Instant takeaways: Kansas State loses first Big 12 game

Has the number of Kansas State

A 64-54 loss to Colorado in Boulder ends the 14-game winning streak of Kansas State, and it may just be us discovering that Colorado has their number. Jeff Mittie is winless in five tries versus the Buffaloes and of course they knocked off K-State in Manhattan in the NCAA Tournament last year.

The Wildcats are no longer all alone in first place in the Big 12, which they were after TCU was upset by Oklahoma State in Stillwater during the week.

Game pressure

Because Colorado was capable of mounting a counter-punch, Kansas State saw game pressure for the first time in a while. They had coasted to wins in every other league game before Saturday – against Cincinnati, Houston, Texas Tech, Utah, BYU, Arizona and Arizona State.

But the Buffaloes had other ideas. After K-State did build a 15-6 lead to begin thanks to strong defense and hot shooting from the three-point line, Colorado answered with a 10-1 to tie it at 16 and even later took the lead.

A Zyanna Walker three just before the half turned a seven point deficit into a four point one at the break. But how would the Wildcats respond when coming out for the third quarter while trailing? It was unfamiliar territory and obviously the first game without Ayoka Lee.

Would we see a champions’ response? Colorado extended the lead to seven points on more than one occasion in the third quarter. And Kansas State nearly clawed back in that frame, cutting the lead to one at 44-43 before the Buffaloes finished the quarter on a run of their own and pushed it out to 49-43.

And after extending the lead on K-State to 51-43, the Wildcats battled back again to make it a one-possession game and just would not go away before Colorado ultimately pulled away for good late in the fourth quarter.

Jae Glenn with a big bucket

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— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) January 25, 2025

Turnovers were crushing

Kansas State turned it over six times alone in the first quarter, but it didn’t stop there. Another five were committed in the second quarter for a total tally of 11 in the game’s first 20 minutes. That was problematic because it gave the Buffaloes extra chances but erased possessions for the Wildcats.

And it wasn’t like they were inaccurate passes or having the ball taken away from them. It was just unnecessary passes where they are trying to fit it into a window that isn’t there. That’s not the first time, as they are guilty of it sometimes when trying to enter the ball into Lee in the post.

Miscommunication was also frequent.

It also wasn’t just one or two players guilty of a bunch.

All nine K-State players that saw the floor in the first half committed a turnover, with the lone exception being Gisela Sanchez. However, they were smarter about it in the second half, to the extent that points off turnovers went from a 14-4 Colorado advantage to a 14-10 one.

K-State defense without Ayoka Lee

Speaking of Lee, just as I thought, she was missed more on the defensive end. I don’t think any of the growing pains or struggles from the Kansas State offense were associated with her absence. But it was felt in the paint on defense.

Colorado being up 24-10 in the paint at halftime was not a coincidence. If their guards could get by the Wildcats on the perimeter, there was no longer an intimidating enforcer waiting for them at the rim. Buckets came easier without a shot-blocker or massive defensive stopper waiting on them.

A lot of it happened in the second quarter. The Buffaloes only shot 28 percent in the first quarter but elevated it to 47 percent by the midway point. And it continued in the second half where K-State was struggling to get stops.

Colorado won in the paint by a final of 40-26 (was 30-24) so Kansas State did chew into some of it at one point. But it’s something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.