SE: Mittie Betting on His Team as K-State WBB Navigates Paused Season
Jan 13, 2021 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Nobody is going to feel sorry for K-State Women's Basketball.
Jeff Mittie knows that for sure. Not after All-Big 12 center Ayoka Lee missed time with a leg injury or when the Wildcats played four games in six days due to a COVID-19-adjusted schedule.
And not even after close contact and testing protocols have required the team to hit pause on the 2019-20 season and postpone five conference games in January.
"You hate to keep using words like unique and unusual. We keep saying things like 'challenging.' I could use a lot more words that we're not going to put on the air," he said on Monday's edition of the Jeff Mittie Show. "Some programs went through this in September and October…We've got to figure out how to compete and play well."
Mittie said that less than five players on the Wildcats are currently outside the team's COVID-19 protocol (as of Monday) and can work out at the Ice Family Basketball Center.
Without games or full practices, Mittie's program will need to jump right back into Big 12 play when their roster numbers begin to improve.
That's a prospect that makes the light at the end of the tunnel for K-State feel a little bit like an oncoming train.
For the team's head coach, it just means making adjustments and playing their way into shape.
"When you're in that protocol, you can only do certain things. It limits you," Mittie said. "It felt a little more like April when everyone was at home and shut down."
Fortunately for the Wildcats, this season has also showcased the depth on a roster that should help the team compete even as they navigate the challenges of a season unlike any other.
Sydney Goodson, who joined K-State as a graduate transfer from Texas Tech, has been an important addition to the K-State backcourt this season.
Mittie said earlier in the year that he's never had a rotation with so many guards who can contribute each night.
Goodson has started every game for the Wildcats and leads the team in minutes through the first nine games of the season.
She's also been a reliable on-ball defender and owns the team lead in steals. Her impact in the locker room is a little harder to quantify, but no less important to her head coach.
"She's got a great spirit, great attitude and is a great representative of K-State," Mittie said.
The Wildcats have also taken advantage of some notable depth this season among their freshman class, where both Jada Moore and Taylor Lauterbach have been regular contributors.
Lauterbach is second on the team in rebounds, while Moore has given the Wildcats more than 15 minutes per night off the bench.
Those contributions have come in a season when every K-State newcomer is adjusting to a college experience that wasn't exactly in the brochure.
The team's commitment in the classroom this season continues to impress Mittie and his staff, despite the obstacles the Wildcats have faced on and off the court. Eleven players on the Wildcats earned a GPA above a 3.0 this season, with a pair of Wildcats earning a 4.0 this semester.
When the 'Cats aren't putting up numbers in the classroom, the K-State coaching staff has been thinking outside the box to keep things positive around the program.
"We've been as creative as we can be in trying [different] things," Mittie said. "I've done more stuff on Zoom than I ever thought possible. We had a talent show the other night. Invited family members and friends onto Zoom."
It hasn't been perfect, but it's put the Wildcats in position for a second half of the season that should reveal a lot about the culture in Manhattan.
"It's just the reality of this year," Mittie said. "Our players will be doing everything they can to get ready."
Nobody is going to feel sorry for K-State Women's Basketball.
Jeff Mittie knows that for sure. Not after All-Big 12 center Ayoka Lee missed time with a leg injury or when the Wildcats played four games in six days due to a COVID-19-adjusted schedule.
And not even after close contact and testing protocols have required the team to hit pause on the 2019-20 season and postpone five conference games in January.
"You hate to keep using words like unique and unusual. We keep saying things like 'challenging.' I could use a lot more words that we're not going to put on the air," he said on Monday's edition of the Jeff Mittie Show. "Some programs went through this in September and October…We've got to figure out how to compete and play well."
Mittie said that less than five players on the Wildcats are currently outside the team's COVID-19 protocol (as of Monday) and can work out at the Ice Family Basketball Center.
Without games or full practices, Mittie's program will need to jump right back into Big 12 play when their roster numbers begin to improve.
That's a prospect that makes the light at the end of the tunnel for K-State feel a little bit like an oncoming train.
For the team's head coach, it just means making adjustments and playing their way into shape.
"When you're in that protocol, you can only do certain things. It limits you," Mittie said. "It felt a little more like April when everyone was at home and shut down."
Fortunately for the Wildcats, this season has also showcased the depth on a roster that should help the team compete even as they navigate the challenges of a season unlike any other.
Sydney Goodson, who joined K-State as a graduate transfer from Texas Tech, has been an important addition to the K-State backcourt this season.
Mittie said earlier in the year that he's never had a rotation with so many guards who can contribute each night.
Goodson has started every game for the Wildcats and leads the team in minutes through the first nine games of the season.
She's also been a reliable on-ball defender and owns the team lead in steals. Her impact in the locker room is a little harder to quantify, but no less important to her head coach.
"She's got a great spirit, great attitude and is a great representative of K-State," Mittie said.
The Wildcats have also taken advantage of some notable depth this season among their freshman class, where both Jada Moore and Taylor Lauterbach have been regular contributors.
Lauterbach is second on the team in rebounds, while Moore has given the Wildcats more than 15 minutes per night off the bench.
Those contributions have come in a season when every K-State newcomer is adjusting to a college experience that wasn't exactly in the brochure.
The team's commitment in the classroom this season continues to impress Mittie and his staff, despite the obstacles the Wildcats have faced on and off the court. Eleven players on the Wildcats earned a GPA above a 3.0 this season, with a pair of Wildcats earning a 4.0 this semester.
When the 'Cats aren't putting up numbers in the classroom, the K-State coaching staff has been thinking outside the box to keep things positive around the program.
"We've been as creative as we can be in trying [different] things," Mittie said. "I've done more stuff on Zoom than I ever thought possible. We had a talent show the other night. Invited family members and friends onto Zoom."
It hasn't been perfect, but it's put the Wildcats in position for a second half of the season that should reveal a lot about the culture in Manhattan.
"It's just the reality of this year," Mittie said. "Our players will be doing everything they can to get ready."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballK-State Rowing | Media Day
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Rowing | Weights Practice
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Tennis | Weekend Recap vs Old Dominion & Minnesota
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Track and Field | Sights & Sounds Steve Miller Invitational
Monday, February 23
