Jeff Mittie knows this Kansas State women's basketball team can go far. He also knows that each game during March Madness is an opportunity. This is true, not only for his roster but also for an upset-minded lower seed, particularly in the opening rounds. The Wildcats, however, ensured that the favorites wouldn't fall victim to overlooking their opponents.
It's not easy. A lot of good programs are often caught looking too far ahead. Friday afternoon's Memorial Coliseum encounter saw a good KSU side fully focused and playing like a group ready to extend their stay during this year's NCAA tournament.
At no point did Kansas State trail during the 85-41 victory. It wasn't a complete performance, though, for the full 40 minutes. Although the final score may not indicate this, the Stags put up a good fight throughout the game and forced coach Mittie's group to be uncomfortable at times. This is to be expected, however.
Ayoka Lee is working herself back into the rotation after missing a lot of time due to her foot injury, and shots aren't always going to fall, even with good looks. The defensive intensity and focus ultimately propelled the Wildcats through to the next round and will serve the team well moving forward.
Toward the end of the first, into the second quarter, both squads struggled to get the ball in the hoop. Here especially, as was the case throughout the matchup though, Kansas State kept flying around, closing out on shooters, and forcing Fairfield to speed up on the offensive end. This intensity allowed coach Mittie's side to maintain a comfortable lead during the 16-point quarter, but it was an element that was on full display through all four quarters.
Fantastic sign from the Kansas State women's basketball side
On the year, coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis has led her program through Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play. Their 33.6% shooting from range was seen as a possible path for her team to stay in this one. Instead, coach Mittie came up with a good game plan and instilled a sense of urgency on that end of the court, as they held their opponents to 5-of-31 shooting from three, which was good for 16.1%.
This ability to take an opponent out of their element and withstand a poor scoring stretch of gameplay is an incredibly positive sign for this K-State team. Open looks can't always be converted. When this happens, having a strong defense is a must. With this team's size and willingness, they should have the ability to compete against anyone in the nation. At the very least, they'll be able to hang in against some of the top seeds further down the line should this year prove to be a longer March Madness stay.
They will now face Kentucky in UK's home environment. Considering a lot of points were left on the floor against Fairfield and the players looked dialed in on defense, an upset on what is essentially a road game is realistically in the cards. Kansas State played well in their tourney opener, and the fact they withstood some early scoring adversity should bode well for their upcoming fixture.