Kansas State women’s basketball walked onto the hardwood in Cancun with something to prove—and over the course of a thrilling Thanksgiving tournament, the Wildcats delivered grit, resilience, and championship-caliber shooting that turned the 2025 Cancun Challenge into a showcase of their rising potential. Their journey featured a near-comeback against a nationally ranked powerhouse, a jaw-dropping three-point explosion that rewrote the record books, and a fiery determination that now fuels their push into the tournament finale.
A VALIANT FIGHT AGAINST NO. 12 NORTH CAROLINA
The Wildcats’ 85–73 loss to No. 12/10 North Carolina won’t be remembered for the final score—it will be remembered for the fire Kansas State brought to the second half. UNC opened the game blisteringly hot, dropping 50 first-half points on 66.7 percent second-quarter shooting, the most K-State has surrendered in an opening half in at least seven seasons. But instead of folding, the Wildcats punched back.
Kansas State’s offense stayed steady thanks to four players hitting double figures. Sophomore guard Izela Arenas led the way with 15 points on a brilliant 6-of-8 shooting performance, including 2-of-3 from deep. Her efficiency helped keep the Wildcats within striking distance even while UNC was surging early.
Sophomore forward Jenessa Cotton delivered her signature breakthrough moment—a career-first double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Cotton’s emergence in the paint stabilized K-State in key stretches, giving them a physical presence that fueled their late rally.
Meanwhile, junior forward Nastja Claessens and junior guard Taryn Sides added 13 points each. Sides, who recently posted one of the greatest statistical games in Big 12 history, continued her elite shooting by hitting both of her attempts from long range.
UNC countered with major bench production—35 points led by Nyla Brooks and Nyla Harris with 14 apiece—but the Wildcats were just as ready, logging 26 bench points for their eighth game this season with 20-plus points from the reserves.
THE FOURTH-QUARTER SURGE THAT NEARLY CHANGED EVERYTHING
After falling behind by 21 in the second half, many teams might have folded. Kansas State did the opposite. Behind clutch buckets from Sides, Cotton, and Claessens, the Wildcats slashed the deficit to 13 to open the fourth quarter. UNC pushed the lead back up with a 9–1 spurt, but K-State wasn’t done—they stormed back with a commanding 17–6 finish.
K-State shot an astounding 77.8 percent in the fourth quarter—their best single-quarter mark of the season—and outscored the Tar Heels 22–15 in the frame. The Wildcats finished the game shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three, marking one of their most efficient offensive performances of the year. The only blemish: free throws. A 12-of-24 night at the line kept K-State from completing the comeback.
Even in defeat, K-State extended an impressive trend: they have now shot 50 percent or better in all four quarters of a game 65 times since 2014–15, owning a dominant 58–7 record when doing so.
TURNING THE PAGE TO THE CANCUN FINALE
Now 5–4, Kansas State sets its sights on its final Cancun Challenge matchup—a Saturday morning showdown at 10 a.m. CT against South Dakota State. The Wildcats hold a strong 7–1 all-time advantage over the Jackrabbits and a 44–7 record against current Summit League teams. However, head coach Jeff Mittie is 2–3 all-time against SDSU, adding intrigue to a matchup loaded with competitive history.
This is K-State’s sixth Thanksgiving tournament in Mexico and fifth in Cancun, though past results have been challenging—just 3–9 in Mexico and 2–9 in Cancun. That’s why Saturday’s game isn’t just a contest; it’s a chance to leave Mexico with momentum and a statement.
THREE-POINT THUNDER: A HISTORIC CANCUN SHOWCASE
If there’s one defining storyline from the Wildcats’ run in Cancun, it’s the avalanche of three-pointers. Through their first two games of the tournament, K-State buried 24 of 39 threes, a staggering 61.5 percent clip. That stretch included a new program record—17 made threes—in a high-octane comeback win over Columbia.
The fireworks were fueled by consistent sharpshooting from Taryn Sides, Izela Arenas, Jordan Speiser, Nastja Claessens, and Aniya Foy, making the Wildcats one of the most dangerous perimeter teams in the field.
Arenas has been a revelation in Mexico, averaging 15.5 points while shooting 55 percent overall and a scorching 62.5 percent from deep—an enormous leap from the 20 percent she entered the tournament with. Claessens has been equally dynamic, averaging 14.5 points and hitting 58.1 percent from the field across her last four games since returning from Belgian Senior National Team duties.
TARYN SIDES’ THANKSGIVING MASTERPIECE
No performance shined brighter than Taryn Sides’ electrifying 30-point eruption against Columbia. She torched the rim with an 8-of-12 three-point clinic, adding six assists, three rebounds, and two steals in one of the greatest individual showings in program history.
Sides became the only player in the nation this season with 30+ points, 8+ threes, and 5+ assists in a single game. She tied the fourth-most threes ever made by a Wildcat and joined an elite shortlist that includes Wildcat legend Brittany Chambers.
A FINALE LOADED WITH PURPOSE
K-State’s time in Cancun has been equal parts challenge and breakthrough. They’ve battled elite opponents, shattered records, and showcased an offense capable of lighting up any scoreboard in the country. Now, with one game left, they aim to leave Mexico on a high note—stronger, sharper, and hungrier than ever.
Their shooting is historic. Their growth is undeniable. And their final test awaits.
