Exclusive: Jeff Mittie previews K-State WBB season on K-Nation

MANHATTAN, KS. (KSNT)- K-State head women's basketball coach Jeff Mittie previewed the upcoming K-State women's basketball season.

Mittie enters his ninth season with K-State and his 31st career season coaching college basketball. He enters the 2022-23 season just one win shy of 600 in his career.

"It's a number in coaching that says longevity, good staff, good players," Mittie said. "We've had a good years here at Kansas State... I've been pleased with our progress. I'm looking forward to getting that [600th career win] in the rearview mirror though, so the earlier the better."

The Wildcats will be without their All-American center, Ayoka Lee, who had season-ending knee surgery over the offseason. Lee scored an NCAA record 61 points in one game last season for K-State.

"Nobody likes the news [of her injury]," Mittie said. "Fortunately for her the surgery has gone well, she's recovering well."

He says the Wildcats will have to move on and find a way to be successful without Lee this year.

"Injuries happen in athletics," Mitte said. "They're an unfortunate part of our sport. Teams adjust and our groups done that.... She's a big piece of miss but I think we've got a good group."

Lee will return for one more season next year.

"I think she loves K-State," Mittie said. "She loves her academics. She loves her teammates. She's had a great experience here. She's done, obviously, special things in every area. She's a great representative of Kansas State so we're excited about [her returning next season.]"

The Wildcats will call on three rising sophomores who made big impacts as true freshmen a year ago.

"To see freshmen go the distance and not have too many hills and valleys, that's not easy to do as a freshman," Mittie said.

K-State women's basketball will play two exhibition games before opening its regular season on Monday, Nov. 7 against Central Arkansas.