Kansas State Women's Basketball Opens Big 12 Tournament vs Cincinnati Bearcats

Lady Wildcats look to make run in Big 12 basketball tournament

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The second season has officially arrived for Kansas State women's basketball. On Wednesday, March 4, the No. 12 Wildcats will step onto the hardwood at the T-Mobile Center to open the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament against No. 13 seed Cincinnati, which enters at 11-19 overall and 6-12 in the league.

Why it matters

Kansas State holds a perfect 4-0 all-time record against Cincinnati, although this marks the first postseason meeting between the programs in the Big 12 Tournament. That history brings a layer of confidence, especially with head coach Jeff Mittie owning an 8-1 career mark against the Bearcats.

The details

The Wildcats are averaging 9.7 steals per game, the seventh-highest single-season total in program history. Of the 523 opponent turnovers forced this season, 57.6 percent have come directly from Wildcat steals. Under Mittie, there has been a simple rule for winning - score 70 points, and good things happen. Kansas State is shooting 34.3 percent from three-point range, hitting 227 of 661 attempts, with nearly one-third of its total scoring coming from the three-point range.

  • Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.
  • This marks the first postseason meeting between Kansas State and Cincinnati in the Big 12 Tournament.

The players

Jeff Mittie

The head coach of the Kansas State women's basketball team, who owns an 8-1 career mark against Cincinnati.

Taryn Sides

The leading three-point shooter for Kansas State, with 67 made threes this season.

Nastja Claessens

The anchor of the Wildcats' frontcourt, leading the team in field goal percentage at 51.4 percent.

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What’s next

The winner of the Kansas State-Cincinnati matchup will advance to the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

The takeaway

Kansas State's defensive pressure and three-point shooting could be the keys to their success in the Big 12 Tournament, as they look to make a deep run and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament bid.