Kentucky women host Kansas State with Sweet 16 spot on the line

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Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore, left, consults with head coach Kenny Brooks in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Liberty, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kansas State’s Gisela Sanchez, top, shoots over Fairfield’s Kaety L’Amoreaux (4) in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kansas State head coach Jeff Mittie watches against Fairfield in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore, right, looks to shoot while defended by Liberty’s Emma Hess (23) in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks watches from the sideline against Liberty in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kansas State’s Jaelyn Glenn (3) drives past Fairfield’s Emina Selimovic (23) in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore (3) giggles at the free throw line after hitting a last second shot and getting fouled against Liberty in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Liberty in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Kansas State’s Ayoka Lee, right, and Fairfield’s Emina Selimovic (23) battle for a rebound in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

By STEVE McCLAIN

LEXINGTON, Ky (AP) — The fourth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats got a reminder of how quickly leads can disappear in their women’s NCAA Tournament opener.

Now they hope they don’t forget how to finish out a win.

They needed every bit of Georgia Amoore’s 34 points on their own court to advance to the second round. Next up is No. 5 seed Kansas State on Sunday with a Sweet 16 berth on the line.

Kentucky (23-7) had a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter. Then the Wildcats had to hold off a furious Liberty rally for a 79-78 victory. It was much easier for Kansas State, which had four players in double digits in an 85-41 win over Fairfield.

“We really applied the pressure in the first half, and in the second we definitely took it off. I’m not quite sure why because we didn’t do that in the season,” Amoore said Saturday. “Hopefully a lesson has been learned because we know every single quarter and run is important.”

The second-round matchup features a pair of dynamic backcourts led by the 5-foot-6 Amoore and Kansas State’s Serena Sundell, who is 6-foot-2 and scored 18 points and had nine assists Friday.

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Michigan State's Jaddan Simmons (1) tries to move the ball past Harvard's Gabby Anderson (5) and Katie Krupa (31) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

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Columbia's Kitty Henderson (10) and West Virginia's Sydney Shaw (5) reach for a rebound during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C. Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

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Illinois forward Kendall Bostic (44) grabs a rebound over Creighton guard Jayme Horan (12) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Austin, Texas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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“They’re both tremendous facilitators and make everyone round them better,” Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said. “Serena is a big guard, so she can see over the top. She operates a lot around the paint and facilitates in a manner that is very unorthodox from what you see from a typical point guard.”

Kansas State got Ayoka Lee back in the win over Fairfield. The 6-foot-6 center who missed the last month with a foot injury had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

“I don’t think it’s a big secret we’re going to throw it to Lee,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “But (Clara) Strack is SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and they go 6-foot-7 after that. So, both teams will try to get established what they can and need other players to step up.”

For Kansas State, it is a chance to spoil a team’s dreams of advancing on its own court. Last year, Colorado beat the Wildcats 63-50 in Manhattan, Kansas, in the second round.

“We remember what it felt like when walked off the court that day and felt like we let our fan base down on our home court,” Zyanna Walker said.

Taryn Sides added: “It is extremely motivating when you go out like that. We want to do the same to Kentucky.”

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