Sunday, February 1
Tempe, Ariz.
3 p.m.
Kansas State University
12-11,5-5Big 12
74
at
67
Arizona State
18-5,5-5Big 12
1
2
3
4
F
Kansas St.
17
20
21
16
74
Arizona St.
15
9
20
23
67
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
Photo by: Gabriella Whisler/K-State Sports
K-State Dishes Out First Home Loss to Arizona State
Feb 01, 2026 | Women's Basketball
TEMPE, Arizona – K-State handed out 21 assists on its 24 made field goals and fended off a fourth quarter rally to hand Arizona State its first home loss of the season, 74-67, on Sunday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena.
K-State (12-11, 5-5 Big 12) shot 51.1 percent (24-of-47) from the field, including a 60.0 percent (12-of-20) performance from 3-point range. The Wildcats 21 assists marked the fourth time this season K-State has handed out 20 or more assists in a game. The assisted shot rate of 87.5 percent was the highest in a game this season and the highest since carding an 89.7 percent effort against Arizona State on Jan. 19, 2025, in Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats saw four players reach double figures on Sunday, as junior guard Taryn Sides led the way with 21 points on 5-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-3 from long distance and an 8-of-9 effort from the foul line.
Junior forward Nastja Claessens registered her first career double-double with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including a career-high 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, a career-high 12 rebounds, a career-high four assists and pocketed three steals.
Freshman guard Jordan Speiser and sophomore guard Izela Arenas came off the bench to add 12 and 11 points, respectively. The tandem was part of a bench effort that saw the Wildcats outscore the Sun Devils' bench, 26-9.
Arizona State (18-5, 5-5) was led by McKinna Brackens with 20 points, while Gabby Elliott added 18.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- K-State's hot shooting started early, as the Wildcats held a 17-15 edge at the conclusion of the opening quarter by shooting 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the floor, including 3-of-3 from long distance.
- The Wildcats would use a 10-1 run in the late stages of the second quarter to win the frame, 20-9, and hold a 37-24 lead at halftime. K-State shot 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from the field in the second quarter and ended the opening half with a 56.5 percent (13-of-23) shooting percentage including 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from 3-point range.
- Out of halftime, K-State used a 14-0 run to build a 21-point lead, 51-30, with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter. Sides scored nine straight points during the run, as she finished a layup, buried a 3-pointer and then completed a 4-point play with 6:24 left.
- Arizona State used a 12-2 run to end the third quarter to trim the K-State lead to 14, 58-44, entering the fourth.
- The Wildcats pushed the lead back to 18, 64-46, as Claessens scored five points and Sides made 1-of-2 free throws with 7:20 to play.
- The Sun Devils were only able to close to within nine points twice in the final two minutes, as Sides went 6-of-6 from the foul line. Arizona State got the final margin to seven, as K-State avoided fouls and allowed a pair of late layups.
QUICK FACTS
- The series between the teams is tied, 3-3, as K-State has won two straight. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 2-1 in his career against Arizona State.
- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 684-389 (.637), including a mark of 230-154 (.599).
- In its 30th season of play in the Big 12, K-State owns a record of 249-252 (.497) in Big 12 action.
- The Wildcats are 304-332 (.478) in road games during its 58-season history. Under Mittie, K-State is 55-75 (.423) in road games.
- The Wildcats are 238-203 (.540) in games played in the month of February. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 41-44 (.482) in games during the second month.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State's starting five consisted of guards Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod, and Taryn Sides, forward Nastja Claessens and center Ramiya White. This was the second time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 22nd career start for Sides. This was the 21st career start for Garcia. Harrod made her 20th career start. Claessens made her 19th career start. This was the 3rd start for White.
- The Wildcats held a 37-24 lead at halftime on Sunday. Under Mittie, K-State is 182-22 (.892) when leading at halftime, including a 6-1 mark this season.
- This season, K-State owns 33 quarters with an effort of 50.0 percent or better shooting from the field, including the first (58.3), second (54.5) and third (53.3) quarters on Sunday.
- Since the start of the quarter-system in women's college basketball in the 2015-16 season, K-State is 170-71 (.705) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter in a game, including a 10-6 mark this season. The Wildcats have 30 quarters this season with 20 or more points scored.
- K-State owns a record of 120-30 (.800) when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game, including a 6-1 record this season. The Wildcats held the Sun devils to nine points in the second quarter on Sunday. This was the ninth quarter this season holding an opponent to single digits in a quarter.
- Since the 2011-12 season, K-State is 210-93 (.693) when three or more players reach double figures in scoring in the same game. The Wildcats are 10-6 this season when this occurs.
- Sunday marked the sixth time this season (4-2) K-State has made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 49-8 when making 10 or more 3-pointers in a game.
- Over the last 18 seasons, K-State is 118-8 (.937) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game, including a 4-0 mark this season.
- K-State held the advantage in bench points, 26-9. This is the 16th time the Wildcat bench as outscored the opposing team (9-7). The Wildcats have scored 20 or more bench points 17 times this season.
- The Wildcats tallied a 23-12 edge in fastbreak points. This is the 11th time this season K-State has scored 10 or more points in transition. The Wildcats are 10-7 when holding the advantage in fastbreak points. When K-State has outscored its opponents by 10 or more bench points, the Wildcats are 5-1.
- K-State registered a 34-28 edge in rebounding. The Wildcats are 7-3 this season when holding the advantage on the boards.
PLAYER NOTES
- Sides tallied her seventh career game and her fifth this season with 20 or more points. She tallied 10 or more points for the 32nd time in her career and 14th time this season.
- Sides buried three 3-pointers on Sunday. Sides garnered her 17th game this season and the 48th of her career with two or more connections from 3-point range. With her three connections, Sides moved into 11th in program history for career 3-pointers with 167.
- Sides dished out three assists. She remains 22nd in program history with 274.
- Sides pocketed two steals. This was her 23rd career game with two or more steals.
- Claessens reached double figures in scoring for the 12th time this season.
- Claessens knocked down a career-high 4 three-pointers. This was her fourth game this season with two or more connections from long range. She has made at least one three in nine straight games.
- Claessens hauled in a career-high 12 rebounds on Sunday. This was her second career game with 10 or more rebounds and her seventh career game with five or more. Her 12 rebounds were the most by a Wildcat this season. She has paced K-State on the glass four times this season.
- Speiser carded 12 points on Sunday. This was her 12th game this season with 10 or more points.
- Speiser pulled in six rebounds. This was her eighth career game with five or more rebounds.
- Arenas carded her 13th career game and her eighth this season with 10 or more points.
- Arenas tied her career-high with three 3-pointers. This was her 11th career game and her sixth game this season with two or more connections from long range.
- Gina Garcia handed out a career-high nine assists on Sunday. This was her 12th game this season with five or more assists. She is the first K-State freshman to hand out nine or more assists in a game since Sides on Dec. 18, 2023. Garcia has dished out 111 assists this season, which is seventh in program history by a freshman.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
On the way K-State played today…
"I thought we did a lot of good things all day long, and we're not going to focus on the end. We can fix those things. You can ask me those questions on the radio show. I'm not going to answer them today. I'm going to enjoy this one. I'm going to focus on how we got the 24-point lead, and we'll try to fix whatever we can to do better tomorrow."
On the 3-point shooting…
"I think two things. One, rebounding. We were able to get some rebounds early. We were able to be disruptive enough that we got an open floor at times. But then I also thought our passing in that stretch was as good as its been. Our spacing was much better, and they're a really chaotic team to play against, but we weren't allowing them to get chaotic at that time but you saw what they're capable of late today. They lead the league in steals. They lead the league in forcing turnovers, as we talked about before. But I thought we were aggressive. I talked to the team before the game about we needed to be aggressive from three, I thought we were aggressive in the right areas."
On Nastja Claessens' this afternoon…
"It was unbelievable watching. I wouldn't have thought 12 (rebounds), but, you know, we have been pushing her to rebound better. I thought she got up off her feet better today. I thought she rebounded 50/50 balls, tough balls today. And this is a scrappy Arizona State team. She needs to build off of that, because this is not some game where it's not a clean team to play against. It's fighting, it's scrapping. I thought she had an excellent day today."
On the play of the K-State post players…
"I thought (Ivona) Scekic) gave us a big lift. Energy-wise. I thought she battled like crazy. I thought Ramaya (White) battled. I thought (Brandie) Harrod had really good moments at times today. Cotton struggled in her minutes. But, you know, I thought the centers gave us a lift like I keep talking about the (Heloisa) Carrera kid for them is a really good player, so pretty good day for our group."
UP NEXT
K-State ends a two-game trip through the Grand Canyon State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (CT), as the Wildcats visit Arizona for the first time in the series.
The game will stream on ESPN+ and can be heard online at kstatesports.com, on the K-State Sports app and the flagship stations of K-State women's basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.
K-State (12-11, 5-5 Big 12) shot 51.1 percent (24-of-47) from the field, including a 60.0 percent (12-of-20) performance from 3-point range. The Wildcats 21 assists marked the fourth time this season K-State has handed out 20 or more assists in a game. The assisted shot rate of 87.5 percent was the highest in a game this season and the highest since carding an 89.7 percent effort against Arizona State on Jan. 19, 2025, in Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats saw four players reach double figures on Sunday, as junior guard Taryn Sides led the way with 21 points on 5-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-3 from long distance and an 8-of-9 effort from the foul line.
Junior forward Nastja Claessens registered her first career double-double with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including a career-high 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, a career-high 12 rebounds, a career-high four assists and pocketed three steals.
Freshman guard Jordan Speiser and sophomore guard Izela Arenas came off the bench to add 12 and 11 points, respectively. The tandem was part of a bench effort that saw the Wildcats outscore the Sun Devils' bench, 26-9.
Arizona State (18-5, 5-5) was led by McKinna Brackens with 20 points, while Gabby Elliott added 18.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- K-State's hot shooting started early, as the Wildcats held a 17-15 edge at the conclusion of the opening quarter by shooting 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the floor, including 3-of-3 from long distance.
- The Wildcats would use a 10-1 run in the late stages of the second quarter to win the frame, 20-9, and hold a 37-24 lead at halftime. K-State shot 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from the field in the second quarter and ended the opening half with a 56.5 percent (13-of-23) shooting percentage including 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from 3-point range.
- Out of halftime, K-State used a 14-0 run to build a 21-point lead, 51-30, with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter. Sides scored nine straight points during the run, as she finished a layup, buried a 3-pointer and then completed a 4-point play with 6:24 left.
- Arizona State used a 12-2 run to end the third quarter to trim the K-State lead to 14, 58-44, entering the fourth.
- The Wildcats pushed the lead back to 18, 64-46, as Claessens scored five points and Sides made 1-of-2 free throws with 7:20 to play.
- The Sun Devils were only able to close to within nine points twice in the final two minutes, as Sides went 6-of-6 from the foul line. Arizona State got the final margin to seven, as K-State avoided fouls and allowed a pair of late layups.
QUICK FACTS
- The series between the teams is tied, 3-3, as K-State has won two straight. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 2-1 in his career against Arizona State.
- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 684-389 (.637), including a mark of 230-154 (.599).
- In its 30th season of play in the Big 12, K-State owns a record of 249-252 (.497) in Big 12 action.
- The Wildcats are 304-332 (.478) in road games during its 58-season history. Under Mittie, K-State is 55-75 (.423) in road games.
- The Wildcats are 238-203 (.540) in games played in the month of February. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 41-44 (.482) in games during the second month.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State's starting five consisted of guards Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod, and Taryn Sides, forward Nastja Claessens and center Ramiya White. This was the second time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 22nd career start for Sides. This was the 21st career start for Garcia. Harrod made her 20th career start. Claessens made her 19th career start. This was the 3rd start for White.
- The Wildcats held a 37-24 lead at halftime on Sunday. Under Mittie, K-State is 182-22 (.892) when leading at halftime, including a 6-1 mark this season.
- This season, K-State owns 33 quarters with an effort of 50.0 percent or better shooting from the field, including the first (58.3), second (54.5) and third (53.3) quarters on Sunday.
- Since the start of the quarter-system in women's college basketball in the 2015-16 season, K-State is 170-71 (.705) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter in a game, including a 10-6 mark this season. The Wildcats have 30 quarters this season with 20 or more points scored.
- K-State owns a record of 120-30 (.800) when holding an opponent to single digits in any quarter in a game, including a 6-1 record this season. The Wildcats held the Sun devils to nine points in the second quarter on Sunday. This was the ninth quarter this season holding an opponent to single digits in a quarter.
- Since the 2011-12 season, K-State is 210-93 (.693) when three or more players reach double figures in scoring in the same game. The Wildcats are 10-6 this season when this occurs.
- Sunday marked the sixth time this season (4-2) K-State has made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 49-8 when making 10 or more 3-pointers in a game.
- Over the last 18 seasons, K-State is 118-8 (.937) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game, including a 4-0 mark this season.
- K-State held the advantage in bench points, 26-9. This is the 16th time the Wildcat bench as outscored the opposing team (9-7). The Wildcats have scored 20 or more bench points 17 times this season.
- The Wildcats tallied a 23-12 edge in fastbreak points. This is the 11th time this season K-State has scored 10 or more points in transition. The Wildcats are 10-7 when holding the advantage in fastbreak points. When K-State has outscored its opponents by 10 or more bench points, the Wildcats are 5-1.
- K-State registered a 34-28 edge in rebounding. The Wildcats are 7-3 this season when holding the advantage on the boards.
PLAYER NOTES
- Sides tallied her seventh career game and her fifth this season with 20 or more points. She tallied 10 or more points for the 32nd time in her career and 14th time this season.
- Sides buried three 3-pointers on Sunday. Sides garnered her 17th game this season and the 48th of her career with two or more connections from 3-point range. With her three connections, Sides moved into 11th in program history for career 3-pointers with 167.
- Sides dished out three assists. She remains 22nd in program history with 274.
- Sides pocketed two steals. This was her 23rd career game with two or more steals.
- Claessens reached double figures in scoring for the 12th time this season.
- Claessens knocked down a career-high 4 three-pointers. This was her fourth game this season with two or more connections from long range. She has made at least one three in nine straight games.
- Claessens hauled in a career-high 12 rebounds on Sunday. This was her second career game with 10 or more rebounds and her seventh career game with five or more. Her 12 rebounds were the most by a Wildcat this season. She has paced K-State on the glass four times this season.
- Speiser carded 12 points on Sunday. This was her 12th game this season with 10 or more points.
- Speiser pulled in six rebounds. This was her eighth career game with five or more rebounds.
- Arenas carded her 13th career game and her eighth this season with 10 or more points.
- Arenas tied her career-high with three 3-pointers. This was her 11th career game and her sixth game this season with two or more connections from long range.
- Gina Garcia handed out a career-high nine assists on Sunday. This was her 12th game this season with five or more assists. She is the first K-State freshman to hand out nine or more assists in a game since Sides on Dec. 18, 2023. Garcia has dished out 111 assists this season, which is seventh in program history by a freshman.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Jeff Mittie
On the way K-State played today…
"I thought we did a lot of good things all day long, and we're not going to focus on the end. We can fix those things. You can ask me those questions on the radio show. I'm not going to answer them today. I'm going to enjoy this one. I'm going to focus on how we got the 24-point lead, and we'll try to fix whatever we can to do better tomorrow."
On the 3-point shooting…
"I think two things. One, rebounding. We were able to get some rebounds early. We were able to be disruptive enough that we got an open floor at times. But then I also thought our passing in that stretch was as good as its been. Our spacing was much better, and they're a really chaotic team to play against, but we weren't allowing them to get chaotic at that time but you saw what they're capable of late today. They lead the league in steals. They lead the league in forcing turnovers, as we talked about before. But I thought we were aggressive. I talked to the team before the game about we needed to be aggressive from three, I thought we were aggressive in the right areas."
On Nastja Claessens' this afternoon…
"It was unbelievable watching. I wouldn't have thought 12 (rebounds), but, you know, we have been pushing her to rebound better. I thought she got up off her feet better today. I thought she rebounded 50/50 balls, tough balls today. And this is a scrappy Arizona State team. She needs to build off of that, because this is not some game where it's not a clean team to play against. It's fighting, it's scrapping. I thought she had an excellent day today."
On the play of the K-State post players…
"I thought (Ivona) Scekic) gave us a big lift. Energy-wise. I thought she battled like crazy. I thought Ramaya (White) battled. I thought (Brandie) Harrod had really good moments at times today. Cotton struggled in her minutes. But, you know, I thought the centers gave us a lift like I keep talking about the (Heloisa) Carrera kid for them is a really good player, so pretty good day for our group."
UP NEXT
K-State ends a two-game trip through the Grand Canyon State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (CT), as the Wildcats visit Arizona for the first time in the series.
The game will stream on ESPN+ and can be heard online at kstatesports.com, on the K-State Sports app and the flagship stations of K-State women's basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Women's Basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats
KState
ASU
FG%
.511
.435
3FG%
.600
.217
FT%
.737
.800
RB
34
28
TO
22
15
STL
10
11
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
8
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
C
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