Women's Top 25 roundup: Kansas State continues hot start with blowout of Missouri

Field Level Media|published: Sat 9th December, 20:20 2023

Oct 17, Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State player Ayoka Lee answers questions at the Big 12 Women s Basketball Tipoff at T-Mobile Center. credits: Kylie Graham-USA TODAY Sports

Ayoka Lee piled up 28 points and nine rebounds as No. 13 Kansas State routed Missouri 84-56 on Saturday night at a neutral site game in St. Joseph, Mo.

The Wildcats (9-1) also got 11 points and eight assists from Serena Sundell, 12 points from Brylee Glenn and 10 points from Gabby Gregory.

Abby Feit and Hayley Frank each scored 13 points for Missouri (7-4).

The Tigers led by as much as seven points early on, but Kansas State outscored them 36-12 in the third quarter to pull away. The Wildcats were +16 in rebounding and shot 48.6 percent from the floor as they went on to lead by as much as 36 points.

No. 16 Indiana 66, Rutgers 56

Mackenzie Holmes tallied 25 points and eight rebounds as the Hoosiers opened Big Ten play with a road victory over the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, N.J.

Holmes was one of four players to score in double digits for Indiana (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten). Yarden Garzon and Chloe Moore-McNeil each had 11 points, while Sydney Parrish added 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Rutgers (6-6, 0-1 Big Ten) was powered by 19 points from Kaylene Smikle. Destiny Adams chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The Scarlet Knights led 10-9 after the first quarter, but Indiana pulled ahead with an 11-4 run in the second frame. Indiana shot just 18.8 percent from 3-point range, but outscored Rutgers 44-32 in the paint.

No. 23 Gonzaga 80, Rice 72

Eliza Hollingsworth scored all of her 21 points in the first half as the Bulldogs won their fourth straight game, racing away from the host Owls in Houston, Texas.

Hollingsworth shot 4-of-7 from 3-point range and also had six rebounds for Gonzaga (10-2). The Bulldogs also got 18 points and 10 rebounds from Yvonne Ejim and 15 points from Kaylynne Truong.

Four players scored in double figures for Rice (5-4), with Destiny Jackson leading the way with 16 points and three assists.

Gonzaga led wire-to-wire — jumping out to a 15-0 lead to start the game — and went ahead by as much as 22 points. Key for the Bulldogs was their ability to make 10 3-pointers while holding Rice to just three.

—Field Level Media