KU Women Host Missouri In Border Showdown Saturday
Jan. 18, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Game Notes
OPENING TIP
The Kansas women’s basketball team will play host to the Missouri Tigers on Saturday, Jan. 19 in the first installment of the Border Showdown. KU enters Saturday’s match-up with an 11-5 overall mark and a 0-3 ledger in Big 12 action. The Tigers arrive in Lawrence with an 8-8 record on the season, including a 1-2 conference mark. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.
FAST BREAKS
-Saturday marks the eighth and ninth Kansas-Missouri meetings of the 2007-08 academic year in the annual Border Showdown with the women’s basketball game in Lawrence and the men’s hoops contest in Columbia. The winner(s) of KU-MU head-to-head competition are awarded points. Currently, Missouri holds an advantage against Kansas, 8.0 to 4.5. Though the state rivalry dates back to the pre-Civil War era, the athletics rivalry started in 1891 with football and 1907 in men’s basketball. The Border Showdown trophy has been presented five times with MU winning three times – 2003, 2005 and 2007 – and KU twice in 2004 and 2006.
-Kansas sophomore Kelly Kohn missed the first game of her Jayhawk career in KU’s loss to #24/25 Oklahoma State. Kohn, who suffered a right ankle sprain in practice during the week, is listed as day-to-day after also missing the Nebraska and Baylor games. She had played in 44-straight games, including 35 starts prior to the OSU game.
-The Jayhawks return home to the friendly confines of Allen Fieldhouse for the match-up with Mizzou after playing five of their last seven games on the road. KU is 2-3 in those road contests, while boasting an 8-1 mark in games played in Lawrence.
A LOOK AT MISSOURI
The Tigers are 8-8 on the season, including a an 0-2 mark in road games. MU is 1-2 in Big 12 Conferece play with a win over Texas Tech and losses to Colorado and Oklahoma State. Mizzou is led on the season by junior guard Alyssa Hollins with 17.0 points per game. Hollins pulls down 3.6 rebounds and leads the Tigers with 36 steals. Sophomore forward Jessra Johnson is leading rebounder with 8.3 rebounds per game, while also getting double figures in scoring with 15.2 tallies per game. Freshman forward Shakara Jones is MU’s third player in double figure scoring with 11.7 points a game. Jones grabs 6.4 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 46.7 percent from the field. The Tigers have made 116 three-point baskets on the season with Hollins leading the way with 46. MU passes the ball well as five players have recorded 20 or more assists on the season. Missouri head coach Cindy Stein is 158-130 in her 10th season in Columbia. Stein owns an overall mark of 223-155 in her 13th season in the business.
KANSAS-MISSOURI SERIES HISTORY
The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 38-34, including a 17-11 mark in games played in Lawrence. The two teams have split the Border Showdown in each of the last two seasons. KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 4-3 versus MU, including a 2-1 mark in games played in Lawrence.
A LOOK AT KANSAS
Kansas enters Saturday’s contest with an 11-5 overall mark, including an 0-3 Big 12 Conference record after falling to #24/25 Oklahoma State at home and Nebraska and #6/7 Baylor on the road to opening week of conference play. The Jayhawks are 8-1 in home games with their lone loss coming in their last outing in Allen Fieldhouse versus the Cowgirls. Sophomore guard/forward Danielle McCray is the top Jayhawk in scoring (15.2) and ranks second in rebounding (6.8). Fellow sophomore guard Sade Morris is also in double figures in points per game with 12.5 tallies an outing. Morris also gives KU 4.2 boards and 2.4 assists per game. Freshman center Krysten Boogaard was inserted into the starting line-up after the team returned from its holiday break and ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 8.2 points a game to go along with 4.5 caroms per contest. Senior forward Taylor McIntosh is tops on the team in rebounding with 7.8 boards per game, while also dropping in 8.3 points. McIntosh is also the team leader in blocks with 13 and field goal percentage as she connects on 53.5 percent of her shots. Junior point guard Ivana Catic is the team-leader in assists with 4.1 dishes per game, while also leading the Jayhawks in steals with 1.6 pilfers per outing. Freshman forward Nicollette Smith comes off the bench to provide 6.1 points per game and leads KU with 23 triples on the season. The Jayhawks are coached by Bonnie Henrickson who owns a 51-54 mark in her fourth season at the helm of the Kansas program. Henrickson owns an overall coaching mark of 209-116 in 11 seasons on the sideline.
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
– Kansas does not have any players from the state of Missouri on its roster, however, MU has two natives of the Sunflower state on its roster in freshman Bekah Milles of El Dorado and sophomore Marissa Scott of Iola.
– KU and MU played one common opponent outside of league competition this season in UMKC. Both teams knocked off the Kangaroos in their respective home arenas.
