K-State Visits West Virginia on Saturday Evening

GAME #15
(RV/RV) Kansas State (12-2, 2-0 Big 12) at West Virginia (7-4, 0-1 Big 12)
Saturday, January 8, 2022 | 6 p.m. (CT) | WVU Coliseum | Morgantown, W. Va.

TELEVISION
Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Andrew Caridi
Analyst: Warren Baker
Sideline: Amanda Mazey

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Online: kstatesports.com
Play-by-Play: Brian Smoller
Analyst: Randy Peterson

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com

COACHES
Kansas State: Jeff Mittie (Missouri Western '89)
Overall: 591-334/30th season | At K-State: 137-99/8th season

West Virginia: Mike Carey (Salem '80)
Overall: 727-330/34th season | At West Virginia: 439-228/21st season

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (based on previous game)
(RV/RV) Kansas State (12-2, 2-0 Big 12)
G: #3 Jaelyn Glenn | G: #4 Serena Sundell | G: #5 Brylee Glenn | G: #24 Emilee Ebert | C: #50 Ayoka Lee

West Virginia (7-4, 0-1 Big 12)
G: #00 Jayla Hemingway | G: #3 Kirsten Deans | C: #20 Yemiyah Morris | F: #21 A'riana Gray | G: #30 Madisen Smith

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: West Virginia leads, 15-6
In Morgantown: 2-7
Last Meeting: March 12, 2021; West Virginia won 58-56 (Kansas City)
Head Coach Jeff Mittie vs. West Virginia: 6-17

MANHATTAN, Kansas – K-State (12-2) has registered its best start to a season through 14 games since the 2008-09 season and will look to extend its win streak to six as the Wildcats face West Virginia in Morgantown, West Virginia, on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT).

• Saturday's game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Andrew Caridi (play-by-play), Warren Baker (analyst) and Amanda Mazey (sideline) will have the call.
• K-State has achieved its 12-win start with unselfish play, as the Wildcats are fifth in the nation in assist to turnover ratio (1.44) and rank fourth for total assists (261).
• The Wildcats have been led this season by junior Ayoka Lee and freshman Serena Sundell. Lee, a 2022 All-America candidate, leads the nation for total points scored (335) and is fourth in the nation in scoring average (23.9 ppg). She also leads the nation in field goals made (137) and is second in blocked shots (50) and fourth for blocks per game (3.6).
• Sundell, a Big 12 All-Freshman Team candidate, is second on the team in scoring (9.9 ppg). She is second in the Big 12 in total assists (74) and assists per game (5.3).

Starting 5
Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women's basketball
1. K-State Off to Best Start Since 2008-09
• Kansas State is off to its best start through 14 games since the 2008-09 season. This is the sixth time since the 2000-01 season in which K-State has opened a season with a 12-2 or better record after the first 14 games.
2. Lee a Wooden Midseason Top-25 Candidate
• Junior center Ayoka Lee has been named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 Watch List. Lee is one of three players from the Big 12 on the list.
3. Cats on a Road Streak
• With its 60-49 win at Oklahoma State on Jan. 5, K-State secured its third straight road win. This is K-State's longest road winning streak since the end of the 2018-19 regular season.
4. The D is the Key
• K-State has held its opponents to 54.1 points per game, a .337 field goal percentage and a .247 three-point field goal percentage. The Wildcats rank 12th in the nation in field goal percentage defense, 22nd in the nation in scoring defense and 27th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense.
5. Cashing in at the Charity Stripe
• During K-State's five-game winning streak, the Wildcats are converting its chances at the free throw line. K-State is 62-of-80 (.775) over the ast five games from the foul line.

Number to Know
+3

• K-State has surpassed its win total from a season ago, doing so in the 12th game of the season.
• The three-win improvement marks the 21st time in program history and the fourth time in the Jeff Mittie era in which K-State has improved its record by three or more wins from one season to the next.
• The largest improvement in school history came in the 2001-02 season when the Wildcats won 14 more games than the 2000-01 season.

At a Glance: West Virginia
• West Virginia (7-4, 0-1 Big 12) dropped its Big 12 opener on Sunday at Iowa State, 88-72, and then had their second contest at Kansas postponed due to COVID protocols within the Kansas program.
• On the sideline, West Virginia is led by 21st-year head coach Mike Carey. In his time with the Mountaineers, Carey has achieved a record of 439-228 (.658) and captured a share of the 2014 Big 12 regular season title and the 2017 Big 12 tournament crown.
• On the floor, West Virginia has two players averaging double figures in scoring and are paced by junior Kirsten Deans and junior Esmery Martinez.
• Deans, a guard from Greensboro, N.C., leads the Mountaineers with 15.1 points per game and paces the squad in assists with 4.2. At Iowa State, Deans led West Virginia with 17 points.
• Martinez is averaging 12.1 points and leads the team with 8.2 rebounds.

Last Time Out
K-State 60, at Oklahoma State 49 (Jan. 5, 2022; Stillwater, Okla.)
• K-State shot 65.0 percent in the second half to down the Cowgirls.
• The Wildcats own a five-game winning streak for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
• K-State was led by freshman Brylee Glenn with a career-high 19 points and three assists. Ayoka Lee added 18 points, six rebounds and two steals.

K-State Off to Solid Start
• With its 12-2 record through 14 games, K-State is off to its best start to begin a season under head coach Jeff Mittie.
• The 12-2 record through 14 games is the best start for the Wildcats since opening the 2008-09 season with a 14-0 mark. This is the sixth time since the 2000-01 season that K-State has started a season 12-2 or better.
• K-State's 10 non-conference wins are the most in a season since the 2018-19 season (10).
• The Wildcats have surpassed their entire win total from the 2020-21 season (9-18). The three-win improvement from last season marks the 21st time in program history in which K-State has improved its win total by three or more wins from one season to the next.

Wildcats on the Road
• K-State has a 284-305 (.482) record in road games during the program's 54-year history.
• Since the 2000-01 season, K-State owns an 124-125 (.498) mark in road contests. K-State is 18-19 (.486) in the last four seasons in road games.
• In his career in games played on the road, head coach Jeff Mittie is 160-184 (.465) including a 35-47 (.427) mark during his time at K-State.
• This season, the Wildcats are 3-2 on the road with an active three-game winning streak. This is the longest road winning streak for K-State since the end of the 2018-19 regular season.
• With its 87-56 win at Omaha on Dec. 8, K-State ended an 11-game road losing streak which spanned the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. This was the longest road losing streak since the 1997-98 to 1998-99 seasons.

Fast Starts Aiding the Cats
• This season, K-State has dashed out to quick starts in the first quarter of games.
• The Wildcats are outscoring opponents 264-143 (+121) in the opening quarter this season. The Wildcats are averaging 18.9 points per game in first quarters. The 264 points in the first quarter are the highest of any quarter for K-State this season.
• Kansas State has held a double-figure lead after the first 10 minutes seven times including a 27-point margin at Omaha on Dec. 8 and a 26-point advantage against Abilene Christian on Nov. 23.
• K-State has scored 20 or more points in the first quarter four times including a high of 36 points at Omaha. The four games this season with 20 or more points in a first quarter ties the total number from the 2020-21 season.
• The Wildcats have also held opponents to single digits in the first quarter seven times including a low of three points against Central Arkansas on Nov. 9.

Wildcats' Defense Forges Identity
• K-State has continued to be a force on the defensive end during head coach Jeff Mittie's eight seasons on the bench.
• In the 2021-22 season, the Wildcats are limiting opponents to 54.1 points per game and a field goal percentage of .337.
• K-State leads the Big 12 and ranks 22nd in the nation in scoring defense. The Wildcats are second in the Big 12 and 12th in the nation in field goal percentage defense. The Cats are second in the Big 12 and rank 27th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.247).
• During the last 19 seasons, K-State is 120-3 (.976) when holding an opponent to 49 points or less including a 39-0 mark in the Mittie era.
• K-State held its first four opponents of the 2021-22 season under 49 points in each game. This was the first time in the Mittie era and the first time since the 1972-73 season.
• Against UT Martin on Nov. 12, the Wildcats defense suppressed the Skyhawks with just 30 points allowed. The 30 points allowed were the fewest in the Mittie era and the lowest opponent total against K-State since Nov. 12, 2011, against Dartmouth when K-State surrendered just 20 points.
• The Wildcats have held nine opponents to a field goal percentage of 35.0 percent or less including a season-low of 18.3 percent against Northwestern State on Nov. 27.

Glenn On Hot Streak
• Freshman guard Brylee Glenn ratched up her scoring over a five-game stretch which resulted in a pair of Big 12 honors.
• Over the last six games beginning on Nov. 29, Glenn is averaging 12.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
• During that stretch, Glenn collected Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors on Dec. 6 and again on Dec. 20.
• At Oklahoma State on Jan. 5, Glenn tallied a career-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting including a 2-of-3 from 3-point range. She also tied her career-high with three assists.
• Glenn started the stretch with 15 points against North Dakota State on Nov. 29. Among Glenn's 15 points, 13 were scored in the fourth quarter.
• At South Carolina on Dec. 3, Glenn carded her third straight double figure scoring effort with 10 points and a career-high three steals.
• Against Oregon on Dec. 18, Glenn tied her career-high with 15 points and set a career-high with three assists.
• For the season, Glenn is third on the team in scoring with 8.7 points and has pulled in 2.5 rebounds, dished 1.4 assists and pocketed 0.8 steals.

Nobody Scores It Like Ayoka Lee
• Ayoka Lee is quickly climbing the K-State career scoring list and has been on a scoring tear in the 2021-22 season.
• In her career, Lee has scored 1,269 points in 68 career games (18.7 ppg). Her career scoring average of 18.7 ranks first in school history and eighth among active NCAA Division I players. She was the 44th player in school history with 1,000 or more career points and ranks 21st on the K-State career scoring list.
• Lee needs two points to move into the K-State top-20 for career scoring.
• This season, Lee is averaging 23.9 points per game which ranks fourth in the nation. Lee leads the nation in total points scored (335). Lee is the only player in the nation averaging 20.0+ points, 10.0+ rebounds and 3.5 blocks.
• Lee's 285 points in non-conference play this season are the seventh-most points scored in non-conference play by a K-State player since at least 2000-01.
• According to HerHoopStats.com, Lee leads the nation in PER (51.1) and Win Shares (6.6). PER measures a player's value based on their box score stats. Win Shares are and advanced statistic that approximates the total number of wins a player produces for their team through their play on the offensive and defensive ends of the court.
• During the 2020-21 season, Lee averaged a career-best 19.1 points per game while scoring a career-high 478 points. She ranked seventh in the Big 12 and 41st in the nation in scoring.
• According to HerHoopStats.com, Lee led the Big 12 and ranked third in the nation in PER (39.9).

Lee Among Top-20 for Career Boards
• Ayoka Lee has continued to own the glass in her K-State career, surpassing the 600-rebound mark.
• Lee ranks 17th in school history for career rebounds with 697 and she is the 19th player in school history with 600 or more career rebounds. Her career rebound total ranks fourth in school history by a center. She owns the school record for career rebounding average and ranks second in Big 12 history at 10.3 rebounds per game.
• Among active NCAA Division I players, Lee ranks seventh in the nation for career rebounding average.
• She ranks tied for third in school history for career games with 15 or more rebounds (5).
• This season, Lee ranks second in the Big 12 and 17th in the nation with 10.6 rebounds per game. She has hauled in a season-high 14 rebounds twice and has pulled in 10 or more rebounds nine times.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Emilee Ebert

Brylee Glenn

Jaelyn Glenn

Ayoka Lee

Serena Sundell

Kansas State University Athletics