Finding Different Ways to Win Games
Jan 11, 2024 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Ayoka Lee scored 12 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter and No. 12 Kansas State won for the 10th straight time behind suffocating defense in a 74-57 win over Oklahoma at Bramlage Coliseum.
The 10 straight wins are the most by K-State head coach Jeff Mittie in his 10 seasons at K-State.
"I haven't found one (game) I want to lose yet. I've never found one," said Mittie, who improved to 180-128 in his 10 seasons in Manhattan. "I'll say this, we've played a variety of different challenges through our schedule. We've played good solid competition, different leagues, and now we're into league play where teams know each other. I'm proud of our group for having the (holiday) break and coming back and grinding our way through some victories here."
K-State, 16-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big 12 Conference, held the Sooners, 9-6 and 3-1, to 17 points below their season scoring average with its powerful defense that entered ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense (50.9) and third in field-goal percentage defense (31.8%).
"Coach Mittie definitely has been on us about communication so when our communication is really good, we're playing good defense," Lee said. "Our ability to get steals, our guards do a really good job being in the right spot. Inside, we have good defense. I don't think it's easy for a lot of teams to score against us."
Oklahoma, which sought its first 4-0 Big 12 start since 2014-15, managed just 27.1% shooting (19-of-70), including 25.0% on 3-point attempts (7-of-28) against the Wildcats, who have held 15 opponents under their scoring average this season.
"In stretches we really rushed their shots, and that was the good part," Mittie said. "They do such a great job of rushing the floor and they play so many people that if you're communication isn't great, it's pretty easy to lose a player. We lost them some, but they were sped up by us and our defense was pretty solid."
Oklahoma did a good job keying on Lee down low over the first three quarters. But Lee keyed the Wildcats down the stretch. She finished 8-of-12 from the floor and added six rebounds and five blocks.
"We felt like she was a hash too high so we moved her a hash lower, and we simply wanted them to make a decision if they'd play her half a body or could she bury them," Mittie said. "They chose to play below her, and she buried them. I just wanted her to be patient and stay poised. We had trouble moving the ball and were out of sync most of the night.
"That's hard for her to figure out her timing of her post-up. I had to call a few more plays in the second half. She's a smart player, obviously, and she's able to refocus and regroup pretty easily."
Lee, the Big 12 Player of the Week, entered the game averaging 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds. She knew that she would draw ample attention.
"That was definitely an emphasis for them," Lee said. "They did a good job of that the first half."
Lee, who missed all of last season while rehabilitating from surgery, scored a Division I record 61 points the last time that she played Oklahoma in Manhattan in 2021-22. Lee needs just four points to reach 2,000 for her career.
"I told Ayoka Lee after the game it's really nice to have her back in Big 12 play," Oklahoma head coach Jennie Baranczyk said. "The league missed her. We didn't necessarily miss her much, but it is really good to have her back. For the most part, I thought we did some good things against her and there were times that she showed us how good she really is.
"They're a very, very good basketball team."
Junior Serena Sundell had 16 points, senior Gabby Gregory and redshirt freshman Zyanna Walker had 13 apiece, and junior Jaelyn Glenn added 11 points, as the Wildcats overcame 43.3% shooting (29-of-67), including 26.9% on 3-pointers (7-of-26) and finished with 21 assists and just eight turnovers.
"I felt like we were very stagnant and just felt like the ball was sticking too much," Mittie said. "Honestly, it didn't get a whole lot better late, it got a little better late, but we had to go to more plays than I wanted to."
K-State led 37-25 at halftime and the Sooners never crept closer than seven points in the second half.
"Our group continues to find different ways to win games, which is always important because over a particular league with teams that know each other so well, you feel like you just know the personnel," Mittie said. "I'm sure they feel that they know us pretty well. They made a concerted effort to take it out of Lee's hands.
"It's a good trait to have that you can grind your way through a four-quarter game. There are going to be a lot of these during the league where one area of your game isn't as strong, and you have to find a different way to win."
Gregory, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, transferred from Oklahoma prior to last season.
Asked whether playing Oklahoma again was significant to her, Gregory replied, "I guess you could say that. I was just open and feeling good and shots went in."
"Gabby just wants to win," Mittie said. "She's just a great competitor. This one meant a lot to her. She's an Oklahoma girl and played there, so it meant a lot to her. She's played very well with Lee. That was the plan when we brought her in was that we felt we needed a player with her swagger and confidence and toughness. We thought that would match well with Lee."
K-State has won 16 of its first 17 games for just the fourth time in school history. The Wildcats and Iowa State remain the only Big 12 unbeatens in league play.
K-State now prepares for a top-15 showdown as No. 10 Texas visits Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bramlage. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
"It's one game of 18 but to say it's just another game when you have whatever they're ranked and whatever we're ranked, it's not just another game," Mittie said. "It's two ranked opponents going head-to-head on national TV. It's not just another game, but it is one out of 18 (league games). We know Texas has an excellent basketball team, and we'll be excited to play on Saturday.
"This game was a test of could we grind out a game. Our group has been excited about conference play. There's always a little extra energy in that. We constantly talk about blocking out the noise, good and bad, but the reality is they know, and it's about us refocusing. I'm excited to see our team play Saturday against another quality opponent, and I'm excited to see how we compete."
Ayoka Lee scored 12 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter and No. 12 Kansas State won for the 10th straight time behind suffocating defense in a 74-57 win over Oklahoma at Bramlage Coliseum.
The 10 straight wins are the most by K-State head coach Jeff Mittie in his 10 seasons at K-State.
"I haven't found one (game) I want to lose yet. I've never found one," said Mittie, who improved to 180-128 in his 10 seasons in Manhattan. "I'll say this, we've played a variety of different challenges through our schedule. We've played good solid competition, different leagues, and now we're into league play where teams know each other. I'm proud of our group for having the (holiday) break and coming back and grinding our way through some victories here."
K-State, 16-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big 12 Conference, held the Sooners, 9-6 and 3-1, to 17 points below their season scoring average with its powerful defense that entered ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense (50.9) and third in field-goal percentage defense (31.8%).
"Coach Mittie definitely has been on us about communication so when our communication is really good, we're playing good defense," Lee said. "Our ability to get steals, our guards do a really good job being in the right spot. Inside, we have good defense. I don't think it's easy for a lot of teams to score against us."
Oklahoma, which sought its first 4-0 Big 12 start since 2014-15, managed just 27.1% shooting (19-of-70), including 25.0% on 3-point attempts (7-of-28) against the Wildcats, who have held 15 opponents under their scoring average this season.
"In stretches we really rushed their shots, and that was the good part," Mittie said. "They do such a great job of rushing the floor and they play so many people that if you're communication isn't great, it's pretty easy to lose a player. We lost them some, but they were sped up by us and our defense was pretty solid."
Oklahoma did a good job keying on Lee down low over the first three quarters. But Lee keyed the Wildcats down the stretch. She finished 8-of-12 from the floor and added six rebounds and five blocks.
"We felt like she was a hash too high so we moved her a hash lower, and we simply wanted them to make a decision if they'd play her half a body or could she bury them," Mittie said. "They chose to play below her, and she buried them. I just wanted her to be patient and stay poised. We had trouble moving the ball and were out of sync most of the night.
"That's hard for her to figure out her timing of her post-up. I had to call a few more plays in the second half. She's a smart player, obviously, and she's able to refocus and regroup pretty easily."
Lee, the Big 12 Player of the Week, entered the game averaging 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds. She knew that she would draw ample attention.
"That was definitely an emphasis for them," Lee said. "They did a good job of that the first half."
Lee, who missed all of last season while rehabilitating from surgery, scored a Division I record 61 points the last time that she played Oklahoma in Manhattan in 2021-22. Lee needs just four points to reach 2,000 for her career.
"I told Ayoka Lee after the game it's really nice to have her back in Big 12 play," Oklahoma head coach Jennie Baranczyk said. "The league missed her. We didn't necessarily miss her much, but it is really good to have her back. For the most part, I thought we did some good things against her and there were times that she showed us how good she really is.
"They're a very, very good basketball team."
Junior Serena Sundell had 16 points, senior Gabby Gregory and redshirt freshman Zyanna Walker had 13 apiece, and junior Jaelyn Glenn added 11 points, as the Wildcats overcame 43.3% shooting (29-of-67), including 26.9% on 3-pointers (7-of-26) and finished with 21 assists and just eight turnovers.
"I felt like we were very stagnant and just felt like the ball was sticking too much," Mittie said. "Honestly, it didn't get a whole lot better late, it got a little better late, but we had to go to more plays than I wanted to."
K-State led 37-25 at halftime and the Sooners never crept closer than seven points in the second half.
"Our group continues to find different ways to win games, which is always important because over a particular league with teams that know each other so well, you feel like you just know the personnel," Mittie said. "I'm sure they feel that they know us pretty well. They made a concerted effort to take it out of Lee's hands.
"It's a good trait to have that you can grind your way through a four-quarter game. There are going to be a lot of these during the league where one area of your game isn't as strong, and you have to find a different way to win."
Gregory, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, transferred from Oklahoma prior to last season.
Asked whether playing Oklahoma again was significant to her, Gregory replied, "I guess you could say that. I was just open and feeling good and shots went in."
"Gabby just wants to win," Mittie said. "She's just a great competitor. This one meant a lot to her. She's an Oklahoma girl and played there, so it meant a lot to her. She's played very well with Lee. That was the plan when we brought her in was that we felt we needed a player with her swagger and confidence and toughness. We thought that would match well with Lee."
K-State has won 16 of its first 17 games for just the fourth time in school history. The Wildcats and Iowa State remain the only Big 12 unbeatens in league play.
K-State now prepares for a top-15 showdown as No. 10 Texas visits Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bramlage. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
"It's one game of 18 but to say it's just another game when you have whatever they're ranked and whatever we're ranked, it's not just another game," Mittie said. "It's two ranked opponents going head-to-head on national TV. It's not just another game, but it is one out of 18 (league games). We know Texas has an excellent basketball team, and we'll be excited to play on Saturday.
"This game was a test of could we grind out a game. Our group has been excited about conference play. There's always a little extra energy in that. We constantly talk about blocking out the noise, good and bad, but the reality is they know, and it's about us refocusing. I'm excited to see our team play Saturday against another quality opponent, and I'm excited to see how we compete."
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