Kansas State Women’s Basketball Drops Game to Iowa State Despite Fast Start
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The regular-season finale at Bramlage Coliseum had all the energy, emotion and momentum swings that define Big 12 women’s basketball. On Sunday afternoon, Kansas State looked sharp early, especially during a dominant second quarter. But Iowa State flipped the script after halftime, pouring in 56 second-half points to hand the Wildcats a 93-79 defeat.
Second-Half Surge That Changed Everything for Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State closed the regular season at 15-16 overall and 8-10 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats built their early edge with defensive pressure, only to see the Cyclones storm back with a 28-point third quarter.
Final pic.twitter.com/oTLnFkkyuu
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 1, 2026
It was a tale of two halves inside Bramlage, and the second one belonged to Iowa State. The turning point came late in the third quarter.
Kansas State held a 62-60 lead with 2:15 remaining in the period. The Wildcats were still in control, still dictating tempo. Then the offense stalled. K-State went scoreless over the final 2:14 of the quarter, and that brief drought opened the door.
Iowa State capitalized immediately, closing the third on a surge and taking a 65-62 lead into the fourth. The Cyclones' Audi Crooks delivered a towering performance with 41 points and 13 rebounds, shooting an efficient 16-of-19 from the field.
Jada Williams complemented her perfectly, adding 23 points and nine assists. The inside-out combination proved too much for Kansas State to contain once the game tilted. Iowa State’s 56-second-half points marked the most Kansas State has allowed in a single half all season.
Before that momentum swing, Kansas State looked poised to finish its regular season on a high note. The Wildcats exploded in the second quarter, opening the frame on a 15-3 run over the first five minutes. That burst turned a tight contest into a 37-31 advantage with 4:42 remaining in the half.
Tess Heal set the tone with a three-pointer. Gina Garcia followed with a fast-break layup that energized the home crowd. Heal knocked down two free throws, and Jordan Speiser converted an old-fashioned three-point play. Nastja Claessens added points at the line, and Aniya Foy buried a transition three.
Kansas State outscored Iowa State 21-11 in the second quarter and carried a 43-37 lead into halftime. It marked one of the Wildcats’ 41 quarters this season with 20 or more points. Since the adoption of the quarter system in 2015-16, Kansas State is 173-75 when reaching that mark, including 13-10 this season.
For two quarters, the Wildcats executed the way they wanted. The defense created pressure. The perimeter shots fell. The pace felt controlled. Till the third quarter arrived.
Freshman Backcourt Shines in the Loss
Despite the defeat, Kansas State’s freshman duo once again delivered encouraging performances.
Jordan Speiser led the Wildcats with 17 points. She knocked down 4 of 8 from beyond the arc and added three steals. It was her 16th double-digit scoring game of the season and her 16th contest with multiple three-pointers.
Garcia recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 10 assists, along with two steals. She became the third Kansas State freshman since 2009-10 to post a points-assists double-double and the first since Serena Sundell in 2021.
Garcia’s season totals continue to climb. She now ranks fourth in program history for assists in a freshman season with 151 and is the fourth freshman to reach 150 assists in a season.
Heal finished with 16 points, four steals, and three assists. She reached double figures for the 91st time in her career and now has 1,777 collegiate points. Taryn Sides added 11 points, three steals, three rebounds, and two assists. Her lone three-pointer moved her into sole possession of 10th place on Kansas State’s career three-point list with 177.
Claessens grabbed five or more rebounds for the 11th time this season, and Foy connected on two triples.
As a team, Kansas State shot 37.1 percent from the field, going 26-of-70, and 34.3 percent from three-point range at 12-of-35. The Wildcats recorded 15 steals, pushing their season total to 301. It marks the second consecutive season and the fourth under head coach Jeff Mittie that Kansas State has eclipsed 300 steals.
Now the focus shifts to the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament at the T-Mobile Center. Kansas State will begin tournament play on Wednesday, with its opponent and game time still to be determined.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.