Kansas State Women’s Basketball Opens Big 12 Tournament vs Cincinnati Bearcats
In this story:
The second season has officially arrived for Kansas State women’s basketball. On Wednesday, March 4, the No. 12 Wildcats will step onto the hardwood at the T-Mobile Center. They will be there to open the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament. Waiting on the other side is No. 13 seed Cincinnati, which enters at 11-19 overall and 6-12 in the league.
History and Coaching Edge Favor Kansas State Wildcats
Tip-off is set for 11 a.m., with national coverage on ESPN+. Eric Frede will handle play-by-play duties alongside analyst Christy Thomaskutty. Meanwhile, the K-State Sports Network will carry the game on the radio. It is a survive-and-advance time in Kansas City, and the Wildcats are ready to embrace the pressure.
NEXT UP
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 4, 2026
🏀 #Big12WBB First Round
🆚 Cincinnati | 11AM CT
📍 T-Mobile Center
🔗 https://t.co/GVytZPsJmY pic.twitter.com/X7xscUKsZp
Kansas State holds a perfect 4-0 all-time record against Cincinnati, although this marks the first postseason meeting between the programs in the Big 12 Tournament. That history brings a layer of confidence, especially with head coach Jeff Mittie owning an 8-1 career mark against the Bearcats.
That identity shows up loud and clear in the numbers. The number to know is 301. That is how many steals Kansas State has recorded through 31 games this season. The Wildcats are averaging 9.7 steals per game, the seventh-highest single-season total in program history.
This is the eighth time in school history K-State has surpassed 300 steals and the third such season under Mittie, including three of the last four years. Of the 523 opponent turnovers forced this season, 57.6 percent have come directly from Wildcat steals.
The defensive pressure has ramped up in conference play. During Big 12 action, Kansas State averaged 10.7 steals per game, second-best in the league. When the Wildcats record 10 or more steals, they are 10-8 this season. That stat could loom large against Cincinnati. If K-State gets active hands and easy transition buckets, the odds tilt in its favor.
Under Mittie, there has been a simple rule for winning. Score 70, and good things happen.
Since the 2014-15 season, Kansas State is 142-27 when reaching the 70-point mark. That is an .840 winning percentage. This season, the Wildcats are averaging 69.6 points per game and have eclipsed 70 points 18 times, going 11-7 in those contests.
Kansas State opened the season with 100 points, the second time in five years the program has hit triple digits in a season opener. At the Cancun Challenge, the Wildcats poured in 95 points against Columbia, their highest neutral-site total since at least 1999-00. The combined 187 points in that game were the most in a regulation contest for K-State since at least 1999-00.
A Major Piece of That Scoring Punch Comes From Beyond the Arc
Kansas State is shooting 34.3 percent from three-point range, hitting 227 of 661 attempts. Nearly one-third of its total scoring, 31.6 percent, comes from the three-point range. This is the fourth straight season and the 15th in program history with 200 or more made three-pointers.
Taryn Sides leads the way with 67 made threes. Jordan Speiser has knocked down 53. Nastja Claessens has 33, Tess Heal has 24, and Izela Arenas has 22. Against Columbia, the Wildcats set a school record with 17 made threes, shooting 65.4 percent from deep.
And when games tighten late, the Wildcats are comfortable at the free-throw line. They are shooting 72.1 percent this season, making 374 of 519 attempts. The 374 made free throws are the most since the school-record 579 in 2022-23.
Against South Dakota on Nov. 13, Kansas State tied a 46-year-old school record with 32 made free throws, shooting 82.1 percent. In that game, 45.1 percent of their total points came from the stripe, the third-highest percentage nationally this season. Tess Heal has made 23 consecutive free throws during one stretch. Jordan Speiser hit 20 in a row. Gina Garcia made 19 straight.
Since 2001-02, Kansas State is 412-56 when leading at halftime, including 9-2 this season. Since 2007-08, the Wildcats are 320-19 when leading with five minutes remaining. In tight finishes, they are 5-5 this season in games decided by five points or fewer, their most nail-biters since 2011-12.
Nastja Claessens anchors the frontcourt with efficiency. She leads the team in field goal percentage at 51.4 percent and has posted seven games shooting 60 percent or better, including a 70 percent performance against Oklahoma State on Feb. 10.
Kansas State enters tournament play looking to rebound from a 93-79 loss to Iowa State on March 1 in Manhattan.
More from Kansas State On SI
Stay up to date with the Wildcats by bookmarking Kansas State On SI and following us on X/Twitter.
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.