Wherever It Is, They’ll Be Ready
Mar 08, 2025 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
One day after Jeff Mittie said that he wanted to leave the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Committee with an easy decision in picking the Wildcats as a top 16 overall seed for March Madness, the Kansas State head coach, following a 73-69 loss to West Virginia in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals, said that "I think this team has done enough" to still merit a spot among the nation's elite on Selection Sunday on March 16.
"This team gave everything they had today," Mittie said. "We came up on the short end, but I do think we have done enough. And I think that we'll see where it shakes out. We don't control that part of it. That part is over for us. But we will see where it shakes out."
The No. 5 seed K-State, 26-7, which came off an 80-65 win over UCF on Thursday, led the fourth-seeded Mountaineers, 24-6, by as many as 12 points and held the lead for a total of 28 minutes, 4 seconds in a contest that tightened in the second half. The game featured 11 lead changes and eight ties.
The Wildcats' last lead came on a Kennedy Taylor layup to make it 69-67 with 1:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers scored the next four points — a second-chance jumper by Jordan Thomas and a jumper by JJ Quinerly — to take a 71-69 advantage with 45 second left.
Temira Poindexter saw her 3-point attempt rim out with 29 seconds to go and a subsequent tie up gave the Mountaineers possession. West Virginia called a timeout and then began dribbling out the clock and Taryn Sides, forced to foul, chasing down Sydney Shaw. Shaw's pair of free throws with 11 seconds proved to be the final points of the game.
"We've told her from day one when she stepped on here not to turn down any shots and be aggressive and get your feet set and shoot it," Mittie said of Poindexter, who scored 16 points and sank 3-of-5 3-point attempts. "I would take that shot again."
Poindexter was one of three K-State players to score in double figures. Senior forward Kennedy Taylor had a season-high 21 points on 9-for-9 shooting, and senior guard Serena Sundell added 10 points and nine assists.
"I felt like I was trying to get in good position and make the pass easy from my teammates," said Taylor, the first player in Big 12 Championship history to go perfect from the floor on nine or more field goal attempts. "I stayed poised and patient in my shot. That's really what I was trying to do."
Sundell, the All-Big 12 First Team selection making her final appearance at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, recorded her 233rd assist of the season, breaking the previous single-season mark of 229 held by Shalee Lehning from the 2008-09 season.
"She just does everything," Mittie said of Sundell, who made her 136th career start. "We ask a lot of her, we put her in the post, she's our primary ball handler. Defensively, she drew a tough assignment today with Quinerly, but she does everything for us. She just continues to deliver in the biggest moments."
And for a 14th time in the last 15 games the Wildcats tried to deliver without the services of two-time All-America center Ayoka Lee, who continues to rehabilitate a fractured foot. Lee, the school's all-time leader in points, rebounds and blocks, averages 15.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 19 appearances this season.
"Anybody that watched this game probably says this was a heck of a game and it had to go one way," Mittie said. "As I've said numerous times, we're an interesting case because of missing the Preseason Player of the Year for 13 games now, whatever the number is."
Mittie remains optimistic about Lee's availability moving forward.
"She hasn't had any setbacks," Mittie said.
"Kennedy Taylor gave us a post presence, but I do think we've learned the different styles that we can win with," Mittie said. "I think we'll be a very, very dangerous team here in the next couple weeks."
Meanwhile, Sundell and the Wildcats left it all on the court on Friday.
"I'm proud of this group but obviously super disappointed," Sundell said. "We wanted to keep advancing. We knew we were capable of advancing. We know we played a hell of a basketball game, so that also isn't fun when you know you played well. I'm just proud of this group overall.
"I'm just grateful that we get to continue our season. A lot of teams are done, and they wish they could still be playing two weeks from now (in the NCAA Tournament). I'm grateful I still have a few games left with these girls, and we're going to make the most of it for sure."
Sundell appeared to carry an open mind regarding the Wildcats' overall seeding when their name is called during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on ESPN at 7 p.m. on March 16.
"We love playing in Bramlage and obviously would love to host and play in there a few more times, but I also know this team enjoys getting a road win. So, whatever it may be, we'll be excited and ready," she said. "Road wins are fun, too. When it's just your group on the court against a sold-out arena in March Madness, that's everything you want in March as a basketball player.
"Either way I know we'll be ready to go."
One day after Jeff Mittie said that he wanted to leave the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Committee with an easy decision in picking the Wildcats as a top 16 overall seed for March Madness, the Kansas State head coach, following a 73-69 loss to West Virginia in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals, said that "I think this team has done enough" to still merit a spot among the nation's elite on Selection Sunday on March 16.
"This team gave everything they had today," Mittie said. "We came up on the short end, but I do think we have done enough. And I think that we'll see where it shakes out. We don't control that part of it. That part is over for us. But we will see where it shakes out."
The No. 5 seed K-State, 26-7, which came off an 80-65 win over UCF on Thursday, led the fourth-seeded Mountaineers, 24-6, by as many as 12 points and held the lead for a total of 28 minutes, 4 seconds in a contest that tightened in the second half. The game featured 11 lead changes and eight ties.
The Wildcats' last lead came on a Kennedy Taylor layup to make it 69-67 with 1:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers scored the next four points — a second-chance jumper by Jordan Thomas and a jumper by JJ Quinerly — to take a 71-69 advantage with 45 second left.
Temira Poindexter saw her 3-point attempt rim out with 29 seconds to go and a subsequent tie up gave the Mountaineers possession. West Virginia called a timeout and then began dribbling out the clock and Taryn Sides, forced to foul, chasing down Sydney Shaw. Shaw's pair of free throws with 11 seconds proved to be the final points of the game.
"We've told her from day one when she stepped on here not to turn down any shots and be aggressive and get your feet set and shoot it," Mittie said of Poindexter, who scored 16 points and sank 3-of-5 3-point attempts. "I would take that shot again."
Poindexter was one of three K-State players to score in double figures. Senior forward Kennedy Taylor had a season-high 21 points on 9-for-9 shooting, and senior guard Serena Sundell added 10 points and nine assists.
"I felt like I was trying to get in good position and make the pass easy from my teammates," said Taylor, the first player in Big 12 Championship history to go perfect from the floor on nine or more field goal attempts. "I stayed poised and patient in my shot. That's really what I was trying to do."
Sundell, the All-Big 12 First Team selection making her final appearance at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, recorded her 233rd assist of the season, breaking the previous single-season mark of 229 held by Shalee Lehning from the 2008-09 season.
"She just does everything," Mittie said of Sundell, who made her 136th career start. "We ask a lot of her, we put her in the post, she's our primary ball handler. Defensively, she drew a tough assignment today with Quinerly, but she does everything for us. She just continues to deliver in the biggest moments."
And for a 14th time in the last 15 games the Wildcats tried to deliver without the services of two-time All-America center Ayoka Lee, who continues to rehabilitate a fractured foot. Lee, the school's all-time leader in points, rebounds and blocks, averages 15.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 19 appearances this season.
"Anybody that watched this game probably says this was a heck of a game and it had to go one way," Mittie said. "As I've said numerous times, we're an interesting case because of missing the Preseason Player of the Year for 13 games now, whatever the number is."
Mittie remains optimistic about Lee's availability moving forward.
"She hasn't had any setbacks," Mittie said.
"Kennedy Taylor gave us a post presence, but I do think we've learned the different styles that we can win with," Mittie said. "I think we'll be a very, very dangerous team here in the next couple weeks."
Meanwhile, Sundell and the Wildcats left it all on the court on Friday.
"I'm proud of this group but obviously super disappointed," Sundell said. "We wanted to keep advancing. We knew we were capable of advancing. We know we played a hell of a basketball game, so that also isn't fun when you know you played well. I'm just proud of this group overall.
"I'm just grateful that we get to continue our season. A lot of teams are done, and they wish they could still be playing two weeks from now (in the NCAA Tournament). I'm grateful I still have a few games left with these girls, and we're going to make the most of it for sure."
Sundell appeared to carry an open mind regarding the Wildcats' overall seeding when their name is called during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on ESPN at 7 p.m. on March 16.
"We love playing in Bramlage and obviously would love to host and play in there a few more times, but I also know this team enjoys getting a road win. So, whatever it may be, we'll be excited and ready," she said. "Road wins are fun, too. When it's just your group on the court against a sold-out arena in March Madness, that's everything you want in March as a basketball player.
"Either way I know we'll be ready to go."
Players Mentioned
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