A Threat From All Three Levels
Dec 23, 2024 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Temira Poindexter made an impressive statement in her first Big 12 Conference game. The Tulsa senior transfer poured in a season high-tying 23 points, including 4-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc, to lead No. 13 Kansas State to a 76-59 win over Cincinnati in front of a near-capacity crowd at Bramlage Coliseum.
Poindexter, a 6-foot-2 native of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, spent her 28 minutes on the floor for the Wildcats, 13-1 and 1-0, scoring from all three levels and frustrating the Bearcats, 8-3 and 0-1, who had few answers for one of the most athletic players in Manhattan.
It's precisely the kind of performance that Poindexter envisioned when she chose to join a K-State team that aspires to reach the Final Four this year.
"It was definitely a hope of mine, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity to just be out there and play in front of the fans and with my teammates," she said. "I'm just very grateful."
From her 3-pointer in the corner to begin the scoring for K-State with 6 minutes, 16 seconds left in the first quarter, to her fourth and final 3-pointer up top with 53 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Poindexter was everywhere and delighted the crowd of 7,700 that cheered loud and long for one of the top teams in women's college basketball.
Poindexter finished 9-of-12 from the floor with four rebounds and three assists.
"She's been a huge asset getting out and running and getting us fast-break points and being able to shoot the ball at a high level, and attack the basket aggressively," senior guard Jaeyln Glenn said. "I feel like she's brought three different levels of scoring. She's been a huge asset to us, which I'm super excited about."
K-State head coach Jeff Mittie remains excited about one of the top transfers in K-State history as well.
"If she'll play like that, we need to keep those crowds up," he said. "She came in here for a reason and it's good for her to have that experience and it was a good crowd."
Currently, Poindexter ranks third at K-State with 12.0 points — behind 2024 Preseason All-American senior center Ayoka Lee (17.3) and 2024 Preseason All-Big 12 senior point guard Serena Sundell (12.6). She ranks third in shooting 36.7% (29-of-79) from beyond the arc. She also ranks third with 17 steals.
Her performance against Cincinnati was another step. She became the first player in K-State history with at least 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and four blocks in a debut performance in a 92-45 win over Green Bay. She scored 23 points in an 82-56 win over Belmont — a game where she made a career-high five 3-pointers — but the Bearcats offer better competition in the Big 12.
"You have to pick your poison," said second-year Cincinnati head coach Katrina Merriweather, who coached against Poindexter twice when Merriweather coached Memphis and Poindexter played at Tulsa. "Are you going to let her shoot the 3 or let Lee hit shots all game?"
Poindexter came to K-State after earning 2024 All-American honorable-mention selection and 2024 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year while scoring more than 1,500 points in her career at Tulsa.
"She can get the 3 off quickly," Mittie said. "It doesn't take her long to get it off, so you can't leave her too much. Her creativity and ability to score off either foot and score in an unorthodox style surprises people. She has a good feel for when she can – what she's done recently in the transition game has gotten herself to the rim and we were able to get her to the free-throw line that way and she made some fast-break layups that way."
As sophomore point guard Zyanna Walker put it earlier this season: "It just kind of feels like whenever we need a bucket, find Temira, and it's going in."
Which is precisely what happened when Poindexter hit her final 3-pointer with under 1 minute remaining. Afterward, she flashed a grin.
"I was like, 'I don't know how I'm so wide open right now, but thank you,'" Poindexter said.
Her standout plays likely were a topic of discussion among the fans in attendance that cheered her on during her first Big 12 action.
"It was fun," she said. "I personally have never played in front of a crowd that big. It was a fun environment."
And the Big 12 is just getting started.
Temira Poindexter made an impressive statement in her first Big 12 Conference game. The Tulsa senior transfer poured in a season high-tying 23 points, including 4-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc, to lead No. 13 Kansas State to a 76-59 win over Cincinnati in front of a near-capacity crowd at Bramlage Coliseum.
Poindexter, a 6-foot-2 native of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, spent her 28 minutes on the floor for the Wildcats, 13-1 and 1-0, scoring from all three levels and frustrating the Bearcats, 8-3 and 0-1, who had few answers for one of the most athletic players in Manhattan.
It's precisely the kind of performance that Poindexter envisioned when she chose to join a K-State team that aspires to reach the Final Four this year.
"It was definitely a hope of mine, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity to just be out there and play in front of the fans and with my teammates," she said. "I'm just very grateful."
From her 3-pointer in the corner to begin the scoring for K-State with 6 minutes, 16 seconds left in the first quarter, to her fourth and final 3-pointer up top with 53 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Poindexter was everywhere and delighted the crowd of 7,700 that cheered loud and long for one of the top teams in women's college basketball.
Poindexter finished 9-of-12 from the floor with four rebounds and three assists.
"She's been a huge asset getting out and running and getting us fast-break points and being able to shoot the ball at a high level, and attack the basket aggressively," senior guard Jaeyln Glenn said. "I feel like she's brought three different levels of scoring. She's been a huge asset to us, which I'm super excited about."
K-State head coach Jeff Mittie remains excited about one of the top transfers in K-State history as well.
"If she'll play like that, we need to keep those crowds up," he said. "She came in here for a reason and it's good for her to have that experience and it was a good crowd."
Currently, Poindexter ranks third at K-State with 12.0 points — behind 2024 Preseason All-American senior center Ayoka Lee (17.3) and 2024 Preseason All-Big 12 senior point guard Serena Sundell (12.6). She ranks third in shooting 36.7% (29-of-79) from beyond the arc. She also ranks third with 17 steals.
Her performance against Cincinnati was another step. She became the first player in K-State history with at least 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and four blocks in a debut performance in a 92-45 win over Green Bay. She scored 23 points in an 82-56 win over Belmont — a game where she made a career-high five 3-pointers — but the Bearcats offer better competition in the Big 12.
"You have to pick your poison," said second-year Cincinnati head coach Katrina Merriweather, who coached against Poindexter twice when Merriweather coached Memphis and Poindexter played at Tulsa. "Are you going to let her shoot the 3 or let Lee hit shots all game?"
Poindexter came to K-State after earning 2024 All-American honorable-mention selection and 2024 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year while scoring more than 1,500 points in her career at Tulsa.
"She can get the 3 off quickly," Mittie said. "It doesn't take her long to get it off, so you can't leave her too much. Her creativity and ability to score off either foot and score in an unorthodox style surprises people. She has a good feel for when she can – what she's done recently in the transition game has gotten herself to the rim and we were able to get her to the free-throw line that way and she made some fast-break layups that way."
As sophomore point guard Zyanna Walker put it earlier this season: "It just kind of feels like whenever we need a bucket, find Temira, and it's going in."
Which is precisely what happened when Poindexter hit her final 3-pointer with under 1 minute remaining. Afterward, she flashed a grin.
"I was like, 'I don't know how I'm so wide open right now, but thank you,'" Poindexter said.
Her standout plays likely were a topic of discussion among the fans in attendance that cheered her on during her first Big 12 action.
"It was fun," she said. "I personally have never played in front of a crowd that big. It was a fun environment."
And the Big 12 is just getting started.
Players Mentioned
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