Wildcats' have opportunity to stun Lady Raiders in Big 12 tilt

The Big 12 grind never slows down, and this Saturday, the Kansas State Wildcats face one of their toughest tests yet. Travelling to Lubbock, K-State (9-9, 2-3 Big 12) will take on the Texas Tech Lady Raiders, one of the nation’s last unbeaten teams.

At 19-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play, the No. 17/18 Lady Raiders are the ultimate road challenge for a young team. However, the resilient Wildcats squad is looking to climb back above .500.

Kansas State's Wildcats Are Preparing for a Rivalry Built on Tradition

The game will commence on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 1 p.m. CST. The match is set to happen at the United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. This will be televised on ESPN+ (Ron Thulin, play-by-play, and Brandi Poole, analyst). For people who want to listen to the details on the radio, it will come on the K-State Sports Network.

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— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) January 15, 2026

Though current records suggest a David versus Goliath scenario, the history between these programs tells a richer story. Kansas State leads the all-time series 31-17.

It was a record set under head coach Jeff Mittie, who boasts a 21-8 career mark against Texas Tech. Manhattan has become a fortress in this rivalry, winning 18 of the last 23 meetings.

This clash also features two of the four Big 12 programs with more than 1,000 all-time wins. K-State ranks 21st in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history with 1,080 victories. Meanwhile, Texas Tech follows closely with 1,021 wins.

The Wildcats enter the United Supermarkets Arena with a reputation for consistency, averaging 18.5 wins per season over 58 years of competition. Under Mittie, the team is one of only three active coaches with 650 or more career wins leading a 1,000-win program.

Despite a challenging conference start, the Wildcats have flashed resilience. Against Utah, they nearly erased a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit, finishing with a furious 21-5 run. That 32-point quarter was the team’s highest-scoring frame of the season. It includes an 81.3 percent shooting performance, a warning that this team can ignite at any moment.

The Rise of Youthful Depth and Developmental Success

Senior guard Tess Heal has been the catalyst for K-State’s offensive surges. The Melbourne, Australia, native has scored 89 points over her last four Big 12 games.

Heal’s efficiency is equally remarkable. Against Utah, she poured in 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting, becoming only the fourth Wildcat guard since 1981 to hit 25 or more points on at least 11 field goals while shooting 84 percent or better. Averaging 17.8 points per game in conference play, she recently surpassed 1,500 career points.

While Heal provides veteran leadership, the Wildcats are operating with one of the youngest rosters in the country. Ten of the 13 players are underclassmen, making this K-State’s second-youngest team in the Mittie era.

Freshmen Gina Garcia, Jordan Speiser, and Brandie Harrod all average more than 20 minutes per game. That made K-State the only Power 4 program with three freshmen playing at such a high level. Garcia and Speiser shoot over 88 percent from the free-throw line.

The bench has been a key factor too, averaging 29.1 points per game, the best in the Big 12. Taryn Sides recently became just the seventh player in program history to reach 250 career assists and 150 three-pointers.

Wildcats' have opportunity to stun Lady Raiders in Big 12 tilt

Kansas State's Wildcats Are Preparing for a Rivalry Built on Tradition

The Rise of Youthful Depth and Developmental Success

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