Erica Merz
K-State guard Taryn Sides works on offense, looking to move toward the basket during the the Wildcats win against TCU on Feb. 5.
No. 12 Kansas State women’s basketball stumbled offensively on Monday after at No. 17 West Virginia, as the Mountaineers tallied a 70-57 win at WVU Coliseum on Monday afternoon.
K-State, which dropped to 24-4, 12-3 Big 12, shot 39.3 percent from the field but was forced into a season-high 22 turnovers. The Wildcats were led by senior Temira Poindexter with 17 points, while sophomore Zyanna Walker added 12 points.
West Virginia (21-5, 11-4) used an 8-0 run late in the second quarter to build a 34-27 lead and force a K-State timeout. The Mountaineers would hold a 36-30 advantage at halftime.
The Wildcats stayed within six points after a Sundell jumper with 7:25 to play in the third quarter. The Mountaineers responded with an 8-2 run to build a 49-37 lead with 4:38 left in the third.
After the Mountaineers built a 13-point lead, 50-37, K-State narrowed the game to eight, 52-44, with 1:27 to play. West Virginia would end the third with a 55-45 lead, as Jordan Harrison finished an old-fashioned three-point play.
West Virginia used an 11-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to end K-State’s comeback effort, as the Mountaineer lead increased to 19, 70-51, with 5:08 to play.
K-State is 6-3 in road games this season, with its fourth loss coming on a neutral court against No. 11 Duke. Over the last two seasons, the Wildcats are 12-7 in road games.
The Wildcats dropped in the Big 12 standings, now trailing TCU and Baylor who are tied for first place. K-State will likely need to win out and have the first-place teams suffer a loss. TCU, who K-State owns a tiebreaker over, still has to play Baylor and WVU.
K-State returns to action on Saturday, as the Wildcats host the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas at 4 p.m on ESPN+.
Saturday’s game is Senior Day, as K-State will honor its seniors in a postgame ceremony. Star center Ayoka Lee is anticipated to return from injury.