CINCINNATI — In an impressive display of skill, Serena Sundell led the Kansas State Wildcats to a decisive 90-53 victory against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Wednesday night, scoring 21 points and providing 10 assists.
Joining her in the spotlight was Taryn Sides, who achieved her first career double-double with 17 points and a remarkable 12 rebounds. Additionally, Temira Poindexter contributed 18 points to the Wildcats’ total. Kansas State, now boasting a record of 23-3 and 11-2 in the Big 12 Conference, bounced back strong after suffering a significant 30-point loss to No. 25 Oklahoma State in their previous outing.
For the Bearcats, Jillian Hayes stood out with her double-double performance, scoring 15 points and pulling down 15 rebounds, while Chloe Mann and Reagan Jackson chipped in with 10 points each.
The game commenced with Sundell dominating, netting 11 points in the first quarter, allowing the Wildcats to take an early lead at 22-16. The second quarter, however, was where Kansas State truly separated themselves, sinking four three-pointers and outpacing Cincinnati 20-9 despite the Bearcats struggling at 4 of 15 shooting from the field. The Wildcats went into halftime with a commanding 42-25 lead.
In the second half, Poindexter kicked things off with consecutive three-pointers, extending Kansas State’s lead to 30-19. Sides subsequently scored the next basket, further increasing their margin to 33-21, and the Wildcats maintained a comfortable lead for the remainder of the game.
A standout third quarter saw Kansas State excel with a shooting performance of 10 of 16, while Cincinnati struggled, hitting just 3 of 19 attempts. By the end of the quarter, the score had ballooned to 66-38.
Overall, the Wildcats showcased their sharp shooting, ending the game with a 51% success rate while Cincinnati could only manage 39%. Kansas State also demonstrated excellent ball movement, recording 28 assists on 33 field goals, 10 of which were from three-point range.
Next, Kansas State will welcome UCF to their home court on Saturday, while the Bearcats are set to face No. 18 West Virginia.
