HOUSTON (Interstat) — Tess Heal scored 31 points, including 19 in a decisive fourth quarter, to lead Kansas State to a 71-62 comeback victory over Houston in a Big 12 Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Hofheinz Pavilion.

The Wildcats, who trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, outscored the Cougars 26-17 in the final period to secure the road win and improve to 9-8 overall. Houston fell to 6-9.

The game turned in the third quarter after a dismal offensive first half for Kansas State. The Wildcats managed only 26 points on 10-of-30 shooting through two quarters and found themselves down 37-26 at halftime. Houston’s TK Pitts was instrumental in building that lead, scoring 12 of her 16 points before the break.

Kansas State’s defense stiffened dramatically after halftime, holding Houston to just eight points in the third quarter on 3-of-15 shooting. The Wildcats chipped away at the deficit, using a 13-2 run to close the quarter and tie the game at 45-45 heading into the fourth. The surge was fueled by defensive stops and timely baskets from Heal and Nastja Claessens, who finished with 14 points.

Heal, a guard from Melbourne, Australia, then took over in the final frame. She scored 12 consecutive points for Kansas State during a critical stretch, converting on drives, free throws and a key three-pointer that extended the Wildcats’ lead to 64-59 with just over five minutes remaining. Her personal run stifled multiple Houston attempts to regain momentum.

Houston struggled mightily from beyond the arc all night, shooting 4 for 26 on three-point attempts. The Cougars also committed 16 turnovers, which Kansas State converted into 19 points. The Wildcats, while shooting just 40.4% from the field, were more efficient from the free-throw line, making 20 of 29 attempts compared to Houston’s 14 of 20.

Pitts led Houston with 16 points, while Jade Jones added nine. Beyond Pitts, the Cougars’ offense was inconsistent, posting an offensive rating of 83.2 points per 100 possessions. Kansas State’s offense, led by Heal’s 12-of-14 performance from the foul line, managed a 92.5 rating.

The game featured 13 lead changes and was tied 10 times, largely in the first half. The contest was a defensive struggle for long stretches, with both teams combining for 21 steals. Kansas State’s Gina Garcia contributed four assists and three steals, while Houston’s Kayla King had seven points, three assists and a block.

A crowd of 1,395 watched as Kansas State snapped a two-game conference losing streak. Houston has now lost three of its last four games.

Kansas State next hosts Utah on Saturday. Houston will face BYU at home on Saturday. The two teams will meet again in Manhattan, Kansas, on Jan. 21.