The Kansas State women's basketball team made history on Sunday afternoon as they defeated the No. 4 seed, Kentucky, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. For the first time since 2002, the Kansas State Wildcats are headed to the Sweet 16, which means that it is the first such appearance in head coach Jeff Mittie's tenure with the program.
Serena Sundell and Temira Poindexter starred for the Wildcats, contributing 19-point, 14-assist, and 24-point, 6-block performances respectively. These two carried the team to victory against a talented and well-accomplished Kentucky team, and as a result, the Wildcats will keep dancing.
Fans held their breath for the majority of the game as the lead never crept over seven points for either team. The Wildcat faithful responded strongly to the exhilarating victory on social media after the game.
Kansas State fans exhaled as Wildcats survive in overtime
A Kansas State fan mentioned just how incredible of a victory the team earned on Sunday, while another pointed out what the win meant to several of the people involved in the program.
So many people around the program needed that win today.
— Cole Carmody (@ColeCarmody52) March 23, 2025
Jeff Mittie, Serena Sundell, and Ayoka Lee have now made history at Kansas State and their story isn’t over yet.
Some fans began asserting that this Wildcats team has the makings of a National Championship squad, while others chose to focus on the next game, which will likely be a meeting with No. 1 seed USC and star guard Juju Watkins.
If Kansas State shoots like this and is able to handle USC's physicality, then I see a tough game, but they need to commit fewer turnovers.
— Misha0819 (@https_arauj) March 23, 2025
One fan took a victory lap and responded to the assertions that Kansas State was not as good as their seeding or resume would have people believe. Another chose to make a joke at the expense of Kentucky, whose men's and women's basketball teams have been eliminated by Kansas State in March Madness in recent seasons.
Big Blue Nation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kansas State Athletics. Congratulations on the acquisition @KSTATEADGT https://t.co/i7ktPSRrPD
— 🌾Nathan Enserro🌾 (@EnserroNathan) March 23, 2025
Kansas State will have its hands full against Juju Watkins and the USC Trojans in the Sweet 16, but the Wildcats proved on Sunday that they can keep even the most prolific players in check. Star Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore scored 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting from the floor and turned the ball over four times.
Watkins is a different beast, but this team, and this fanbase, are as confident as ever. Both the emotions and stakes will be sky-high when play resumes late next week.