The six-game streak is over. The undefeated conference record is no more, and the Kansas State women's basketball team has just two days to learn from a stingy zone defense that Oklahoma State used on Saturday to expose the young Wildcats.
It was quite fitting that following their 10-point loss to the Cowgirls, the Wildcats returned home in dense fog , both figuratively and literally.
But that's how life is in the deeply competitive Big 12, and KSU coach Deb Patterson spent Monday morning in Bramlage Coliseum transitioning her team's focus to its next opponent on Wednesday in the Colorado Buffaloes.
"It's one of those things where obviously it was a tough loss for us," senior forward Ashley Sweat said Monday. "I look at that game and feel like I could do much better. I needed to come out more ready for my team.
"But we have got to forget that game because we play again in two days."
What the Wildcats are attempting to forget, could be what other teams in the Big 12 will look to learn from before they play K-State down the road.
The Cowgirls continually rotated between a 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone defense after the Wildcats scored a quick eight points to begin the game against their man-to-man defense.
Unable to get the good shots inside the myriad of zone looks, the Wildcats were forced to pass the ball around the perimeter during most of their possessions, settling for 26 3-pointer attempts.
"We basically played catch," Patterson said. "I thought we were trying out for Major League Baseball."
Senior guard Kari Kincaid was a part of the back-and-forth game of catch, and was forced to take eight shots from behind the arc, converting four of them.
"I'm comfortable taking those shots if they are in the flow and open shots," Kincaid said. "I'm not the person who goes and creates my own shot. That's not the type of player I am. We definitely need to get more players shots and in the flow and rhythm for our offense to succeed."
Colorado enters the contest having lost two consecutive games, and are looking for their first road victory of the season.
Colorado dropped a close 68-62 game against Iowa State in the Coors Event Center on Saturday.
Colorado (11-5, 1-2) is led on offense by junior forward Brittany Spears. The dangerous 6-foot-1 forward scored a game-high 25 points against the Wildcats in their last meeting at Bramlage Coliseum last season. She is averaging 19.1 points per contest, good enough for sixth in the league 12.
But Patterson said this Colorado team looks much more balanced than a year ago. Including Spears, the Buffs also have Bianca Smith, who averages 14 points a game.
"I think now it's more that you have to defend all five positions out there on the floor for Colorado," Patterson said.
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. with the game being televised on FSN-Kansas City.
Photo - Michael Schweitzer/The Manhattan Mercury
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