Kansas State Women’s Basketball Falls to Colorado at Home

K-State’s Fourth-Quarter Push Falls Short in Tight Loss

Kansas State Wildcats guard Zyanna Walker | James Snook-Imagn Images

For a brief stretch early in the fourth quarter at Bramlage Coliseum, Kansas State looked ready to deliver a momentum-shifting comeback. An 8-0 run pushed the Wildcats in front 41-38, energizing the home crowd and putting pressure squarely on Colorado. That surge, however, was short-lived. The Buffaloes answered with a decisive response, closing the game with control and composure to secure a 56-47 road victory.

Kansas State Women’s Basketball Youth Balanced Colorado Attack

The result drops Kansas State to 11-11 overall and 4-5 in Big 12 play, while Colorado improves to 14-7 and 5-4 in conference action.

Final pic.twitter.com/tyQCEWEGbl

— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) January 30, 2026

Colorado’s ability to spread production across the lineup ultimately separated the two teams. The Buffaloes placed four players in double figures, leaning on balance rather than one dominant scorer. Zyanna Walker led the way with a double-double, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She also added four steals and two assists, providing stability whenever momentum threatened to swing.

Kansas State relied heavily on its young core. Freshman Jordan Speiser continued her steady rise, leading the Wildcats with 12 points and five rebounds. Gina Garcia contributed eight points, four rebounds, and four assists.

But consistent offense was difficult to sustain. Kansas State shot 32.7 percent from the field, a number that made it hard to capitalize on defensive stops against a disciplined Colorado unit.

Trailing 37-33 entering the fourth quarter, Kansas State ignited the crowd with an 8-0 burst. Nastja Claessens buried a corner three, Speiser followed with two free throws, and Brandie Harrod completed the run with a three-point play to give the Wildcats a 41-38 advantage.

An 11-1 run over the next three minutes flipped the game’s trajectory. Walker broke a 42-42 tie with a three-pointer that sparked a 7-0 Buffaloes run, pushing the lead to seven. Kansas State made one final push when Garcia’s runner trimmed the deficit to 49-46 with 2:51 remaining. However, the Wildcats could not close the gap as Colorado controlled the final possessions.

Shooting played a major role down the stretch. Kansas State finished just 2 of 15 from three-point range. And those missed opportunities allowed Colorado to maintain control late.

Fourth-Quarter Momentum Swings Define the Night

The loss continued a difficult trend for Kansas State in the series. Colorado now holds a 36-35 advantage all-time, although the Wildcats still lead 18-15 in games played in Manhattan. Head coach Jeff Mittie remains 0-6 against the Buffaloes.

Mittie, in his 11th season at Kansas State, owns a career record of 683-389, including a 229-154 mark in Manhattan. The Wildcats are competing in their 30th season of Big 12 play and hold a league record of 249-252.

Kansas State rolled out a first-time starting lineup this season featuring Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod, Taryn Sides, Nastja Claessens, and Ramiya White. Defensively, the Wildcats were strong in the second quarter, limiting Colorado to nine points. Since the adoption of the quarter system in 2015-16, Kansas State holds a 119-30 record when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter.

Harrod finished with eight points and five rebounds, Ivona Scekic recorded a career-high five rebounds, and Taryn Sides added three assists and four steals. Sides remains 22nd on Kansas State’s all-time assists list with 271.

Kansas State now turns its attention to the road as February opens with a trip to Arizona State. The game marks the Wildcats’ first visit to Tempe since 1988. Tip-off is set for Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.

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