Kansas State Women’s Basketball Enters New Territory with Road Test at Arizona

For the first time in program history, the Kansas State Wildcats are heading to Tucson for a true desert test. On Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. CT, K-State will step onto the floor at the McKale Center to face the Arizona Wildcats in a matchup that blends history with important Big 12 stakes.

Kansas State Women’s Basketball's Momentum on the Line

The game also serves as the finale of a two-game swing through the Grand Canyon State for head coach Jeff Mittie’s squad. Fans will be able to follow the action live on ESPN+, with Chris Harris on play-by-play, Joan Bonvicini providing analysis, and Mackenzie Hamilton reporting from the sidelines.

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— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) February 2, 2026

Kansas State enters Wednesday’s contest at 12–11 overall and 5–5 in Big 12 play, firmly in the middle of a tightly packed conference race. Arizona comes in at 10–11 overall with a 1–9 record in league action.

The Wildcats from Manhattan carry momentum into Tucson following a confident 74–67 road win over Arizona State. In that game, K-State showed its offensive ceiling, building a lead that reached 24 points while shooting an eye-catching 60 percent from three-point range. With four players scoring in double figures, the victory reinforced that this team can take its offense on the road and execute under pressure.

If one number captures the current identity of Kansas State women’s basketball, it is 87.5 percent. In the win over Arizona State, the Wildcats recorded a season-high assisted shot rate of 87.5 percent.

Kansas State handed out 21 assists on 24 made field goals, marking just the sixth game since the 2009–10 season in which the program has posted an assisted shot rate of 87.0 percent or better with at least 20 assists. It was also the highest assisted shot rate for the Wildcats since Jan. 19, 2025, highlighting how unselfish play has become a defining trait of this group.

A Young Roster Making History

One of the most striking elements of Kansas State’s season has been its reliance on youth. The Wildcats are the only Power 4 program in the nation with three freshmen averaging 20 or more minutes per game in Gina Garcia, Jordan Speiser, and Brandie Harrod. That freshman-heavy approach, fueled by an ESPN top-10 recruiting class, is already producing historic results.

Tess Heal has emerged as one of the most efficient perimeter players in the Big 12. She joined Conn’s Sarah Strong as the only players nationally to post a 60/40/90 shooting split in conference play with a minimum of 100 points. Gina Garcia has distributed 111 assists this season, ranking seventh among freshmen in program history and third nationally among freshmen.

At the free-throw line, Garcia and Speiser are both shooting above 86 percent on at least 35 attempts, making Kansas State the only team in the country with two freshmen meeting that standard. Brandie Harrod has added consistent effort on the glass, collecting 53 offensive rebounds to become the seventh freshman in program history to reach 50.

Wednesday’s outcome may hinge on the opening half. Since the 2001–02 season, Kansas State is 409–55 when leading at halftime, including a 6–1 mark this year. Under Jeff Mittie, the Wildcats are an imposing 182–22 when holding a halftime advantage.

February, however, has traditionally been the program’s toughest month. Kansas State owns a .540 winning percentage in February games and is 41–44 under Mittie during that stretch.

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