Kansas State Women’s Basketball Comes Up Short in Late Heartbreaker vs West Virginia

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The tension inside Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday afternoon felt heavy from the opening tip.

It is a reminder of just how unforgiving Big 12 basketball can be. For Kansas State, the energy, effort, and belief were all there. The ending, once again, was not.

West Virginia survived a furious late push from the Wildcats, escaping Manhattan with a 60–58 road victory in a game that was decided in the final seconds.

The Star Players Lead the Way for Kansas State

Now 9–7 overall and 1–2 in Big 12 play, the Wildcats have played eight games decided by five points or fewer, splitting those contests at 4–4.

Even after regaining the lead late, K-State could not come up with the defensive stops needed to slow a Mountaineers team.

Senior guard Tess Heal once again carried the offensive load for the Wildcats. For the second straight game, she led all scorers, finishing with a game-high 16 points to go along with four rebounds and three steals.

She was joined by junior forward Nastja Claessens, who delivered a strong performance with 13 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting.

Freshman guard Jordan Speiser continued to make her presence felt from beyond the arc, scoring 12 points while tying her career high with four made three-pointers.

The Wildcats forced 10 turnovers in the opening quarter and held West Virginia scoreless over the final 4:48 of the period. That intensity carried into the second quarter, where K-State shot 50 per cent from the floor and built a 31–28 halftime lead.

At halftime, Kansas State entered the game with an impressive 180–22 record under head coach Jeff Mittie when leading at the break.

West Virginia responded with urgency after halftime. The Mountaineers, now 13–2 overall and 3–0 in Big 12 play, flipped the momentum in the third quarter by shooting over 53 percent from the field. An 11–2 run to close the period pushed West Virginia ahead 45–41 entering the final quarter.

Late Rally Falls Just Short

The Wildcats showed resilience in the fourth quarter. Trailing by seven with less than seven minutes remaining, Kansas State went on an 8–0 run capped by a Heal layup to regain a 52–51 lead. Moments later, Claessens scored in transition to make it 54–52 with 2:54 left, marking the Wildcats’ final lead of the game.

West Virginia steadied itself behind Kierra Wheeler, who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The defining moment came with 19 seconds remaining when Gia Cooke secured an offensive rebound and converted a putback to give the Mountaineers a 58–56 edge.

Kansas State could not answer on the ensuing possession, and two free throws from Jordan Harrison sealed the outcome.

Despite the defeat, several Wildcats reached notable milestones. Taryn Sides recorded six steals for the second consecutive game, tying her career-high, and added five assists to become the 22nd player in program history to reach 250 career assists.

Freshman Gina Garcia became just the 14th freshman in program history to record 75 or more assists in a season. Kansas State also shot an impressive 63.6 percent in the fourth quarter.

The Wildcats will look to turn the page quickly as they travel to Texas for a midweek game against Houston. Tip-off is set for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., with the game available on ESPN. The tickets can be gathered from SI Tickets.

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