MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive Big 12 Conference battle defined by runs and resilience, the Kansas State Wildcats survived a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Houston Cougars to secure a 69-65 victory in women’s basketball on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

A crowd of 3,497 watched as the Wildcats, who led for over 37 minutes of game time, saw a 14-point third-quarter lead nearly evaporate before making critical plays in the final minute to snap a two-game skid and improve to 11-9 overall. Houston, which has now lost five straight, fell to 6-13.

The game’s pivotal sequence came late in the third quarter, where Kansas State transformed a narrow contest. Leading 34-31 with just over six minutes left in the period, the Wildcats unleashed a decisive 13-2 run. The surge was fueled by their backcourt, as Tess Heal drilled a 3-pointer and Taryn Sides converted a layup and a 3-pointer of her own. When Aniya’ Foy capped the run with two free throws at the 3:27 mark, Kansas State held its largest lead at 47-33, seemingly in full command.

Houston, however, refused to capitulate. The Cougars, who had struggled offensively for much of the night, found a spark in guard Kyndall Hunter. The Houston native scored 20 points, with 17 coming in the second half. Her back-to-back 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter ignited a 12-2 Houston run that brought the Cougars within 53-51 with 7:18 remaining.

The teams traded blows over the next six minutes, with Houston repeatedly closing to within a single possession. A driving layup by Hunter cut the Kansas State lead to 62-60 with 1:39 to play, setting up a tense finish.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the final 31 seconds. After Hunter’s layup made it a two-point game, Kansas State executed under pressure. Following a timeout, the Wildcats worked the ball inside to forward Nastja Claessens, who scored on a decisive layup with 31 seconds left, pushing the lead back to 64-60. Claessens, from Waregem, Belgium, finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds, including four crucial offensive boards.

Houston had a chance to answer, but a rushed 3-point attempt from Hunter missed. Kansas State’s Jordan Speiser was fouled and calmly sank both free throws with 13 seconds left to extend the lead to 66-60, effectively sealing the outcome. Houston’s TK Pitts made two free throws with three seconds left for the final margin.

The game was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. Both teams labored offensively, with Kansas State posting an offensive rating of 92.6 on 75 possessions and Houston managing a 90.6 rating on 72 trips. The Wildcats shot 48.1% from the field (26 of 54), aided by 38 points in the paint, while Houston shot 43.1% (25 of 58). Kansas State’s ball movement, resulting in 11 assists, and defensive pressure, which generated 11 steals, offset their 16 turnovers.

Heal, a guard from Melbourne, Australia, led Kansas State with 15 points and 4 assists. Sides, a native of Phillipsburg, Kansas, added 14 points, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Gina Garcia of Barcelona, Spain, contributed 11 points.

For Houston, Pitts, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, scored 17 points and blocked two shots. Briana Peguero added 7 points and 3 assists, while Amirah Abdur-Rahim had 8 points and 2 blocks. The Cougars were hampered by 15 turnovers and managed only six assists as a team.

The first half was a low-scoring affair, with Houston taking a 24-22 lead into halftime despite scoring only 11 points in the second quarter. Kansas State’s explosive third quarter, where they outscored Houston 25-17, provided the cushion they would ultimately need.

The win gave Kansas State a regular-season sweep of Houston, having also defeated the Cougars 71-62 in Houston on Jan. 7. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Kansas State entered the game with a 97.6% probability to win.

Kansas State next travels to face in-state rival Kansas on Sunday. Houston continues its difficult conference slate on the road at Baylor on Sunday.