MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State used an efficient night from preseason All-American Ayoka Lee on Thursday night to throttle Creighton, 86-68, at Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats have scored 80 or more points in the first three games of a season for the first time since 2004-05.
Lee led all scorers with 28 points on 13-of-18 shooting in just under 16 minutes of action. The fifth-year senior from Byron, Minnesota, is just 13 points from moving past Nicole Ohlde into second in program history for career points.
Joining Lee in double figures on Thursday evening were seniors Temira Poindexter and Serena Sundell with 12 points each, while senior Kennedy Taylor came off the bench to add 10 points and six rebounds.
Sundell approached a triple-double, as she filled the stat sheet with eight assist and seven rebounds.
Defensively, the K-State held the nation’s top scorer, Lauren Jensen at 27.5 points per game, to just nine points on 4-of-11 shooting.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- K-State (3-0) took control of the first quarter with a 12-5 run to build a 22-9 advantage at the end of the opening frame. Lee scored eight points in the opening quarter, while Jaelyn Glenn buried a pair of three-pointers.
- The Wildcats extended its lead to 18, 29-11, with 6:13 remaining in the second quarter. Poindexter started a 7-0 run with a layup with 8:17 to play. Lee followed with an old-fashioned three-point play and then added a layup.
- After K-State built its lead to 19 twice in the final two and a half minutes, Creighton (1-2) closed to within 16, 39-23, at halftime.
- The Bluejays cut the K-State lead to 13, 42-29, in the opening stages of the third quarter. The Wildcats battled back with a 6-0 burst to increase the lead back to 19, 48-29, and force a Creighton timeout with 7:01 left in the third.
- K-State would outscore Creighton in the third quarter, 29-23, as the Wildcats shot a season-best 73.3 percent from the field in the third frame. Sundell popped for 10 points in the stanza including eight of K-State’s final 13 points in the frame.
- Despite Lee scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter, the Bluejays would capture the final quarter, 22-18, to bring the final margin to 18.
- K-State shot a season-best 53.7 percent (36-of-67) from the field, which included a season-best from 3-point range of 43.8 percent (7-of-16).
- The Wildcats equaled their season-high with 24 assists and committed just eight turnovers.
- Creighton would shoot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the field, boosted by a pair of efforts over 45.0 percent in the second half.
QUICK FACTS
- K-State leads the series with Creighton, 16-5. The Wildcats are 20-11 against current members of the Big East Conference.
- K-State is 399-156 (.719) in its 37-season history inside Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats own a 232-30 (.885) record against non-conference opponents inside Bramlage.
- K-State owns a record of 251-95 (.725) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 14-5 (.737) all-time when ranked 10th in the nation.
- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 647-370 (.636) in his 33 seasons as a head coach, including a mark of 193-135 (.588) in his 11 seasons at K-State. Mittie is 403-113 (.781) in games played in his home venue, including a 129-48 (.729) mark in Bramlage Coliseum.
- The Wildcats are 163-54 (.751) in games played in the month of November, including wins in 51 of its last 62 games in the month. Under Mittie, K-State is 49-11 (.817) in games during the 11th month.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and center Ayoka Lee. This was the second time this lineup has started this season. This was the 116th career start for Lee, the 106th career start for Sundell, the 102nd career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 90th career collegiate start and third at K-State for Poindexter and the third career start for Walker. With her 116th career start at K-State, Lee ties Laurie Koehn (2001-05) and Peyton Williams (2016-20) for 10th in program history for career starts.
- The Wildcats held a 39-23 lead at halftime on Thursday. Under Mittie, K-State is 153-19 (.890) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in all three games this season.
- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter seven times this season. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 135-62 (.685) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.
- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter twice on Thursday night (first and third frames). The Wildcats have six quarters of 50.0 percent or better shooting this season.
- The Wildcats handed out 24 assists on Thursday. The 24 assists tied its season-high (Green Bay, Nov. 4, 2024). Over the last 17 seasons, K-State is 95-8 (.922) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game.
- K-State pulled in 42 rebounds on Thursday to outrebound Creighton (42-30). Over the last four seasons, K-State is 45-3 (.938) when holding the advantage on the glass.
PLAYER NOTES
- Lee needs 13 points to pass Nicole Ohlde (2000-04; 2,241 points) for second in school history for career points. Lee’s career point total stands at 2,229 and trails Nicole Ohlde (2000-04; 2,241) for second on the K-State career scoring list.
- Lee tallied her 53rd career game with 20 or more points. Lee recorded her 106th career game with 10 or more points. Lee has scored in every game of her career (116 games).
- Lee hauled in three rebounds on Thursday. Lee’s career total for rebounds stands at 1,125, improving upon her own school record for career rebounds. Lee is eighth in Big 12 history for career rebounds.
- Lee has shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in 79 career games. With her 13 made field goals on Thursday, Lee joined Ohlde as the only two players in program history with 900 or more career field goals made. Lee has now made 10 or more field goals in a game 31 times in her career.
- Lee improved her career blocked shot total to 313, improving upon her school record for career blocked shots. Lee ranks fifth all-time in Big 12 history for career blocked shots.
- Sundell notched her 73rd career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,293 career points and remains in 21st on the K-State career scoring list.
- Sundell’s eight assists on Thursday improved her career total to 566 and moved into third in school history for career assists, passing Mary Jo Miller (1988-92; 562). This was her 67th career game with five or more assists.
- Sundell pulled in seven rebounds on Thursday. This was her 42nd career game with five or more rebounds.
- Glenn made two 3-pointers on Thursday. This was her 50th career game with two or more connections from long range. She needs four connections to move into sole possession of 10th on the K-State career 3-point field goals made list.
- Poindexter tallied her 83rd career game with 10 or more points. She improved her collegiate point total to 1,621.
- Taylor registered her 46th career game with 10 or more points and her third at K-State.
- Taylor hauled in six rebounds on Thursday, her 56th career game with five or more rebounds.
- Taryn Sides pulled in five rebounds on Thursday, her fifth career game with five or more rebounds.
- Sides connected on two 3-point field goals on Thursday, equaling her season-high and marking her 10th career game with two or more connections from long range.
- Zyanna Walker owns 13 career games with two or more steals.
- Jaelyn Glenn dished out three assists. She needs 11 assists to move into 25th on the K-State career assists list.