MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — The Kansas women’s basketball team used a dominant fourth quarter to erase a halftime deficit and defeat Kansas State 75-68 on Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum. Trailing by four at halftime, the Jayhawks outscored the Wildcats 27-21 in the final period to secure the road victory. Tess Heal led all scorers with 19 points for Kansas State. S’Mya Nichols paced Kansas with 17 points. The win improves Kansas to 17-11 overall. Kansas State falls to 15-14. Attendance was 4,845.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering disparity in ball security and a dominant fourth-quarter response, the Kansas Jayhawks overcame a hostile road environment and a significant turnover deficit to defeat the Kansas State Wildcats 75-68 in a Big 12 Conference women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum. The Jayhawks, who entered as underdogs according to advanced metrics, improved to 17-11 overall by winning their second straight game. The Wildcats fell to 15-14, losing for the fourth time in six contests despite forcing 16 Kansas turnovers while committing only six of their own. The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the final quarter. Kansas State, clinging to a 47-45 lead after three periods, saw its advantage quickly evaporate under a sustained Kansas offensive barrage. The Jayhawks erupted for 27 points in the fourth quarter, their highest-scoring period of the game, on efficient 8-of-13 shooting from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. Kansas State guard Tess Heal, who led all scorers with 19 points and added seven assists, kept the Wildcats within striking distance with several key plays down the stretch. Her driving layup and subsequent free throw with 5:33 remaining gave Kansas State a 55-52 edge. However, Kansas answered immediately with a critical 9-2 run over the next two minutes. The surge was capped by a Sania Copeland-assisted three-pointer from Lilly Meister and a Copeland layup with a free throw, putting the Jayhawks ahead 64-61 with 3:10 to play. The Wildcats’ inability to capitalize on Kansas’s carelessness with the ball ultimately proved their undoing. While Kansas State converted those 16 Jayhawk turnovers into 16 points, they could not overcome their own offensive inefficiency. The Wildcats shot just 24 of 56 from the field and a frigid 4 of 19 from three-point range. Kansas, by contrast, was markedly more accurate, hitting 25 of 46 shots overall. Kansas forward Jaliya Davis and guard S’Mya Nichols provided the consistent offensive punch for the visitors. Davis finished with 16 points, including a crucial tip-in during the fourth-quarter rally, while Nichols added 17 points and four assists. Forward Regan Williams came off the bench to provide a significant spark, scoring 16 points, while Meister contributed 14 points, including two three-pointers. For Kansas State, Heal’s backcourt partner, Nastja Claessens, supported with 13 points, and forward Brandie Harrod added 13 points and three steals. Jordan Speiser chipped in nine points, including a late three-pointer that cut the deficit to 67-64 with 1:32 remaining. The game began with Kansas establishing an early edge, leading 19-15 after the first quarter. The Wildcats responded in the second, outscoring the Jayhawks 18-14 to knot the game at 33-33 by halftime. A tightly contested third quarter saw Kansas State inch ahead by two points, setting the stage for the decisive final period. Despite the lopsided turnover margin, Kansas won the battle of efficiency. The Jayhawks posted an offensive rating of 110.5 points per 100 possessions, compared to 99.3 for the Wildcats. Kansas also held advantages in free-throw shooting, making 20 of 25 attempts, and rebounding, securing 28 total boards to Kansas State’s 26. The announced attendance was 4,845. Kansas will next host Texas Tech on Wednesday. Kansas State travels to face Baylor on Monday.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — The Sunflower Showdown renews its women’s basketball rivalry Saturday when the Kansas Jayhawks visit the Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum. The Big 12 Conference matchup features two teams seeking momentum for the postseason. Kansas (16-11) enters on a two-game winning streak after an 85-68 victory over Houston on Feb. 14. Kansas State (15-13) is coming off a dominant 93-67 road win at UCF on Wednesday. The visiting Jayhawks will lean on guard S’Mya Nichols, who is averaging 18.1 points and 5.4 assists over her last seven games. She scored 22 points and dished nine assists in the win over Houston. However, in the teams’ first meeting this season, a 83-61 Kansas win on Jan. 25, Nichols was held to just one point. Kansas State will counter with guard Gina Garcia, a key distributor who has averaged 7.6 assists over her last three contests. She had 10 points and seven assists against UCF. The Wildcats will look for a stronger performance after being held to 61 points in the loss at Lawrence last month. Kansas has won three of its last five, with the losses coming in overtime to Colorado and by five points at Texas Tech. The Wildcats have been inconsistent, alternating wins and losses over their past six games. The game tips off at 1 p.m. CST Saturday. Kansas visits Oklahoma State on Feb. 28. Kansas State travels to Baylor on Monday before hosting Iowa State on March 1.