A Good Connection
Dec 02, 2024 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
They giggle at the suggestion. On Sunday, Kansas State senior Serena Sundell and sophomore Taryn Sides were perhaps the most productive pair of roommates in women's college basketball. Sundell scored 17 points, Sides added 15, and they combined to sink 7 of their 11 3-point attempts as the ninth-ranked Wildcats throttled Central Arkansas, 86-39, at Bramlage Coliseum.
The pair of point guards chuckle at the notion that there probably wasn't a better roommate duo in women's college hoops on Sunday.
"It feels good," Sundell said, finally. "We had a few plays together tonight that were fun, some flips to each other and just finding each other. It's fun."
Make no mistake that together, Sundell and Sides could cause the rest of the Big 12 Conference big headaches in a couple weeks.
Sundell averages 12.1 points on 51.4% shooting from the floor to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists. Sides comes off the bench to average 9.0 points on 48.9% shooting from the floor to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists. She also is hitting 45.9% from 3-point range (17-of-37).
On Sunday, Sundell and Sides both recorded season highs in points while Sides' five made 3-pointers also were the most in her career.
"They played really well," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie said. "The transition game is really good with those two on the floor. They both understand where to run and they both pass the ball effectively and both have their eyes up the floor. The ball doesn't tend to stick with them. They move it to the right player. They make a lot of right plays. Taryn is still getting an understanding of how we're wanting her to move her around. That continues to get better every game.
"In particular, how they play together, they're always looking for each other, they know each other's habits well. They play really well together."
The journey to this point began during the offseason. Gabby Gregory departure upon graduation left a vacancy in Sundell's apartment. Sides had a car, which allowed her to leave Jardine Apartments and move off campus. The rest is history.
"It just kind of happened," Sundell said.
It didn't take long before they realized they clicked.
"We have a very similar sense of humor," Sundell said. "We find ways to entertain each other, especially on Thanksgiving break, when you are stuck with this person. I don't get bored of her. Sometimes she makes me mad, or I'll make her mad, but she's like a sister to me. We both don't have sisters. She's like a sister to me."
Sides, seated next to Sundell at the postgame news conference, said, "We have so much fun together."
"There's never a dull moment," Sides continued. "We're always laughing and giggling. We don't have to say anything, just look at each other and we know what each other is thinking."
How does the living arrangement impact chemistry on the court?
"I think it impacts it a lot," Sides said. "We'll go home and watch the games together or we'll watch highlight videos of the other team and scout them together. You build that chemistry naturally when you're together 24-7. It's just a lot of fun to play with her. I told her last game I love when she's aggressive because she's hard to stop when she's aggressive."
Sundell replied, "Thank you."
Sundell is thankful for that little extra push that Sides provides. Sides, notorious for shooting hundreds of shots each day inside the practice gym, inspires Sundell to follow suit.
"I've said this since the summer that Taryn is a gym rat, so anytime she's going to the gym and getting up extra shots, it forces me to want to come with her," Sundell said. "She's worked so hard, so to see her have some success out there and knocking down 3s, I've said this, and I'll say it again, that every time she shoots the ball, I think it's going in. You don't feel that about every player."
Mittie has witnessed their connection on the court.
"They're just really good friends," he said. "They're in the gym a lot together. That's a real benefit for point guards that are around each other a lot. Certainly, Serena has been through 100-plus games and having her and Taryn be so close is a benefit. They understand how to play. It certainly doesn't hurt, right?
"You do see a good connection with them when they're out there."
They'll try to make the most of their connection when K-State faces Eastern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bramlage.
Off the court, expect their connection to continue as well.
"It's kind of a situation where if you were in the room with us, you wouldn't think what we think is funny is hilarious, but we are cracking up," Sundell said. "Sometimes our teammates are like, 'You're weird.'"
But there might not be a better roommate duo in the Big 12.
They giggle at the suggestion. On Sunday, Kansas State senior Serena Sundell and sophomore Taryn Sides were perhaps the most productive pair of roommates in women's college basketball. Sundell scored 17 points, Sides added 15, and they combined to sink 7 of their 11 3-point attempts as the ninth-ranked Wildcats throttled Central Arkansas, 86-39, at Bramlage Coliseum.
The pair of point guards chuckle at the notion that there probably wasn't a better roommate duo in women's college hoops on Sunday.
"It feels good," Sundell said, finally. "We had a few plays together tonight that were fun, some flips to each other and just finding each other. It's fun."
Make no mistake that together, Sundell and Sides could cause the rest of the Big 12 Conference big headaches in a couple weeks.
Sundell averages 12.1 points on 51.4% shooting from the floor to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists. Sides comes off the bench to average 9.0 points on 48.9% shooting from the floor to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists. She also is hitting 45.9% from 3-point range (17-of-37).
On Sunday, Sundell and Sides both recorded season highs in points while Sides' five made 3-pointers also were the most in her career.
"They played really well," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie said. "The transition game is really good with those two on the floor. They both understand where to run and they both pass the ball effectively and both have their eyes up the floor. The ball doesn't tend to stick with them. They move it to the right player. They make a lot of right plays. Taryn is still getting an understanding of how we're wanting her to move her around. That continues to get better every game.
"In particular, how they play together, they're always looking for each other, they know each other's habits well. They play really well together."
The journey to this point began during the offseason. Gabby Gregory departure upon graduation left a vacancy in Sundell's apartment. Sides had a car, which allowed her to leave Jardine Apartments and move off campus. The rest is history.
"It just kind of happened," Sundell said.
It didn't take long before they realized they clicked.
"We have a very similar sense of humor," Sundell said. "We find ways to entertain each other, especially on Thanksgiving break, when you are stuck with this person. I don't get bored of her. Sometimes she makes me mad, or I'll make her mad, but she's like a sister to me. We both don't have sisters. She's like a sister to me."
Sides, seated next to Sundell at the postgame news conference, said, "We have so much fun together."
"There's never a dull moment," Sides continued. "We're always laughing and giggling. We don't have to say anything, just look at each other and we know what each other is thinking."
How does the living arrangement impact chemistry on the court?
"I think it impacts it a lot," Sides said. "We'll go home and watch the games together or we'll watch highlight videos of the other team and scout them together. You build that chemistry naturally when you're together 24-7. It's just a lot of fun to play with her. I told her last game I love when she's aggressive because she's hard to stop when she's aggressive."
Sundell replied, "Thank you."
Sundell is thankful for that little extra push that Sides provides. Sides, notorious for shooting hundreds of shots each day inside the practice gym, inspires Sundell to follow suit.
"I've said this since the summer that Taryn is a gym rat, so anytime she's going to the gym and getting up extra shots, it forces me to want to come with her," Sundell said. "She's worked so hard, so to see her have some success out there and knocking down 3s, I've said this, and I'll say it again, that every time she shoots the ball, I think it's going in. You don't feel that about every player."
Mittie has witnessed their connection on the court.
"They're just really good friends," he said. "They're in the gym a lot together. That's a real benefit for point guards that are around each other a lot. Certainly, Serena has been through 100-plus games and having her and Taryn be so close is a benefit. They understand how to play. It certainly doesn't hurt, right?
"You do see a good connection with them when they're out there."
They'll try to make the most of their connection when K-State faces Eastern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bramlage.
Off the court, expect their connection to continue as well.
"It's kind of a situation where if you were in the room with us, you wouldn't think what we think is funny is hilarious, but we are cracking up," Sundell said. "Sometimes our teammates are like, 'You're weird.'"
But there might not be a better roommate duo in the Big 12.
Players Mentioned
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