Kansas State women’s basketball delivered one of the most shocking comebacks of the Big 12 Tournament Thursday night, stunning No. 21 Texas Tech 58–51 after closing the game on a jaw-dropping 21–0 run.
The Wildcats erased a 14-point fourth quarter deficit, held Texas Tech scoreless for the final 7 minutes and 43 seconds, and advanced to the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals.
For a young Kansas State roster that has battled inconsistency all season, the win may have been the clearest sign yet that this team is evolving at exactly the right time in March college basketball.
Kansas State vs Texas Tech: How the Wildcats Pulled Off the Comeback
For most of the night, it looked like Texas Tech basketball was in control.
The Lady Raiders forced Kansas State into difficult perimeter shots, disrupted the Wildcats’ offensive rhythm, and built a 51–37 lead with 7:43 remaining.
At that moment, Kansas State’s win probability was just 0.8% according to ESPN analytics.
But then the entire game flipped.
Kansas State locked in defensively and dominated the final stretch of the game.
Texas Tech:
- Missed 13 straight field goals
- Attempted zero free throws
- Scored zero points over the final 7:43
Meanwhile, Kansas State closed the game with a stunning 21–0 run to steal the victory.
As head coach Jeff Mittie explained after the game:
“One on five isn’t going to cut it here. We’re a better team if all five are playing together.”
That message sparked the Wildcats’ rally.
Nastja Claessens Leads Kansas State in Big 12 Tournament Win
Kansas State forward Nastja Claessens delivered one of the most impactful performances of the night.
Claessens finished with:
- 14 points
- 8 rebounds
- Game-saving block in the final minute
With less than a minute remaining, Texas Tech had a chance to tie the game after an offensive rebound.
Claessens blocked the putback attempt, secured the ball, and called timeout — one of the defining plays of the game.
After the win, she explained her mindset in the moment.
“In moments like that, it’s the little things that matter. Take the rebound, maybe stop the shot.”
Adding to the moment, Claessens’ family had just arrived from Belgium and watched the game live in Kansas City.
Kansas State’s Young Core Shows Its Growth
This Kansas State team has been one of the youngest rosters in the Big 12 Conference, and that youth has shown up throughout the season.
But Thursday’s comeback may have been the clearest sign of their development.
The Wildcats struggled offensively for most of the night:
- 34% shooting from the field
- 5-of-25 from three (20%)
Yet they never completely lost control of the game.
As Mittie said afterward:
“Our stretches of bad basketball are shorter than they were a month ago.”
That growth showed during the fourth-quarter comeback.
Key Kansas State Players in the Big 12 Tournament Upset
Several Wildcats stepped up during the final run.
Taryn Sides
Sides finished with 13 points and sealed the game with clutch free throws in the final seconds.
She also played nearly the entire game as Kansas State’s primary point guard.
Tess Heal
Heal scored 10 points and delivered the most important offensive play of the game — a driving layup with under a minute remaining that gave Kansas State control of the game.
Heal explained the team’s mentality during the comeback.
“It’s never over until the buzzer sounds.”
Aniya Foy
Foy added 12 points and provided critical defense during the fourth quarter.
Mittie called it one of her best defensive performances of the season.
Kansas State Advances in the Big 12 Tournament
The win pushes Kansas State basketball into the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals, where the Wildcats will face Oklahoma State.
Kansas State already defeated Oklahoma State earlier this season, winning 70–61 in Manhattan on February 10.
That result adds even more intrigue to Friday’s matchup.
If Kansas State can continue this run, the Wildcats could potentially push themselves back into the NCAA Tournament conversation.
The Bigger Picture for Kansas State Basketball
Even if Kansas State doesn’t win the Big 12 Tournament, the growth of this roster has been obvious.
This is a young team loaded with freshmen and underclassmen, and the chemistry has steadily improved throughout the season.
As the Wildcats showed against Texas Tech, their ceiling is incredibly high when everything clicks.
And if this core stays together?
Kansas State could quickly become one of the top teams in the Big 12 and in college basketball again.
