More Confidence Means More Production
Dec 09, 2022 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
She's more than doubled her scoring average, she's attacking the rim at an alarming rate, she has one of the best 3-point percentages in the Big 12 Conference, and she leads the league in steals — so exactly what's left for Kansas State sophomore guard Jaelyn Glenn to improve upon as the native of Kansas City, Missouri, continues to tear it up for the No. 24 Wildcats this season?
"Rebounding," she says. "We have to be a good rebounding team and that's definitely something I need to be better at. Rebounding is my biggest struggle."
For the record, the 6-foot-1 Glenn ranks 10th in the Big 12 in points (14.4), eighth in 3-point percentage (.409), ninth in made 3-pointers per game (2.3), 20th in rebounds (4.9), and first in steals (2.6). She has scored in double digits in eight of 10 games, including a career-high 23-point performance (a career-high 4-of-8 on 3-point attempts) against Northern Arizona, and has grabbed eight rebounds in three different games.
Glenn is moving without the ball, creating shots, slashing in the lane, and popping from outside. While preseason All-Big 12 sophomore point guard Serena Sundell continues to bring her overall dominance to the floor that made her one of the nation's most dangerous freshmen a year ago, Glenn's emergence as a more significant contributor is also a big reason why K-State is 9-1 as it prepares to face South Dakota State on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
"Jaelyn has really stepped up for us this year in more ways than she's been asked to do," says Sundell, who has played competitively with Jaelyn and Brylee Glenn for more than a decade. "The growth that she's made from last year to this year, it's been huge. I think everybody can see she's a threat to score in three levels — from the 3, she's driving, and she has a midrange jump shot.
"Her growth that we've seen this year and the confidence she's playing with is kind of contagious to the team. I'm just really proud of how she's started this season off."
Such a sentiment is shared by K-State head coach Jeff Mittie, who began recruiting Jaelyn and Brylee when they were in the eighth grade.
This season, Jaelyn has seemingly taken off.
"She's just been more aggressive in shooting the 3," Mittie says. "The last couple weeks we've seen a better aggressiveness at the rim. She's gone to the free-throw line more times than she ever has, which needs to be a part of her game.
"Just overall, she's improved in every area."
Where does that come from? Confidence.
"My confidence is way better," Glenn says. "I actually had someone after a game come up to me and say that I didn't look as timid as I did last year. I feel a lot more confident in my game and in expanding upon what I'm able to do."
It's not that she was forced to expand her game, but the absence of All-American Ayoka Lee this season due to knee surgery did create a need for everyone to step it up in the Wildcats' new offense. Mittie went out and secured arguably the best recruiting class of his nine seasons at K-State and the additions of senior transfer Gabby Gregory (she leads the Big 12 with 20.2 points per game) and graduate transfer Sarah Shematsi (5.7 points) has paid off handsomely.
But Glenn knew she also had to take her game to another level.
"I definitely knew I was going to have to be more aggressive and definitely expand my game in order to help our team because Yokie wasn't going to play," she says. "But we also had Gabby and Sarah and lots of new transfers and freshmen who've come in and have been a big help as well."
Entering this week, Glenn was one of just four Power 5 players averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals per contest. She felt herself elevate during the three-game Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands with strong scoring performances against Clemson (16 points), Northern Arizona (23) and Arkansas (14).
Her next game out, Glenn had a stat-stuffing 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in a 73-59 win over Houston at Bramlage Coliseum. Her performance included career highs in free throws made (eight) and attempted (12).
"I definitely felt like something had changed, and coming back from the Virgin Islands, my game was different," she says.
The biggest thing that Mittie has noticed about Glenn this season? Added maturity.
"One of the things that players go through is the ability to not have a good first or second quarter but maturity teaches you that you can change that during the course of the game," Mittie says. "When you're young, you tend not to go to the next play as well and it's hard to come out of that. She's come out of quarters where she hasn't played very well and has made the corrections necessary, so you're seeing a maturity to her game and a confidence level. She's worked hard to achieve that.
"I thought she had a really good summer and did some really good things in the 3-on-3 tournament against really good competition. We've got a pretty smart group and Jaelyn has banked those experiences to draw on and that's given her a lot of confidence."
And she's showing her confidence while playing at different positions on the floor.
"I'm attacking the basket and didn't get to the basket a lot last year so that's been my biggest improvement this year, and Coach Mittie has me playing point guard a little bit and I didn't do that a lot last year," Glenn says. "I'm playing the two, three or four depending upon who's in the game. I feel really good about my versatility. It gives me an advantage and has definitely been helpful because if you put a four on me, I can attack the basket and take them off the dribble. If you put a small guard on me, I've been working on my post game, so I can post up the best I can right now.
"That type of versatility is giving me a huge advantage."
She's come a long way since the days of her and Brylee helping lead The Barstow School to success. Jaelyn averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and nearly two blocks en route to becoming a 2021 McDonald's All-American Game nominee. She was the nation's 54th ranked player by ESPNW Hoopgurlz.
Last season, she averaged 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while averaging 30.7 minutes per game and starting in 32 contests. Glenn had 13 points, four rebounds, eight assists and five steals against Abilene Christian last season, becoming the first K-State freshman in 20 years to record at least 10 points, eight assists and five steals in the same game.
"I didn't really give myself a lot of credit last year," Glenn says. "I was better than I thought I was last year, so I'm just remaining confident in myself."
And now time ticks down until she embarks upon her second Big 12 season. After facing South Dakota State, K-State finishes the non-conference season against Northern Colorado (December 18) and Morgan State (December 21) before opening the Big 12 at Texas (December 31).
"I'm really excited," Glenn says. "Of course, the Big 12 has a lot of great talent and great teams. I'm really excited to get into it. The way we've been playing, I'm excited to see how we do."
So far, Glenn has certainly proven "sophomore slump" to be a myth.
"When people say 'sophomore slump,' as I told our group, many times it's a player not improving off that last year. They were seventh on the scouting report and now they've moved up to second or third, so they have to improve their flaws. If you're a player who only wants to improve on your strengths, then you'll have a sophomore slump. If you're a player that's going to improve your weaknesses and trust the coaches to help you improve then you're a player who'll advance your game, and then 'sophomore slump' is a myth."
There's no slump to Glenn's game.
She's becoming a super sophomore.
She's more than doubled her scoring average, she's attacking the rim at an alarming rate, she has one of the best 3-point percentages in the Big 12 Conference, and she leads the league in steals — so exactly what's left for Kansas State sophomore guard Jaelyn Glenn to improve upon as the native of Kansas City, Missouri, continues to tear it up for the No. 24 Wildcats this season?
"Rebounding," she says. "We have to be a good rebounding team and that's definitely something I need to be better at. Rebounding is my biggest struggle."
For the record, the 6-foot-1 Glenn ranks 10th in the Big 12 in points (14.4), eighth in 3-point percentage (.409), ninth in made 3-pointers per game (2.3), 20th in rebounds (4.9), and first in steals (2.6). She has scored in double digits in eight of 10 games, including a career-high 23-point performance (a career-high 4-of-8 on 3-point attempts) against Northern Arizona, and has grabbed eight rebounds in three different games.
Glenn is moving without the ball, creating shots, slashing in the lane, and popping from outside. While preseason All-Big 12 sophomore point guard Serena Sundell continues to bring her overall dominance to the floor that made her one of the nation's most dangerous freshmen a year ago, Glenn's emergence as a more significant contributor is also a big reason why K-State is 9-1 as it prepares to face South Dakota State on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
"Jaelyn has really stepped up for us this year in more ways than she's been asked to do," says Sundell, who has played competitively with Jaelyn and Brylee Glenn for more than a decade. "The growth that she's made from last year to this year, it's been huge. I think everybody can see she's a threat to score in three levels — from the 3, she's driving, and she has a midrange jump shot.
"Her growth that we've seen this year and the confidence she's playing with is kind of contagious to the team. I'm just really proud of how she's started this season off."
Such a sentiment is shared by K-State head coach Jeff Mittie, who began recruiting Jaelyn and Brylee when they were in the eighth grade.
This season, Jaelyn has seemingly taken off.
"She's just been more aggressive in shooting the 3," Mittie says. "The last couple weeks we've seen a better aggressiveness at the rim. She's gone to the free-throw line more times than she ever has, which needs to be a part of her game.
"Just overall, she's improved in every area."
Where does that come from? Confidence.
"My confidence is way better," Glenn says. "I actually had someone after a game come up to me and say that I didn't look as timid as I did last year. I feel a lot more confident in my game and in expanding upon what I'm able to do."
It's not that she was forced to expand her game, but the absence of All-American Ayoka Lee this season due to knee surgery did create a need for everyone to step it up in the Wildcats' new offense. Mittie went out and secured arguably the best recruiting class of his nine seasons at K-State and the additions of senior transfer Gabby Gregory (she leads the Big 12 with 20.2 points per game) and graduate transfer Sarah Shematsi (5.7 points) has paid off handsomely.
But Glenn knew she also had to take her game to another level.
"I definitely knew I was going to have to be more aggressive and definitely expand my game in order to help our team because Yokie wasn't going to play," she says. "But we also had Gabby and Sarah and lots of new transfers and freshmen who've come in and have been a big help as well."
Entering this week, Glenn was one of just four Power 5 players averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals per contest. She felt herself elevate during the three-game Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands with strong scoring performances against Clemson (16 points), Northern Arizona (23) and Arkansas (14).
Her next game out, Glenn had a stat-stuffing 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in a 73-59 win over Houston at Bramlage Coliseum. Her performance included career highs in free throws made (eight) and attempted (12).
"I definitely felt like something had changed, and coming back from the Virgin Islands, my game was different," she says.
The biggest thing that Mittie has noticed about Glenn this season? Added maturity.
"One of the things that players go through is the ability to not have a good first or second quarter but maturity teaches you that you can change that during the course of the game," Mittie says. "When you're young, you tend not to go to the next play as well and it's hard to come out of that. She's come out of quarters where she hasn't played very well and has made the corrections necessary, so you're seeing a maturity to her game and a confidence level. She's worked hard to achieve that.
"I thought she had a really good summer and did some really good things in the 3-on-3 tournament against really good competition. We've got a pretty smart group and Jaelyn has banked those experiences to draw on and that's given her a lot of confidence."
And she's showing her confidence while playing at different positions on the floor.
"I'm attacking the basket and didn't get to the basket a lot last year so that's been my biggest improvement this year, and Coach Mittie has me playing point guard a little bit and I didn't do that a lot last year," Glenn says. "I'm playing the two, three or four depending upon who's in the game. I feel really good about my versatility. It gives me an advantage and has definitely been helpful because if you put a four on me, I can attack the basket and take them off the dribble. If you put a small guard on me, I've been working on my post game, so I can post up the best I can right now.
"That type of versatility is giving me a huge advantage."
She's come a long way since the days of her and Brylee helping lead The Barstow School to success. Jaelyn averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and nearly two blocks en route to becoming a 2021 McDonald's All-American Game nominee. She was the nation's 54th ranked player by ESPNW Hoopgurlz.
Last season, she averaged 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while averaging 30.7 minutes per game and starting in 32 contests. Glenn had 13 points, four rebounds, eight assists and five steals against Abilene Christian last season, becoming the first K-State freshman in 20 years to record at least 10 points, eight assists and five steals in the same game.
"I didn't really give myself a lot of credit last year," Glenn says. "I was better than I thought I was last year, so I'm just remaining confident in myself."
And now time ticks down until she embarks upon her second Big 12 season. After facing South Dakota State, K-State finishes the non-conference season against Northern Colorado (December 18) and Morgan State (December 21) before opening the Big 12 at Texas (December 31).
"I'm really excited," Glenn says. "Of course, the Big 12 has a lot of great talent and great teams. I'm really excited to get into it. The way we've been playing, I'm excited to see how we do."
So far, Glenn has certainly proven "sophomore slump" to be a myth.
"When people say 'sophomore slump,' as I told our group, many times it's a player not improving off that last year. They were seventh on the scouting report and now they've moved up to second or third, so they have to improve their flaws. If you're a player who only wants to improve on your strengths, then you'll have a sophomore slump. If you're a player that's going to improve your weaknesses and trust the coaches to help you improve then you're a player who'll advance your game, and then 'sophomore slump' is a myth."
There's no slump to Glenn's game.
She's becoming a super sophomore.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballK-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Colorado
Thursday, February 26
K-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
