Kansas State University Athletics
Monday, November 12
Manhattan, Kan.
5:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
1-0
61
vs
46
Omaha
1-1
1
2
3
4
F
OMAHA
17
13
11
5
46
Kansas State
13
9
17
22
61
K-State Defense Locks Down Omaha in Second Half
Nov 12, 2018 | Women's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State used a stifling second half defensive effort to win its ninth straight season-opener with a 61-46 win over Omaha on Monday night at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats have now won 25 of its last 27 home openers, including a 5-0 mark under head coach Jeff Mittie.
K-State (1-0) trailed by eight at the half, 30-22, and by as many as 13 early in the third quarter, but the Wildcats forced Omaha to shoot 22.2 percent (6-of-27) from the field in the second half to outscore the Mavericks in the second half, 39-16. K-State was aided by forcing 13 Omaha turnovers in the second half, which K-State converted into 17 points.
The Wildcats were led by three players in double figures, as Jasauen Beard carded a game-high 12 points and added five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore Rachel Ranke tallied 11 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Junior forward Peyton Williams tallied her eighth career double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. This was the second time in three seasons that Williams has registered a double-double in a season-opener.
The Mavericks were led by Elena Pilakouta with 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Kansas State held a 6-5 lead early in the first quarter, after Kayla Goth found Williams for a jumper in the middle of the lane with 6:16 remaining in the opening quarter. Goth finished with four points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Omaha (1-1) then used an 8-0 run to build a 13-6 lead with 3:28 to play including a three-pointer from Mariah Murdie. The Wildcats closed to within two, 15-13, as Christianna Carr converted a mid-range jumper with 1:45 to play. The Mavericks ended the quarter with a Josie Filer layup for a 17-13 lead.
K-State used a hot start in the second quarter to tie the game at 17, as Jasausen Beard tallied all four points. Beard would score six points in the quarter to lead K-State in scoring at halftime.
Omaha would build its lead to nine, 30-21, with 1:34 to play. The Mavericks used a 13-5 run to end the opening half. K-State went scoreless for almost five minutes to aid the Omaha run.
Kansas State used a 14-1 run midway through the third quarter to tie the game at 36 with 2:44 to play in the frame. Omaha then strung together a 5-0 rally to regain the lead at 41-36 with 1:05 to play.
Carr gave the Wildcats a boost with a three-point play with 11 second left in the third and bring K-State to within two, 41-39, entering the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, K-State chipped into the Omaha lead by going 8-of-9 from the foul line.
Kansas State dashed out to a 9-0 run to gain its first lead since the 7:45 mark of the first quarter and force a Mavericks timeout. Beard tied the game at 41 with a layup. Ranke quickly followed with a steals and went coast-to-coast with a layup to give the Wildcats the lead at 9:08 of the final frame.
Kali Jones added a layup and Ranke knocked down a 3-point to force the Omaha timeout and give K-State a 48-41 lead. K-State continued to pour on the points, outscoring Omaha 22-5 in the final quarter.
For the night, Kansas State was 21-of-57 (.368) from the field and cooled Omaha off to an 18-of-57 (.316) effort. The Wildcats were 15-of-22 (.682) from the free throw line, while Omaha was 6-of-10. K-State had the edge on the boards, 43-37.
Kansas State will continue its season-opening three-game home stand on Friday, November 16, as the Wildcats host North Texas at 7 p.m. Friday's game is part of a "Wildcat Weekend," as fans can show their game ticket to the K-State football game against Texas Tech on Saturday and purchase a women's basketball general admission ticket for $3.
Friday's game will be broadcast on ESPN3. The game will also be available on the K-State Sports Network and for free at kstatesports.com.
What They Said
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
On the game...
"It was a hard night for us offensively for most of the night. We really struggled for much of the offense and were not moving the ball very well. You can tell the inconsistencies of us playing together. There were too many turnovers and easy missed layups. To their credit they grinded through most of the night and kind of hit a stretch there at the end of the third and carried it into the fourth. We are fortunate to come out with a W."
On offense in the second half...
"It was better. We have got to do a better job. Our guards have to do a better job. Many of our guards did not have an assist tonight. That is a number that cannot be good for an offensive team. We have to share the ball and get it to people that can score. Once again, it is my fault. We have not worked against a zone much. I feel like we are picking and choosing what we need to focus in on each day. We have talked alot about being fundamental. It was better in the second half than in the first half."
On problems from three-point shooting…
"We wanted to get Peyton (Williams) and (Kayla) Goth more involved and we wanted to get Goth more involved at the free throw line. We wanted to give her touches in there. We felt like that would give them troubles. Both Peyton and her are good decision makers with the ball so we would get easier shots for Chrissy (Carr) and Rachel (Ranke) if we got the ball there."
On falling behind early…
"I do not like players who look at the score because our job is to play the next possession really well. I caught a couple of the young ones looking at the scoreboard and that is when you try to hit a ten-point shot. I have been doing this for a long time and that does not exist. Good possessions are critical. Players tend to spend too much time on that and at the end of the day time and score will be critical at the end of the game and that is my job as a coach to manage those things. It is my job to put them in the right position."
On passing…
"Obviously when you don't shoot well your assist numbers are going to be down. I did think they passed it more effectively in the second half. Going to the free throw line was critical. We still need to make more free throws we have missed chances to cut the lead or take a larger lead but I was pleased with our ability to get there."
On facing a zone…
"We knew we were going to get 40 minutes of zone tonight which can be hard to predict how you are going to start. It is probably beneficial that we did not shoot good because it forced us to move the ball and play together. In a strange way it is probably a good struggle for us. It did not feel like that in the third when we missed some layups. I go into every game knowing we will hit adversity and have to work to get through it."
Senior Guard Kayla Goth
On being behind by 11…
"I didn't know that we fell behind by 11. At that point in the game I am not really looking at the score. I'm looking to keep my team on the game plan, keep them attacking the defense where we plan to attack the zone. Keep pushing forward."
On being a team leader….
"I thought that as a young team we stuck to the game plan fairly well. We didn't shoot the ball well in the 1st or 2nd half. Defensively we broke down in the first half and I thought we did better in the second. I think with this young of a team just keeping them on the game plan and trying to understand the scout who they are guarding and how they have to play them defensively. Something that we also missed was the steals there were a lot of passes out there that we could have gotten to. That's a learning point."
On coming back to play…
"I mean sitting out is not something anyone wants to do. But it did help those younger players get reps under their belts. Which I think helped tonight. I think tonight I thought about it more on how could I get my teammates open. I thought it went okay I don't think I played to the best of my ability. I just need to get settled in rather than having a great night. I think I was half court Tuesday, Wednesday and then moved to full court Thursday, Friday. I should have gotten more shots and done more conditioning so that I could have been able to play 35 minutes."
K-State (1-0) trailed by eight at the half, 30-22, and by as many as 13 early in the third quarter, but the Wildcats forced Omaha to shoot 22.2 percent (6-of-27) from the field in the second half to outscore the Mavericks in the second half, 39-16. K-State was aided by forcing 13 Omaha turnovers in the second half, which K-State converted into 17 points.
The Wildcats were led by three players in double figures, as Jasauen Beard carded a game-high 12 points and added five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore Rachel Ranke tallied 11 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Junior forward Peyton Williams tallied her eighth career double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. This was the second time in three seasons that Williams has registered a double-double in a season-opener.
The Mavericks were led by Elena Pilakouta with 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Kansas State held a 6-5 lead early in the first quarter, after Kayla Goth found Williams for a jumper in the middle of the lane with 6:16 remaining in the opening quarter. Goth finished with four points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Omaha (1-1) then used an 8-0 run to build a 13-6 lead with 3:28 to play including a three-pointer from Mariah Murdie. The Wildcats closed to within two, 15-13, as Christianna Carr converted a mid-range jumper with 1:45 to play. The Mavericks ended the quarter with a Josie Filer layup for a 17-13 lead.
K-State used a hot start in the second quarter to tie the game at 17, as Jasausen Beard tallied all four points. Beard would score six points in the quarter to lead K-State in scoring at halftime.
Omaha would build its lead to nine, 30-21, with 1:34 to play. The Mavericks used a 13-5 run to end the opening half. K-State went scoreless for almost five minutes to aid the Omaha run.
Kansas State used a 14-1 run midway through the third quarter to tie the game at 36 with 2:44 to play in the frame. Omaha then strung together a 5-0 rally to regain the lead at 41-36 with 1:05 to play.
Carr gave the Wildcats a boost with a three-point play with 11 second left in the third and bring K-State to within two, 41-39, entering the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, K-State chipped into the Omaha lead by going 8-of-9 from the foul line.
Kansas State dashed out to a 9-0 run to gain its first lead since the 7:45 mark of the first quarter and force a Mavericks timeout. Beard tied the game at 41 with a layup. Ranke quickly followed with a steals and went coast-to-coast with a layup to give the Wildcats the lead at 9:08 of the final frame.
Kali Jones added a layup and Ranke knocked down a 3-point to force the Omaha timeout and give K-State a 48-41 lead. K-State continued to pour on the points, outscoring Omaha 22-5 in the final quarter.
For the night, Kansas State was 21-of-57 (.368) from the field and cooled Omaha off to an 18-of-57 (.316) effort. The Wildcats were 15-of-22 (.682) from the free throw line, while Omaha was 6-of-10. K-State had the edge on the boards, 43-37.
Kansas State will continue its season-opening three-game home stand on Friday, November 16, as the Wildcats host North Texas at 7 p.m. Friday's game is part of a "Wildcat Weekend," as fans can show their game ticket to the K-State football game against Texas Tech on Saturday and purchase a women's basketball general admission ticket for $3.
Friday's game will be broadcast on ESPN3. The game will also be available on the K-State Sports Network and for free at kstatesports.com.
What They Said
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
On the game...
"It was a hard night for us offensively for most of the night. We really struggled for much of the offense and were not moving the ball very well. You can tell the inconsistencies of us playing together. There were too many turnovers and easy missed layups. To their credit they grinded through most of the night and kind of hit a stretch there at the end of the third and carried it into the fourth. We are fortunate to come out with a W."
On offense in the second half...
"It was better. We have got to do a better job. Our guards have to do a better job. Many of our guards did not have an assist tonight. That is a number that cannot be good for an offensive team. We have to share the ball and get it to people that can score. Once again, it is my fault. We have not worked against a zone much. I feel like we are picking and choosing what we need to focus in on each day. We have talked alot about being fundamental. It was better in the second half than in the first half."
On problems from three-point shooting…
"We wanted to get Peyton (Williams) and (Kayla) Goth more involved and we wanted to get Goth more involved at the free throw line. We wanted to give her touches in there. We felt like that would give them troubles. Both Peyton and her are good decision makers with the ball so we would get easier shots for Chrissy (Carr) and Rachel (Ranke) if we got the ball there."
On falling behind early…
"I do not like players who look at the score because our job is to play the next possession really well. I caught a couple of the young ones looking at the scoreboard and that is when you try to hit a ten-point shot. I have been doing this for a long time and that does not exist. Good possessions are critical. Players tend to spend too much time on that and at the end of the day time and score will be critical at the end of the game and that is my job as a coach to manage those things. It is my job to put them in the right position."
On passing…
"Obviously when you don't shoot well your assist numbers are going to be down. I did think they passed it more effectively in the second half. Going to the free throw line was critical. We still need to make more free throws we have missed chances to cut the lead or take a larger lead but I was pleased with our ability to get there."
On facing a zone…
"We knew we were going to get 40 minutes of zone tonight which can be hard to predict how you are going to start. It is probably beneficial that we did not shoot good because it forced us to move the ball and play together. In a strange way it is probably a good struggle for us. It did not feel like that in the third when we missed some layups. I go into every game knowing we will hit adversity and have to work to get through it."
Senior Guard Kayla Goth
On being behind by 11…
"I didn't know that we fell behind by 11. At that point in the game I am not really looking at the score. I'm looking to keep my team on the game plan, keep them attacking the defense where we plan to attack the zone. Keep pushing forward."
On being a team leader….
"I thought that as a young team we stuck to the game plan fairly well. We didn't shoot the ball well in the 1st or 2nd half. Defensively we broke down in the first half and I thought we did better in the second. I think with this young of a team just keeping them on the game plan and trying to understand the scout who they are guarding and how they have to play them defensively. Something that we also missed was the steals there were a lot of passes out there that we could have gotten to. That's a learning point."
On coming back to play…
"I mean sitting out is not something anyone wants to do. But it did help those younger players get reps under their belts. Which I think helped tonight. I think tonight I thought about it more on how could I get my teammates open. I thought it went okay I don't think I played to the best of my ability. I just need to get settled in rather than having a great night. I think I was half court Tuesday, Wednesday and then moved to full court Thursday, Friday. I should have gotten more shots and done more conditioning so that I could have been able to play 35 minutes."
Team Stats
OMAHA
K-STATE
FG%
.316
.368
3FG%
.364
.174
FT%
.600
.682
RB
37
43
TO
19
15
STL
8
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
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