Texas Tech Women's Basketball Falls at Kansas After Fourth-Quarter Struggles

The Lady Raiders' late-game collapse continues as they lose to the Jayhawks 68-59.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 3:21pm

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For the second consecutive game, the Texas Tech Lady Raiders found themselves in position to secure a high-stakes road win, but were unable to hold on in the final minutes. On Wednesday night, they fell to the Kansas Jayhawks 68-59 after another fourth-quarter drought proved costly, continuing a troubling pattern for the team.

Why it matters

The loss drops Texas Tech to 24-6 overall and 11-6 in Big 12 play, raising concerns about their late-game composure as they approach the postseason. The Lady Raiders' inability to close out close games could become a significant issue if it continues into the Big 12 Tournament and beyond.

The details

Texas Tech led 52-48 heading into the fourth quarter, but was outscored 20-7 in the final frame as the Jayhawks took control. The Lady Raiders managed just one made field goal in the last three minutes, and lost Jalynn Bristow and Denae Fritz to fouling out during the critical stretch. Kansas capitalized by relentlessly attacking the rim and earning 27 free-throw attempts, converting 24 of them.

  • Texas Tech led 52-48 heading into the fourth quarter.
  • With less than three minutes remaining, Texas Tech held a narrow 56-55 lead.

The players

Sarengbe Sanogo

A senior for Texas Tech who scored a career-high 16 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting performance, setting the tone early with 10 first-half points.

S'Mya Nichols

The leading scorer for Kansas, pouring in 19 points, 15 of which came at the free-throw line where she shot 15-of-17.

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What’s next

The Lady Raiders return home for their regular-season finale against the Arizona State Sun Devils on March 1, before heading to the Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament scheduled for March 4–8 at the T-Mobile Center.

The takeaway

Texas Tech's inability to close out close games, as evidenced by their second straight fourth-quarter collapse, raises serious concerns about their late-game composure and decision-making as they approach the postseason. The Lady Raiders must find a way to maintain their poise and execution in the final minutes if they hope to make a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament and beyond.