Kansas State women's basketball overcomes Ayoka Lee's absence to hold off Kansas
MANHATTAN — The Kansas State women's basketball team showed it can adapt to life without All-American Ayoka Lee, at least for one day.
The No. 7-ranked Wildcats jumped out to an early lead and held off multiple Kansas rallies on Saturday to hold off the Jayhawks in the Sunflower Showdown, 69-58, in front of 9,602 at Bramlage Coliseum.
It was the biggest women's crowd at Bramlage since drawing 12,528 for a Dec. 11, 2016, game against Connecticut.
With the victory, K-State improved to 18-1 overall and 7-0 in the Big 12. KU fell to 9-9, 2-5.
K-State will be without Lee, its 6-foot-6 center for approximately four weeks after she had surgery on a fractured ankle Friday. But her loss was offset early when 6-6 KU center Taiyanna Jackson lasted less than six minutes before she lost several teeth contesting a shot by the Wildcats' Brylee Glenn.
Kansas State was led in scoring by Serena Sundell and Zyanna Walker with 15 points each, and Glenn with 13. Sundell also had six rebounds and seven assists.
For KU, Zakyiah Franklin had 18 points, with S'Mya Nichols and Holly Kersgieter adding 12 each.
K-State faces a short turnaround with a 7:30 p.m. road game at No. 13-ranked Baylor, while KU plays host to Iowa State on Wednesday.
Kansas State money at the free-throw line
K-State made plenty of big shots to stall a late Kansas comeback, including a Brylee Glenn driving layup and Walker 3-pointer with 3:11 left after the Jayhawks had pulled within three.
But it was the Wildcats' work at the free-throw line that sealed the deal. Walker's 3-pointer was their last basket, but in the final 1:27 four different players combined to go 7-for-8 from the stripe as Eliza Maupin made the second of two, followed by two each from Jaelyn Glenn, Gabby Gregory and Walker.
Perimeter shooting lets KU down
With top inside threat Jackson out of the lineup, KU attacked K-State inside, scoring 36 points in the paint to 28 for the Wildcats. But that was not enough to make up for a dreadful day from the perimeter.
The Jayhawks were just 2 of 15 from 3-point range, even though both makes came in the fourth quarter. KU shot 41.5% overall to 40% for K-State, but the Wildcats made seven 3-pointers and had an 18-12 advantage from the foul line.
Eliza Maupin stands out in the post for Wildcats
K-State coach Jeff Mittie used three different post players in Lee's place, starting with 6-3 forward Gisela Sanchez in hopes that she could draw Jackson away from the basket. When Sanchez picked up two early fouls, Imani Lester got the call, but it was third option Eliza Maupin who had the biggest impact.
Maupin, a 6-4 sophomore, played 18 minutes and scored eight points on 3 of 3 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and had two steals.
More: Kansas women’s basketball upsets No. 7 Baylor for Big 12 Conference victory
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Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State women's basketball edges Kansas in Sunflower Showdown
