The Kansas State women’s basketball team looked like it might have one final push in the second round of the WBIT. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that wasn’t the case as their season came to a close on Sunday night.
What began as an improbable run through the Big 12 tournament ultimately fizzled out. Now, the Wildcats' focus on rebuilding for next season.
Kansas State falls short in WBIT showdown with Golden Bears
After their opening-round win over Georgia Tech, momentum appeared to be on Kansas State’s side – but it quickly slipped away.
The Wildcats had no answer for Sakima Walker, who dominated with a tournament-high 28 points and 16 rebounds. If Kansas State had found a way to limit her presence on the glass, the postgame conversation might have sounded much different.
Walker wasn’t alone in leading the charge. Taylor Barnes and Lulu Twidale each added 17 points, with Twidale also pacing the team with five assists.
That trio fueled a decisive edge on the boards, where Kansas State was out-rebounded 37-22. Even with an efficient 50% shooting performance from the floor, the Wildcats couldn’t compensate for their struggles from deep, hitting just 25% from beyond the arc.
Gina Garcia facilitated the offense with a team-high mark in assists, while Brandie Harrod led the effort on the glass with six rebounds — but it wasn’t enough to overcome California’s control of the game.
Tess Heal closes out final game with Wildcats
A number of Wildcats played their final game purple on Sunday, including senior Tess Heal. Against Cal, Heal played 30 minutes scoring 11 points and dishing out five assists.
She was a pivotal part of the Wildcats Big 12 tournament run, including the improbable comeback runs against both Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Against the Lady Raiders, the Wildcats stormed back with 21 unanswered points between the third and fourth quarters, winning 58-51.
Their matchup against the Cowgirls followed a similar script, recording nine unanswered points. It was Heal who converted one of two free throws, later admitting she intentionally missed the second after a foul by Stailee Heard.
Her final season comes after two years at Santa Clara, the 2024-25 campaign at Stanford. Throughout her career, Heal made three separate WBIT appearances with her only other win in the tournament coming in 2024 against BYU.
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