Kansas State Women's Basketball Faces Oklahoma State in Big 12 Quarterfinals
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March basketball always carries a certain electricity, and Friday morning in Kansas City promises to deliver plenty of it.
The Kansas State Wildcats women’s basketball team is back on the floor at the T-Mobile Center. And this time, with a quarterfinal ticket in hand and momentum swirling around them. After pulling off one of the most stunning comebacks in tournament history, the Wildcats now face their next challenge.
Kansas State Women’s Basketball Carries Momentum Into Big 12 Quarterfinals
On Friday, March 6, 2026, at 11 a.m., the No. 12 seed Kansas State Wildcats will square off against the No. 4 seed Oklahoma State Cowgirls in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament. The stakes are simple and enormous at the same time. One team will move on to the semifinals, while the other sees its conference tournament journey come to an abrupt end.
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— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 5, 2026
🏀 #Big12WBB Quarterfinals
🆚 Oklahoma State | 11AM CT | ESPNU
📍 T-Mobile Center
📄 Second Round Recap: https://t.co/pAkWBO4PHx@Big12Conference x #EMAW pic.twitter.com/8jOF2rEhyz
Kansas State enters the matchup with a 17–16 overall record and an 8–10 mark in Big 12 play. Oklahoma State arrives with a stronger regular-season résumé, carrying a 23–8 overall record and a 12–6 conference record. Fans across the country will be able to tune in nationally on ESPNU. That's where Eric Frede will handle play-by-play duties and Christy Thomaskutty will provide analysis.
While the seeding points toward Oklahoma State as the favorite, Kansas State is bringing something just as powerful into the arena. The Wildcats arrive in the quarterfinals riding the emotional surge of a comeback that already ranks among the most dramatic moments in Big 12 Tournament history.
Kansas State earned its spot in the quarterfinal round by producing what many fans are already calling a "miracle in Kansas City". In the second round, the Wildcats faced the fifth-seeded Texas Tech Lady Raiders and appeared to be headed for elimination.
With just 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, Kansas State trailed by 14 points. The scoreboard read 51–37, and the Wildcats looked like a team running out of time. Then everything changed.
The Wildcats held Texas Tech scoreless for the remainder of the game while unleashing a relentless 21–0 run. When the final buzzer sounded, Kansas State had turned a seemingly certain defeat into a stunning 58–51 upset.
The rally stands as the third-largest comeback in Big 12 Tournament history since 2014 and the biggest at the event since 2021. It also carried another historic twist. Kansas State became the first No. 12 seed to defeat a No. 5 seed in the Big 12 Tournament since 2008.
Nastja Claessens led the charge with 14 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and two blocks. Taryn Sides added 13 points, six rebounds, and two steals while controlling the tempo of the offense. Aniya Foy provided an important spark off the bench with 12 points, and Tess Heal delivered in the clutch with 10 points, including eight during the decisive fourth-quarter rally.
Kansas State and Oklahoma State Meet for First Time in Big 12 Tournament
The quarterfinal matchup introduces a new chapter in the rivalry between Kansas State and Oklahoma State. Surprisingly, despite their long history in the conference, the two teams have never faced each other in the Big 12 Tournament.
Kansas State currently holds a narrow 44–38 advantage in the all-time matchup. Wildcats head coach Jeff Mittie also brings plenty of experience against the Cowgirls, owning a career record of 16–13 in games against Oklahoma State.
The Wildcats’ presence in the quarterfinal round continues a long pattern of resilience in the Big 12 Championships. Kansas State holds a 26–28 all-time record in the tournament and has advanced at least one round in 22 of the 29 tournaments played.
Sophomore guard Taryn Sides has quietly delivered one of the most well-rounded campaigns in program history. Standing at just 5 feet 6, Sides has joined the exclusive 400/100/100 club by recording at least 400 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single season. She is the ninth player in Kansas State history to reach the milestone and would be the shortest player ever to accomplish the feat.
Freshman guard Gina Garcia has also emerged as one of the most exciting young playmakers in the country. Garcia has recorded 164 assists this season, a total that leads all Big 12 freshmen and ranks second nationally among first-year players. Her assist total is currently the third-highest by a freshman in Kansas State history.
In one memorable game earlier this season, Jordan Speiser, Nastja Claessens, and Taryn Sides each knocked down at least five three-pointers. Speiser finished with six threes, while Claessens and Sides each hit five.
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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.