Wildcats' women's basketball head to Houston for Big 12 clash
In this story:
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Big 12 schedule shows no signs of slowing down, and Kansas State women’s basketball is once again packing its bags for a defining road challenge. On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the Wildcats head south to face the Houston Cougars at the Fertitta Center, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT. This matchup marks Kansas State’s third of five trips to Texas this season.
Series History Favors the Kansas State Wildcats
For fans unable to make the trip to Houston, the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Kevin DiDomenico will handle play-by-play duties, joined by analyst Austyn Iven and sideline reporter Kendra Sheehan.
NEXT UP
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) January 5, 2026
🔗https://t.co/GVytZPsJmY pic.twitter.com/COoj6WRcNB
The Wildcats carry an unblemished 4-0 record against Houston. That dominance also extends to the bench, where head coach Jeff Mittie owns a 13-6 career record against the Cougars. It includes a perfect 3-0 mark since arriving in Manhattan.
Kansas State arrives at 8-8 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 action. Meanwhile, Houston sits at 6-8 overall and 0-3 in league play.
While team success is the priority, individual milestones are fueling Kansas State’s momentum. Sophomore guard Taryn Sides recently etched her name into the program record books. She became just the seventh player in school history to reach 250 career assists and 150 made three-pointers.
Arrived in H-Town 👋 pic.twitter.com/zagCL4t9yl
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) January 6, 2026
Over the last two games, she has collected 12 steals, tying her career high with six steals in back-to-back outings against Cincinnati and West Virginia. She currently leads the Big 12 in conference games with an average of 4.3 steals per contest.
Responding After a Heartbreaker
The Wildcats are the only Power 4 program in the country with three freshmen averaging at least 20 minutes per game. Gina Garcia is averaging 26.6 minutes, Jordan Speiser 22.8, and Brandie Harrod 21.3, an unusual level of trust that speaks volumes about their composure.
Despite leaning heavily on youth, Kansas State holds a strong NET ranking of 61. The freshmen have been especially reliable at the free-throw line.
The Wildcats are the only team in the nation with two freshmen shooting 88 percent or better on at least 25 attempts. Speiser is converting at 90.3 percent, while Garcia sits at 89.7 percent. Garcia has also emerged as a national presence, ranking second among all freshmen with 80 total assists.
Wednesday’s road test comes on the heels of a painful 60-58 loss to West Virginia last Sunday. Kansas State led for much of that game before a difficult third quarter.
That's where the Wildcats shot just 27.3 per cent, allowing the Mountaineers to surge late and steal the win in the final 20 seconds.
Tess Heal led Kansas State with 16 points in that contest, with Nastja Claessens adding 13 and Speiser contributing 12. The performance showed promise, but also left the Wildcats hungry for a response.
If Kansas State is to leave Houston with a win, its defensive identity will likely be the difference. The Wildcats have recorded 142 steals this season, averaging 8.9 per game, and an impressive 53 percent of opponent turnovers have come directly from a Kansas State steal.
More from Kansas State On SI
Stay up to date with the Wildcats by bookmarking Kansas State On SI and follow us on 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.