 | MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State will face its final regular season opponent in the first round of the 2009 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. This is the second time in school history that K-State has played its final regular season opponent in its first game of the Big 12 Championships (2000-01, Baylor; 2005-06, Kansas). | |
The contest can be heard on the K-State Sports Network and locally on 1350 KMAN with the award-winning Brian Smoller on the play-by-play and former Wildcat Missy Heidrick providing the color analysis. Colorado holds a narrow advantage over the Wildcats in the series, 32-31. K-State has won the first two meetings between the programs this season, capturing the first contest in Manhattan on Feb. 21, 72-60. In the second game on March 7 in Boulder, Colo., K-State was victorious 71-61. In the last meeting with the Buffaloes, seniors Shalee Lehning and Marlies Gipson propelled the Wildcats to the win. Lehning, a 2009 All-Big 12 first team selection, recorded her fifth career triple-double and her third this season with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in 32 minutes of action. Since returning from a three-game absence while dealing with mononucleosis, Lehning is averaging 8.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 28.5 minutes over the four contests. Gipson, a 2009 All-Big 12 second team selection, registered her second straight 20-point effort with 21 points, pulled in eight rebounds, dished out two assists, blocked two shots and carded two steals. Gipson has reached double figures in 22 games this season. Also adding punch to the K-State lineup were juniors Ashley Sweat and Kari Kincaid. Sweat, a 2009 All-Big 12 first team selection totaled 13 points and six rebounds. Kincaid was 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for her nine points. K-State in the Big 12 Championships The Wildcats and head coach Deb Patterson are 11-11 (.500) in the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship and will make their second appearance as the number-five seed. Kansas State is 0-1 when taking the floor in the Big 12 Championships in Oklahoma City. The last time the tournament was in Oklahoma City during the 2006-07 season, the Wildcats were the number 12 seed and fell 57-45, to Iowa State. Wildcats Register Sixth Most Wins since 1999-00 Kansas State has tallied 23 wins this season, which marks the 21st 20-win season in school history and the seventh in the Deb Patterson era (13 seasons). The 23 wins this season are the sixth most wins since the 1999-00 season. The school record for wins in a season was set in the 2002-03 season, as the Wildcats tallied a 29-5 record. Since the 1999-00 season, K-State is averaging 21.7 wins and has made five NCAA?Tournament appearances and two Postseason WNIT appearances. The 10 Big 12 wins this season are the sixth time in Big 12 action that K-State has reached double figures in league play. Lehning Puts the Quintuple in Triple-Double Senior Shalee Lehning improved her season and career total of triple doubles to three and five, respectively, with a 16-point, 11 rebound and 12 assist effort at Colorado on March 7. Her career total of five triple-doubles is tied for third in NCAA history (all divisions) and is the Big 12 and K-State record. Lehning is the first player in Big 12 and K-State history to register multiple triple-doubles in the same season with her effort at Washington on Dec. 30 with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. She was also the first player in NCAA Division I this season to register two triple-doubles. Lehning recorded her first of the season and the third of her career (11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists) during K-State’s Nov. 25 win at Arkansas State. This was the first triple-double in NCAA?Division I women’s basketball this season. The All-America candidate has more than half of the triple-doubles (8) in K-State history. Hot News Update Daily Home | ||
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Rematch: K-State v. Colorado
2009 SEC Tournament Predictions
The Favorite: LSU Tigers
There was plenty of talk about Tennessee, Florida, and Kentucky prior to the season, but LSU stole the show, finishing with three more wins in conference play than any other team. The Tigers were riding a 10 game winning streak before losing to Vandy and Auburn to close out the season. It appeared that the Tigers got a little complacent down the stretch with the conference title already wrapped up but those two losses should serve as a wake up call prior to the start of the tournament. The Tigers will face either Kentucky or Ole Miss in the second round and both teams played the Tigers tough during the regular season. I’m sure the Tigers would much rather face Ole Miss because of the ability Jodie Meeks has to completely take over a game for the Wildcats. The Tigers are led by 6′4” guard Marcus Thornton and his 20.9 points per game.
Another Team That Can Win: Tennessee Volunteers
I should have labeled this category other teams that can win, but of the remaining teams Tennessee appears to have the best shot. It’s been a disappointing season for a Tennessee team which shined in the SEC in 2008 and this is its chance to make things right. The Vols won 3 of their last 4 to get a share of the East Division title and that was key as now they have a first round bye to aid them in their quest for the championship. Tyler Smith leads the Vols with 17.1 points per game and he has really picked up his play down the stretch after starting slow. As he goes the Vols go. Several other teams like Florida and Kentucky have major motivation to make a run at this title as they likely need to win to get it in, but it is going to be tough to win 4 games in 4 days. But they can look to Georgia, who pulled off the feat a year ago, for inspiration.
2008 SEC Tournament Recap:
Perhaps the best conference tournament story of them all was Georgia last season. The Dawgs finished the regular season tied for the worst record in the conference but were able to pull off the Cinderella sweep to punch their tickets to the Big Dance. They won each of their first 2 games in overtime, defeated Mississippi State by 4 in the semifinals, and pulled off a 9 point win over Arkansas in the championship game.
Bet on basketball this March with the help of Jimmy Boyd’s expect college basketball picks for the most winners against the college basketball spreads.
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- 2009 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Predictions
- 2009 Big East Conference Tournament Predictions
- 2009 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Predictions
- 2009 Patriot League Tournament Predictions
- 2009 Big South Conference Tournament Predictions
Written by Jimmy Boyd