K-State Holds off Late Western Illinois Rally

Sunday, November 21

Manhattan, Kan.

Kansas State University

4-0

Western Illinois

0-4

Western Illinois

Kansas State

Nov 21, 2010 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior forward Jalana Childs scored a career-high 18 points to lead Kansas State over a gritty Western Illinois team Sunday afternoon at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats moved to 4-0 for the first time since starting the 2008-2009 season with the same record. The Wildcats now hold a 5-0 all-time record over the Leathernecks.

Sophomore guards Brittany Chambers and Taelor Karr also scored in double-figures, with Chambers finishing with 16 and Karr finishing with 10. Guard Mariah White chipped in six points to go along with a game-high five steals as K-State forced 20 Leatherneck turnovers on the day.

Both teams started out the game with a major lack of offensive production as K-State and Western Illinois could only manage a combined 14 points with nine minutes gone in the opening stanza. Western Illinois went over eight minutes in between made field goals, while K-State had to wait nearly six minutes for a field goal to fall.

But with 4:18 left in the half, K-State forward Alina Voronenko sunk a baseline 3-pointer to kick off an18-4 run to finish off the first period. Karr scored seven of her season-high 10 points during the Wildcat scoring run.

Kansas State led Western Illinois at the half 31-16.The Leathernecks' 16 points is the fewest first half points that the Wildcats have allowed this season.

K-State opened the second half on a 14-8 run to open up its largest lead of the game at 48-24 with 11:39. But Western Illinois clawed their way back in the game by going on a 21-6 run to bring the deficit within single-digits. During that run, K-State's scoring well went dry, as the Cats went over six minutes with a made field goal.

Western Illinois finished the game on a 29-15 scoring run but it was not enough, as K-State took home the victory, 63-53.

The Wildcats will be back in action on Saturday as they head to Charleston, S.C., to take on College of Charleston. Fans can follow the action on the K-State Sports Network beginning at 12:30 p.m. The contest can be heard for free at www.kstatesports.com.