SE: Not Done Yet – K-State Women’s Hoops Stays Alive in Big 12 Tournament
Mar 12, 2021 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
All season, K-State Women's Basketball has played with the motto "Honor the Journey."
Rachel Ranke wasn't ready for it to end on Thursday night.
Her three-pointer with 33 seconds left gave K-State a two-possession lead over Texas Tech, putting an end to a late Lady Raider run and effectively, ending their season.
"It just comes down to trusting each other as players and knowing that we can hit big shots when we need to," Ayoka Lee said.
The Wildcats leaned on their All-Big 12 duo of Lee and Christianna Carr for 43 points in a 75-65 win over Texas Tech, before Ranke drained the biggest shot of the night with less than a minute left in Kansas City.
Just two weeks after Carr and Lee became the first K-State teammates to combine for 60 points in a game, they had to settle for hanging 43 on the Lady Raiders. With 21 points and 12 rebounds, Lee also grabbed her ninth double-double of the season.
The only player in the country shooting over 60 percent from the field, Lee did her most important work down the stretch, including seven straight points inside the final five minutes against the Lady Raiders.
She gave K-State the lead for good from the free-throw line during that run, where she's shooting 81 percent on the season.
Lee was practically unguardable for long stretches on Thursday night, as Texas Tech just didn't have anyone who could match up with the All-Big 12 center.
If it's any consolation, not many teams do.
"It's just about getting her touches," head coach Jeff Mittie said. "Sometimes, because she has to play through so much physicality, we end up not being patient enough and waiting for her to get position established. In the fourth quarter I thought our purpose and execution was really good."
Lee's personal seven-point run in the fourth quarter gave K-State the lead for good, but when the Wildcats needed a spark against the Lady Raiders, they turned to Carr.
The junior came up with a huge and-one late in the first half, helping the Wildcats respond after a second quarter run from the Lady Raiders put some pressure on K-State. She finished with 21 points, her fifth game of the season with at least 20 points.
"One thing we talked about in practice was that it's a new season. At this point our record doesn't matter. We didn't want to lose to Tech for [Sydney Goodson], but we didn't want to lose in the first round for a lot of reasons," Carr said. "We've grown up a lot and our record doesn't reflect who we are as people and who we are as a team. I think tonight we really showed that."
With the game on the line and Texas Tech playing an "Anyone but Ayoka" defense, Lee kicked it out to Ranke.
After battling back from a knee injury last season, the former All-Big 12 Freshman Team member has grinded through a challenging junior year.
Ranke was just 1-5 from distance against Texas Tech when she had the ball in her hands and the season on her shoulders with 33 seconds left.
"Just finding the open person was really big," Lee said. "I don't think we don't pass to [someone] because they haven't made anything…It's always on to the next play."
On this play, Ranke didn't miss, as the best shooter Burnsville, Minnesota has ever seen knocked down the last field goal of the game.
A few seconds later, the Wildcats were courtside, advancing an oversized "K-State" sign through a giant Big 12 bracket at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
The 'Cats are just the second 10-seed in two decades to win a game at the conference tournament. They will face the two-seed, West Virginia, at 5:30 CT on Friday night.
"I thought the key down the stretch was toughness at the defensive end," Mittie said. "West Virginia are physical and they're going to challenge every pass. We've got to bring that same toughness that we brought in the second half and the fourth quarter today."
All season, K-State Women's Basketball has played with the motto "Honor the Journey."
Rachel Ranke wasn't ready for it to end on Thursday night.
Her three-pointer with 33 seconds left gave K-State a two-possession lead over Texas Tech, putting an end to a late Lady Raider run and effectively, ending their season.
"It just comes down to trusting each other as players and knowing that we can hit big shots when we need to," Ayoka Lee said.
The Wildcats leaned on their All-Big 12 duo of Lee and Christianna Carr for 43 points in a 75-65 win over Texas Tech, before Ranke drained the biggest shot of the night with less than a minute left in Kansas City.
Just two weeks after Carr and Lee became the first K-State teammates to combine for 60 points in a game, they had to settle for hanging 43 on the Lady Raiders. With 21 points and 12 rebounds, Lee also grabbed her ninth double-double of the season.
Cats back in front!
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 12, 2021
Lee with the bucket + the foul! #KStateWBB 62
Texas Tech 61
4:19 | 4Q pic.twitter.com/sqj4zL83rS
The only player in the country shooting over 60 percent from the field, Lee did her most important work down the stretch, including seven straight points inside the final five minutes against the Lady Raiders.
She gave K-State the lead for good from the free-throw line during that run, where she's shooting 81 percent on the season.
Lee was practically unguardable for long stretches on Thursday night, as Texas Tech just didn't have anyone who could match up with the All-Big 12 center.
If it's any consolation, not many teams do.
"It's just about getting her touches," head coach Jeff Mittie said. "Sometimes, because she has to play through so much physicality, we end up not being patient enough and waiting for her to get position established. In the fourth quarter I thought our purpose and execution was really good."
Lee's personal seven-point run in the fourth quarter gave K-State the lead for good, but when the Wildcats needed a spark against the Lady Raiders, they turned to Carr.
The junior came up with a huge and-one late in the first half, helping the Wildcats respond after a second quarter run from the Lady Raiders put some pressure on K-State. She finished with 21 points, her fifth game of the season with at least 20 points.
Lauterbach ➡️ Carr = Bucket + 1
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 12, 2021
K-State had 10 assists on their 13 makes in the first half. #KStateWBB x #Big12WBB pic.twitter.com/u2auKznxXM
"One thing we talked about in practice was that it's a new season. At this point our record doesn't matter. We didn't want to lose to Tech for [Sydney Goodson], but we didn't want to lose in the first round for a lot of reasons," Carr said. "We've grown up a lot and our record doesn't reflect who we are as people and who we are as a team. I think tonight we really showed that."
With the game on the line and Texas Tech playing an "Anyone but Ayoka" defense, Lee kicked it out to Ranke.
After battling back from a knee injury last season, the former All-Big 12 Freshman Team member has grinded through a challenging junior year.
Ranke was just 1-5 from distance against Texas Tech when she had the ball in her hands and the season on her shoulders with 33 seconds left.
"Just finding the open person was really big," Lee said. "I don't think we don't pass to [someone] because they haven't made anything…It's always on to the next play."
On this play, Ranke didn't miss, as the best shooter Burnsville, Minnesota has ever seen knocked down the last field goal of the game.
Shooters shoot!
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 12, 2021
Ranke with the big 3 late! #KStateWBB 69
Texas Tech 65
:26 | 4Q pic.twitter.com/2ITqdCmmdt
A few seconds later, the Wildcats were courtside, advancing an oversized "K-State" sign through a giant Big 12 bracket at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
The 'Cats are just the second 10-seed in two decades to win a game at the conference tournament. They will face the two-seed, West Virginia, at 5:30 CT on Friday night.
"I thought the key down the stretch was toughness at the defensive end," Mittie said. "West Virginia are physical and they're going to challenge every pass. We've got to bring that same toughness that we brought in the second half and the fourth quarter today."
Players Mentioned
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