(12/16) K-State Closes Non-Con Slate Against Southern Wednesday Night

GAME #13
Southern (1-8, 0-0 SWAC) at (12/16) K-State (11-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 | 6:30 p.m. | Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) | Manhattan, Kan.

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

RADIO
K-State Sports Network
Flagship: Sunny 102.5 & 1350 KMAN
Online: kstatesports.com
Play-by-Play: Matt Walters
Analyst: Andria Jones

Game also available on SiriusXM Channels 85 or 204 or the SiriusXM app

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com

SERIES HISTORY vs. Oral Roberts
3-0
• K-State leads the series with Southern, 3-0.
• Head coach Jeff Mittie is 2-0 in his career against Southern.
• The Wildcats are 26-0 against current members of the SWAC.

MANHATTAN, Kansas - (12/16) K-State completes a three-game home stand on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats host Southern at 6:30 p.m. K-State enters Wednesday's game with an eight-game home court winning streak dating back to the final two home game of the 2022-23 season.

• Wednesday's game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Sophie Smith (sideline) will have the call.

Starting 5
Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women's basketball
1. Lee Collects Second 20-20-5 Game
• With her 24 points, 21 rebounds and five blocks in 23 minutes against Oral Roberts, Ayoka Lee was the first NCAA Division I WBB player since at least 1999-00 to tally a 20-20 double-double with five blocks in less than 25 minutes.
2. Lee Queen of the Double-Double
• Ayoka Lee has 53 career double-doubles setting the school record for double-doubles in a career. She ranks sixth in Big 12 history.
3. Lee Closing in on Ohlde
• Senior center Ayoka Lee (988) needs eight rebounds to pass Nicole Ohlde (995) for second on the K-State career rebounds list.
4. Sides Dishes
• Freshman Taryn Sides is displaying her passing ability to begin her collegiate career. Sides has dished out 57 assists (4.8 apg) to just 11 turnovers while coming off the bench this season. Against Oral Roberts, Sides handed out a career-high 10 assists and has handed out 8.3 assists per game in the last four games.
5. Sundell Approaching 1K
• Junior Serena Sundell needs 40 points to become the 45th player in program history with 1,000 or more career points. When Sundell reaches the 1,000-point mark, she will become the first player in program history with 1,000 or more points, 400 or more assists and 50 or more blocked shots.

Number to Know
88
• In her last three games, K-State senior center Ayoka Lee has scored 88 points (29.3 ppg) while playing 24.3 minutes per game.
• Her 88 points are the most over a three-game span since she registered 106 points during a three-game span from Jan. 19 to Jan. 26, 2022.
• In her career, Lee has scored 80 or more points in a three-game stretch 10 times.
• During these three games, Lee is shooting 77.6 percent (38-of-49) from the field.

Last Time Out
(12/16) K-State 102, Oral Roberts 59 (Dec. 18, 2023; Manhattan, Kan.)
• K-State scored a season-high 102 points and extended its win streak to five games.
• The Wildcats have now won 27 straight non-conference home games.
• K-State feature four in double figures and were led by Ayoka Lee with 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting, a career-high 21 rebounds and five blocked shots.

At a Glance: Southern
• Southern (1-8) comes into Wednesday's matchup following a 76-51 loss at Nebraska on Sunday afternoon.
• On the sideline, Southern is led by sixth-year head coach Carlos Funchess. The 1991 graduate of Louisiana-Monroe owns a 81-78 (.509) record during his time in Baton Rouge.
• The Jaguars are led in scoring by Taylor Williams at 8.8 per game, while Tionna Lidge leads the squad on the boards at 5.1.

Wildcats Off to Fast Start
• Kansas State has opened the season with a 11-1 overall record.
• This is the best 12-game start to a season in the Jeff Mittie era. The Wildcats last started a season 11-1 or better in 2008-09 when K-State was 12-0 after 12 games.
• In program history, K-State owns eight seasons with an 11-1 or better start to a season.

We Are An Ag School
• Fans and media may notice a stuffed four-legged friend on the K-State bench this season.
• During the summer, the K-State coaching staff encouraged the team to get gaps which are three consecutive stops on defense and to do this seven times in a game.
• Before the season, head coach Jeff Mittie asked Serena Sundell, Gabby Gregory and Ayoka Lee to make this their own and to embrace the three straight defensive stops. Enter Gap Goat.
• Gap Goat, who can be followed on Instagram (@GapGoat7), is hoisted aloft when the Wildcats register three consecutive defensive stops. Gap Goat lives at the Ice Basketball Training Center and comes to Bramlage and on road trips to get gaps.
• Gap Goat's apparel includes a K-State jersey and gold chains with one chain featuring a goal number seven pendant.
• Gregory chose a goat because it is her favorite animal.

(12/16) K-State Closes Non-Con Slate Against Southern Wednesday Night

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Players Mentioned

Gabby Gregory

Ayoka Lee

Taryn Sides

Serena Sundell

Kansas State University Athletics