Jayhawks Fall to No. 13 Oklahoma, 81-69

Jan. 23, 2010

Final Stats | Notes

NORMAN, Okla. –

Despite four Jayhawks scoring in double figures, Kansas could not contain the Sooners, falling 81-69 in Norman, Okla. Saturday afternoon.

The Jayhawks dropped to 11-7 on the season and 1-4 in the Big 12 Conference, while Oklahoma improved to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in league play. The victory over the Jayhawks marked the 13th-straight for the Sooners and also tied the all-time series with KU at 27-27.

Kansas jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game, behind strong shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 at the line. Four of the five Jayhawk starters had scored before Oklahoma finally terminated the run with back-to-back baskets from senior Amanda Thompson.

Kansas continued to push and extended its lead to 16-6 at the 11:09 mark, but OU’s All-American junior guard Danielle Robinson then hit her first field goal of the game at 10:51, which sparked a 22-2 run by the Sooners over the next six minutes. The Jayhawks, who were plagued by turnovers, could not contain the offensive barrage from the Sooners, as senior Nyeshia Stevenson drained two three-pointers in the final two minutes of the period to give OU a 37-24 advantage at the break.

Oklahoma carried its momentum into the second half, scoring 11 of the first 15 points of the period, while also forcing senior guard/forward Danielle McCray into foul trouble with four. The Jayhawks did not play as a discouraged team, though, chipping away at OU’s 19-point lead to eventually pull within 10 with 11:13 remaining on the game clock.

The teams continued to trade baskets, and Sade Morris, a Norman, Okla., native, chipped in 15 of her 17 points during the second half, but it was not enough to overcome the early-game deficit, as Kansas dropped its second-straight conference matchup.

KU finished the game shooting 49 percent from the field, which was actually a higher percentage than Oklahoma, who made 30-of-67 shots, but the Sooners capitalized on KU’s 18 miscues, scoring 25 points off turnovers.

Morris led the Jayhawks with 17 points, followed by freshman Carolyn Davis, who had a career-high 14 points, six of which came at the line.

Sophomore Aishah Sutherland added 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Freshman Monica Engelman also had an impressive day, scoring 12 points and hauling in six rebounds, both of which were career-highs. Engelman has now scored in double figures in two-straight games.

Oklahoma had four players of their own hit double digits, as Stevenson finished with a game-high 22, Robinson had 14, Carlee Roethlisberger added 10 and Kansas native Joanna McFarland contributed 11.

The Jayhawks return to Lawrence for their next Big 12 matchup against Colorado on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.