Patterson's team shows swagger in early play

Following each victory for the Wildcats this season, 18 to be exact, it seems head coach Deb Patterson has consistently used the same word to describe her feelings.

Proud.

It's hard to blame her either, because it would be even harder to expect more out of her team.

The Wildcats have played above the expectations of many and they are in the midst of a historic 2009 season. With an 18-1 overall record and a 5-1 record in arguably the toughest conference in women's basketball, Patterson's team is playing with a veteran swagger.

It's that swagger that has led them to a No. 12 slot in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll and given them a target on their back within the Big 12 conference; a target only the Oklahoma Sooners have been able to hit. It enabled them to go on the road last week to steal victories in both Lubbock, Texas and Lawrence. The win against Texas Tech snapped a 10-game home winning streak for the Red Raiders.

Yet, there is a need for the confident poise which the Wildcats have so effectively developed. It's needed to win in the Big 12 Conference.

It's not hard to develop that confidence by winning home games, but what defines a team is how it plays in a hostile environment.

Patterson has consistently stressed the importance of road wins to her team throughout the season. She is aware of their importance and scheduled seven road games to test her Wildcats in the early portion of the season.

Her team went 7-0.

Her team is now 2-1 in conference road games this season with their only blemish coming in Norman, Okla. against the Sooners, who were ranked third in the country at the time. The Wildcats were leading the contest at half time, yet for the first and only time this season, left the court with a loss.

But why have the Wildcats played so well this season? How have they continued to find different ways to win games? What has fueled their confidence?

Where did this swagger come from?

Sure, they have great players plus and they are starting three seniors and two juniors, but winning 17 of 18 games requires more than raw talent and experience.

I believe there is another aspect to this equation.

The Wildcats are out to prove people wrong.

They began this season predicted to finish seventh in the Big 12, a conference which they won just last year. The Wildcats have already defeated Iowa State in their first meeting this season. The Cyclones were tabbed to finish third in the conference. In Norman, they were two minutes from defeating Oklahoma, the No. 3 team in the nation. Oklahoma was picked to finish first in the Big 12.

In athletics, one of the greatest feelings is proving critics wrong and the best, most effective way to do that is to win. Nineteen games into their schedule, the Wildcats have done that.

While they have run through their schedule at this point with the poise of a championship team, the Wildcats are about to be tested. A quick peek at the remaining schedule for Patterson's team is highlighted by a February matchup at No. 4 Baylor and home games against both No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 16 Texas in March.

This stretch will truly test the Wildcats' poise and ability to grind out the final games of the regular season.

But it will also provide a perfect opportunity to prove their critics wrong.

If the Wildcats are able to keep their swagger throughout the remainder of their tough schedule, Deb Patterson will have plenty to be proud of.

Wildcats face ranked Cyclones

Following a brief one-game home stand, the No. 14-ranked K-State women's basketball team will hit the road and head to Ames, Iowa to take on the No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones (15-4, 3-2 Big 12 Conference) Saturday evening.

In the previous meeting at Bramlage Coliseum the Wildcats (18-1 5-1 Big 12) defeated the Cylcones, thanks to a strong second half performance by senior point guard Shalee Lehning. After scoring a mere four points in the first half, Lehning caught fire and scored 18 points in the final 20 minutes of the contest.

Lehning said she was able to find a lot of open lanes in the second half of the first game and will look to find the same success in Saturday's game. She finished with a game high 22 points against the Cyclones during their Jan. 17 meeting.

"I'm just going to try and do what my team needs," Lehning said "It just depends on what the defense is giving me. In the second half they gave me a lot more open lanes so I will have to make a read and decide what the defense is doing."

The Wildcats have proven throughout the season that the challenge of road games has little effect on them. K-State has accumulated a 9-1 record in road games this season, tying a school record for road wins in a season.

"We stay focused and we don't let things rattle us," Lehning said. "If the crowd goes nuts then we just stay calm and do what we do because we understand that as long as we just play our game we still have a chance to win."

Patterson's team will find themselves in a tough environment Saturday evening in Ames, IA. The Cylcones are averaging 9,029 fans per game at the Hilton Coliseum, more than any venue in the Big 12. They are 10-0 this season at home and are winners of 10 of their previous 12 games overall.

"It's obviously a huge challenge because I expect it will be a full house," Patterson said. "I think it will be big in that it will be the most hostile environment that we have competed in all year."

In their previous game on Tuesday against Nebraska, which the Wildcats won 51-40, Patterson was able to go to her bench by way of sophomore guard Shalin Spani who registered 18 points and hit pivotal 3-point shots. Spani finished the game with nine points.

Patterson said she will look to use the bench production against the Cylcones as she feels her team is discovering different ways to win basketball games.

"On the road up there, I think we are definitely going to have to depend on bench production because the emotional aspect of the game when you are playing in front of a full house pretty much dictates that there are going to be times when your starters are going to have to come (take a break) and go back in," Patterson said.

"So, we will definitely have to have good contributions from them," she said.

The Wildcats will look to take the season series Saturday night against the Cyclones in Iowa and keep their four game winning streak alive. Tip off for the game is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on 1350 KMAN.

Women win fourth in a row

Behind the effort of junior forward Ashley Sweat and the Wildcats' perimeter shooting, head coach Deb Patterson's team answered yet another challenge as they defeated Nebraska 51-40 Tuesday evening.
For just the first time at home this season, the Wildcats found themselves trailing at half time, and Patterson knew her team needed to make an adjustment.
"I like the overall adjustments, we didn't do anything extraordinary, we just made some subtle adjustments at half time," Patterson said. "We knew defensively that we had another gear in us and I thought the team brought it in the second half."
That second gear helped the Wildcats build a lead coming out of the halftime break, as Kari Kincaid hit a 3-pointer at the 19:02 mark that sparked a 11-2 run, mounting a seven-point lead for the Wildcats.
Following the run, the Wildcats held the lead for the remainder of the game as their defense clamped down on the Cornhuskers' attack led by junior forward Cory Montgomery, who scored a game high 21 points.
Nebraska head coach Connie Yori said the defense of K-State prevented her team from getting the shot opportunities it was looking for throughout the game.
K-State's defense leads the Big 12, allowing opponents a mere 49 points per game.
"K-State is a great defensive team," Yori said. "It seems like every possession is such a great challenge and it's hard to score."
Shalin Spani and Kincaid led the way for the Wildcats in their second half surge. Both were held scoreless in the first half, but they combined for 16 points in the second half.
"You put some pressure on defensive with some aggressive quick look perimeter shots and everything changes for you on the offensive end," Patterson said. "Credit both Shalin and Kari for that."
Despite a career high 23 points against KU just one game ago, senior forward Marlies Gipson was held to a mere two points on six shot attempts.
However Patterson said that the game plan adapted and evolved to the perimeter rather than the post play of Gipson.
"I think our players are learning there are a lot of different ways to win a basketball game," Patterson said.
Following tonight's victory, the Wildcats will travel to Ames, Iowa and put their current four-game winning streak on the line against the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday evening. Tip-off for the game is set for 7 p.m., and the game can be heard on 1350 KMAN.

Sunflower mowdown

LAWRENCE — K-State head coach Deb Patterson knew Saturday’s game at Kansas would be a challenge. Despite a 72-39 mauling of the Jayhawks in their previous matchup at Bramlage Coliseum, Patterson had her team prepared for a battle. Her prediction was proven correct as the Wildcats found themselves in a tight game at Allen Fieldhouse. However, with the help of senior forward Marlies Gipson, who scored a career -high 23 points, the Wildcats were able to depart Lawrence with a 59-50 victory, and concluded a perfect two-game road trip. “I am just extremely proud of our basketball team coming into another road game in the Big 12 [Conference] and getting a road win,” Patterson said. “I don’t care where you go or who you line up against, it’s going to be a tremendous challenge.” The Jayhawks proved early in the game that they were a different team than the Wildcats saw in Manhattan. Behind the effort of junior guard Danielle McCray, Kansas compiled an 8-2 run following a lay-up by Gipson for the Wildcats to open game. “We came in knowing the talent and ability that Danielle [McCray] brings to the table,” Patterson said. “She stepped up and in the last few games against Nebraska and K-State, and she has asserted herself. I think she is one of the best players in the league without question.” McCray, who scored eight points in the first meeting between the Jayhawks and K-State, finished with a game-high 26 points. However, the Big 12 leading Wildcat defense was able to hold the Jayhawks as a team to 37.3 percent shooting from the floor. After trailing 8-2 early in the contest, K-State found its offensive flow as the Wildcats went on a 10-2 scoring run. The run included a half-court pass from senior guard Shalee Lehning that caught junior forward Ashley Sweat in stride underneath the basket for an easy lay-up. Gipson and Sweat combined for 18 points in the first half, and the Wildcats led 26-23 going into the halftime break. “I think the young ladies here at this table — Sweat, Lehning and Gipson — just continue to play amazing basketball for our program,” Patterson said. “They put us in position to be competitive, they put us in position to compete and win games, and I think we saw that same thing today against a very good Kansas basketball team on the road.” The Jayhawks came out of the break and clawed at the Wildcat lead, and with a lay-up by Kelly Kohn, took a 31-30 lead with 16:31 remaining in the half. The Wildcats responded and took back the lead, which they would not surrender. Coming up strong in protecting the lead was Gipson as she proved to be a presence on the defensive side of the ball, recording two blocks late in the second half. She would finish the game with four blocks. “I just look at those last five minutes and know that it’s Lehning time on offense, and then on defense you just know Marlies is going to dominate,” Patterson said. With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 17-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play. The Wildcats will face Nebraska at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Bramlage.

Women to play Nebraska in Bramlage

The No. 14 ranked Wildcats (17-1, 4-1 Big 12 Conference) return to Bramlage Coliseum for a brief one home-game stand against the struggling Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-8, 1-4 Big 12) Tuesday night. The Wildcats are returning home from a perfect 2-0 road trip that featured wins against both Texas Tech and Kansas. The Cornhuskers come into Manhattan having lost five of their last six games, with their only victory coming against the Kansas Jayhawks in Lincoln, Neb. They also rank last in the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing opponents 67.6 points per game. However, despite what the statistics show, senior point guard Shalee Lehning says the matchup will be another test for the Wildcats. "I think Nebraska is a great team, and they are going to be very physical and athletic on the perimeter," Lehning said. "They are definitely a team that is going to get up and guard us and we're going to have to keep our composure, and as long as we play 40 minutes and compete hard I think we will be all right." Head coach Deb Patterson agrees and says that the Cornhuskers will be a threat from the 3-point line. Nebraska is shooting .325 percent from behind the arc, good enough for sixth in the Big 12. However, Patterson stressed the speed of Nebraska and said this is a unique opponent for the Wildcats. "For us, it's a challenge against a team that plays different from anyone we have seen so far," Patterson said. "We haven't seen this kind of quickness on the perimeter." Leading the Cornhusker's perimeter attack is junior guard Yvonne Turner, who is averaging a team-leading 14.2 points per game and is tied with Danielle Grant of Texas A&M atop the Big 12 with 15 steals on the season. "[Turner] would compete with anybody on anyone's roster right now in terms of quickness," Patterson said. The Wildcats defense meanwhile, has remained atop the Big 12 as Patterson's team is only giving up an average 50.6 points per contest. During the recent road trip, the Wildcats gave up 52 points to the Jayhawks on Saturday and held the Red Raiders to 48 points Wednesday. "We definitely take pride in defense," Lehning said. "We believe that defense produces offense and so for us to have that statistic is something we take pride in and something we work hard for. We just have to keep it up." With Marlies Gipson scoring a career-high 23 points in Lawrence on Saturday, Patterson believes that the Wildcat's post play will be the key to their success against the speed of the Cornhuskers. Gipson is averaging 14.0 points per game, along with 7.1 rebounds. "I really think that (K-State's post play) is an area where we certainly bring a lot more experience and it's an area we need to maximize when we line up against Nebraska," Patterson said. Tip-off for tonight's game is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised on Fox Sports Net Kansas City. The game can also be heard on KMAN Radio 1350 AM.

Women head to Texas to play the Red Raiders

The Wildcats (15-1, 2-1 Big 12 Conference) will visit Lubbock, Texas to take on Texas Tech for the first of a two-game road trip following a 59-52 victory over No. 20 Iowa State Saturday. The road trip will conclude Saturday with a game against in-state rival Kansas. In their previous meeting the Wildcats steamrolled over Kansas at home 72-39.

The Red Raiders (11-5, 2-1 Big 12) are coming into the match-up against the Wildcats as winners in six of their previous seven games, including a home win against 14th ranked Texas.

"Texas Tech is definitely a big challenge," junior guard Kari Kincaid said. "We have got to bring new energy everyday and that's what we are going to try and do against Texas Tech."

Tonight's match against the Red Raiders will pose many opportunities for the Wildcats, including a chance at their first Big 12 road victory of the season. The Wildcats failed in their first attempt at No. 3 ranked Oklahoma, falling 64-48.

"Getting a win on the road here at this stage in Big 12 play is crucial," head coach Deb Patterson said. "I look at every match-up as a big game scenario."

Texas Tech has been winning when playing on its home court at the United Spirit Arena. Entering Wednesday's contest against the Wildcats, the Red Raiders will put a ten-game home win streak on the line. The Red Raiders rank second in the Big 12 in home attendance as well as averaging 8,537 fans per game.

The Wildcats are not strangers to the road games this season. During non-conference play they were 7-0 on the road including a two-game stint against Pac 10 opponents Washington and Washington State over the winter break.

"With the schedule that we were given, we were taking advantage of all of those road games and learn to play together and win on the road," Kincaid said. "We did well in the pre-season, but we have got to bring it over to the Big 12 play."

The Wildcats will look to take their swarming defense to Lubbock tonight against the Red Raiders. Currently, K-State leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding opponents to 49.9 points per game. Meanwhile the Red Raiders have been giving up an average of 59.6 points per game, good for ninth in the conference.

"I think defensively we are working extremely hard, and individually they are accountable," Patterson said. "Everybody has a big desire to get the job done but I think our accountability pass-by-pass has been pretty high during the course of this season."

Patterson said she feels her team matches up well against Texas Tech and looks to be successful in this critical stage in the Wildcats season.

"When we are on the road playing against Texas Tech, I look at that team and I say 'This is a team we are battling with,'" Patterson said. "This is a team that was picked close to us, and us close to them in the preseason. We are two teams that are going to have to slug it out all year long.

"This is a very big road trip for us," she said.

Cats claw Cyclones, put Oklahoma loss behind them

Shalee Lehning hit a 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining to put the Wildcats up by seven points and seal their 59-52 victory over Iowa State Saturday afternoon at Bramlage Coliseum.

The victory comes after the Wildcats were handed their first loss of the season at the hands of the No. 3 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, Okla. However, the loss did not concern head coach Deb Patterson and her team.

"The reality is everybody you line up against has the potential to beat you." Patterson said. "We understand that there are things we didn't do well and there are going to be things all season long that we have to do better to find a way to win games. That is why we play the game."

K-State (15-1, 2-1) began the game quickly with a 6-0 run, however the Cyclones battled back led by guard Kelsey Bolte, who had a team high of 18 points.

"They are very physical and tonight was no exception," senior forward Marlies Gipson said. "They are not as big as [Courtney] Paris from Oklahoma so using our quickness was important and working the high/low post. I think me and Ashley [Sweat] connected well on that tonight."

With the physicality the Cyclones presented, the Wildcats attempted 27 free throws in the contest. However, they only managed to hit 17.

"We weren't necessarily finishing at the foul line at the level I think we are capable of, but we got there and that is the first step." Patterson said.

The Cyclones (13-4, 1-2) tied the game with 5:18 remaining in the first half with a jump shot in the paint by junior guard Lacey Alison. Alison was fouled on the shot. However, she could not convert on the free throw attempt that would have given the Cyclones their first lead of the game.

The Wildcats led the contest 23-19 at halftime and were anchored by Lehning offensively coming out of the break. Lehning went on a tear, scoring 13 consecutive points during the first six minutes of the second half.

"I just went for what the defense was giving me," Lehning said. "At half time we did talk about getting more aggressive and having more of a flow on the offensive end. I think in the first half we were kind of disoriented on offense, but in the second half we kind of got things together."

Lehning finished with a game-high 22 points and registered seven rebounds while handing out three assists.

The Wildcats hit the road for their next contest at 7 p.m. on Jan. 21 when they take on the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.

Cats battle Cyclones

The 17th-ranked Wildcats (14-1, 1-1 Big 12 Conference) will take on the Cyclones of Iowa State (13-3, 1-1) Saturday afternoon at home after suffering their first loss of the season to Oklahoma.

Following the loss, K-State will face a much different team from the team it faced Wednesday in Norman, and head coach Deb Patterson said it will be beneficial for her team to experience a different look.

"We have a new mindset about preparation, we're focused in on our opponent and that is what it requires," Patterson said.

Iowa State has won eight of its previous nine games but is coming off a 68-57 loss to the Baylor Bears Wednesday night. The Cyclones come into Saturday's match-up ranked 20th in the nation.

Despite the loss to Oklahoma on Wednesday, Patterson said she feels her team is where it needs to be heading into the tough Big 12 schedule.

"I'm really happy with where we are at," she said. "I just want us to continue to improve and understand the long nature of this league. You have to just keep getting better every night out."

The Cyclones have had troubles on the road this season, compiling a 2-3 road record. However, K-State senior point guard Shalee Lehning said Iowa State will be more of a shooting threat then what the Wildcats saw in Norman against the Sooners and their impressive post play.

"They (Iowa State) have great shooters," Lehning said. "They kind of resemble us in a lot of ways. We have a lot of respect for them since they always play us well at home. We definitely have to contain their shooters."

The Wildcats are 7-0 at Bramlage Coliseum this year and are currently on a nine-game winning streak at home dating to last season. In the program's history, the Wildcats are 215-78 (.734) in Big 12 games at Bramlage Coliseum.

"It means everything to come off the road after a loss and playing the number three team in the country," Patterson said. "It's exciting to know we have a Saturday game. It's exciting to know we are coming off a game with 7,000 fans and that the house was rocking, and we know we are playing a top 20 team in Iowa State

"We are very hopeful we get a great student crowd and a great community crowd, because you need it in this league to win at home," she said.

Oklahoma loss is reality check for women

Wednesday evening marked another pivotal event in a historic season for the women’s basketball team. With a 64-48 defeat at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., the Wildcats were handed their first loss of the season.

The reigning Big 12 champions will look to bounce back following the tough loss. The Wildcats led the contest at halftime, but a late run led by twins Courtney and Ashley Paris pushed the Sooners to victory.

The Wildcats as they now must prove that they deserve the No. 17 ranking in the nation.

At first glance, a 10-point victory at home against Arkansas seems to be the only impressive part of K-State’s schedule. However, this loss against Oklahoma, a team that many pick to finish atop the Big 12 standings, will not affect the talent and potential of this team.

The Wildcats proved themselves throughout their non-conference campaign, including their ability to win on the road. The Wildcats were 7-0 in road games during non-conference play, including a 2-0 road trip against Pac 10 opponents during the winter break.

Not only have the Wildcats proven their ability to win on the road, but key players have compiled impressive statistics.

Senior guard Shalee Lehning, a preseason top 30 pick for the prestigious Wooden Award, has guided the Wildcat offense, leading the nation with 9.2 assists per game and holding the Big 12 career record for triple-doubles with four in her prolific career.

Lehning cemented herself in K-State women’s basketball history by breaking the K-State career assist record this season.

Leading the offense in scoring, junior Ashley Sweat has emerged as a major threat for opponents, averaging 16.1 points per game.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior forward Marlies Gipson is averaging a Big 12 best 3.9 blocks per game.

While the loss at Oklahoma is a setback for the Wildcats, the weapons the team possesses give it the potential for another Big 12 championship.

Paris twins prove to be too much for Wildcats, leading to first loss of seaso

The Wildcats’ perfect start to the season ended at the hands of the third-ranked Oklahoma Sooners Wednesday night at the Lloyd Noble Center. Oklahoma used a late second half-run to defeat K-State 64-48.
With the loss, the Wildcats fell to 1-1 in conference play as Oklahoma moved to 2-0 and 14-2 overall.
Heading into the matchup, the Wildcats were one of four undefeated teams in the nation. The defeat also snapped a Big 12-leading seven-game road winning streak for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats (14-1, 1-1) took a one-point lead to the halftime break as they led 24-23.
“The first half was as good as we could have drawn up,” said associate head coach Kamie Ethridge.
K-State struggled offensively in the second half as the Sooners mounted a late run prior to the two-minute mark, and ultimately pulled away from the Wildcats. Head coach Deb Patterson called two timeouts during the run to try to contain the Sooner push, but the Wildcats failed to make a run of their own.
“We just weren’t an aggressive team tonight,” Ethridge said
Ethridge attributed the Wildcats’ struggles to their failure to be aggressive on the offensive side of the ball.
“We have to put the ball in the basket and we didn’t have enough players doing that tonight,” Ethridge said. “We weren’t an aggressive team tonight.”
Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris led all scorers with 19 points and added 12 rebounds, as well as being a vital part of the Sooners’ late push. Paris extended her impressive streak to 107 consecutive games registering a double-double.
K-State’s defense, which had previously gave up an average of 48 points per game, struggled to contain Paris and her sister Ashley, who combined for 31 points for the Sooners.
“There was no doubt that we couldn’t guard them,” Ethridge said.
Leading the way for the Wildcats was Marlies Gipson with 14 points and Ashley Sweat with 13.
The Wildcats return to Bramlage Coliseum Saturday afternoon to take on Iowa State and will look to bounce back in league play. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

Women move to 13-0 with dominating performance

The K-State women’s basketball team finished off its nonconference schedule Saturday afternoon as they defeated Central Arkansas 81-38 and protected its perfect record heading into conference play. The Wildcats (13-0) were lead by the performance of Ashley Sweat, who scored a team-high 15 points. Marlies Gipson added 14 points and three blocks on the defensive end. With the dominating performance, head coach Deb Patterson had to opportunity to give every member on the roster more than 10 minutes on the floor. “I think this last game before conference play was a real positive one to have the opportunity to play deep into our roster and some time after competing on the road at Washington State and Washington.” Patterson said The Wildcats are in the midst of their best start to a season in the program’s history, having won the first 13 games of the season heading into the conference portion of the schedule. "We are very excited because this is something for us to build off of, but at the same time we cannot put to much thought into it because it is in the past and now we are heading into the Big 12.” Senior guard Shalee Lehning said. Following a perfect nonconference schedule start, the Wildcats will begin their Big 12 play with a Jan. 10 matchup against in-state rival Kansas at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats will have a week to prepare for the Jayhawks and the change in intensity that conference play provides. “I think more than anything the week we have is important because it prepares us for Big 12 basketball and it gives us a window to continue to get better,” Patterson said. “I look at this week as another week that we get show up to the gym and get more reps for our starters and our players that are contributing well of the bench. Mentally and physically I feel we will get a couple extra days of fundamental work.” Tip-off for the KU game is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on 1350 KMAN.

Photo Credit: Lisle Alderton