Wildcats best Wichita State to win 17th straight home opener
K-State women’s basketball opened the regular season with a 61-41 victory over the Wichita State Shockers, making head coach Jeff Mittie remain undefeated in season openers in 13 years with the 'Cats. All active players for K-State received playing time against a Shocker team with an entirely new roster.
The Wildcats jumped out with a 6-0 run, which freshman forward Shaila Nde led, scoring 4 points early. K-State led 13-5 at the end of the first quarter as Nde scored 7 points.
Wichita State fought back in the second quarter, bringing their deficit to 2 points. Senior guard Taryn Sides nailed two 3-pointers and a layup for 8 points in the second. The ‘Cats closed the second with a 7-0 run to make it 28-19.
K-State hit two 3-pointers early in the third to gain a 13-point lead. Shocker junior Ma’Riya Vincent came alive with 10 points. Wichita State outscored the ‘Cats 12-11 in the third, although K-State led 39-31 by the end of the quarter.
A 9-0 run made winning improbable for the Shockers midway through the fourth quarter. K-State took a 20-point lead with 3:33 left in the game, keeping that lead to the end and winning 61-41.
Senior Taryn Sides led the team with 15 points. She is now 87 points away from reaching 1000 career points. Freshman forward Shaila Nde led the rebound column with nine. Sophomore guard Gina Garcia dished out six assists.
Mittie showcased all of his active roster in the fourth, with half of them being newcomers to the team. Shaila Nde proved to be a notable newcomer, scoring 12 points. Nde is one of seven international players on this year's roster and is the fourth Spaniard to play for K-State.
Sides, Garcia and Nastja Claessens proved to be reliable veterans, while Nde, Téa Cléante and Cristina Osazuwa added a new layer of depth to the squad.
K-State returns at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4, to play the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles at Bramlage Coliseum on ESPN+.
Retro Bowl brings the excitement of American football to your screen with an engaging musical atmosphere, but success depends on how well you control each play, evade opposing defenders, deliver accurate passes, and guide your team toward the winning score.