SE: K-State WBB Finds Poise in 69-60 Win at No. 15 Texas
Feb 18, 2019 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Stick to the game plan.
These were the words that filled the K-State women's basketball team's huddle whenever the Wildcats got off track against Texas on Sunday. Each time, K-State responded in a big way, as the Wildcats erased a 14-point second half deficit to secure a 69-60 win at No. 15 Texas, which completed their regular season sweep of the Longhorns.
"With such a young team, it's hard not to get down on yourself (sometimes)," senior point guard Kayla Goth said after her 15-point, seven-assist effort, "but you go into those huddles on the court saying, 'Stick to the game plan, stick to the game plan.' I think just getting in those huddles and staying poised was key."
With the win, K-State recorded one "first" in school history and a few "firsts since" as well.
The Wildcats (16-10, 7-7) notched the program's first ever season sweep of the Longhorns since the Big 12 switched to the round robin format in the 2012-13 season. The victory marked three straight road wins for K-State, the program's longest such streak in Big 12 play since it won the conference in the 2007-08 season. Additionally, it's the first season K-State has registered two wins against AP top-15 teams since the 2011-12 season.
At times, however, it looked like all of these aforementioned feats would not come to fruition.
The Longhorns opened the game on a 13-4 run, but K-State held them scoreless in the final 4:42 of the first quarter to stay within arm's reach. Texas started the second on a 9-5 stretch and K-State answered with a 15-5 finish to the half with a one-point lead.
The Longhorns busted out of the gate in the third with a 16-1 run to build a 14-point lead. Again, K-State came back with a 17-4 answer to end the quarter and pull within one going into the fourth. In the final period, K-State never allowed a substantial run from Texas, yet followed its trend with a 12-3 spurt to take control of the game.
"We lost our poise," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie said, "but when we regained it, from that point on, we were fantastic."
In terms of K-State's response, Mittie said it was obvious what changed. Goth, who took a blow to the head and left the game early in the third, returned with a determination not to be denied. The 6-foot-1 Deforest, Wisconsin native scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half, going 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes.
"I think I just came in with an aggressive mentality. I could see on the bench that we were losing our poise, so I knew I needed to get back in there and take back the control of the game, and I knew I needed to do that by being aggressive," Goth said. "They weren't going to help off our shooters if I wasn't being aggressive. So, I was staying aggressive and being able to distribute the ball from there."
In her team's third quarter run, Goth dished out a pair of assists and scored nine points all from beyond the arc. Her third made trey of the game came with just one second on the clock and cut K-State's lead to one going into the fourth, where her teammates helped bring the win home.
"She's a mature veteran that has been able to take that ball not going in and figure it out in the second half," Mittie said of Goth. "She got it going from three and that really energized us. The threes in that stretch were critical. The one to end the third quarter, that was a big boost going into the fourth."
Collectively, K-State shot 43 percent (10-of-23) from three. Six different Wildcats converted at least one trey in the game. Rachel Ranke, who had 11 points, matched Goth's team-high for makes from beyond the arc with three. The Wildcats improved to 5-0 this season when they have made 10 or more 3-pointers.
Mittie said his team's 3-point success was tied to another highlight: Turnovers. Or, better yet, a lack thereof. K-State turned the ball over only eight times against Texas, the second-fewest the Wildcats have committed in a game all season.
"That's a huge improvement for us," he said. "I just think we're moving the ball better and we have good shooters."
The Wildcats also held their own on the glass against Texas, which ranked fourth in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+11.4) coming in. K-State only lost the rebounding battle by three and actually scored six more second-chance points than the Longhorns. Junior forward Peyton Williams, with 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Kali Jones, with nine points and 11 rebounds, played pivotal roles in this area.
"Kali Jones and Peyton Williams were fantastic on the glass. It was a very physical game, and they were fantastic. They kept us in it," Mittie said. "I think the fact that they were one-and-done down the stretch was big."
Stick to the game plan.
These were the words that filled the K-State women's basketball team's huddle whenever the Wildcats got off track against Texas on Sunday. Each time, K-State responded in a big way, as the Wildcats erased a 14-point second half deficit to secure a 69-60 win at No. 15 Texas, which completed their regular season sweep of the Longhorns.
"With such a young team, it's hard not to get down on yourself (sometimes)," senior point guard Kayla Goth said after her 15-point, seven-assist effort, "but you go into those huddles on the court saying, 'Stick to the game plan, stick to the game plan.' I think just getting in those huddles and staying poised was key."
With the win, K-State recorded one "first" in school history and a few "firsts since" as well.
The Wildcats (16-10, 7-7) notched the program's first ever season sweep of the Longhorns since the Big 12 switched to the round robin format in the 2012-13 season. The victory marked three straight road wins for K-State, the program's longest such streak in Big 12 play since it won the conference in the 2007-08 season. Additionally, it's the first season K-State has registered two wins against AP top-15 teams since the 2011-12 season.
At times, however, it looked like all of these aforementioned feats would not come to fruition.
The Longhorns opened the game on a 13-4 run, but K-State held them scoreless in the final 4:42 of the first quarter to stay within arm's reach. Texas started the second on a 9-5 stretch and K-State answered with a 15-5 finish to the half with a one-point lead.
The Longhorns busted out of the gate in the third with a 16-1 run to build a 14-point lead. Again, K-State came back with a 17-4 answer to end the quarter and pull within one going into the fourth. In the final period, K-State never allowed a substantial run from Texas, yet followed its trend with a 12-3 spurt to take control of the game.
"We lost our poise," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie said, "but when we regained it, from that point on, we were fantastic."
In terms of K-State's response, Mittie said it was obvious what changed. Goth, who took a blow to the head and left the game early in the third, returned with a determination not to be denied. The 6-foot-1 Deforest, Wisconsin native scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half, going 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes.
"I think I just came in with an aggressive mentality. I could see on the bench that we were losing our poise, so I knew I needed to get back in there and take back the control of the game, and I knew I needed to do that by being aggressive," Goth said. "They weren't going to help off our shooters if I wasn't being aggressive. So, I was staying aggressive and being able to distribute the ball from there."
In her team's third quarter run, Goth dished out a pair of assists and scored nine points all from beyond the arc. Her third made trey of the game came with just one second on the clock and cut K-State's lead to one going into the fourth, where her teammates helped bring the win home.
"She's a mature veteran that has been able to take that ball not going in and figure it out in the second half," Mittie said of Goth. "She got it going from three and that really energized us. The threes in that stretch were critical. The one to end the third quarter, that was a big boost going into the fourth."
Collectively, K-State shot 43 percent (10-of-23) from three. Six different Wildcats converted at least one trey in the game. Rachel Ranke, who had 11 points, matched Goth's team-high for makes from beyond the arc with three. The Wildcats improved to 5-0 this season when they have made 10 or more 3-pointers.
Mittie said his team's 3-point success was tied to another highlight: Turnovers. Or, better yet, a lack thereof. K-State turned the ball over only eight times against Texas, the second-fewest the Wildcats have committed in a game all season.
"That's a huge improvement for us," he said. "I just think we're moving the ball better and we have good shooters."
The Wildcats also held their own on the glass against Texas, which ranked fourth in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+11.4) coming in. K-State only lost the rebounding battle by three and actually scored six more second-chance points than the Longhorns. Junior forward Peyton Williams, with 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Kali Jones, with nine points and 11 rebounds, played pivotal roles in this area.
"Kali Jones and Peyton Williams were fantastic on the glass. It was a very physical game, and they were fantastic. They kept us in it," Mittie said. "I think the fact that they were one-and-done down the stretch was big."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballK-State Women's Basketball | Game Replay vs Oklahoma State - February 10, 2025
Wednesday, February 11
K-State Women's Basketball | Coach Mittie Press Conference vs Oklahoma State
Wednesday, February 11
K-State Women's Basketball | Press Conference vs Oklahoma State
Wednesday, February 11
K-State Women's Basketball | Game Highlights vs Oklahoma State
Wednesday, February 11
