists. Her assists per game leads the nation as of Dec. 29, 2008 and she is ranked 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.4.

Following the 2007-08 season, Lehning finished with a K-State single-season record 203 assists and became the first player in school history to surpass the 200-assist barrier in a season. Lehning also holds the assists record by a freshman (189), a sophomore (179) and a junior. She also led the Big 12 in assists per game, 6.34, and is the first Wildcat to achieve the feat.

Lehning First Member of 750/650 Club
Shalee Lehning is the first player in Big 12 history to register 750 rebounds (781) and 650 assists (668) in her career.

Lehning is the first player in school history to register 900 points (986), 700 rebounds and 600 assists for her career.

Lehning the Scorer
When most people think of senior guard Shalee Lehning, they immediately think of a tremendous distributor of the basketball but she has also scored the ball at an 10.7 point clip to begin the season following a career-high 11.3 points per game average after the 2007-08 season. She tallied a season-high 21 points on 10-of-16 shooting against UT-Arlington on Dec. 14.

Lehning is inching towards the 1,000-point plateau, as she has scored 986 career points to rank 35th in school history.

Lehning the Rebounder
Despite being 5-9 and playing the point guard position, Shalee Lehning continues to mix it up with the big girls inside. Lehning is currently the second-leading rebounder for the Wildcats with 78 rebounds on the season (7.1 rpg) and ranks 12th in the Big 12 in the category.

Lehning’s career rebounding total now stands at 781 to rank sixth in school history and she needs just three rebounds to pass Eileen Feeney (1976-80; 783) for fifth. For her career, when Lehning has hauled in six or more rebounds in a game, the Wildcats are 50-22 (.694). 

At the end of the 2007-08 season, Lehning led the Wildcats in rebounds for the second straight season with 243 (7.6 rpg) and is just one of six guards in the nation to achieve the feat during the last two seasons. She finished the season ranked ninth in the Big 12 in rebounds per game, was the shortest player among the top-10 in the category and the only guard ranked in the top-10. She was second in the conference in defensive rebounds per game (5.84) and Lehning’s percentage of defensive rebounds to total rebounds was higher than the league leader, Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (15.0 rpg; 9.29 drpg), 76.8 to 61.9.

For her career, Lehning has 24 career games with 10 or more rebounds, including a career-high and school record-tying total of 20 rebounds against Louisiana Tech on Dec. 6, 2005.

Kincaid Kaboom 
Kari Kincaid has emerged during the last nine games as a threat from beyond the three-point line, knocking down 21-of-47 (.447) three-point attempts. For the season, Kincaid ranks second in the Big 12 and 53rd in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at .439 (25-of-57) and is third in the conference and 90th in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game at 2.3.

Kincaid has carded two or more made 3-point attempts in seven games this season, including a season-high 5-of-8 against UTSA, which was her highest output from long distance since hitting six against Michigan State in Cancun on Nov. 22, 2007.

Bench Boost for Wildcats This Season
Through the first 11 games this season, K-State’s bench has outscored the opponents’ bench, 166-119 (15.1 ppg - 10.8 ppg). The Wildcats bench has been boosted by the efforts of sophomore guard Shalin Spani (5.3 ppg), freshman forward Jalana Childs (3.8) and senior guard Kelsey Nelson (3.0).

K-State’s top effort this season from its bench came against Alcorn State on Dec. 5 with 38 points. The Wildcats’ bench has scored 20 or more points three times this season.

Following the 2007-08 season, K-State tallied a 487-383 advantage in bench points (15.2 ppg - 12.0 ppg).

To download a PDF of the complete version of K-State’s weekly game notes please click the link at the top of the page.