LAWRENCE, Kan. β Kansas women’s basketball improved to 9-0 on Sunday afternoon, defeating Wichita State convincingly 72-52 at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks are now 9-0 for the fourth time in program history and the first time since they opened the 2019-20 season 11-0.
The 20-point loss to Wichita State is good for Kansas’ seventh straight win over an opponent by 20 or more points. The last time the Jayhawks went on a seven-game streak with a winning margin of more than 20 points was in 1980.
On Sunday, Kansas was led by the senior duo of Zakiyah Franklin and Holly Kersgieter, who scored 16 points against the Shockers. Chandler Prater also had 10 points and four rebounds, while Taiyanna Jackson had seven points and 13 rebounds.
Kansas was very efficient on the defensive end of the court, posting 15 steals and seven blocks as a team. The Jayhawks’ 15 steals are a season high and the most since Dec. 5, 2018, against Nebraska. Prater and Kersgieter each had four steals, while Franklin had three and Sanna Strom had two. Jackson also tied his season high for blocks with five.
“I thought we were really committed to defense today and have been all year. This group takes a lot of pride on the defensive end of the floor and tries to establish that as their identity.”
Coach Brandon Schneider
Both teams came out slow, but Kansas took control of the lead late in the first quarter, 13-7. A 3-pointer by Franklin sparked the Jayhawks’ offense, resulting in a layup by Kersgieter that hit the buzzer to end the first.
The Jayhawks held the Shockers to just seven points, the second time this season Kansas has held a team to less than 10 points in the first quarter (Dec. 4, 2022, vs. Southeastern Missouri State).
Kansas led by eight, 31-23, at the half after an offensive second quarter. The Jayhawks kept busy on the defensive end, forcing 10 turnovers. Prater caught three steals and Franklin scored two. Jackson had seven points and seven boards, leading both teams at the half individually.
Kersgieter caught fire just after halftime, producing eight points for the Jayhawks. Franklin scored 11 points in the third and hit a corner 3-pointer for his second of the fourth. The game turned gears in the second half, with Franklin and Kersgieter reaching double figures in the third quarter to give Kansas a 19-point lead going into the quarter.
Nadira Eltayeb scored her first points in the quarter, converting a left hook and one into the paint to put Kansas up 63-43. The Jayhawks outscored the Shockers 41-29 in the second half to close out the game 72-52.
Until next time
The Associated Press Top 25 Poll will be released Monday at 12 pm Central Time, while the WBCA Coaches Poll will be released Tuesday afternoon. The 9-0 Jayhawks are in position to earn an AP Poll spot for the first time since Jan. 14, 2013. Kansas will then close out the non-conference schedule at home on Friday, Dec. 16 against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. That game will kick off at 7 p.m. CT and will air on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.
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Kansas held Wichita State to just seven points in the first quarter, the second time the Jayhawks held an opponent under 10 points in the first quarter (vs. SEMO, Dec. 4)
Mayberry scored seven points and tied his season high with three assists. This is the third time he’s dished out three assists this season (at Saint Mary’s (Nov. 26) and against Maine (Nov. 25).
Kersgieter finished with 16 points (6 of 12) and two assists. He has scored in double figures in eight of the nine games played this season.
The Jayhawks haven’t trailed after the first quarter in nine games this season.
Jackson finished the game with game-highs in both rebounds (13) and blocks (5). This is the sixth time Jackson has finished with double-digit rebounds this season and the second time with five blocks.
KANSAS: LAST TIME (TEAM)
The Jayhawks had a season-high 15 steals, led by Kersgieter and Prater, both with four steals. This was the first time Kansas had 15+ steals in a game since they had 15 steals at Nebraska on December 5, 2018.
Source: news.google.com