Texas Tech led by 10 entering the fourth quarter in Kansas City. But a trend that has crept up late in the season surfaced again. Kansas State closed the game on a stunning 21–0 run to steal a 58–51 win.
“Our theme the entire week was finish — particularly finish the game — and I don’t think that we did that,” Texas Tech head coach Krista Gerlich said afterward. “I felt like we got a little comfortable after the first quarter, and they let them take us out of what we were doing.”
The first two buckets of the fourth quarter actually belonged to the Lady Raiders. Jalynn Bristow and Snudda Collins scored on back-to-back looks inside — a matchup Tech had found success exploiting at times throughout the game and one that seemed poised to help close things out.
A Kansas State timeout changed that. A defensive adjustment or two took away those isolation opportunities, and Tech’s offense shifted from confident to confused.
“I think we did a good job isolating them and we got a couple of looks in the paint,” Gerlich said. “And then we didn’t go back to it. We tried to go back to it, but for whatever reason it wasn’t happening for us. We were just making some silly mistakes.”
Collins — typically a second-half scorer and late-game closer alongside Bailey Maupin — scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half. She attempted just three shots after halftime. After a bucket that pushed Tech’s lead to 14 in the fourth quarter, she shot only once more.
Asked afterward what led to the breakdown late, Collins — like a senior leader — placed the responsibility on the group.
“Nothing specifically,” Collins said. “It’s just us together. Poor execution, not taking care of the ball and not doing what Coach Gerlich asked us to do.”
Meanwhile Maupin, who hit buzzer-beaters to end both the second and third quarters, struggled to find rhythm otherwise and went 0-for-7 in the fourth.
Texas Tech has lost three of their last four games, all of which they have been outscored by least 13 in each of those fourth quarters after entering the quarter with a lead. After early conference wins over top of conference West Virginia and Baylor that both came with fourth quarter comebacks, what had been a strength for much of the season — closing games — has suddenly turned into a late-game struggle.
“We definitely have to figure that out,” Gerlich said. “The last three games have not been our best in the fourth quarter. I feel like we really let the pressure get to us late. I even said in a timeout, ‘Y’all are playing not to lose. You have to play to win.’ And I just feel like we never got over the hump to do that.”
With two weeks off before the NCAA Tournament begins, now the question becomes how quickly the Lady Raiders can take what they need from the loss — and leave the rest behind.
The sour taste in their mouth from this cannot become “whine.”
“They’ve always taken responsibility,” Gerlich said of her team’s ability to respond to adversity. “They’ve always been held accountable. I know in that locker room right now they’re all looking inward. And we all have to do that — coaches included.
“But what they don’t do is look outward and try to find someone to blame. That’s the great makeup of this team. They truly are a team, and they want to individually do well for the team. The challenge now is that it’s going to be a long time before we play again. It’ll take a little while to get over it, but we have to let it go.”
With nine seniors, the weight of a season nearing its end can feel heavy. Whether that pressure played a role in the late collapse or not, the Lady Raiders still have more basketball ahead.
Few understand that urgency better than Collins. A year ago, she thought her basketball career might be over. She did not play last season and was working selling cars, moving on to adulthood instead. Then an opportunity arose with Texas Tech and she finds herself staring at the end again – this time knowing exactly what follows.
“That’s been my motivation this entire season,” Collins said. “Experiencing that one year, you definitely miss it a lot. Right now I’m in my last year, so I want to make it last as long as possible.
“We’re blessed enough to play again. We just have to make those adjustments and learn that moving forward we have to finish those games.”
About the author:
Shelby Hiliard has worked in sports media since graduating with dual masters degrees from Texas Tech in 2014. She joined Red Raider Sports as a writer in 2025 and is also the host of Texas Tech Sports podcast “Seeing Scarlet” on YouTube.
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