Late Rally By KK Deans Advances WVU To Big 12 Semifinals

The guard tallied seven points in the final 32 seconds of the team's victory over Kansas State

No. 17 West Virginia (20-5, 13-5 Big 12) defeated Kansas State, 58-56, in a down-to-the wire Big-12 Quarterfinal at Municipal Auditorium on Friday night. 

The No. 2-seed Mountaineers trailed the No. 10-seed Wildcats for 24:45 in the game. Sophomore guard Kirsten "KK" Deans and redshirt senior guard Kysre Gondrezick led at late rally that secured the victory for WVU. 

The Mountaineers trailed by seven points with 1:44 remaining in the game and went on to finish the game with a 10-1 run; including a three-point jumper from Gondrezick and seven-point performance from Deans that culminated with a buzzer-beater layup.

Gondrezick led the Mountaineers with 26 of the team's 58 points. Deans finished with 11 points, seven of which were secured in the final 35 seconds of the game.

West Virginia shot 35.9% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc. The Mountaineers also tallied 35 rebounds and 11 assists. 

The Mountaineers will advance to Saturday's Big 12 Championship semifinal to take on No. 3 Oklahoma State. The game will tip-off at 4:00 p.m. ET and can be streamed on ESPN+.

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the page's top righthand corner. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:

Facebook - @WVUonSI

Twitter - @SI_WVU and Lauren Withrow at @lolowithrow_WVU