Kansas State falls to unranked Oklahoma, newest No. 2 to tumble

The No. 2 rating within the Related Press ballot continues to be a sizzling spot in ladies’s school basketball. The newest fall on the place got here Wednesday, as Kansas State, which had moved to No. 2 within the rankings launched Monday, misplaced at unranked Oklahoma 66-63.

This month, the No. 2-ranked group has misplaced practically each week: UCLA misplaced on Jan. 14, Iowa misplaced on Jan. 21, and UCLA — elevated to the place once more — misplaced on Jan. 22 and Jan. 28. Initially of the season, then-No. 2 UConn misplaced on Nov. 12 and Iowa misplaced on Nov. 16.

Wednesday was Oklahoma’s first victory over a top-two group since 2004, when the Sooners beat No. 2 Texas within the Massive 12 match championship sport.

It was the Wildcats’ second lack of the season; they fell to Iowa on Nov. 26 within the Gulf Coast Showcase in Florida. Since then, Kansas State had gained 14 video games in a row (TCU additionally forfeited a sport to the Wildcats).

Okay-State defeated the Sooners 74-57 in Manhattan, Kansas, on Jan. 10. However since then, the Wildcats misplaced star heart Ayoka Lee, who’s recovering from ankle surgical procedure and hasn’t performed since Jan. 13.

Gisela Sanchez had 18 factors and 9 rebounds for Okay-State (20-2 general, 9-1 Massive 12). Serena Sundell added 15 factors, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Skylar Vann led the Sooners with 21 factors and eight rebounds.

Oklahoma misplaced 4 starters to commencement or harm from final season’s group that tied for the Massive 12 regular-season championship. The Sooners went by rising pains in nonconference play, going 6-5, together with a loss at residence to Southern. However they’ve turned the nook in Massive 12 play and are 14-6 general and 8-1 within the league.

“The gamers actually gutted it out on each side in that fourth quarter,” Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk mentioned. “However [our] group continues to point out up in that point, and we have discovered a lot about ourselves.

“[Kansas State] is an excellent basketball group, and we all know they’re with out Ayoka Lee. We hope she will get again quickly, as a result of ladies’s basketball and the Massive 12 misses her; she is such a dynamic drive. They’re getting some nice expertise for later [when she’s back]. For us, we’re actually pleased about this one. We’ll be taught from it and develop.”