OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. — For many Wildcat fans it must have seemed like déjà vu. In less than 24 hours, both K-State basketball teams’ Big 12 Tournament chances were ended on last second shots that rimmed out.
Last night it was a Denis Clemente 3-pointer that would of sent the men’s game into overtime against Texas.
And today it was an Ashley Sweat jumper that would have sent the women’s game against fourth seeded Texas A&M to overtime. But instead the Wildcats lost 65-62 to the Aggies.
“This was just a great Big 12 basketball game,” head coach Deb Patterson said. “It was a tremendous effort by our basketball team in a scramble situation to get a quality shot. And unfortunately for us, it didn’t drop.”
Texas A&M’s Danielle Gant scored a layup with 23 seconds left to break up a 63-63 tie.
On the following K-State possession Shalee Lehning drove the lane but lost the ball. After a brief scramble, Sweat ended up with the ball and shot a 10-foot jumper. The ball bounced around the rim twice before it fell to the ground.
But K-State had to battle back from a 10-point deficit even to have a chance at the end.
The Aggies jumped out to an early lead and kept K-State at bay for most of the first half and took a 36-28 lead at halftime.
Down 46-40 midway through the second half, K-State went on an 8-0 run to take the lead. Neither team would take a lead larger than three points the rest of the game.
K-State shot 49 percent from the field, but just 1-9 from behind the 3-point line.
Gant led the Aggies with a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Takia Starks had 13 points and Tanisha Smith and Adaora Elonu each added 10 points.
Marlies Gipson had 22 points, 16 in the second half, to lead K-State. Sweat and Lehning were the only other two Wildcats in double figures with 19 and 13 points respectively.
The Wildcats now have to wait until Monday to see where they will have to go to play in the NCAA Tournament.
“For us to know we played a top 10 team as well as we did tonight, will give us a lot of confidence heading into the NCAA Tournament,” Lehning said. “At this point we seem to be getting better towards the end of the season and that’s why we’re going to carry confidence into the tournament.”