Kansas State Women’s Basketball Ends Non-Conference Slate with 75–71 Win

Kansas State Women Finish Non-Conference Play with Road Win

Kansas State Women’s Basketball | James Snook-Imagn Images

Kansas State women’s basketball closed its non-conference schedule in a rewarding way. On Sunday afternoon at D.J. Sokol Arena, the Wildcats fought through a tense, back-and-forth road battle to earn a 75–71 win over Creighton. The victory pushes K-State to 7-6 on the season.

Balanced Contributions Fuel the Kansas State Women’s Basketball

Creighton, now 4-5 overall and 1-0 in Big East play, refused to fade at home, answering every Kansas State run with one of its own. Through it all, sophomore forward Nastja Claessens was the steady presence the Wildcats leaned on.

CATS WIN!!!#EMAW👌 pic.twitter.com/NEUERuPVCE

— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) December 14, 2025

Claessens delivered a career-tying performance, leading all scorers with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting night while adding five rebounds.

Every Wildcat who entered the game scored at least one point, highlighting a collective effort that carried them through difficult stretches. Freshman guard Jordan Speiser continued her strong debut season with 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

She marked her sixth double-digit scoring performance of the year. Sophomore guard Izela Arenas added 10 points and connected on multiple three-pointers for the fourth time this season.

The Wildcats set the pace early with an efficient first quarter, winning the opening frame 21–15 while shooting 9-of-16 from the field. After Creighton cut the lead to three, Kansas State answered immediately with a decisive 7–0 run in just 30 seconds to push the advantage to 30–20.

Speiser opened the run at the free-throw line. It was followed by a steal and a layup from freshman Gina Garcia. Arenas capped the surge with a corner three after another takeaway, this one from senior Tess Heal.

Despite another Creighton push, the Wildcats rebuilt their cushion and went into halftime up 45–36, punctuated by a driving layup from Heal at the buzzer. Kansas State shot 56.3 percent from the floor in the first half and an impressive 50.0 percent from three-point range.

Looking Ahead to Big 12 Play

Kansas State briefly looked ready to pull away early in the third quarter. They extended the lead to 51–36 after three-pointers from Claessens and junior Taryn Sides. Creighton answered with a 10–0 run, forcing the Wildcats to respond once again.

An Aniya Foy fastbreak layup late in the quarter stopped the momentum. She also helped K-State carry a 57–49 lead into the fourth, despite shooting just 30.8 percent in the period.

During the fourth quarter, Creighton surged ahead 64–63 on a fastbreak layup, putting the Wildcats on their heels. Claessens immediately answered with a layup and a crucial three-pointer to spark a 7–2 run, with Speiser adding a key basket late.

After Creighton tied the game at 71 with 1:11 left, Speiser delivered the defining play. She converted a putback layup with 42 seconds remaining. Claessens sealed the win at the free-throw line in the final seconds.

Kansas State finished the game shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three, while holding clear advantages with 36 points in the paint and 14 fastbreak points. The win extended the Wildcats’ series edge over Creighton to 17-5. It also continued Head Coach Jeff Mittie’s strong December track record, improving his career mark in the month to 52-19.

The Wildcats now turn their attention to conference play, opening Big 12 action on Saturday, December 20, with a road matchup against TCU at 4 p.m.

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