Kansas State women’s basketball team enters top 25 rankings for first time since 2017
Watch out for the Kansas State women’s basketball team.
The Wildcats are beginning to gain national attention now that they are off to a 13-2 start, including a 3-0 record in Big 12 play. That much was clear on Monday when Jeff Mittie’s squad checked in at No. 25 in the latest Associated Press top 25 rankings.
It is the first time K-State has been ranked since since 2017.
That sets up an intriguing game of ranked teams this week when the Wildcats host No. 9 Iowa State at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State is off to an impressive start thanks to the strong play of Ayoka Lee. The 6-foot-6 junior center is averaging 23.5 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Wildcats. She has been one of the best players in the Big 12, if not the country. She currently leads the conference in scoring and ranks second in rebounding.
She has led K-State to its best start under Mittie, despite the Wildcats playing a difficult schedule that has featured opponents such as No. 1 South Carolina, No. 4 North Carolina State, No. 14 Baylor and Oregon.
The Wildcats have played so well this season that some argued they deserved to be in the top 25 last week after they defeated Baylor 68-59. But they came up just short until they followed that performance with victories over Oklahoma State and West Virginia.
There was no denying K-State this week. It now has a ranking next to its name.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Kansas State women’s basketball team enters top 25 rankings for first time since 2017."