Kansas Defeats Fairfield, 80-60 as Danielle McCray Passes 1,000-Point Mark

Jan. 7, 2009

Box Score | Quotes | Notes |

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Junior Danielle McCray became the 20th Jayhawk to score 1,000 points in her career as the Kansas women’s basketball team defeated the Fairfield Stags, 80-60 in Allen Fieldhouse Wednesday night. McCray’s 16 points in the game gave her 1,008 points for her career.

The Jayhawks improved to 11-2 as they finished non-conference play. Fairfield fell to 7-7 despite 15 points from Baendu Lowenthal and 10 points from Desiree Pina, respectively.

Kansas took control of the game early, building a nine-point lead and holding the Stags without a field goal and allowing just two free throws in the first four and a half minutes of play. The main highlight of the first half came when McCray hit a jumper at the 4:51 mark of the first half to record the 1,000th point of her career. McCray and sophomore Krysten Boogaard led all scorers with 10 points each and Kansas went to the locker room with a 41-25 lead at halftime.

Fairfield began the second half on a 6-0 run, but could never get closer than eight points. McCray hit a pair of three-pointers and junior Sade Morris chipped in seven points to jump start the Jayhawks on a 10-2 run that put them up by 20 points midway through the second period. Kansas led by as many as 26 at the 3:56 mark before claiming the 20-point victory.

Four Jayhawks finished in double figures including McCray (16), Boogaard (13), Morris (13) and junior LaChelda Jacobs (10). Senior Ivana Catic recorded a season-high seven rebounds while McCray and sophomore Nicollette Smith each pulled down seven rebounds as well to help give the Jayhawks a 47-34 advantage on the boards. Kansas shot 66.7 percent from behind the arc, its best percentage of the season, and outscored Fairfield 42-26 in the paint.

Kansas begins conference play when it travels to Manhattan, Kan. on Saturday to take on the Kansas State Wildcats in Bramlage Coliseum at 6 p.m.