K-State Hosts Texas Tech in Annual Play 4 Kay Game

GAME #21
Texas Tech (10-12, 5-11 Big 12) at Kansas State (6-14, 1-12 Big 12)
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | Bramlage Coliseum | Manhattan, Kan.

TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Brian Smoller
Analyst: Missy Heidrick

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Online: kstatesports.com
Play-by-Play: Matt Walters
Analyst: Kristin Waller

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com

PROMOTIONS & TICKETS
Promotion
Play 4 Kay Game
First 500 fans will receive a pink stocking cap

Tickets
Capacity is limited to 15%; limited single-game tickets available by calling (800) 221-CATS or visit kstatesports.com/tickets

COACHES
Kansas State: Jeff Mittie (Missouri Western '89)
Overall: 576-328/29th season | At K-State: 122-93/7th season

Texas Tech: Krista Gerlich (Texas Tech '93)
Overall: 299-159/15th season | At Texas Tech: 10-12/1st season

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (based on previous game)
Kansas State (6-14, 1-12 Big 12)
G: #2 Cymone Goodrich | F: #12 Rachel Ranke | G: #24 Emilee Ebert | F: #43 Christianna Carr | C: #50 Ayoka Lee

Texas Tech (10-12, 5-11 Big 12)
G: #3 Maka Jackson | G: #10 Naje Murray | G: #12 Vivian Gray | C: #23 Khadija Faye | G: #34 Lexi Gordon

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: K-State leads, 25-14
In Manhattan: 11-5
Last Meeting: Feb. 3, 2021; Texas Tech won 83-75 (ot) (Lubbock)
Head Coach Jeff Mittie vs. Texas Tech: 15-5

MANHATTAN, Kansas - K-State will play three of its next four games in Bramlage Coliseum, as the Wildcats host Texas Tech on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.

• Wednesday's game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play) and Missy Heidrick (analyst) will have the call.
• The game between the Wildcats and Lady Raiders will be K-State's annual Play 4 Kay game, as the Wildcats will be in white uniforms trimmed in pink. The first 500 fans will receive a pink K-State women's basketball stocking cap.
• The Wildcats have been led this season by All-America candidate and 2021 Lisa Leslie Award finalist, sophomore Ayoka Lee.
• Lee, a candidate for all four of the national player of the year awards this season, leads K-State in scoring (18.8 ppg), field goal percentage (.595), rebounds (8.3 rpg) and blocks (1.9). She leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth in the nation in field goal percentage.

Starting 5
Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women's basketball
1. Block Away From New High
• With one blocked shot, K-State will establish a new high for blocks in a seven-year span. Since head coach Jeff Mittie's first season in 2014-15, the Wildcats have blocked a total of 1,023 shots. The program-high for blocks in a seven-year span is 1,023 set from the 2001-02 to 2007-08 seasons.
2. Lee in Rare Club
• Ayoka Lee leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth in the nation in field goal percentage (.595) and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.820). She is the only player in the league shooting 57.5 percent or better from the field and 80.0 percent of better from the line.
3. 25th Double-Double
• Ayoka Lee notched her 25th career double-double during K-State's win against Kansas. Lee's line of 28 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks marked her eighth career double-double which included five or more blocks - a school record. Lee is the seventh player in school history with 25 or more career double-doubles.
4. Ranke Nearing 1K
• Rachel Ranke is closing in on becoming the 43rd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, as she needs 23 points to reach the milestone. She will become the sixth player in school history with 1,000 or more career points, 300 or more career rebounds and 200 or more connections from beyond the arc.
5. High Efficiency Dishes
• The Wildcats have 300 assists (15.0 apg) and an assisted shot rate of 70.3 percent this season. According to HerHoopStats.com, K-State ranks seventh in the nation in assisted shot rate and are the highest ranked Power 5 member in the category.

Number to Know
60

• Sophomore Emilee Ebert has handed out a career-high 60 assists this season.
• Ebert leads K-State with 3.0 assists per game and ranks tied for 15th in the Big 12 in assists.
• Of her 76 career assists, 78.9 percent have come in the 2020-21 season.
• Ebert is one of three players in the Big 12 to rank among the top-15 for assists and blocks.

At a Glance: Texas Tech
• Texas Tech (10-12, 5-11 Big 12) enters Wednesday night's game after ending a three-game losing streak with a 99-98 overtime win over Kansas in Lubbock on Saturday, February 20.
• Texas Tech is guided on the sideline by first year head coach Krista Gerlich. The 1993 graduate of Texas Tech owns a career record of 299-159 (.653) which included the last seven seasons at UT Arlington.
• The Lady Raiders feature two players averaging double figures in scoring and are led by seniors Vivian Gray and Lexi Gordon.
• Gray departed Oklahoma State in late July and joined the Lady Raiders in mid-August. This season, she is pacing Texas Tech with 19.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Against Kansas, she registered 38 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
• Gordon is second on the team in scoring with 15.4 per game and leads the Lady Raiders with 40 connections from beyond the arc. Against the Jayhawks, she tallied 14 points.

Last Time Out
at Texas 59, K-State 48 (February 21, 2021; Austin, Texas)
• K-State held an 11-point edge in the second quarter, but the Wildcats were forced into a combined 15 turnovers in the second and third quarters allowing Texas to score 35 points and secure the win.
• The Wildcats have lost seven consecutive road games.
• Christianna Carr was the only Wildcat to reach double figures, scoring 12 points.

Wildcats' Defense Forges Identity
• K-State has continued to be a force on the defensive end during head coach Jeff Mittie's seven seasons on the bench.
• Kansas State is allowing 64.3 points on a .377 field goal percentage this season. K-State is fourth in the Big 12 this season in scoring defense and are third in the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense.
• The scoring average allowed by K-State this season is the lowest since the 2016-17 season.
• The Wildcats have held six opponents to a field goal percentage of 35.0 percent or less including a season-low of 17.5 percent at Central Arkansas on December 5.
• K-State allowed 33 points at Central Arkansas on December 5, 2020, which was the fewest surrendered by K-State since allowing 33 to Chicago State on November 11, 2016.
• The 33 points allowed were tied for the fewest in the Mittie era and were the fewest in a road game since holding Kansas City to 31, on December 11, 2004.
• During the last 18 seasons, K-State is 114-3 (.974) when holding an opponent to 49 points or less including a 33-0 mark in the Mittie era.

Cats Cash in at the Charity Stripe
• Kansas State has continued to earn trips to the free throw line, which is a trend during head coach Jeff Mittie's time at K-State.
• K-State has opened the season with a 238-of-333 (.715) effort from the line. The Wildcats are getting 19.6 percent of its points from the foul line this season. K-State's free throw percentage is its highest since the 2017-18 season.
• In Big 12 action, K-State ranks third in the Big 12 for free throw percentage at .761 (159-of-209).
• The Wildcats recorded a season-high 20 made free throws against Omaha on December 12.
• K-State was a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line at West Virginia on January 20.
• During the 2019-20 season, the Wildcats were 366-of-532 (.688) from the foul line and averaged 18.3 trips to the charity stripe, including five games with 25 or more attempts. The Wildcats produced 18.3 percent of its points from the free throw line.

Carr With 3 on the Floor
• Christianna Carr is leading the Wildcats in scoring and from behind the arc to begin the season.
• Carr is second on the team and 15th in the Big 12 in scoring with a career-best 14.1 points per game and is shooting 38.2 percent (42-of-110) from 3-point range. She ranks 67th in the nation for total 3-point field goals made.
• At Kansas, Carr recorded her 10th career game with 20 or more points with a career-high tying 24.
• In her career, Carr has made 153 three-pointers. She needs eight connections from beyond the arc to move into 10th in school history for career 3-point field goals made.
• Carr has 43 career games with two or more 3-point field goals made including 15 games with four or more and a career-high of five four times.
• Carr ranks second for 3-point field goals made by a player 6'0" or taller in school history.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Christianna Carr

Emilee Ebert

Cymone Goodrich

Ayoka Lee

Rachel Ranke

Kansas State University Athletics