Cats look to stay perfect

The women’s basketball team will conclude its four-game home stand and try to extend its season-opening win streak to nine games Sunday night when they take on the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. as Bramlage Coliseum will host a basketball double-header with the men’s team featured at 6 p.m.
The Wildcats (8-0) are off to their best regular-season start since the 1980-81 team began their season with a 9-0 start. With their impressive record, the Wildcats are represented in both the national polls. They enter Sunday’s contest ranked 25th in the Associated Press poll and climbed to the 18th spot in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.
This will mark the first time the Mavericks and Wildcats have squared off in their histories. UTA (3-4) is coming off of a 77-72 win at Rice University on Saturday.
Historically, the Wildcats have fared well against opponents from the Southland Conference with an overall record of 12-3. This matchup will be the second of three for K-State against members of the Southland Conference. The Wildcats defeated UTSA in Bramlage Coliseum 80-51 on Nov. 23.
Following the first eight games last season, the Wildcats had posted a .500 record going 4-4, after being handed a 68-56 loss at the hands of Wisconsin-Green Bay on the road.
Junior forward Ashley Sweat has attested the success of this team to their ability to overcome adversity during the game.
“I think a lot of the games we were right there, and we just couldn’t find a way to win,” she said. “That is the difference between last year and this year. Even if we aren’t playing our best, we are finding ways to win.”
Sweat has been the leading scorer for the Wildcats this season, averaging 15.0 points per game, and scored a team-high 20 points in the Wildcats’ previous game against Creighton. Sweat has registered a team-high in points in six of the eight games this season.
Following the game against UTA, the Wildcats will leave Bramlage Coliseum for their final non-sconference road trip. The three-game road trip will begin with a Dec. 20 matchup against Indiana State.