Kansas State University Athletics
Wednesday, January 17
Manhattan, Kan.
7 p.m.
Kansas State University
11-7, 3-4
71
vs
76
Oklahoma
9-9, 4-3
1
2
3
4
F
Oklahoma
15
23
13
25
76
Kansas State
21
20
12
18
71
K-State Outlasted in Fourth Quarter Against Oklahoma
Jan 17, 2018 | Women's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State entered the fourth quarter with a two-point lead on Wednesday night in Bramlage Coliseum against Oklahoma, but the Sooners rode a hot-shooting quarter to capture the 76-71 road win.
Kansas State (11-7, 3-4 Big 12) had three players in double figures, led by sophomore Peyton Williams with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting and eight rebounds. She also registered a block and steal. Williams is the first Wildcat since Breanna Lewis in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament to make 10 or more shots in a game.
The product of Topeka, Kansas, has scored 20 or more points in a team-high four games this season. She has reached double figures in 13 games this season including a current streak of 10 straight games.
Joining Williams in double digits was junior Kayla Goth with 16 points, six assists and three steals. The guard from DeForest, Wisconsin, moved into 27th on the K-State career assist list (206), passing Missy Decker (1994-97; 205).
Also in double figures was freshman guard Rachel Ranke with 13 points and four rebounds. The native of Burnsville, Minnesota, has made two or more 3-point field goals in 14 games this season.
Oklahoma (9-9, 4-3) featured four players in double figures, paced by senior Gabbi Ortiz with 20 points, which included 6-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Senior center Vionise Pierre-Louis added 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
The Wildcats finished the night shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) but just 35.7 percent in the second half. The Sooners carded a 56.6 percent night (30-of-53). K-State forced 22 Oklahoma turnovers, including a season-high 14 steals.
K-State overcame a fast start by Oklahoma in the first quarter to end the frame with a 21-15 advantage. The Wildcats used an 11-3 run over a 3-minute stretch to pull into the lead, as Goth and Williams each scored four points during the run.
Oklahoma tied the game at 13 with 3:25 remaining, but the Wildcats ended the stanza on an 8-2 run highlighted by a pair of Ranke 3-pointers, including a buzzer-beater to end the quarter.
Williams scored 13 points of K-State's 20 points in the second quarter to give the Wildcats a 41-38 lead at the half. The Sooners started the second quarter on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 23 with 7:37 remaining.
K-State answered with a 9-2 run, as Williams recorded seven points during the stretch to push K-State in front, 32-25, with 5:35 left in the quarter. Oklahoma's Ortiz brought the Sooners within three at the half with three 3-pointers in the final 4:32 of the quarter.
Both teams were hot from the floor in the opening half, as K-State shot 58.6 percent (17-of-29), while Oklahoma registered a 60.0 percent (15-of-25) performance.
Each team cooled off in the third quarter, as Oklahoma outscored K-State 13-12, but the Wildcats remained in front 53-51 entering the final frame. Shaelyn Martin led K-State in the quarter with four points, all coming in the final 2:47 of the quarter.
For the game, Martin finished with six points, seven assists, six steals and four rebounds. With her six steals, Martin moved into 11th on the K-State career steals list with 188.
Oklahoma dashed out to a 65-60 lead with 5:47 remaining in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 14-7 during the stretch. Kaylee Page started a 6-1 run with a jumper and K-State tied the game at 66 with 3:13 to play.
The Sooners received a layup from Shaina Pellington to retake the lead, 70-68, with 2:52 to play. Pellington contributed 16 points and six assists to the Oklahoma attack.
Martin converted a contested layup in the lane with just over a minute to play to bring K-State to within two, 70-68. The Sooners would use a three-point play from Pierre-Louis with 41 seconds left to hold back K-State. The Sooners shot 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from the floor in the final quarter, while K-State was held to a 42.9 percent effort.
Kansas State travels to (4/4) Baylor on Saturday to face the Lady Bears at 6 p.m. Saturday's game will be broadcast on FOX Sports Southwest and on the K-State Sports Network and for free at kstatesports.com.
What They Said
K-State Head Coach and Player Quotes
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
Opening statement …
"We were on our heels most of the night. It was a strange night because we scored 41 points in the first half. We just were not doing things and we were not consistent. Our awareness was bad and we gave up the three from [Gabbi] Ortiz before half. We just were not doing things that made us a good team. We are coming off the Oklahoma State game where we had great awareness. I just did not think we had it tonight. Give all the credit to Oklahoma because they push it at you quick and challenge your ability to see things quicker. A lot of it was on us. We were not very sharp tonight."
On Oklahoma's physicality…
"We did not think we handled it very well. I did not like our cuts in the first half. We seemed to want things very easy at times. We were not very pleased on the bench through most of this game watching the ball movement and connectivity on the floor defensively. We will have to take a look at the film and see if the film backs that up. There are a lot of things that we have done better at this point that we just did not do very well tonight."
On Oklahoma's leadership…
"Give Gabbi Ortiz credit. She did a lot in the second half. Although she did not score a lot in the second half, you could see her fire and her leadership on the floor. They really went to Vionise [Pierre-Louis] in that stretch. She was really good down the stretch. [Shaina] Pellington was a player that pushed tempo all night long. She really gave us problems getting in the paint. I thought their players did some good things."
K-State Sophomore Forward Peyton Williams
On offensive performance in the second half…
"It felt like they [Oklahoma] were just more aware of me overall. Whenever I would get the ball in the paint. When I got the ball in the paint in the first half they didn't really have me. In the second half they started to help down on me and it made me second guess my dribble."
On the lights going out in the first half…
"It kind of happened after the ball was released so it did not really affect the play at that point."
On shooting in the second quarter…
"Well I was shooting well in the first quarter so I just realized I had quite a few of our teams' points. So at that point I just tried to get as aggressive as I could."
Oklahoma Head Coach and Player Quotes
Oklahoma Head Coach Sherri Coale
Opening Statement…
"I thought Gabbi [Ortiz] was a fantastic senior tonight. Kansas State is playing really well, they have got scorers all over the floor, they are very well coached and they play very intentionally. I thought we did some good things offensively early to maybe poke some holes in their belief in their zone and then they had to do some different things. I did not think we adjusted quite as quickly or quite as well as we could have or should have but eventually we did. While we were trying to do all that, Gabbi was just being a ballplayer. She competed in every phase of the game – making shots for sure, but getting steals, running down long rebounds, going and jumping up against people much taller than her, getting rebounds. I just thought it was her competitive will that gave us something to hitch our wagon to and that is why we won tonight."
On offensive efficiency in the fourth quarter…
"Our movement weak side, we have been getting better at that. As teams have double teamed [Vionise Pierre-Louis] and she's been drawing a lot of attention – she made some powerful, tough plays, I have to give her credit for that too. As she drew all the attention, whether its physical attention standing right next to her or intellectual help where guys just turn their head and look – that kind of attention is effective too – we have gotten much better over the last two weeks about moving in the weak side into gaps. They were pretty easy finishes. Maddie [Manning] had a real tough one off the inbound, the rest of them were pretty much put them in the little square on the basket."
On slowing down K-State's Peyton Williams in the second half…
"She was unbelievable [in the first half]. We talked about closing out with more intent, we talked about everybody communicating, but guards not getting hit on the back screen which is what caused our post to have to show so much and then could not get back to her and she had the shot. Just playing clean and playing with our feet. We felt like we could limit her catches – she didn't have to be able to catch it every time down where we'd have to figure out what to do with her, maybe we could make them go somewhere else with it. Our defense got better as the game went on, it's like we started to believe that we could guard them collectively. The defensive stop that caused the shot clock violation was our best defensive stand of the game."
On the importance of a Big 12 road win…
"Every game is big, we talk about that until we turn blue in the face. On the road, with Kansas State playing as well – I thought coming into this game they were playing as well as anybody in the conference – and then being down a player. We only had nine and Ana [Llanusa] couldn't play because of concussion protocol, so we are down to eight, and then Gily [Penzo] gets into foul trouble, so you're down to seven and a half – I just thought it was a gutty performance and again, led by Gabbi [Ortiz]. The seniors had to rise to the occasion, you do not win pivotal moments like this unless your seniors are willing to be all in and make plays."
Oklahoma Senior Guard Gabbi Ortiz
On the lights going out during her made 3-pointer to end the first half…
"We were just kind of joking about it. I was spotting up, ready, I knew the clock was going down, I knew I was going to take the last shot. Maddie [Manning] kicked it to me and as I was about to release it the lights went out and I was just like well…I saw the rim before so it was fine, but it was pretty funny. Shot the lights out, it was fun.
"I could see it barely. I felt like it was going in, it was just very dim, glad it did. I have shot in a dark gym, but not [the lights] going out mid-shot."
Kansas State (11-7, 3-4 Big 12) had three players in double figures, led by sophomore Peyton Williams with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting and eight rebounds. She also registered a block and steal. Williams is the first Wildcat since Breanna Lewis in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament to make 10 or more shots in a game.
The product of Topeka, Kansas, has scored 20 or more points in a team-high four games this season. She has reached double figures in 13 games this season including a current streak of 10 straight games.
Joining Williams in double digits was junior Kayla Goth with 16 points, six assists and three steals. The guard from DeForest, Wisconsin, moved into 27th on the K-State career assist list (206), passing Missy Decker (1994-97; 205).
Also in double figures was freshman guard Rachel Ranke with 13 points and four rebounds. The native of Burnsville, Minnesota, has made two or more 3-point field goals in 14 games this season.
Oklahoma (9-9, 4-3) featured four players in double figures, paced by senior Gabbi Ortiz with 20 points, which included 6-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Senior center Vionise Pierre-Louis added 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
The Wildcats finished the night shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) but just 35.7 percent in the second half. The Sooners carded a 56.6 percent night (30-of-53). K-State forced 22 Oklahoma turnovers, including a season-high 14 steals.
K-State overcame a fast start by Oklahoma in the first quarter to end the frame with a 21-15 advantage. The Wildcats used an 11-3 run over a 3-minute stretch to pull into the lead, as Goth and Williams each scored four points during the run.
Oklahoma tied the game at 13 with 3:25 remaining, but the Wildcats ended the stanza on an 8-2 run highlighted by a pair of Ranke 3-pointers, including a buzzer-beater to end the quarter.
Williams scored 13 points of K-State's 20 points in the second quarter to give the Wildcats a 41-38 lead at the half. The Sooners started the second quarter on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 23 with 7:37 remaining.
K-State answered with a 9-2 run, as Williams recorded seven points during the stretch to push K-State in front, 32-25, with 5:35 left in the quarter. Oklahoma's Ortiz brought the Sooners within three at the half with three 3-pointers in the final 4:32 of the quarter.
Both teams were hot from the floor in the opening half, as K-State shot 58.6 percent (17-of-29), while Oklahoma registered a 60.0 percent (15-of-25) performance.
Each team cooled off in the third quarter, as Oklahoma outscored K-State 13-12, but the Wildcats remained in front 53-51 entering the final frame. Shaelyn Martin led K-State in the quarter with four points, all coming in the final 2:47 of the quarter.
For the game, Martin finished with six points, seven assists, six steals and four rebounds. With her six steals, Martin moved into 11th on the K-State career steals list with 188.
Oklahoma dashed out to a 65-60 lead with 5:47 remaining in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 14-7 during the stretch. Kaylee Page started a 6-1 run with a jumper and K-State tied the game at 66 with 3:13 to play.
The Sooners received a layup from Shaina Pellington to retake the lead, 70-68, with 2:52 to play. Pellington contributed 16 points and six assists to the Oklahoma attack.
Martin converted a contested layup in the lane with just over a minute to play to bring K-State to within two, 70-68. The Sooners would use a three-point play from Pierre-Louis with 41 seconds left to hold back K-State. The Sooners shot 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from the floor in the final quarter, while K-State was held to a 42.9 percent effort.
Kansas State travels to (4/4) Baylor on Saturday to face the Lady Bears at 6 p.m. Saturday's game will be broadcast on FOX Sports Southwest and on the K-State Sports Network and for free at kstatesports.com.
What They Said
K-State Head Coach and Player Quotes
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
Opening statement …
"We were on our heels most of the night. It was a strange night because we scored 41 points in the first half. We just were not doing things and we were not consistent. Our awareness was bad and we gave up the three from [Gabbi] Ortiz before half. We just were not doing things that made us a good team. We are coming off the Oklahoma State game where we had great awareness. I just did not think we had it tonight. Give all the credit to Oklahoma because they push it at you quick and challenge your ability to see things quicker. A lot of it was on us. We were not very sharp tonight."
On Oklahoma's physicality…
"We did not think we handled it very well. I did not like our cuts in the first half. We seemed to want things very easy at times. We were not very pleased on the bench through most of this game watching the ball movement and connectivity on the floor defensively. We will have to take a look at the film and see if the film backs that up. There are a lot of things that we have done better at this point that we just did not do very well tonight."
On Oklahoma's leadership…
"Give Gabbi Ortiz credit. She did a lot in the second half. Although she did not score a lot in the second half, you could see her fire and her leadership on the floor. They really went to Vionise [Pierre-Louis] in that stretch. She was really good down the stretch. [Shaina] Pellington was a player that pushed tempo all night long. She really gave us problems getting in the paint. I thought their players did some good things."
K-State Sophomore Forward Peyton Williams
On offensive performance in the second half…
"It felt like they [Oklahoma] were just more aware of me overall. Whenever I would get the ball in the paint. When I got the ball in the paint in the first half they didn't really have me. In the second half they started to help down on me and it made me second guess my dribble."
On the lights going out in the first half…
"It kind of happened after the ball was released so it did not really affect the play at that point."
On shooting in the second quarter…
"Well I was shooting well in the first quarter so I just realized I had quite a few of our teams' points. So at that point I just tried to get as aggressive as I could."
Oklahoma Head Coach and Player Quotes
Oklahoma Head Coach Sherri Coale
Opening Statement…
"I thought Gabbi [Ortiz] was a fantastic senior tonight. Kansas State is playing really well, they have got scorers all over the floor, they are very well coached and they play very intentionally. I thought we did some good things offensively early to maybe poke some holes in their belief in their zone and then they had to do some different things. I did not think we adjusted quite as quickly or quite as well as we could have or should have but eventually we did. While we were trying to do all that, Gabbi was just being a ballplayer. She competed in every phase of the game – making shots for sure, but getting steals, running down long rebounds, going and jumping up against people much taller than her, getting rebounds. I just thought it was her competitive will that gave us something to hitch our wagon to and that is why we won tonight."
On offensive efficiency in the fourth quarter…
"Our movement weak side, we have been getting better at that. As teams have double teamed [Vionise Pierre-Louis] and she's been drawing a lot of attention – she made some powerful, tough plays, I have to give her credit for that too. As she drew all the attention, whether its physical attention standing right next to her or intellectual help where guys just turn their head and look – that kind of attention is effective too – we have gotten much better over the last two weeks about moving in the weak side into gaps. They were pretty easy finishes. Maddie [Manning] had a real tough one off the inbound, the rest of them were pretty much put them in the little square on the basket."
On slowing down K-State's Peyton Williams in the second half…
"She was unbelievable [in the first half]. We talked about closing out with more intent, we talked about everybody communicating, but guards not getting hit on the back screen which is what caused our post to have to show so much and then could not get back to her and she had the shot. Just playing clean and playing with our feet. We felt like we could limit her catches – she didn't have to be able to catch it every time down where we'd have to figure out what to do with her, maybe we could make them go somewhere else with it. Our defense got better as the game went on, it's like we started to believe that we could guard them collectively. The defensive stop that caused the shot clock violation was our best defensive stand of the game."
On the importance of a Big 12 road win…
"Every game is big, we talk about that until we turn blue in the face. On the road, with Kansas State playing as well – I thought coming into this game they were playing as well as anybody in the conference – and then being down a player. We only had nine and Ana [Llanusa] couldn't play because of concussion protocol, so we are down to eight, and then Gily [Penzo] gets into foul trouble, so you're down to seven and a half – I just thought it was a gutty performance and again, led by Gabbi [Ortiz]. The seniors had to rise to the occasion, you do not win pivotal moments like this unless your seniors are willing to be all in and make plays."
Oklahoma Senior Guard Gabbi Ortiz
On the lights going out during her made 3-pointer to end the first half…
"We were just kind of joking about it. I was spotting up, ready, I knew the clock was going down, I knew I was going to take the last shot. Maddie [Manning] kicked it to me and as I was about to release it the lights went out and I was just like well…I saw the rim before so it was fine, but it was pretty funny. Shot the lights out, it was fun.
"I could see it barely. I felt like it was going in, it was just very dim, glad it did. I have shot in a dark gym, but not [the lights] going out mid-shot."
Team Stats
OU
K-STATE
FG%
.566
.474
3FG%
.500
.273
FT%
.643
.647
RB
33
27
TO
22
15
STL
4
14
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
10
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
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