Kansas State Women’s Basketball Tops Oklahoma State for Second Straight Home Win
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The momentum is shifting in Manhattan! You can tell it by the way Bramlage Coliseum is starting to feel like a fortress again. For the first time since early November, the Kansas State Wildcats have secured back-to-back home victories. The team did it this time by grinding out a 70–61 win over Oklahoma State on Tuesday night. The result moves the Wildcats to 14–12 overall and 7–6 in Big 12 play. Concurrently, Oklahoma State falls to 19–7 overall and 8–5 in conference action.
Star Performers Power Kansas State Women's Basketball to Victory
Kansas State led for over 39 minutes of action.
CATS WIN!!!#EMAW pic.twitter.com/skLRsSnVOX
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) February 11, 2026
Kansas State’s offensive gameplay started with junior forward Nastja Claessens. She delivered a game-high 18 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting performance. Claessens filled up the stat sheet with six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Well, she just provided steady production on both ends of the court.
Senior Tess Heal contributed 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and pulled down five rebounds. She reached double figures for the 87th time in her career, pushing her collegiate scoring total to 1,705 points. Heal remains one of just 11 active NCAA Division I players with at least 1,700 career points, 400 rebounds, and 300 assists.
The Wildcats’ youth movement also played a critical role. Freshman Gina Garcia orchestrated the offense with poise beyond her years, recording nine points, three steals, and a career-high-tying nine assists. Her 124 assists this season rank seventh in program history by a freshman. With that, she also became the first K-State freshman to hand out nine or more assists in a game since Dec. 18, 2023.
Off the bench, Aniya Foy provided muscle on the glass with a career-high eight rebounds. Brandie Harrod added nine points and six boards, including four offensive rebounds. Harrod now ranks third in program history for offensive rebounds in a freshman season with 63.
The Wildcats held Oklahoma State to 28.6 percent shooting in the opening quarter. Together, they limited the Cowgirls to just 4 of 14 from the field while building an 18–9 lead.
The second quarter tightened even further. K-State restricted Oklahoma State to 18.2 percent shooting, as the Cowgirls went just 2-of-11 from the floor. They did not make a field goal for the final 9:12 of the quarter and were held scoreless for the last 3:47. At halftime, the Wildcats led 29–18, marking the second-fewest first-half points they have allowed this season. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, Kansas State improved to 184–22 when leading at halftime
Momentum Swung Efficiently Which Carried Fourth-Quarter Finish
Kansas State’s fast start gave it an 11-point halftime advantage and early control. But Oklahoma State stormed back in the third quarter. They outscored the Wildcats 27–23 while shooting 69.2 percent from the field. K-State countered with an efficient offense of its own, shooting 62.5 percent in the quarter, yet entered the fourth with a narrower 52–45 lead.
A 9–0 run by the Cowgirls, capped by two free throws at the end of the third, tied the game at 52 with 8:02 remaining.
After a timeout, the Wildcats responded like a seasoned team. They went on a decisive 9–2 run over five-and-a-half minutes to regain control at 61–54. Claessens converted a key layup, and after a defensive stop, Heal buried a corner three-pointer with 1:29 remaining to extend the lead to 66–56. Kansas State then calmly closed the game at the free-throw line, shooting 75.0 percent in the fourth quarter.
Back-to-back dubs! pic.twitter.com/S6iYoHHrQq
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) February 11, 2026
For the game, Kansas State shot 49.0 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Wildcats also held a 42–34 advantage in points in the paint, consistently attacking inside.
This marked the 15th time this season K-State has scored 70 or more points. The Wildcats are now 122–31 all-time when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter and have registered 37 quarters this season shooting 50 percent or better.
Historically, Kansas State leads the all-time series against Oklahoma State 44–38 and is 25–11 against the Cowgirls in Manhattan. Mittie improved to 16–13 in his career against Oklahoma State and moved his overall career record to 685–390.
The Wildcats are now 420–163 all-time at Bramlage Coliseum, including 150–55 under Mittie. In Big 12 play, Kansas State holds a 252–253 all-time conference record in its 30th season in the league.
The Wildcats begin a two-game road trip Sunday at 1 p.m. with a visit to Iowa State for another key Big 12 matchup.
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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.