Cats Show Off Depth in Season-Opening Victory
Nov 05, 2024 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
When she was in the sixth grade, Kennedy Taylor wrote a note to her future self that she would earn an athletic scholarship. That came true. Now after a journey, the senior forward from Shawnee Mission, Kansas, is back in her home state playing for No. 13 Kansas State.
On a day dedicated to education — Monday was the K-State's Education Day — Taylor and the Wildcats aced their first test in a 92-45 victory over Green Bay at Bramlage Coliseum.
Taylor came off the bench to score 16 points and add 11 rebounds in 16 minutes, and three other teammates scored in double figures, as K-State appeared mighty powerful in its debut of the 2024-25 season.
"This is amazing," said Taylor, who shot 5-for-8 from the floor and made all six of her free-throw attempts. "This environment is unlike any I've experienced before. I'm truly blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to play in front of everybody here."
K-State's Education Day was a success as around 2,000 children attended the season opener for the preseason Big 12 favorites. Perhaps a few of the children in the stands aspire to one day earn an athletic scholarship as well.
Perhaps getting a taste of K-State women's basketball might spark that passion.
"I'm really happy they were here and able to experience this game," said Taylor, who started her career at Colorado before playing two seasons at Missouri State. "To hear them screaming and cheering, it's something that maybe not a lot of kids get to experience, so for all of them to be able to come here and get this experience, I'm happy for them."
There's plenty for K-State head coach Jeff Mittie to be happy about as well.
From leading 28-7 after the first quarter to taking a 49-12 lead into the break to going on a 25-0 scoring run while utilizing different lineups, the Wildcats played with ample passion, dominating Green Bay from the start and leading by as many as 49 points twice in the second half.
"The pace and attack was really, really good," Mittie said. "The kids at the game brought some energy into that building with it being an 11 a.m., game. I hope we can do this every year."
Senior guard Jaelyn Glenn had a team-high 17 points (4-for-9 on 3-pointers), nine rebounds, six assists and three steals in a team-high 28 minutes. Senior transfer guard Temira Poindexter added 15 points, five assists, two steals and four blocks. Preseason All-Big 12 senior guard Serena Sundell had 12 points, three assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes.
"It felt good," said Poindexter, who shot 6-for-10 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. "This is what I came here for, for this environment and this team. I'm enjoying my time here so far and I really love my teammates. It's amazing, honestly."
Preseason All-American senior center Ayoka Lee scored seven points on 2-of-6 shooting and added four rebounds and two blocks in 10 minutes. She sat the entire second half as a precautionary measure with an ankle issue.
"There was something in that ankle that kind of popped," Mittie said. "That's all I got right now. They told me she was available, and I said, obviously the margin was large and we got games coming forward, so we're hopeful that it wasn't anything that is lingering, but that's where it sits today."
On a team that returns four seniors with tons of experience — Lee, Sundell, Jaelyn Glenn and Brylee Glenn — Poindexter and Taylor have had no trouble fitting in with the team.
"My teammates have been so welcoming, and they give us confidence," Poindexter said. "I've integrated well into the team."
Added Taylor: "We all flow really well with each other. You can mix up who's on the floor, and we're going to have great chemistry with each other. That's what's really strong about our team. We all have great chemistry with each other."
Taylor's aggressiveness off the bench in Lee's absence impressed Mittie.
"That's one of the reasons we recruited Kennedy, for moments like this," Mittie said.
K-State outshot Green Bay 49% (34-of-70) to 31% (19-of-62). The Wildcats held Green Bay to just 16.1% (5-of-31) on field goals in the first half.
Green Bay senior guard Natalie McNeal, who averaged a team-high 13.2 points per game last season, led her team with 14 points. The Wildcats got after wing Maddy Schreiber, who averaged 12.1 points on 55.3% shooting last season. Schreiber had seven points on 3-of-10 shooting and added five rebounds in a team-high 32 minutes. The Green Bay bench went 6-for-26 from the floor.
"We knew who their shooters were, and Coach Mittie did a good job in making sure we knew who they were and what they did best," Poindexter said. "That's what we've been working on in practice, was finding their shooters."
K-State had little trouble finding its shooters. Led by Zyanna Walker's seven assists, the Wildcats scored 34 baskets on 24 assists in the game. Ten players saw the court and eight scored at least five points.
The Wildcats scored 36 points off the bench. Sophomore guard Taryn Sides had eight points on 3-for-7 shooting, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, to go along with six rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes.
"Taryn, that's just Taryn," Poindexter said. "She's a great shooter and a great player. She's a sophomore and has a lot more to grow into and she's doing an amazing job."
K-State now gets a few days to prepare for Thursday's game against Belmont at Bramlage Coliseum. The 6:30 p.m. tipoff can be seen on ESPN+.
"We flowed really well this game," Taylor said. "Everybody got some shots up and some points. We did a great job."
When she was in the sixth grade, Kennedy Taylor wrote a note to her future self that she would earn an athletic scholarship. That came true. Now after a journey, the senior forward from Shawnee Mission, Kansas, is back in her home state playing for No. 13 Kansas State.
On a day dedicated to education — Monday was the K-State's Education Day — Taylor and the Wildcats aced their first test in a 92-45 victory over Green Bay at Bramlage Coliseum.
Taylor came off the bench to score 16 points and add 11 rebounds in 16 minutes, and three other teammates scored in double figures, as K-State appeared mighty powerful in its debut of the 2024-25 season.
"This is amazing," said Taylor, who shot 5-for-8 from the floor and made all six of her free-throw attempts. "This environment is unlike any I've experienced before. I'm truly blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to play in front of everybody here."
K-State's Education Day was a success as around 2,000 children attended the season opener for the preseason Big 12 favorites. Perhaps a few of the children in the stands aspire to one day earn an athletic scholarship as well.
Perhaps getting a taste of K-State women's basketball might spark that passion.
"I'm really happy they were here and able to experience this game," said Taylor, who started her career at Colorado before playing two seasons at Missouri State. "To hear them screaming and cheering, it's something that maybe not a lot of kids get to experience, so for all of them to be able to come here and get this experience, I'm happy for them."
There's plenty for K-State head coach Jeff Mittie to be happy about as well.
From leading 28-7 after the first quarter to taking a 49-12 lead into the break to going on a 25-0 scoring run while utilizing different lineups, the Wildcats played with ample passion, dominating Green Bay from the start and leading by as many as 49 points twice in the second half.
"The pace and attack was really, really good," Mittie said. "The kids at the game brought some energy into that building with it being an 11 a.m., game. I hope we can do this every year."
Senior guard Jaelyn Glenn had a team-high 17 points (4-for-9 on 3-pointers), nine rebounds, six assists and three steals in a team-high 28 minutes. Senior transfer guard Temira Poindexter added 15 points, five assists, two steals and four blocks. Preseason All-Big 12 senior guard Serena Sundell had 12 points, three assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes.
"It felt good," said Poindexter, who shot 6-for-10 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. "This is what I came here for, for this environment and this team. I'm enjoying my time here so far and I really love my teammates. It's amazing, honestly."
Preseason All-American senior center Ayoka Lee scored seven points on 2-of-6 shooting and added four rebounds and two blocks in 10 minutes. She sat the entire second half as a precautionary measure with an ankle issue.
"There was something in that ankle that kind of popped," Mittie said. "That's all I got right now. They told me she was available, and I said, obviously the margin was large and we got games coming forward, so we're hopeful that it wasn't anything that is lingering, but that's where it sits today."
On a team that returns four seniors with tons of experience — Lee, Sundell, Jaelyn Glenn and Brylee Glenn — Poindexter and Taylor have had no trouble fitting in with the team.
"My teammates have been so welcoming, and they give us confidence," Poindexter said. "I've integrated well into the team."
Added Taylor: "We all flow really well with each other. You can mix up who's on the floor, and we're going to have great chemistry with each other. That's what's really strong about our team. We all have great chemistry with each other."
Taylor's aggressiveness off the bench in Lee's absence impressed Mittie.
"That's one of the reasons we recruited Kennedy, for moments like this," Mittie said.
K-State outshot Green Bay 49% (34-of-70) to 31% (19-of-62). The Wildcats held Green Bay to just 16.1% (5-of-31) on field goals in the first half.
Green Bay senior guard Natalie McNeal, who averaged a team-high 13.2 points per game last season, led her team with 14 points. The Wildcats got after wing Maddy Schreiber, who averaged 12.1 points on 55.3% shooting last season. Schreiber had seven points on 3-of-10 shooting and added five rebounds in a team-high 32 minutes. The Green Bay bench went 6-for-26 from the floor.
"We knew who their shooters were, and Coach Mittie did a good job in making sure we knew who they were and what they did best," Poindexter said. "That's what we've been working on in practice, was finding their shooters."
K-State had little trouble finding its shooters. Led by Zyanna Walker's seven assists, the Wildcats scored 34 baskets on 24 assists in the game. Ten players saw the court and eight scored at least five points.
The Wildcats scored 36 points off the bench. Sophomore guard Taryn Sides had eight points on 3-for-7 shooting, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, to go along with six rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes.
"Taryn, that's just Taryn," Poindexter said. "She's a great shooter and a great player. She's a sophomore and has a lot more to grow into and she's doing an amazing job."
K-State now gets a few days to prepare for Thursday's game against Belmont at Bramlage Coliseum. The 6:30 p.m. tipoff can be seen on ESPN+.
"We flowed really well this game," Taylor said. "Everybody got some shots up and some points. We did a great job."
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