KANSAS CITY, Mo. – K-State, the five-seed, used a hot first half shooting effort from the field to take a double-digit lead, but four-seed West Virginia came back to secure a 73-69 win in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship at T-Mobile Center on Friday.
K-State (26-7) was led by a trio of seniors: Kennedy Taylor, Temira Poindexter and Serena Sundell. Taylor carded a personal season-high 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 shooting and added three rebounds. Taylor is the first player in Big 12 Championship history to go perfect from the field on nine or more field goal attempts.
Poindexter notched 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including a 3-of-5 effort from long range and added six rebounds.
Sundell finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and nine assists. With her nine assists on Friday, the All-Big 12 First Team selection set the school record for assists in a season with 233, breaking the previous mark of 229 held by Shalee Lehning from the 2008-09 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
– K-State raced out of the gates and captured the first quarter, 33-23. The 33 points set the school record for points in any quarter in a Big 12 Championship game and tied the Big 12 record for points in a quarter, equaling the mark set by Baylor on March 12, 2021.
– The Wildcats shot a blistering 86.7 percent (13-of-15) from the field in the opening frame. The 86.7 percent effort is the second-highest field goal percentage in a quarter in program history, trailing the 90.0 percent performance in the second quarter against UIW on Dec. 3, 2019.
– Both teams settled into the game in the second quarter, as K-State would build a 12-point lead, 42-30, with 4:11 to play in the second stanza after Taryn Sides knocked down her second 3-pointer of the game. West Virginia (23-6) would win the frame, 13-11, outscoring the Wildcats 6-2 in the final four minutes.
– The Mountaineers took their first lead since the early moments of the first quarter with a Jordan Harrison layup with 1:10 to play. K-State answered with a Taylor layup with 33 seconds left for a 55-54 lead.
– After Harrison made two free throws with five seconds left to give West Virginia a 56-55 lead, the Wildcats found Poindexter for a last second 3-pointer, which she banked in to give K-State a 58-56 advantage entering the fourth quarter.
– West Virginia took its largest lead of the day, 66-60, following a pair of free throws with 4:28 to play. The Wildcats went without a made field goal for the first five and a half minutes of the fourth quarter (0-of-5). K-State would shoot 27.3 percent (3-of-11) in the final quarter.
– Sundell broke through with a layup with 4:14 to play and Poindexter cashed in a 3-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within one, 67-66. Taylor would push the Wildcats into a two-point lead, 69-67, with 1:53 left.
– The Mountaineers would use a 6-0 run to close out the game, taking the lead for good, 71-69, with 43 seconds to play on a JJ Quinerly runner in the lane.
– K-State ended the game shooting 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the field, including 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from beyond the arc.
QUICK FACTS
– West Virginia leads the series with K-State, 9-20. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 9-23 in his career against West Virginia.
– The Wildcats are 24-28 in its history in Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship games. K-State is 15-16 in its history in Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship games played in Kansas City.
– K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 670-377 (.640), including a mark of 216-142 (.603).
– K-State owns a record of 274-102 (.729) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 8-6 (.571) all-time when ranked 20th in the nation.
TEAM NOTES
– K-State’s starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forwards Temira Poindexter and Eliza Maupin. This was the second time this lineup has started together this season (0-2). This was the 136th career start for Sundell, the 132nd career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 120th career collegiate start and 33rd at K-State for Poindexter, the 33rd career start for Walker and the third career start for Maupin.
– Sundell improves upon her school record for career starts and owns the school record for career games played. Glenn moves into third in program history for career starts. With her 135th career game played, Glenn is tied for second in program history for career games played.
– With its 69 points on Friday, K-State has scored 2,616 points this season which ranks second in program history for a season. The 2,616 points are the most for K-State in the NCAA era (1981-present).
– The Wildcats held a 44-36 lead at halftime on Friday. Under Mittie, K-State is 174-20 (.897) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 25 games this season (24-1).
– K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in one quarter on Friday. The Wildcats have 74 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 64 times this season, including the first quarter on Friday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 158-64 (.712) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game, including a 26-2 record this season.
– The field goal percentage of 52.9 percent was the fourth-highest in program history for a Big 12 Championship game.
– With its four blocked shots on Friday, K-State increased its school record total to 183.
– The bench point total of 27 marked the 19th time K-State has scored 20 or more bench points. K-State has held the upper hand in bench points in 22 games this season (18-4).
PLAYER NOTES
– Sundell’s nine assists on Friday improved her career total to 782. She remains in sixth in Big 12 history for career assists. Her assist total this season of 233 sets the school record for a season, breaking the previous record of 229 by Shalee Lehning (2008-09). Sundell improved upon her own school record with her 90th career game with five or more assists.
– Sundell owns 1,712 career points and moved into seventh on the K-State career scoring list. This was her 96th career game with 10 or more points.
– Taylor registered her 12th game this season and the 54th of her career with 10 or more points. Her 21 points were a season-high and was her eighth career game with 20 or more points.
– Poindexter reached double figures for the 21st time this season and the 101st in her career. Poindexter improved her career point total to 1,974 (414 at K-State; 1,560 at Tulsa).
– Poindexter tallied three 3-pointers on Friday. This was her 77th game of her career with two or more connections.
– Jaelyn Glenn pulled in five rebounds on Friday. This improved her career rebound total to 603. She is the 20th player in program history with 600 or more rebounds. This was her 56th career game with five or more rebounds.
– Glenn knocked down two 3-pointers on Friday. She has 69 career games with two or more connections from long range. Glenn ranks eighth in program history with 220 career 3-point field goals made.
– Taryn Sides carded two connections from beyond the arc. This was her 30th game with two or more. She has made the second most 3-pointers in a sophomore season in program history (80).
– Sides collected two steals. This was her 12th career game with two or more steals.
UP NEXT
(20/19) K-State will now prepare for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will find out its seed on Sunday, March 16, during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on ESPN at 7 p.m.
