Kansas State Women’s Basketball Earns Statement Road Win Over Arizona State

Unstoppable Kansas State Women's Basketball silences Arizona State at home

Kansas State Women’s Basketball players celebrate their win | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona State had been flawless at home all season, protecting Desert Financial Arena with confidence and consistency. That streak came to a sudden halt on Sunday afternoon when Kansas State walked into Tempe and delivered one of its most complete performances of the year. Behind elite ball movement, the Wildcats earned a 74–67 victory.

Kansas State Women’s Basketball Showcased Ball Movement, Sets the Tone

The win pushed Kansas State to 12–11 overall and 5–5 in Big 12 play, evening its conference record. Arizona State fell to 18–5 overall and 5–5 in league action as the home crowd watched its unbeaten run disappear.

CATS WIN!!!#EMAW👌 pic.twitter.com/QBO6bB1F0D

— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) February 1, 2026

The Wildcats delivered a textbook display of unselfish basketball, recording 21 assists on 24 made field goals. That 87.5 percent assisted shot rate marked the team’s best of the season. And it's the highest since posting an 89.7 percent mark against Arizona State on Jan. 19, 2025.

Kansas State shot 51.1 percent from the floor and an eye-catching 60 percent from three-point range, knocking down 12 of 20 attempts from deep. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, those numbers tend to tell the story. The Wildcats are now 49–8 when hitting at least 10 three-pointers in a game, and Sunday followed that familiar script.

Taryn Sides finished with 21 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting from the field and went 8-of-9 at the free-throw line. Her calm execution in the final two minutes. That's where she hit six straight free throws and slammed the door on Arizona State’s late push. With three made three-pointers, Sides also climbed into 11th place on Kansas State’s career list with 167 triples.

Nastja Claessens matched that impact with a breakthrough performance of her own. The junior forward recorded her first career double-double, scoring 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds. Her four made three-pointers were also a career best, and she added four assists and three steals, all personal highs.

The Team's Benched Production and Game-Changing Runs

Kansas State’s bench outscored Arizona State’s reserves 26–9, providing consistent energy and scoring throughout the afternoon. Freshman Jordan Speiser chipped in 12 points while sophomore Izela Arenas added 11.

Two pivotal runs shaped the outcome. Late in the second quarter, Kansas State used a 10–1 surge to create separation and carried a 37–24 lead into halftime. That margin mattered, as Mittie-led teams are now 182–22 when leading at the break. The Wildcats came out even stronger after halftime, ripping off a 14–0 run to build a 21-point advantage. Sides fueled that stretch with nine straight points, including a four-point play that silenced the arena.

Arizona State made one final push behind McKinna Brackens’ 20 points and Gabby Elliott’s 18, trimming the deficit to single digits twice in the final two minutes. Steady free-throw shooting and disciplined possessions ensured the rally ended short.

The victory evened the all-time series at 3–3, with Kansas State winning the last two meetings. Jeff Mittie’s career record now stands at 684–389 as the program continues its 30th season of Big 12 play.

Kansas State will stay in Arizona to chase a sweep, traveling to face Arizona on Wednesday, February 4, for the first meeting between the programs. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, with momentum firmly on the Wildcats’ side.

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