WACO, Texas (AP) — Fourth-ranked Kansas State has its highest ranking in 21 years, and backed it up even without injured standout center Ayoka Lee.
Eliza Maupin, Gabby Gregory and Serena Sundell each had 16 points and the Wildcats extended their winning streak to 13 games with a 58-55 victory Monday night over No. 13 Baylor, which was held to only 16 points in the second half after K-State switched to a zone defense.
“We were having a lot of trouble guarding them man-to-man,” K-State coach Jeff Mittie said. “We went zone, went to a 1-2-2. ... We hadn’t played that much this year. We had some interesting rotations. Probably confused Baylor, confused me a couple of times.”
Baylor (15-3, 4-3 Big 12) attempted two 3-pointers in the final six seconds that would have tied the game. Jada Walker had a wild shot when she thought she was fouled — though one wasn’t called with K-State trying to do exactly that. After a timeout, Jaelyn Glenn blocked a game-ending shot by Dre’Una Edwards.
“We didn’t need to be in that situation,” Baylor coach Nicki Collen said. “We put ourselves in that situation to be in a one-possession game without enough time.”
The Wildcats (19-1, 8-0) moved up three spots in the new Associated Press poll earlier Monday for its highest ranking since 2003. Plagued by early turnovers, they trailed by 13 before halftime and hadn’t led since the game’s first two minutes before Maupin’s 3-pointer with 7:19 left.
“For our group, it gives us a lot of confidence,” Mittie said. “We’re playing without our anchor and we’re finding a different way.”
Lee missed her second game since an MRI revealed a fracture in her ankle, and she had surgery Friday that is expected to keep her out until at least the second half of February.
Bella Fontleroy had 12 points and Edwards had 11 for Baylor, which lost at home for the first time this season. The Bears had been 10-0, including their first three games in the new Foster Pavilion.
Aijha Blackwell had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Bears, but her layup with 4:34 left for a 55-52 lead was their last points before missing their last seven shots.
After making 15 of 26 shots before halftime, the Bears were 6-of-26 shooting the rest of the game.
“We couldn’t pound it in on the inside because they were clogging it up,” Edwards said. “So we just got to knock down shots.”
Sundell’s layup with 3:27 left put Kansas State ahead to stay.
“Both teams were pretty fatigued at the end, exerted a lot of energy,” Mittie said after the second game in three days for both teams.
BIG PICTURE
A gutsy performance on the road for Kansas State, which at one point before halftime had seven turnovers over a span of nine possessions. The Wildcats joined Baylor, Colorado and South Carolina with four wins this seasons against Top 25 opponents. UCLA and UConn each have five. ... The Bears have lost three of four since a 14-0 start.
GETTING PHYSICAL
Kansas State was within 44-41 after Sundell’s free throw with 3:15 left in the third quarter. That came after an intentional foul by Fontleroy. Sarah Andrews missed a 3-pointer and Fontleroy was on the floor with the ball under her when Brylee Glenn reached in and was shoved by the Baylor player. Officials called the intentional foul after a replay review.
UP NEXT
Kansas State is home Saturday against BYU. The Wildcats will be trying for their first 14-game winning streak since 2008-09.
Baylor plays at Oklahoma State on Sunday.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
