MBB and WBB look to sweep opponents

Basketball

Kansas State begins a two-game road trip with today’s game against Trae Young Oklahoma. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 PM, and the game will be on ESPN2.

Kansas State will look for a series sweep today, having won the first contest 87-69 when the Sooners were the fourth-ranked team in the country. The Sooners are currently 6-9 in Big 12 play and are coming off a blowout 104-74 loss to Kansas.

The Wildcats are 6-3 in true road games this season, which ties Kansas for most in the league, and the first time since 2012-13 the team has managed this feat. Kansas State has won three in a row now, and are a virtual lock for the NCAA Tournament.

Before today’s Sunflower Showdown rematch with Kansas at 3 PM (on FSN), Kansas State will take time to celebrate 50 years of Kansas State basketball, and after the game, the Wildcats will honor their seniors, Shaelyn Martin, Kayla Middlebrook, and Kaylee Page.

Kansas State leads the all-time series against Kansas 71-46 including a 33-15 advantage in Manhattan. The Jayhawks have had a disappointing season so far, but are coming off an upset win over #23 Oklahoma State. It was Kansas’ first win over a ranked opponent since 2014 and also snapped a 12-game losing streak.

Baseball

Things are started to look up a bit for the BatCats. In its third straight win after starting the season 0-3, Kansas State had 11 runs off 18 hits to beat Old Dominion 11-3 in Norfolk. All nine starters for the Wildcats had at least one base hit, and five players had a multi-hit game, including Jake Biller who had a career high four hits on the day.

Right-handed sophomore started Kasey Ford pitched seven innings and got his first win in this game.

The three-game series against ODU continues today with a game at 1 PM. Gabe Littlejim will take the mound for the second time this season.

Tennis

Kansas State is now ranked #35 in the ITA rankings, but could not put away undefeated No. 42 Nebraska in yesterday’s doubleheader. The Wildcats lost 4-2 to the Huskers, but recovered to beat Akron 6-1, snapping the Zips’ winning streak at four contests.

Margot Decker and Maria Linares both won their first singles match to briefly put the Wildcats up 2-1 against Nebraska. But Kansas State dropped the doubles point and Nebraska went on to win the next three singles matches.

Against Akron, the Wildcats took the doubles point to start out 1-0 against the Zips and then proceeded to win five of six singles matches to put the contest away.

Up next, Kansas State heads to Columbia, Missouri to take on the No. 49 Tigers.

Track

The first day of competition at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in Ames brought Kansas State several podium finishes and a couple of fast qualifying times for races that will conclude today.

Mitch Dixon continued his winning streak in weight throw, taking his first-ever Big 12 title in the event. Dixon came from behind to win on his final throw, upsetting Texas’ Alan Zapalac who led the event right up until the final round.

In the women’s weight throw event, Kansas State took four of eight podium spots, finishing at 2, 5, 6, and 8. Helene Ingvaldsen was top Wildcat in the group.

Nina Schultz took second in the women’s long jump and also qualified for the 60m final to be run later today. Terrell Smith ran the second-fastest race in the field to qualify for the 200m finals and will also compete in the 60m race.

In the women’s pentathlon, Lauren Taubert and Ariel Okorie finished third and fourth respectively. Okorie was second in both high jump and 60 m events in the pentathlon, while Taubert won the 800m event.