SE: Carr Helps Wildcats Push Through Non-Conference Grind
Dec 09, 2020 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
A few months ago, it was unclear whether or not K-State Women's Basketball would have a season.
Now, as the Wildcats continue a stretch of four games in seven days, Christianna Carr is dealing with a very different sort of challenge.
"I think there's a plus and a minus to our schedule being jam packed right now," she said following Tuesday's loss to Idaho State. "The plus is when you have games like this, you don't have much time to dwell on the negativity…I think the bad thing about it, not really bad, but our bodies hurt sometimes."
The Wildcats haven't had much time to catch their breath in 2020 and will face their second ranked opponent of the season in No. 22 South Dakota State on Thursday night.
They will wrap up the week on Saturday afternoon as they host Omaha at Bramlage Coliseum, before turning around and playing Kansas City on Monday.
It's a gauntlet of non-conference opponents and it's required players like Carr to adjust their routine off the court.
"That's one of the things that we have to keep at the forefront of our brain is that we need to spend a little more time taking that commitment to spending more time on your body," she said. "Hydrating, rolling out and stretching, getting in the cold tub if you need to, doing all the stuff you have to so we can have legs. That's one thing we're trying to focus on right now."
Injuries haven't made things any easier. After beginning the season with a healthy roster, the Wildcats lost point guard Jada Moore, who played almost 16 minutes in the opener against Southern, to an injury in practice.
Then, All-Big 12 center Ayoka Lee went down against Kentucky, forcing K-State to play without one of their top weapons on both ends of the floor.
"She's making progress. Is it going to be enough to play on Thursday? We won't know until Thursday," Jeff Mittie said. "She's in treatment about three times a day."
Without their star center and playing a compressed schedule, the Wildcats have leaned on Carr throughout the 2020 season.
Bumps and bruises have been a cost of doing business for the junior, who dropped a season-high 24 points against Idaho State and leads the Wildcats in minutes and points to begin 2020.
She has showcased an ability to knock down an open three and draw contact on her way to the rim, giving the Wildcats a focal point on offense with Lee on the sidelines.
"She mixed her game up, got down inside some," Mittie said. "I thought she made good, solid drives to the basket…Overall, it was a really good performance by her."
As K-State finds their rhythm on offense, having Carr as an outlet has been huge.
But the junior isn't satisfied with the ball movement that has bogged the Wildcats down at times.
"If we move the ball faster, we'd make the defense shift a little bit. I hate guarding a player that moves around a lot. I hate guarding a team that passes the ball really well," she said. "We just need to keep that in the forefront of our brain."
It's an adjustment the Wildcats will need to make in real-time, with just one practice before facing No. 22 South Dakota State.
Following a tough loss, the chance to get right back to work might be exactly what K-State needs.
"Yeah, we lost and it sucks, you can feel it out for the next couple of hours but once we step into practice our mindset has to be on how we can beat South Dakota State," Carr said. "That's the only thing we need to focus on right now."
A few months ago, it was unclear whether or not K-State Women's Basketball would have a season.
Now, as the Wildcats continue a stretch of four games in seven days, Christianna Carr is dealing with a very different sort of challenge.
"I think there's a plus and a minus to our schedule being jam packed right now," she said following Tuesday's loss to Idaho State. "The plus is when you have games like this, you don't have much time to dwell on the negativity…I think the bad thing about it, not really bad, but our bodies hurt sometimes."
The Wildcats haven't had much time to catch their breath in 2020 and will face their second ranked opponent of the season in No. 22 South Dakota State on Thursday night.
They will wrap up the week on Saturday afternoon as they host Omaha at Bramlage Coliseum, before turning around and playing Kansas City on Monday.
It's a gauntlet of non-conference opponents and it's required players like Carr to adjust their routine off the court.
"That's one of the things that we have to keep at the forefront of our brain is that we need to spend a little more time taking that commitment to spending more time on your body," she said. "Hydrating, rolling out and stretching, getting in the cold tub if you need to, doing all the stuff you have to so we can have legs. That's one thing we're trying to focus on right now."
Injuries haven't made things any easier. After beginning the season with a healthy roster, the Wildcats lost point guard Jada Moore, who played almost 16 minutes in the opener against Southern, to an injury in practice.
Then, All-Big 12 center Ayoka Lee went down against Kentucky, forcing K-State to play without one of their top weapons on both ends of the floor.
"She's making progress. Is it going to be enough to play on Thursday? We won't know until Thursday," Jeff Mittie said. "She's in treatment about three times a day."
Without their star center and playing a compressed schedule, the Wildcats have leaned on Carr throughout the 2020 season.
Bumps and bruises have been a cost of doing business for the junior, who dropped a season-high 24 points against Idaho State and leads the Wildcats in minutes and points to begin 2020.
She has showcased an ability to knock down an open three and draw contact on her way to the rim, giving the Wildcats a focal point on offense with Lee on the sidelines.
"She mixed her game up, got down inside some," Mittie said. "I thought she made good, solid drives to the basket…Overall, it was a really good performance by her."
As K-State finds their rhythm on offense, having Carr as an outlet has been huge.
But the junior isn't satisfied with the ball movement that has bogged the Wildcats down at times.
"If we move the ball faster, we'd make the defense shift a little bit. I hate guarding a player that moves around a lot. I hate guarding a team that passes the ball really well," she said. "We just need to keep that in the forefront of our brain."
It's an adjustment the Wildcats will need to make in real-time, with just one practice before facing No. 22 South Dakota State.
Following a tough loss, the chance to get right back to work might be exactly what K-State needs.
"Yeah, we lost and it sucks, you can feel it out for the next couple of hours but once we step into practice our mindset has to be on how we can beat South Dakota State," Carr said. "That's the only thing we need to focus on right now."
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