Kansas State is due for a deep March Madness run. The program has frequented the NCAA Tournament over the last 25 years but has not made it past the second round since 2002 under former head coach Deb Patterson.
The Wildcats have their best team of head coach Jeff Mittie's tenure this year, finishing with a 26-7 record despite their star player, Ayoka Lee, missing 14 contests due to a foot injury. This is an experienced, well-rounded team, with four players averaging between 9.7 and 13.6 points per game in addition to Lee's 15.5.
However, the road to a Final Four will not be easy for Kansas State. They were given a No. 5 seed in Spokane Region 4, which is packed full with some of the nation's best players and teams. Widely considered to be the toughest region, the Wildcats will have to fend their way through several stars if they want to keep their season alive.
Who are the best players in Kansas State's Spokane Region 4?
1. Georgia Amoore, G, Kentucky
Amoore has been nothing short of dominant this season for Kentucky. After spending her first four collegiate seasons at Virginia Tech, she joined the Wildcats this offseason and has quickly cemented herself as one of the best players in the country. She earned First-Team All-SEC honors this season after averaging 19.1 points and 6.9 assists per game.
She scored 20 or more points on 13 occasions and had a 43-point, eight-assist eruption against Oklahoma in early February. Amoore is a high-volume scorer from beyond the arc, and if she gets hot, it's over for her opponent. Kansas State would likely face Kentucky in the second round of the tournament if they can get past Fairfield and Liberty, respectively. Hopefully, Kansas State has an answer for the star guard.
2. Paige Bueckers, G, UConn
Bueckers has had a tumultuous career at UConn, but she is likely to earn All-American honors this season for the Huskies. Her impact cannot always be seen in a box score but her presence is felt when watching or playing against her. Still, she averages an impressive 19.0 points, 4.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game on the most impressive shooting splits in the country.
She's also only turned the ball over three or more times in five games all year, averaging just over one per game. Bueckers simply makes the right play for Geno Auriemma's squad. Kansas State wouldn't face the Huskies until the Elite 8, but no matter who the Wildcats have already defeated, Bueckers is a different beast. Kansas State would have their hands full trying to contain her.
3. Juju Watkins, G, USC
Anyone who has watched college basketball this season knows exactly who Juju Watkins is and what she brings to the table. She is an electrifying player on both ends of the floor and can take over games in a way that nobody else in the country can. Even her ridiculous averages of 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game do not do her impact justice.
Watkins has scored 14 points or more in every game this season, including seven games over 30 and a 40-point performance. She has eight double-doubles, 12 games of three or more blocks (including eight against UCLA last month), and season-highs of six steals and nine assists. Whatever the Trojans ask her to do, she will do at a high level. Kansas State would face USC in the Sweet 16 and Watkins would be a tough matchup for the Wildcats.