Kansas State secured a significant comeback victory over Texas Tech in the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament, winning 58-51 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Wildcats, seeded 12th, overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to eliminate fifth-seeded and 21st-ranked Texas Tech.
“It’s not over until it’s over,” said K-State senior guard Tess Heal. “It’s never over until the buzzer sounds, so it really doesn’t matter until the clock goes off.”
With just under eight minutes left in regulation, K-State trailed by 14 points and faced a 51-37 deficit after Texas Tech scored ten straight points. However, Kansas State responded by holding Texas Tech scoreless for the remainder of the game and outscored them 21-0 down the stretch. This defensive effort set a new record for fewest points allowed in any quarter in Big 12 Women’s Tournament history, as Texas Tech managed only four points in the final period.
“Collectively as a group, we’re more poised than we were a month ago,” said K-State head coach Jeff Mittie. “We’re tougher than we were a month ago, and all these experiences, they’re drawing on now.”
K-State’s win marked its third-largest comeback in the tournament since at least 2014 and made them the first No. 12 seed to defeat a No. 5 seed since 2008. The Wildcats improved their record against Texas Tech to five wins and two losses in conference tournament play and have won their last four meetings with Texas Tech in this setting.
“I’m proud of our group,” Mittie added. “You don’t have many comebacks like that where you shut them out the last seven minutes of the game. We had to do a lot of things well.”
The Wildcats advance to face fourth-seeded Oklahoma State on Friday morning in the quarterfinals. Earlier this season, Kansas State defeated Oklahoma State at home.
“It’s March,” Heal said. “People talk about the magic and the fairy tales of March. We want that. You just have to keep going no matter what. That’s what we’re saying in every huddle: ‘Keep your head in it, keep going, keep pushing, keep working. We’re right there.'”
“The fight from the team from every single person was absolutely incredible. Hopefully, we’re on our way to a fairytale.”
K-State took its first lead late when Nastja Claessens made a free throw with less than three minutes remaining; shortly after, Heal extended their lead with a layup inside one minute left on the clock.
Claessens contributed 14 points along with eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks for Kansas State; Taryn Sides added 13 points and six rebounds; Aniya Foy came off the bench for twelve points; Heal finished with ten points.
“We have grown so much this year,” Claessens said. “We’ve been more experienced. This team can do a lot if we all are going with the nose in the same direction, and we go for it, and we believe in it.
“I think we can go far, and we can do great.”
Despite breaking an 18-year-old tournament record for three-pointers (17) against Cincinnati earlier this week, Kansas State struggled from long range against Texas Tech—making only five out of twenty-five attempts—and shot thirty-four percent overall from the field.
Defensively, K-State limited Texas Tech to twenty-nine percent shooting overall (16-of-56) and forced seventeen turnovers while allowing only one Lady Raider player—Snudda Collins—to reach double digits with fourteen points.
Texas Tech will await potential NCAA Tournament selection while Kansas State continues its run on Friday.
