MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — The Kansas State Wildcats used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from the Troy Trojans for an 81-59 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

A close contest for the first 20 minutes turned decisively in the third quarter as the Wildcats outscored the Trojans 24-13, building a comfortable lead that would not be challenged. The home team continued its offensive efficiency in the final period, adding another 22 points to secure the win in front of 3,079 fans.

The game was tightly contested early. Troy held a narrow 12-10 lead midway through the first quarter before Kansas State closed the period on a 5-0 run to take a 15-12 advantage. The Wildcats maintained a slim margin throughout the second quarter, carrying a 35-28 lead into halftime.

Kansas State’s offense found its rhythm after the break, methodically extending its lead throughout the third quarter. The Wildcats’ ball movement and interior scoring proved too much for the Trojans, as the lead ballooned to 18 points by the end of the period.

The Wildcats’ attack was balanced, with four players scoring in double figures. Jordan Speiser led the way with 13 points, while Brandie Harrod and Tess Heal added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Taryn Sides orchestrated the offense effectively, dishing out a team-high six assists to go with nine points. Gina Garcia also contributed eight points and five assists.

For Troy, Fortuna Ngnawo was the only player to reach double digits, finishing with 10 points. Rachel Leggett added nine points and three assists, while Saniya Jackson chipped in six points and four assists. The Trojans struggled to find consistent offense against the Wildcats’ defense, particularly after halftime.

With the loss, Troy’s record moves to 3-1 on the young season. The Trojans had previously recorded wins over Chattanooga, Mississippi Valley State and Toledo. They will look to rebound on the road against Missouri on Thursday.

Kansas State improves to 4-2, snapping a two-game skid that included narrow losses to Texas A&M and South Dakota. The Wildcats’ schedule remains challenging, with a road game at Green Bay up next on Saturday.