North Carolina At Chapel Hill

ESTERO, Florida – With a career effort from Gisela Sanchez and double figure performances from Serena Sundell and Ayoka Lee, (16/22) K-State picked up its second win over a ranked opponent with a 63-56 win over (18/17) North Carolina on Saturday in the semifinals of the 2023 Clean Simple Eats Gulf Coast Showcase at Hertz Arena.

K-State improves to 6-0 on the season. This is the second straight season the Wildcats have started a season with a five-game or better winning streak and the fourth time under head coach Jeff Mittie.

Sanchez tied her career-highs with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and five rebounds, leading a K-State bench effort that outscored the Tar Heels, 22-18. The redshirt sophomore from Barcelona, Spain, made four straight free throws in the last 20 seconds to seal the win.

For the second straight game, Sundell reached double figures with a game-high 16 points and was 7-of-10 from the foul line, pulled in five rebounds and dished out five assists.

Lee tied the school record for career double-doubles with her 52nd, joining Kendra Wecker (2001-05) atop the list. Lee finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and a blocked shot.

HOW IT HAPPENED
– K-State pounded its way to a 32-22 lead at halftime over North Carolina (5-1). The Wildcats shot 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from the field in the opening half and held the Tar Heels to a 29.0 percent (9-of-31) effort, including an 0-of-10 performance from 3-point range.
– The Wildcats used a 12-2 run in the first quarter to build a 16-8 advantage after the first frame.
– In the second quarter, K-State built its lead to as much as 14, 30-16, following an Lee jumper with 2:31 remaining in the second.
– The Wildcats were led in the opening half by the trio of Sanchez (8 points), Sundell (7 points) and Lee (6 points). The eight points by Sanchez were a season-high.
– North Carolina closed the gap in the third quarter by winning the stanza, 18-13, as K-State shot 38.5 percent (5-of-13) as the Wildcats led by five, 45-40, entering the fourth.
– In a hotly contested fourth quarter, the Wildcats were never tied or surrendered the lead. The Tar Heels would close to within two points twice, including with 1:54 remaining in the fourth.
– Kansas State iced the game from the foul line with under a minute to play, as Lee and Sundell each made two free throws and Sanchez made her four.
– K-State shot 43.5 percent (20-of-46) from the field and outrebound North Carolina, 46-25.
– Defensively, the Wildcats held the Tar Heels to 37.1 percent shooting (23-of-62) including 10.0 percent (2-of-20) from 3-point range.

QUICK FACTS
– K-State and North Carolina met for the first time in the history of the series. The Wildcats are 9-11 against current members of the ACC.
– K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 624-362 (.633) and is 170-127 (.572) during his 10-seasons at K-State.
– Mittie is 74-50 (.597) in his career in games played at a neutral site, including a 19-17 (.528) mark at K-State.
– K-State owns a record of 228-87 (.724) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 13-9 (.591) all-time when ranked 16th in the nation.

TEAM NOTES
– K-State’s starting five consisted of guards: Jaelyn Glenn, Serena Sundell, Brylee Glenn, Gabby Gregory and center Ayoka Lee. This was the sixth time this starting five has been used this season. This was the 93rd career start for Lee, the 84th collegiate career start and the 38th start at K-State for Gregory, the 75th career start for Sundell, the 71st career start for Jaelyn Glenn and the 65th career start for Brylee Glenn.
– The Wildcats held a 32-22 lead at halftime on Saturday. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 134-17 (.887) when leading at halftime.
– K-State registered 46 rebounds on Saturday. This is the fifth time K-State has outrebounded its opponent this season (5-0).

PLAYER NOTES
– Lee recorded her 85th career game with 10 or more points. Lee has scored in every game of her career (93 games).
– Lee hauled in 12 rebounds on Saturday. Lee’s effort was her 54th career game with 10 or more rebounds. This was her 85th career game with five or more rebounds and her fifth this season.
– This was Sundell’s 47th career game with 10 or more points including her second this season.
– Sundell handed out five assists on Saturday. With the effort, Sundell moved into sole possession of eighth on the K-State career assists list with 384.

FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
On North Carolina’s defensive pressure…
“They amped up their defensive pressure and, you know, they, they really were forcing us into, you know, some tough decisions and we didn’t handle that stretch very well. We’ve got to handle the basketball better, man. We’ve got to play more boys than that, but I give them credit. They’re there. They can turn it up. You saw that last night, Vermont. You saw that the last five minutes of the game, they’ve got real chaotic, and they’ve got good players that can do that.”