Jayhawks Open Big 12 Play Hosting Texas Tech Saturday

Jan. 6, 2011

Game Notes in PDF Format

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

OPENING TIP

Kansas will look to pick up a win in its Big 12 Conference opener for the first time since the 2005-06 season when it plays host to Texas Tech on Saturday, Jan. 8. Both teams enter the contest with a 13-1 overall mark. Kansas has won five-straight games, including four at home. TTU has also won five-consecutive games after suffering its only loss of the season at Penn State on Dec. 5. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m., in Allen Fieldhouse with a live broadcast on Metro Sports.

FAST BREAKS

-At 13-1, Kansas is off to its best start since it recorded a 16-1 mark to begin the 1993-94 season.

-Kansas sophomore forward Carolyn Davis has recorded back-to-back double-doubles in KU’s wins over UT-Arlington and UMKC. Davis, who averages a team-best 19.6 points per game on the season, averaged 26.5 points and 13.0 boards per game over the last two outings. She made 20-of-32 shots from the field, good for 62.5 percent. Over the last five games, Davis is averaging 21.7 points and 9.2 rebounds, while shooting a sizzling 72.7 percent from the field (40-55).

-KU ranks second nationally (first in Big 12) in field goal percentage at 49.5 percent. Additionally, KU ranks 11th in both scoring margin and rebounding margin and 13th in scoring offense.

-Jayhawk junior forward Aishah Sutherland is second in the Big 12 and 36th nationally in rebounding as she is pulling down 9.9 caroms per contest. Sutherland has recorded back-to-back double-figure rebounding games and has eight on the season thus far.

-KU is shooting 49.5 percent from the field after 14 games. The Jayhawks are led by Davis, who has made 94-of-142 shots from the field, good for a league-leading 66.2 percent. Davis ranks second nationally and first in the Big 12. Five other Kansas players are shooting better than 45.0 percent on the season. Senior center Krysten Boogaard is second on the team shooting 63.2 percent.

-Kansas has dished 237 assists through 14 games, good for an average of 16.9 dimes per outing. The Jayhawks have held their opponents to just 134 assists on the season, nearly doubling them up. Freshman guard Keena Mays leads the way with 5.8 helpers per game. Mays ranks fourth in the Big 12 and 15th nationally. Sophomore guard Angel Goodrich is dishing out 4.6 assists per game, which ranks eighth in the Big 12. KU ranks 18th nationally in assists and also ranks 17th in assist-to-turnover ratio.

A LOOK AT TEXAS TECH

At 13-1, Texas Tech enters the game on a five-game winning streak. The Lady Raiders are 2-1 in road games on the season with their lone blemish coming at Penn State. Three Lady Raiders are averaging double-figures in points in Kierra Mallard (13.7), Casey Morris (10.6) and Teena Wickett (10.4). Mallard and Wickett lead Texas Tech on the boards with 7.2 and 6.7 caroms per contest, respectively. Monique Smalls is avearging 5.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game. The Lady Raiders are shooting 43.8 percent from the field and are outscoring their opponents by 21.0 points per game. TTU is also out-rebounding its opponents by 11.6 boards an outing. TTU is coached by Kristy Curry, who owns a 79-63 ledger in her fifth season with the Lady Raiders. Curry’s overall mark is 258-114 in her 12th season in the business.

A LOOK AT KANSAS

Kansas is 13-1 on the season after collectings it fourth-straight win with a 56-41 victory over UMKC in its last outing. Kansas is 10-0 at home on the season. The Jayhawks are led by sophomore forward Carolyn Davis’ 19.6 points per game. Davis has already posted seven 20-point games on the season, highlighted by a 29-point effort at Wisconsin. Davis is also grabbing 8.1 boards per game. Sophomore guard Monica Engelman is averaging 13.1 points per game, while also pulling down 4.5 rebounds per game. Junior forward Aishah Sutherland is next with 11.1 points per contest. Sutherland is nearly averaging a double-double as she is also pulling down 9.9 caroms per contest, which ranks second in the Big 12. Davis tops KU in blocks with 1.5 per game, while Sutherland blocks 1.3 per game. KU is shooting 49.5 percent from the field, which ranks first in the Big 12. The Jayhawks are holding their opponents to just 34.8 percent from the field. Davis leads the team in field goal percentage as she is knocking down 66.2 percent of her shots, which tops the Big 12. Boogaard is right behind her at 63.2 percent and four other Jayhawks are also shooting 45.0 percent or better. Kansas is out-rebounding its opponents by 10.7 boards per game, led by Sutherland’s 9.9 per game. Senior guard Marisha Brown and sophomore guard Angel Goodrich returned to the lineup versus SIUE after missing eight and seven games, respectively, with injuries. Brown is averaging 4.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, while Goodrich is turning in 6.9 points, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals a game.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD…

Improve the Jayhawks to 14-1 for the first time since the 1993-94 season, when KU opened the year with a 16-1 mark … Produce KU’s first win in a Big 12 Conference opener since defeating Texas on Jan. 3, 2006 … Improve the Jayhawks to 11-0 in home games … Make the Jayhawks 4-13 all-time versus TTU … Make the Jayhawks 287-280 all-time versus schools from the Big 12, including a 87-139 mark since the league formed … Improve Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson to 1-6 against TTU … Give Henrickson a 110-96 mark at Kansas, a 33-74 ledger against Big 12 foes and a 268-158 overall record … Make Kansas 707-494 all time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…

Drop KU to 10-1 in home games … Move the Jayhawks to 1-1 in January … Make Kansas 13-2 to open the season for the first time since the 2005-06 season …. Move the series to 14-3 in TTU’s favor … Give KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson an 0-7 record against TTU … Move the Jayhawks to 286-281 all-time versus schools from the Big 12, including a 86-140 record since the league formed … Drop Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record at KU to 109-97, 32-75 versus Big 12 schools and her overall mark to 267-159 … Make Kansas 706-495 all time … Be less good than a Jayhawks’ win.

KU-TTU SERIES HISTORY

The all-time series between the Jayhawks and Lady Raiders is 13-3 in TTU’s favor. Kansas has lost 11-straight games to Tech, picking up its last win on Jan. 23, 1999 with a 55-45 win in Lawrence. The Lady Raiders defeated KU, 69-62, last season in Lubbock, and own a 5-2 advantage in games played in Lawrence.