Jayhawks face Sooners in Midweek Tilt

LAWRENCE, Kan . — Kansas women’s basketball completes its two-game road trip at Oklahoma on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m., inside Lloyd Noble Center. The game marks the first meeting in the 2018 series against the Sooners.

Following the Jayhawks
The Jayhawks’ first game with Oklahoma of the 2018 season will be broadcast on Fox Sports Oklahoma and the Jayhawk Radio Network. Additionally, fans can follow all of the action on Twitter (@KUwbball) or live stats (soonersports.com).

Fast Breaks

• The Jayhawks are 11-17 when facing the Sooners in Norman and 30-38 overall against Oklahoma.
• KU’s last victory over the Sooners came in 2015, when the Jayhawks beat OU, 65-58, in Lloyd Noble Center. Oklahoma has won the last four meetings between the teams.
• KU opened the 2017-18 season with a seven-game winning streak, marking just the eighth time in program history to begin a season 7-0.
• KU ranks 20th in the nation for field goal percentage defense, holding its opponents to shooting 35.7 percent from the field. 
• The Jayhawks’ field goal percentage defense ranks third among Big 12 teams, trailing only Baylor and West Virginia.
• Kansas is holding its opponents to shooting 27.9 percent from beyond the 3-point line, which is second in the Big 12.
• Junior guard Brianna Osorio has netted six double-digit scoring efforts in eight Big 12 competitions, including three-straight games notching double figures. Osorio knocked in a career-high 28 points against Texas Tech (1/17), recording the best offensive performance by a Jayhawk this season.
• Junior guard Christalah Lyons leads the Kansas offense, averaging 14.7 points per game. Lyons has netted 17 double-digit scoring performances in 19 games, which is the most of any Jayhawk in the 2017-18 campaign.
• Junior guard Kylee Kopatich has netted 18 3-pointers in conference play, tying her for second in the Big 12 for long-range baskets made. Kopatich connected on five of her seven attempts from beyond the 3-point line at TCU (1/20).
• When Brandon Schneider-coached teams are leading with less than five minutes to play, his overall record is 366-14, and 21-2 at Kansas.

About the Jayhawks
Following five-straight losses, with three to ranked opponents, the Jayhawks look to win their first game since topping TCU and Texas Tech early on in league play on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at Oklahoma.

The Kansas offense has been paced by impressive performances from junior guards Christalah Lyons, Kylee Kopatich and Brianna Osorio throughout Big 12 play. Lyons is leading the Jayhawks with 15.6 points per game through the first eight league games, including a 20-point performance at No. 7 Texas (1/13). The Dallas, Texas native’s offensive efforts rank her 13th in the conference for scoring, while also dishing out 3.1 assists in league play, which is 13th-best in the Big 12. In six of KU’s eight Big 12 games so far, Osorio has netted double-digit scoring efforts, including a career-high 28 points in the Jayhawks’ 68-56 loss to Texas Tech (1/17). Osorio is averaging 14.0 points per game in league play and has had career nights on two separate occasions since Big 12 play began. Additionally, the Las Vegas, Nevada native has connected on 37.1 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc and is trailing fellow junior guard Kylee Kopatich by five treys, netting 13 3-pointers in league play. Kopatich has averaged 12.6 points to start off Big 12 play and netted 18 3-pointers thus far, which is tied for second for the number of 3-pointers made in conference play.

The Jayhawks are continuing their best defensive efforts, holding their opponents to shooting just 35.7 percent from the field for the season. KU’s field goal percentage defense is one of the best in the nation, ranking 20th among NCAA Division I programs. In its 19 games so far, Kansas is third in the Big 12 for field goal percentage defense, trailing only Baylor and West Virginia. The Jayhawks have held their opponents to 62.9 points per game, which is third best in the league. Kansas is second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage defense, keeping its opponents to connecting on just 27.9 percent of their long range attempts. 

Scouting the Sooners
After opening Big 12 play with a loss to No. 8 Texas, the Sooners went on to win four of their next six league matchups with a win over TCU and three road wins at Iowa State, Texas Tech and Kansas State. The Sooners enter Wednesday night’s matchup with a three-point loss to No. 24 Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma falls in the middle of the pack offensively, scoring an average of 76.6 points per game and connecting on 44.0 percent of its attempts from the floor on average. The Sooners are led by five players notching double-digit scoring efforts. Senior center Vionise Pierre-Louis leads OU with 15.4 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game. The Lake Worth, Florida native also has dished out a team-best 44 assists in the 2017-18 season. Senior guard Gabbi Ortiz is netting 13.5 points per game, while snagging a team-best 36 steals. A trio of Sooners are averaging right around 12 points this season. Senior guard Maddie Manning, freshman guard Shaina Pellington and freshman guard Ana Llanusa are averaging 12.8, 12.7 and 12.1 points, respectively.

Defensively, Oklahoma has allowed its opponents to shoot 42.1 percent from the field, which is last in the Big 12 for field goal percentage defense. The Sooners’ opponents connect on 34.3 percent of their long range attempts, which is tied with TCU for last in 3-point field goal percentage defense. However, the Sooners snag the fifth-most steals in the Big 12, averaging 8.3 per game.

This Day in Kansas Women’s Basketball History
Record on Jan. 24: 4-8
Kansas women’s basketball will play on the 24th day of January for the 13th time in program history. In 2015, Kansas beat West Virginia, 65-59, thanks to a historic day from Chelsea Gardner. Gardner’s 20 points and 20 rebounds marked the first time a Jayhawk had achieved that accomplishment in 33 years.

Big 12 Bri
Junior guard Brianna Osorio has started Big 12 play off strong, netting six double-digit scoring efforts in Kansas’ eight conference games thus far. The Las Vegas, Nevada native is averaging 14.0 points per game in conference play and is shooting a team-best 44.7 percent from the field against Big 12 foes. Osorio has knocked in 13 3-pointers in league play, connecting on 37.1 percent of her attempts from behind the 3-point line. On two separate occasions since Big 12 play began, Osorio has registered career-scoring nights, first 19 points at Texas Tech (1/3) and then 28 points in the second meeting with the Lady Raiders (1/17). Osorio’s 28 points are the most points scored by a Jayhawk this season.

Around the League
The Jayhawks’ defense has ranked among the top in the Big 12 so far throughout the 2017-18 season. Kansas is third in scoring defense, holding its opponents to 62.9 points per game. KU’s field goal percentage defense ranks third in the league, while Kansas is second in the Big 12 for 3-point field goal percentage defense. Overall, Kansas has kept its opponents to just 35.7 percent shooting from the field and 27.9 percent from long range. Individually, several Jayhawks rank in the top-15 across multiple categories in the Big 12. Junior guards Christalah Lyons and Kylee Kopatich rank 14th and 15th in scoring, notching 14.7 and 14.2 points per game, respectively. 

Up Next
Kansas returns home for the Lawrence edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown and the 50th year of Kansas women’s basketball celebration. The Jayhawks will tipoff with Kansas State on Sunday, Jan.28 at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FS1 and the Jayhawk Radio Network.