K-State Opens Season with Four-Game Home Stand

GAME #1
Omaha (0-1) at (rv/rv) Kansas State (0-0)
Friday, November 8, 2019 | 6:30 p.m. | Bramlage Coliseum | Manhattan, Kansas

TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ (https://k-st.at/2WmpJWm)
• James Westling (play-by-play)
• Missy Heidrick (analyst)
• Anna Christianson (sideline)

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
• Mitch Fortner (play-by-play)
• Kelly Thomson (analyst)
Listen Online: www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

TICKETS & PROMOTIONS
• Call 800-221-CATS or visit kstatesports.com

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com

COACHES
Kansas State: Jeff Mittie (Missouri Western '89)
Overall: 554-301/28th season | At K-State: 100-66/6th season

Omaha: Brittany Lange (Iowa State '10)
Overall: 73-102/7th season | At Omaha: Same

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (based on previous game)
Kansas State (0-0)
G: #3 Angela Harris | F: #11 Peyton Williams | G: #12 Rachel Ranke | G: #43 Christianna Carr | C: #50 Ayoka Lee

Omaha (0-1)
C: #5 Elena Pilakouta | G: #10 Ella Ogier | G: #11 Claire Killian | G: #12 Mikaela Eldahl | C: #33 Mariah Murdie

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads, 5-0
In Manhattan: 3-0
Last Meeting: November 12, 2018; K-State won 61-46 in Manhattan

MANHATTAN, Kansas - Kansas State begins its 52nd season on Friday, as the Wildcats host Omaha at 6:30 p.m., in Bramlage Coliseum.

• Friday's game can be seen live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as James Westling (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Anna Christianson (sideline) will have the call.
• For the first time in K-State women's basketball history, the Wildcats will open consecutive seasons with the same opponent as the Wildcats downed the Mavericks in the 2018-19 opener, 61-46, on November 12.
• K-State completed a two-game exhibition schedule with a pair of wins - 75-59 over Washburn and 78-60 over Fort Hays State.
• Redshirt freshman Ayoka Lee led the Wildcats with 21.0 points on a .739 field goal percentage, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in both games.
• Senior Jasauen Beard also saw action in both games and averaged 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. She was also 11-of-11 from the foul line in the two games.

Starting 5
Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women's basketball
1. Home Openers
• Kansas State has won 25 of its last 27 home openers in Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats are 42-9 (.824) all-time in home openers and 27-4 (.871) in openers in Bramlage.
2. 20-Point Quarters
• In four of the eight quarters of exhibition play, Kansas State recorded 20 or more points including a high of 27 points in the first quarter against Washburn. In the 2018-19 season, K-State scored 20 or more points in a quarter 34 times and held a 19-3 record when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter in a game.
3. 50+ Rebounds
• K-State crashed the glass against Fort Hays State with 53 rebounds. In the 2018-19 season, the Wildcats hit the 50-rebound mark once against Kansas City on Nov. 18, 2018.
4. Points on Points on Points
• K-State returns 70% of its scoring (1,496 points) from the 2018-19 season; third most returning points in the Big 12 from 2018-19 to 2019-20.
5. Williams a Double-Double Machine
• Peyton Williams, a candidate for the Wooden Award & Naismith Trophy, owns 21 career double-doubles and is tied for seventh in program history for career double-doubles. In the 2018-19 season, Williams had a career-high 14 double-doubles in 32 games played. She was tied for the Big 12 lead and ranked 32nd in the nation for double-doubles. Williams had more double-doubles than four teams in the Big 12.

Number to Know
1,012"
• Since Kansas State head coach Jeff Mittie took the over the program prior to the 2014-15 season, K-State's roster large in stature.
• In the 2019-20 season, K-State's roster features 14 total players and nine are six feet or taller, including five players 6'2" or taller.
• This is the sixth straight season K-State's roster has averaged a height of 6'0" or taller and exceeded 950 or more inches combined.

At a Glance: Omaha
• Omaha has already begun its 2019-20 season, as the Mavericks fell to Creighton on Tuesday night, 67-54. Omaha returns all five starters from last season's squad.
• On the sideline, Omaha is led by seventh-year head coach Brittany Lange. In her time with the Mavericks, Lange has notched a record of 73-102 (.417).
• On the floor, Omaha is paced by senior Rayanna Carter and Claire Killian.
• Carter is the top returning scorer and passer for the Mavericks at 9.4 points and 1.9 assists. The product of Cedar Park, Texas, led Omaha last season in free throws made and attempted (53-of-72, .736).
• Killian is the second-leading scorer and passer for Omaha, as she averaged 9.1 points and 1.5 assists. The native of Watertown, Minnesota, was the top shooter from 3-point range last season for Omaha knocking down 40 three-pointers.

Last Time Out
(rv/rv) Kansas State 78, Fort Hays State 60 (November 1, 2019; Manhattan)
• K-State ended its two-game exhibition schedule with a 78-60 win over Fort Hays State.
• Redshirt freshman Ayoka Lee tallied a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. She also added four blocks.
• Sophomore Christianna Carr scored 13 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter, including 3-of-4 effort from beyond the arc.
• As a team, K-State outrebounded Fort Hays State, 53-27, which included 19 offensive rebounds leading to a 14-3 edge in second chance points for the Wildcats.

K-State in Season Openers
• The Wildcats have been dominant in season-openers since the team's first season in 1968-69. Kansas State is 42-9 (.824) in season openers and have won 18 of the last 20 season openers, including nine straight.
• Head coach Jeff Mittie is 21-6 (.778) in season-openers, including a 5-0 mark at K-State.

K-State in Home Openers
• Kansas State has won 25 of its last 27 home openers in Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats are 42-9 (.824) all-time in home openers and 27-4 (.871) in openers in Bramlage.
• Head coach Jeff Mittie is 25-2 (.926) in home openers in his previous 27 seasons.

Career Debuts at K-State
• Four players - Angela Harris, Ayoka Lee, Emma Chapman and Emilee Ebert - could make their K-State debuts on Friday against Omaha.
• If the four players make their debut against Omaha, it would be the most K-State players to make their K-State debut in the opener since the 2017-18 season when six players debuted against Stephen F. Austin.
• Of the 72 players to make their K-State women's basketball career debuts from the 2000-01 season to the 2018-19 season, only three scored 20 or more points in their first game.
• The three players to score 20 or more points in their Kansas State career debuts were: Laurie Koehn (27 points, at Georgia Tech, 11/16/2001), Kaylee Page (21 points, at Tulsa, 11/13/2015) and Tasha Dickey (20 points, vs. Dartmouth, 11/12/2011).
• None of the three players were true freshmen at the time of their K-State career debuts. Koehn was a redshirt freshman. Page was a sophomore after transferring from Nebraska and Dickey was a senior who was a graduate transfer from Arizona.

Remember the Month of November
• In its 52 seasons of action, K-State has accumulated a record of 135-47 (.742) in the month of November.
• K-State has won 24 of its last 29 games in the month of November dating back to a 49-46 win over Virginia on Nov. 29, 2013.
• Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 23-5 (.821) in November games.
• The Wildcats have ended the 11th month with a .500 or better record in eight straight seasons, including a 6-0 mark in 2016-17. Overall, K-State has registered a .500 or better record in November 38 times in its history.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jasauen Beard

Christianna Carr

Emma Chapman

Emilee Ebert

Angela Harris

Ayoka Lee

Kaylee Page

Rachel Ranke

Peyton Williams

Kansas State University Athletics