Kansas State Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. – K-State, the five-seed in the Spokane 4 Region, outscored 12-seed Fairfield by 32 points in the second half to cruise to an 85-41 win in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at Memorial Coliseum on Friday afternoon. The Wildcats have now advanced at least one round in 14 tournaments.
With the win, K-State (27-7) has registered the third-most wins in program history and the most since the 2002-03 season. The 53 combined wins over the last two seasons are the third-most over a two-season span in program history.
The Wildcats saw four players reach double figures in scoring and were led by their All-American tandem of Serena Sundell and Ayoka Lee. Sundell tallied 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and added nine assists and two steals. Sundell's nine assists tied for second in program history in an NCAA tournament game, as she achieved the feat last season against Portland.
Lee, playing in her first game since Feb. 22, registered her third career NCAA Tournament double-double with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 10 rebounds. The three career double-double in NCAA Tournament games set a school record.
This was Lee's 64th career double-double breaking a third-place tie in Big 12 history with Brittney Griner of Baylor. Lee needs one double-double to tie Ashley Joens of Iowa State for second in Big 12 history.J
oining Lee and Sundell in double figures were sophomore guard Taryn Sides with 14 points, including a 4-of-8 effort from long distance, four rebounds and three assists. She is the fourth Wildcat and first since Kindred Wesemann in 2017 to make four or more 3-pointers in an NCAA tournament game.
Senior Jaelyn Glenn notched 10 points, including 2-of-3 from distance, four rebounds and four assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- K-State dashed out with a 21-9 lead after the first quarter. Lee recorded eight points, while Sundell tallied six points and four assists.
- With the 21 points in the first quarter, K-State surpassed the school record for points in a season. At the conclusion of Friday's game, K-State season total stands at 2,701 points.
- Fairfield (28-5) cut the margin to seven points twice in the second quarter, but the Wildcats used an 11-3 run in the late stages of the second stanza to build a 37-25 lead at halftime.
- K-State pushed its advantage to 35, 66-31, as the Wildcats won the third quarter, 29-6, while shooting 73.3 percent (11-of-15). The Wildcats used a 23-2 run to close the frame and build its advantage. The 29 points set the school NCAA Tournament record for points in a quarter.
- Sundell opened the run with a 3-pointer with 7:14 to play in the frame. Fairfield recorded their final two points of the quarter with 5:42 to play.- Lee finished a layup with 4:29 remaining in the third and was quickly followed by three straight 3-pointers from Sides (two) and Jaelyn Glenn to boost the advantage to 61-31 with 2:15 to play. Sundell added three more points with a free throw and a layup, while Zyanna Walker capped the quarter with a layup with 25 seconds.
- K-State would win the fourth quarter, 19-10, and benefit from a 57.1 percent (8-of-14) effort from the field in the final frame.
- The 44-point margin of victory by K-State was its largest in an NCAA tournament game.
- The 41 points allowed by the Wildcats were the second-fewest surrendered to an NCAA Tournament opponent (40 points allowed, vs. Washington State, March 19, 2022).
- K-State's field goal percentage of 53.1 percent (34-of-64) is the fourth-highest in program history for an NCAA Tournament game and the highest since notching a 54.4 percent effort on March 15, 2002, against Kent State.
- The Wildcats held a 44-19 advantage on the boards. The 44 rebounds are the third-most in an NCAA tournament game in program history and the most since K-State pulled in a record 50 against Bowling Green on March 19, 2005.
QUICK FACTS
- This was the first meeting in the series between the schools. Head coach Jeff Mittie faced Fairfield for the first time in his career. The Wildcats are 3-0 in games against current members of the MAAC.
- The Wildcats own an all-time record of 16-18 in the NCAA Tournament.
- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 671-377 (.640), including a mark of 217-142 (.604).
- K-State owns a record of 275-102 (.729) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 9-2 (.818) all-time when ranked 19th in the nation.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 20th time this lineup has started together this season (19-1). This was the 137th career start for Sundell, the 134th for Lee, the 133rd career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 121st career collegiate start and 34th at K-State for Poindexter and the 34th career start for Walker.
- Sundell improves upon her school record for career starts and owns the school record for career games played. Lee stays in second in program history for career starts and is tied for fourth for career games played. Glenn remains in third in program history for career starts. With her 136th career game played, Glenn is second in program history for career games played.
- With its 85 points on Friday, K-State has scored 2,701 points this season which is the single season school record surpassing the previous mark of 2,635 in the 1979-80 season.
- The Wildcats held a 37-25 lead at halftime on Friday. Under Mittie, K-State is 175-20 (.897) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 26 games this season (25-1).
- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in two quarters on Friday (third and fourth). The Wildcats have 76 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting, which are the most in program history for a full season.
- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 66 times this season, including the first and third quarters on Friday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 159-64 (.713) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game, including a 27-2 record this season.
- With its four blocked shots on Friday, K-State increased its school record total to 187.- With its 23 assists, K-State improved its season total for assists to 728 and improve upon its school record for assists in a season.
- The bench point total of 27 marked the 20th time K-State has scored 20 or more bench points. K-State has held the upper hand in bench points in 23 games this season (19-4).
PLAYER NOTES
- With her 17 points on Friday, Lee boosted her career total to 2,505 and remains in sixth on the Big 12 career scoring list. Lee has scored in every game of her career, 134 games, and set the school record for consecutive games scoring. Lee recorded her 120th career game with 10 or more points.
- Lee pulled in 10 rebounds on Friday. She improved upon her own school record for career rebounds and owns 1,243 rebounds in her career. This was her 65th career game with 10 or more rebounds and her 115th career game with five or more rebounds. Lee has led K-State in rebounding in 86 career games including eight times this season.
- Sundell's nine assists on Friday improved her career total to 791. She moves into a tie for fifth in Big 12 history for career assists with Tiffany Bias (2010-14) of Oklahoma State. Sundell's 10 assists to set the school record for assists in a career (800, Shalee Lehning, 2005-09). Her assist total this season of 242 improves upon her school record for a season. Sundell improved upon her own school record with her 91st career game with five or more assists. This was the 102nd career game Sundell has led K-State in assists.
- Sundell owns 1,730 career points and remains in seventh on the K-State career scoring list. With four points, Sundell will pass Laurie Koehn (2001-05; 1,733) for sixth on the K-State career scoring list. This was her 97th career game with 10 or more points. She has paced K-State in scoring in 35 career games including 11 this season.
- Jaelyn Glenn notched 10 points on Friday. This improved her career point total to 1,184 and she remains in 28th in school history. With six points, she will move into 27th on the K-State career scoring list, passing Lehning (1,189). This was her 57th career game with 10 or more points.
- Jaelyn Glenn pulled in four rebounds on Friday. This improved her career rebound total to 607 and moved her into 19th on the K-State career rebounds list, passing Ashley Sweat (2006-10; 604).- Glenn knocked down two 3-pointers on Friday. She has 70 career games with two or more connections from long range. Glenn ranks eighth in program history with 222 career 3-point field goals made.
- Sides tallied 14 points, a new career-high in an NCAA Tournament game. This was her 18th career game with 10 or more points and her 15th this season.- Sides carded four connections from beyond the arc. This was her 31st career game with two or more and her ninth career effort of four or more. She has made the second most 3-pointers in a sophomore season in program history (84).
UP NEXT
K-State advances to the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament and will face four-seed Kentucky on Sunday. The game time and broadcast network will be determined late Friday night.