MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State junior Ayoka Lee broke the single-game scoring record for Division I women’s basketball with 61 points as the Wildcats romped to a 94-65 victory over No. 14 Oklahoma on Sunday.
The 6-foot-6 center from Byron, Minnesota, was 23-of-30 from the floor – she did not attempt a shot from 3-point range – as Kansas State improved to 15-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12 Conference.
Lee broke the record on a layup with 2:53 remaining in the game. Cindy Brown of Long Beach State scored 60 against San Jose State on Feb. 16, 1987, and Rachel Banham had 60 for Minnesota on Feb. 7, 2016 against Northwestern.
“I didn’t come in expecting to break a record,” Lee said. “I think (it was) just sticking to our game plan, running what we needed to run, and our guards did amazing.”
This past week, the Sooners (16-3, 5-2) had cracked the top 15 in the rankings for the first time since Nov. 28, 2016, and they entered Sunday averaging 88.3 points per game, second in the nation.
Lee had 32 points in the first half to help Kansas State take a 51-27 lead. She surpassed her school-record 43-point performance, which came in this season’s opener, on a layup with 1:55 left in the third quarter to stretch Kansas State’s advantage to 66-49. Heading into the fourth, Lee had 49 points and the Wildcats were ahead 70-51.
Lee, who had 14 points in the first quarter to stake the Wildcats to a 19-11 edge, made 15 of 17 free throws in the game and grabbed 12 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season.
Kansas State freshman Serena Sundell pitched in with 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
Taylor Robertson paced the Sooners with 19 points and Madi Williams scored 11. Robertson and Williams are one of just four tandems that has averaged better than 18 points per game this season.