Kansas State Women’s Basketball Goes Punch-for-Punch With Ole Miss

Kansas State Women's Basketball Faces Ole Miss

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

In a thrilling, back-and-forth battle that came down to the final seconds, the Kansas State Wildcats pulled off a stunning 61–60 upset. That was against the previously undefeated No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels in the third annual Bill Snyder Classic. Freshman Brandie Harrod delivered the game-winning heroics. She hit an off-balance jumper with just two seconds left on the clock, sending the Wildcats home with a memorable victory.

Kansas State Women's Basketball Freshman Firepower and Clutch Shots

The win marked K-State’s third straight victory in the Bill Snyder Classic and continued their impressive track record in the final month of the year. Historically, the Wildcats are 252-103 (.710) all-time in December games. They boast an active 15-game winning streak in the month. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, who now holds a career record of 678-383 (.639), K-State improved to 51-18 (.739) in December matchups.

CATS WIN!!!#EMAW👌 pic.twitter.com/2AW9KGUbnd

— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) December 7, 2025

The victory was fueled by outstanding performances from the younger members of the squad. Freshman guard Jordan Speiser led all K-State scorers with a career-high 19 points, complemented by four rebounds.

Junior guard Taryn Sides added 13 points and a team-leading seven rebounds. Meanwhile, senior guard Tess Heal chipped in 11 points and five boards. The team’s bench was a critical factor, contributing 35 points, the most since November 13.

K-State shot 38.3% from the floor, including an impressive 40% (6 of 15) from three-point range. And they also set a season high with a stellar 90.5% (19-of-21) efficiency from the foul line.

Crucially, the K-State defense stifled the high-powered Ole Miss offense (which had entered the day 7-0). The Wildcats held the Rebels to just 31.9% shooting (22-of-69) and a frigid 16.7% (5-of-30) from beyond the arc. That forced Ole Miss star Cotie McMahon (who finished with 22 points and eight rebounds) to work hard for every bucket.

Team Pulling Out Momentum Swings in the Final Seconds

The game was a constant tug-of-war from the outset. K-State finished the first quarter on a 9–0 run to knot the score at 15–15, capped by Speiser banking in a buzzer-beating three-pointer. In the second quarter, K-State grabbed a 20–16 lead. However, Ole Miss answered with an 11–0 run to move ahead 27–20. Thanks to a disciplined 5-of-6 effort at the free-throw line, K-State narrowed the gap to 31–28 at halftime.

The Wildcats stormed out of the locker room with a 9–3 burst, pulling ahead 37–34 in the third quarter. While Ole Miss managed to regain the lead, Speiser’s three-point play put K-State back up 42–40, only for Ole Miss to tie it again at the buzzer.

The fourth quarter was pure drama. Ole Miss knocked down a three to take a 48–44 lead early, tying the game four separate times starting at the 6:28 mark.

With 31 seconds left, Taryn Sides showed incredible poise, driving for a layup and converting the free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play that put K-State ahead 59–58. McMahon answered on the very next possession, scoring a layup for a 60–59 Ole Miss lead with 15 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing Wildcat possession, the ball found Brandie Harrod in the paint. With the clock winding down, the freshman calmly finished an off-balance jumper off the glass, securing the dramatic 61–60 lead with just two seconds remaining. Ole Miss’s final desperation effort fell short at the buzzer, sealing the exhilarating upset.

K-State (6-5) will aim to carry this momentum into its next matchup at Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday. That's when it hosts San Diego State at 11 a.m. in the annual School Day game.

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