Kansas Closes Out Non-Conference Play, Hosts Fairfield Wednesday
Jan. 5, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Game Notes in PDF Format
OPENING TIP
The University of Kansas hosts Fairfield on Wednesday, Jan. 7 in its final non-conference game of the 2008-09 season. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m., in Allen Fieldhouse, with a live broadcast on Sunflower Cablevision. KU (10-2) is looking to complete non-conference action on a four-game winning streak. Fairfield enters the game with a 7-6 overall mark.
FAST BREAKS
-Kansas is riding a three-game winning streak, its second longest of the season. The Jayhawks won five-straight games to open the 2008-09 season.
-The Jayhawks are 10-2 for the second-straight season under head coach Bonnie Henrickson. With a win over Fairfield, Kansas would complete its non-conference schedule with an 11-2 mark for the second-consecutive season.
-Junior guard-forward Danielle McCray has been dominant in KU’s last three games, averaging 20.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals per outing. McCray collected her fourth double-double of the season and 13th of her career with 17 points and 12 boards in a win over New Mexico State in Kansas’ last game.
-Kansas has implored five different starting line-ups on the season, with seven different players earning atleast one start.
-Kansas is making 47.2 percent of its shots from the field. The Jayhawks made a season-best 67.9 percent of their shots at Pepperdine. The Jayhawks were especially hot in the second half versus the Waves as they connected on 18-of-23 buckets. On the season, four Jayhawks are shooting better than 50 percent from the field.
-KU has made 77 three-point baskets on the season, while holding its opponents to just 34. The Jayhawks have connected on 77-of-188 shots from beyond the arc, good for a Big 12 Conference best 41.0 percent. Kansas made only 120 three-pointers for the season a year ago.
-Junior Porscha Weddington has collected 26 offensive rebounds in her 263 minutes of court time. Her 26 offensive boards rank second on the team behind McCray’s 31 in 364 minutes.
A LOOK AT FAIRFIELD
Fairfield is 7-6 on the season after defeating Loyola (Md.), 71-50, on Sunday afternoon. The Stags are 2-1 in league play with wins over Saint Peters and Loyola and a loss at the hands of Iona. Baendu Lowenthal leads Fairfield in scoring with 14.5 points per game and is the only Stag in double figures as Fairfield is averaging just 58.5 points per game. Shireyell Moore is second on the team in scoring with 9.0 points per game. Stephanie Geehan is the leading rebounder with 9.4 boards per game, while Lowenthal pulls down 7.3 caroms per contest. Geehan also leads the team with 34 blocks per game. Megan Caskin leads the team in assists with 57 on the season, while Desiree Pina is the leader in steals with 28. Head coach Joe Frager is 29-15 in his second season at Fairfield. His overall coaching record is 218-98 in his 11th season in the business.
KU-FAIRFIELD SERIES HISTORY
Kansas leads the all-time series with Fairfield 1-0. The Jayhawks claimed an 84-70 win over the Stags in Hanover, N.H., on Dec. 30, 2003 in the only game in the series. The following is the series history:
Date Result Location
12-30-03 Kansas, 84-70 Hanover, N.H.
A LOOK AT KANSAS
Kansas is off to a 10-2 start to the 2008-09 season behind the strong play of its junior class. Led by a trio of guards in Danielle McCray, Sade Morris and LaChelda Jacobs, the Jayhawks are outscoring their opponents by 20.5 points per game. McCray tops the Jayhawk scorers with 19.2 points per game, while Morris adds 12.3 and Jacobs turns in 8.6. In addition, sophomores Krysten Boogaard and Nicollette Smith are adding 11.3 and 7.3 points per game, respectively. KU is shooting 47.2 percent from the field, while holding its opponents to just 33.7 percent field goal shooting. Four different Jayhawks are making better than 50.0 percent of their shots, led by Rebecca Feickert at 60 percent. The Jayhawks have recorded 107 steals compared to just 78 for their opponents, led by McCray with 23 pilfers. Jacobs is the leader in assists with 59 dimes in 12 games, while Ivana Catic has dished 37 assists and Morris 31. McCray is pulling down a team-leading 8.6 rebounds and Boogaard is grabbing 5.8 per game. Kansas is also shooting well from the three-point line as it has connected on 77-of-188 shots from beyond the arc, good for 41.0 percent, tops in the Big 12 Conference. McCray is leading the way from beyond the arc as she has knocked 25-of-66 shots+. Ivana Catic leads the Jayhawks from the foul line as she has connected on 17-of-18 attempts, good for 94.4 percent. McCray and Morris are both over 80 percent for the season as McCray has connected on 84.8 percent of her foul shots and Morris has canned 80.6 percent of her free throws.
MCCRAY NEARS 1000
Jayhawk junior Danielle McCray is on her way to entering the prestigious 1,000 point club at Kansas. The Olathe, Kan., native, currently has tallied 992 points, leaving her just eight points short of 1,000. KU currently claims 19 1,000 point scorers in program history. Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson has seen two players enter the elite club during her Jayhawk tenure as both Crystal Kemp and Erica Hallman reached 1,000 points while playing for Henrickson. Kemp joined the club during her junior season in 2004-05, while Hallman was the most recent KU player to go over 1,000 points, doing so in her senior campaign in 2005-06.
