K-State Athletic Communications
MANHATTAN, Kan. – California had a hot shooting performance for the first three quarters and held off K-State's furious fourth quarter rally on Sunday night, 83-75, in the second round of the 2026 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (19-18) saw four players reach double figures led by junior guard Taryn Sides with 13 points, while freshmen Brandie Harrod and Jordan Speiser added 12 points each. Senior guard Tess Heal recorded 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Freshman guard Gina Garcia dished out a career-high 12 assists. Her season total of 191 set the school record for assists in a freshman season, breaking the mark of 189 held by Shalee Lehning in the 2005-06 season.
California (21-14) was paced by Sakima Walker with 28 points, including 16 in the second half, on 13-of-18 shooting and 16 rebounds. Lulu Twidale and Taylor Barnes added 17 points each.
K-State shot 62.5 percent (10-of-16) from the field in the first quarter and registered 10 assists, including seven by Garcia. The Wildcats capped the quarter with a 3-pointer from Speiser to take a 23-21 lead at the end of the frame. Despite its hot shooting, Cal was right there with the Wildcats at 61.5 percent (8-of-13), including 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from long range.
Cal would shoot 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from the floor in the second quarter and outscore the Wildcats, 20-13, in the stanza to hold a 41-36 lead at halftime. The Golden Bears made five of its final seven field goals to secure the lead.
The Golden Bears would punch it into Walker for a majority of the third quarter, as she racked up 12 points in the frame and helped Cal to a 66-51 lead after three quarters. The Golden Bears shot 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the field in the third quarter.
Cal pushed its advantage to 25, 76-51, with 6:47 remaining by using a 12-0 run.
A Sides three-pointer with 6:37 to play ended K-State's fourth quarter drought and started a 13-0 run to cut the margin to 12, 76-64, with 2:32 left. The Wildcats chiseled the margin to nine, 80-71, on a steal a layup by Harrod with 41 seconds left. A layup and a pair of free throws from Aniya Foy provided the final margin, as the Wildcats ran out of time in its comeback bid.
K-State shot 50.0 percent (31-of-62) from the field, but were held to 25.0 percent (5-of-20) from beyond the arc.