November 17, 2014

Kansas’ Homestand Continues with Texas Southern

Kansas vs. Texas Southern
Date	Tuesday, Nov. 18
Time	7 p.m.
Location	Lawrence, Kan.
Arena	Allen Fieldhouse
Series	Kansas leads, 2-0
Television	Jayhawk TV Network/ESPN3
Radio	Jayhawk Radio Network
Live Stats	KUAthletics.com
Notes	Kansas

Stats at a Glance	KU	TSU
Record	1-0	0-1
Rankings	—	—
Points/GM	68.0	58.0
FG%	33.3	44.6
Rebounds/GM	37.0	31.0
Assists/GM	6.0	14.0
Blocks/GM	4.0	3.0
Steals/GM	9.0	7.0

LAWRENCE, Kan. – In the midst of a six-game homestand, the Jayhawks host Texas Southern in the first of four games to be played this week inside Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas opens the week against the Lady Tigers on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Tuesday night’s game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN3 and the Jayhawk Radio Network.

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS
Kansas is off to a 1-0 start this season after opening the year with a 68-60 win over South Dakota on Nov. 16, a team that appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season. The win marks the 10th-straight season-opening victory under head coach Bonnie Henrickson. It also improved the Jayhawks to a perfect 3-0 record over the Coyotes in the all-time series. Offensively, Kansas shot 33.3 percent from the field but only 12.5 percent from the three-point line. The Jayhawks tallied six assists and were outrebounded, 48-37, by South Dakota. On the defensive side, KU collected nine steals and four blocks by Preseason All-Big selection Chelsea Gardner, which was two blocks shy of her single-game high.

Gardner, a forward from DeSoto, Texas, started her senior campaign with her 19th career double-double after recording 24 points and 11 rebounds. Her 20th point of the afternoon marked Gardner’s 1,000th career point. She joins 26 other Jayhawks in reaching the 1,000-point milestone. She shot 64.3 (6-of-9) percent from the field. Senior guard Natalie Knight also contributed double figures in the win, as she knocked in 15 points and snagged seven boards. In her collegiate debut, freshman guard Lauren Aldridge added 11 points from the free throw line. She was the third and final Jayhawk to score in double digits against USD.

Kansas saw 10 different scorers in its first game of the 2014-15 slate. Aldridge, Chayla Cheadle, Timeka O’Neal and Terriell Bradley all registered their first baskets as Jayhawks against the Coyotes. Cheadle recorded four points, while O’Neal connected on 1-of-3 attempts from beyond the arc. Bradley, who averaged 10 points per game in the exhibition slate, scored two points in her debut.

Senior guard Asia Boyd shot 33.3 percent and contributed six points in the first game of the year. She also grabbed two rebounds. Sophomore forward Jada Brown rounded out the Jayhawks’ starting five. She tallied two points and three rebounds. Senior forward Bunny Williams and sophomore guard Keyla Morgan came off the bench to collect two rebounds each.

KANSAS FAST BREAKS

Senior forward Chelsea Gardner, a Preseason All-Big 12 selection, joined the 1,000-point club after a scoring 24 points in the season opener against South Dakota.
Gardner started the season with her 19th career double-double after recording 24 points and 11 rebounds in the season opener. She posted a Big 12-leading 13 double-doubles last year. Gardner’s 13 double-doubles are the most by a Jayhawk in a single season since Shyra Holden had 14 in 1978-79.
Three Jayhawks began the 2014-15 season scoring double figures. Gardner, senior Natalie Knight and freshman Lauren Aldridge all tallied a double-digit scoring effort. Gardner finished with 24, while Knight and Aldridge added 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Although in foul trouble for most of the second half in the first game of the season, Gardner shot a team-best 64.3 percent from the field. She connected on 9-of-14 attempts and converted six of her nine attempts at the free throw line.
Knight has 705 career points and needs 295 more to join Gardner in the 1,000-point club, which she is on pace to reach by the end of her career.
KU extended its home opener winning streak to 10 games with the 68-60 victory over South Dakota. Kansas improved to 10-1 under head coach Bonnie Henrickson in the first game of the season.
Kansas’ all-time record is 771-552 while the program has an all-time conference record of 237-249. Head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 330-216 all-time and 171-154 at KU.
KU has a record of 125-58 (.681) in Allen Fieldhouse under Henrickson and an all-time home record of 397-159 (.714).
KU has an overall record of 360-391 away from Allen Fieldhouse and during the Bonnie Henrickson-era, the Jayhawks are 47-94 when playing away from home.

SCOUTING THE LADY TIGERS
Texas Southern has a 0-1 mark after the opening weekend of the 2014-15 season. The Lady Tigers fell to Oklahoma State, 77-58, in their season debut in Stillwater, Oklahoma. TSU was selected to finish second in the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) by the league coaches and had four individuals placed on preseason teams. Jazzmin Parker and Morgan Simmons received first-team honors, while Alexus Johnson and Sarah Williams earned second-team accolades.

Junior guard Briana Sidney came off the bench to lead TSU with 14 points against the Cowgirls. She also recorded four rebounds and a team-best four steals. Johnson, a redshirt sophomore forward, recorded double figures in the first game of the season with 11 points and was a rebound shy of a double-double. She also contributed three steals and two assists.

The Lady Tigers shot 44.6 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from beyond the arc. TSU converted only 4-of-11 attempts from the charity stripe for 36.4 percent. Texas Southern collected 31 rebounds, 14 assists, three blocks and seven steals. Oklahoma State shot 48.0 percent against the Lady Tigers and out rebounded TSU, 39-31.

SERIES BREAKDOWN
Record
Kansas leads the series against Texas Southern, 2-0, it’s all KU’s record against TSU inside Allen Fieldhouse. Under head coach Bonnie Henrickson, the Jayhawks are 1-0 when playing the Lady Tigers.

Overview
Tuesday’s meeting between the Jayhawks and Texas Southern is just the third meeting in the young the series. The series began with a 83-45 KU victory in 2002. Last season, Kansas hosted TSU in Allen Fieldhouse for the second time and defeated the Lady Tigers, 105-78.

Last Time Out
In 2013, Chelsea Gardner and Asia Boyd notched career-highs points with 30 and 25 points, respectively, against the Lady Tigers. The Jayhawks ran past the Lady Tigers, 105-78, marking the most points scored by Kansas since the 2010 season. TSU’s Jazzmin Parker led the charge for the Tigers, chalking up 34 points, one point shy of her season high.

1,000 REASONS TO CELEBRATE
On Sunday, Nov. 16, Gardner became the 27th Jayhawk, and 10th under head coach Bonnie Henrickson, to score over 1,000 career points in Kansas women’s basketball history. Her 24-point effort against South Dakota pushed her over the 1,000 career point mark. The senior forward is the fourth Jayhawk in as many seasons to score over 1,000 career points. She is the third Jayhawk to reach the milestone wearing the No. 15 jersey and the fifth to hail from the Lone Star state. Gardner is also the 15th forward to score to join the 1,000-point club and the second standing at 6-3.

REMEMBER NOVEMBER
In the month of November, the Jayhawks have an overall mark of 115-29 (.810) in the 11th month of the year. Under head coach Bonnie Henrickson, KU is 45-9 in November. Kansas has won 22 of the last 24 games played in November dating back to the start of the 2010 season.

JAYHAWKS FACE TOURNAMENT TESTED OPPONENTS
Kansas faces 14 opponents that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, which is two more than the previous season. KU’s non-conference schedule includes three conference champions and seven squads that reached the 20-win plateau. Kansas has a 1-0 record in 2014-15 against programs that appeared in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

NOT IN OUR LEAGUE
The Jayhawks boast a 332-153 (.686) record all-time versus non-conference opponents. The Jayhawks’ best non-conference record came during the 2005-06 season when they posted a perfect 11-0 mark during the regular season. KU is 73-16 (.862) in non-conference games since the 2007-08 season.

UP NEXT
Kansas continues its six-game homestand by hosting the Naismith Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge, Nov. 21-23. Over the course of three days, the Jayhawks will host Alabama, Georgetown and Temple. KU opens the tournament on Friday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m., against Alabama.

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