LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Senior guard La'Tavia Rorie (Charlotte, N.C.) poured in a game-high 20 points and hit a season-best 4-of-6 from behind the arc, but it wasn't enough as Virginia Commonwealth University dropped a 73-67 decision to Big 12 member Kansas State in the second round of the Duel in the Desert Tournament at Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV.

Sophomore forward Courtney Hurt (Loganville, Ga.) and senior guard Kita Waller (Gainesville, Ga.) each came off the bench and contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively for VCU.

Kansas State had four players score in double figures led by Brittany Chambers' team-high 17 points.  Ashley Sweat added 16 points, while Mariah White registered 13 and Kari Kincaid chipped in 10 for the Wildcats.

Kansas State went up 24-14 following a 12-2 run with 6:52 to go in the first half.  Rorie capped off a 10-3 VCU run over the next two minutes with a 3-pointer as the Rams answered to pull within 27-24 with 4:28 remaining.  Kansas State was called for a five-second violation on the ensuing possession and freshman forward Bree'Ana Perry (Aiken, S.C.) pulled the Black and Gold within a point on a basket at the 3:51 mark.

VCU continued to pressure Kansas State and regained the lead at 30-29 on a jumper by Rorie with 1:21 to go.  The Wildcats wouldn't trail for long as they hit a pair of free throws on the opposite end before Waller took a feed from Rorie at the top of the arc and nailed a trey as time expired to give VCU a 33-31 halftime advantage.

Waller and Rorie each scored eight points apiece in the first half as the Rams shot 66.7% (4-of-6) from 3-point range, while Kansas State shot 41.7% (5-of-12) from behind the arc in the opening period.

Following a turnover on Kansas State's first possession of the second half, Rorie hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to extend the Rams' lead to 36-31 with 19:12 remaining. 

The Wildcats would later regain the lead at 46-43 on back-to-back treys by Taelor Karr.  VCU responded with an 11-0 run and went up 54-46 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Ebony Patterson (Chesterfield, Va.) with 11:25 to go.  Kansas State chipped away at the Rams' lead and tied it at 56-56 on a layup by Chambers with 6:04 to go.  The Wildcats regained the lead for good on a pair of Kincaid free throws just over a minute later.

Kansas State scored 10 of the final 15 points of the game to secure the victory and the Wildcats shot 92% (23-of-25) from the free throw line on the game, including a perfect 13-of-13 in the second half.

VCU committed 12 turnovers in the opening period but turned the ball over just four times in the second half with the first coming nearly 13 minutes in.

VCU will face Arkansas on Monday at 3 p.m. EST in the final round of the Duel in the Desert Tournament.