KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nastja Claessens had 14 points, eight rebounds and a key block in the closing seconds and Kansas State ended the game on a 21-0 run to beat No. 21 Texas Tech on Thursday in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Kansas State (17-16), the No. 12 seed, advances to the quarterfinals against No. 4 seed Oklahoma State on Friday. The Wildcats opened the tournament by breaking an 18-year Big 12 women’s tournament record and tied the school record by sinking 17 3-pointers in a 91-66 victory over Cincinnati.
Kansas State trailed 51-37 with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter after Texas Tech’s 10-0 run spanning the third-quarter break. But the Lady Raiders would not score against, missing 13 straight shots and not attempting a free throw in the fourth.
Tess Heal put Kansas State ahead 54-51 with 52.7 seconds left on a driving layup. Texas Tech grabbed an offensive rebound after a missed 3-pointer, but Claessens blocked the putback attempt and secured the ball before calling a timeout with 36.1 left.
Taryn Sides sealed it by making two free throws and Heal added two free throws with 19.2 seconds left.
Sides finished with 13 points, Aniya Foy added 12 and Heal had 10 for Kansas State, which did not have a double-digit scorer until the fourth quarter. The Wildcats were just 5 of 25 from 3-point range and shot 34% overall.
Snudda Collins was the lone double-digit scorer for the fifth-seeded Texas Tech (25-7) with 14 points. The Lady Raiders were 16 of 56 from the field (29%).
Earlier this year, Texas Tech’s undefeated season came to an end at 19-0 on Jan. 17 after a 65-59 loss to Kansas State.
Up next
Kansas State beat Oklahoma State 70-61 in the only regular-season meeting on Feb. 10.
Texas Tech is hoping to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013.
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