Jayhawks Host Second-Ranked Sooners On Valentine's Day

Feb. 13, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Game Notes in PDF Format

OPENING TIP

The University of Kansas hosts #2/2 Oklahoma on Saturday, Feb. 14. The Valentine’s Day affair is scheduled for 7 p.m., in Allen Fieldhouse, with a live broadcast on MetroSports. KU (13-9, 2-7) is looking to pick up its second-straight Big 12 win in Allen Fieldhouse, as the Jayhawks defeated Colorado in their last home outing. The Sooners enter the game with a 21-2 overall mark, including a perfect 9-0 mark in conference action.

FAST BREAKS

-Kansas is attempting to pick up its second-straight home win when it hosts Oklahoma. The Jayhawks knocked off Colorado, 65-54, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, in its last home outing.

-The Jayhawks are looking to pick up their third win in Big 12 Conference play and also their first win over a ranked opponent. KU is 0-4 versus ranked opponents this season.

-Junior guard-forward Danielle McCray had her string of games with 20 or more points halted at six as she was held to seven points in 19 foul-plauged minutes KU’s last outing at Texas. McCray, who is leading KU with 19.0 points per game, currently ranks second in the Big 12 Conference in scoring behind only Andrea Riley of Oklahoma State.

-Jayhawk freshman Aishah Sutherland has come on strong in KU’s last five outings. Sutherland has averaged 7.0 points and a team-best 7.0 rebounds in the five-game stretch, doubling her season averages of 4.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. She has posted double figures in rebounds in two of the five outings.

-KU has made 110 three-point baskets on the season, while holding its opponents to just 75. The Jayhawks have connected on 110-of-280 shots from beyond the arc, good for 39.3 percent, which ranks first in the Big 12 Conference. KU currently ranks fourth in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage, led by junior Danielle McCray who has made 39.6 percent of her threes.

-Kansas sophomore Nicollette Smith tied a season-high with 18 points in KU’s last outing. Smith knocked down 3-of-7 shots from beyond the arc and also pulled down four rebounds. The 18-point performance was just one shy of her career best of 19 set versus Hartford last season.

A LOOK AT OKLAHOMA

Second-ranked Oklahoma arrives in Lawrence with a 21-2 mark, including a perfect 9-0 mark in conference action. Despite trailing the all-time series versus Kansas 24-27, OU currently has a 10-game winning streak versus the Jayhawks. Oklahoma is led on the season by senior All-American Courtney Paris with 15.9 points per game. C. Paris is also leading the
Sooners on the boards with 13.5 caroms per contest. She is knocking down 61.5 percent of her field goal attempts, having made 158-of-257 shots from the floor. C. Paris has also collected a team-best 54 blocks and dished 41 assists. Senior forward Ashley Paris is also in double figures with 13.9 tallies per game. A. Paris nearly averaging a double-double as she pulls down 9.7 boards per game. Sophomore guard Danielle Robinson is the third OU player in double digits with 13.0 points per game. Robinson has a team-best 142 assists and 50 steals. Head coach Sherri Coale is in her 13th season with the Sooners, having collected a 275-129 coaching record at OU. Her overall coaching record is the same.

KU-OU SERIES HISTORY

The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 27-25, and hold a 13-8 advantage in games played in Lawrence. Oklahoma has won 10-straight games in the series, including a 67-51 win over KU in Norman last season. Kansas’ last win in the series was a 58-54 win in Lawrence on Feb. 20, 1999. KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 0-4 versus OU, including a 0-2 mark in games played in Lawrence. The following is the complete series history:

A LOOK AT KANSAS

Kansas enters Saturday’s game with a 13-9 overall record, including a 2-7 ledger in Big 12 Conference play. Led by a pair of double figures scorers in Danielle McCray and Sade Morris, the Jayhawks are out scoring their opponents by 9.1 points per game. McCray tops the Jayhawk scorers with 19.0 points per game, while Morris adds 11.9. Sophomore Krysten Boogaard is next with 9.7 points per game. In addition, LaChelda Jacobs and Nicollette Smith are adding 8.2 and 7.1 points per game, respectively. KU is shooting 46.1 percent from the field, while holding its opponents to just 38.1 percent field goal shooting. Four different Jayhawks are making better than 50.0 percent of their shots, led by Rebecca Feickert at 60.0 percent. The Jayhawks have recorded 174 steals compared to just 158 for their opponents, led by McCray with 35 pilfers. Jacobs is the leader in assists with 87 dimes in 22 games, while Ivana Catic has dished 64 assists and Morris 52. McCray is pulling down a team-leading 7.3 rebounds and Boogaard is grabbing 5.7 per game. Kansas is also shooting well from the three-point line as it has connected on 110-of-280 shots from beyond the arc, good for 39.3 percent, tops in the Big 12 Conference. McCray is leading the way from beyond the arc as she has knocked 41-of-104 shots. Ivana Catic leads the Jayhawks from the foul line as she has connected on 19-of-20 attempts. McCray has connected on 88.2 percent of her foul shots.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

-Kansas has three players from the state of Oklahoma on its roster in junior Sade Morris (Norman) sophomore Nicollette Smith (Tulsa) and freshman Angel Goodrich (Tahlequah). Oklahoma fields one native Kansan on its roster in sophomore Lauren Willis (Overland Park). Kansas has more Oklahoma natives on its roster (3) than Oklahoma does (2).

-Jayhawk junior Porscha Weddington’s father, Michael, played football at Oklahoma earning four letters as a defensive lineman. He went on to play professionally for the Green Bay Packers.

-KU and OU played two common opponents outside of league competition this season. Both teams defeated Creighton and Saint Louis in non-conference action.

LAST TIME VERSUS OKLAHOMA

Three Jayhawks scored in double figures led by sophomore guard-forward Danielle McCray’s 13 tallies, but it was not enough as KU fell 67-51 to No. 10/11 Oklahoma at the Lloyd Noble Center.Trailing 35-22 at the break, Kansas came out keeping pace with the Sooners in the second period of play by slowing down the OU offense. KU forced 25 Oklahoma turnovers for the game and held OU to just 36.7 percent shooting from the field in the second frame. McCray gave the Jayhawks a 3-2 lead on KU’s first possession by knocking down a three from the baseline. OU’s Jenna Plumley answered back with a three-pointer of her own to give the Sooners the lead back, a lead they would not surrender the remainder of the game. A bucket inside by freshman center Krysten Boogaard moved the Jayhawks back within one point at 9-8 with 14:02 left to play in the opening frame, before the Sooners widened the gap. Trailing 33-15 with just over two minutes to play in the first half, Kansas freshmen Nicollette Smith and Chakeitha Weldon ignited a Jayhawk run as KU scored seven-straight points to trail 35-22 heading in to the break. In addition to McCray’s 13 points, Boogaard finished with 11 points and Weldon turned in a career-best 10 points in the game. Weldon, who played a personal-best 19 minutes, made 4-of-6 shots from the field and both of her free throw attempts, while dishing three assists. Boogaard led the Jayhawks on the boards for the second-straight game with eight caroms, while McCray finished with seven and Smith pulled down four rebounds to go with her six points. Boogaard also added a career-high four blocked shots, while helping hold Oklahoma All-American Courtney Paris below both of her season averages as she had 10 points and 13 rebounds in the game.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD…

Make Kansas 14-9 for the second-consecutive season … Give the Jayhawks a 28-25 mark versus Oklahoma, including a 14-8 mark in games played in Lawrence … Mark Kansas’ first win over Oklahoma since Feb. 20, 1999 … Give Kansas its first win over a ranked team in five tries this season … Make KU 78-124 all-time in Big 12 Conference action and a 277-263 all-time mark versus Big 12 Conference schools … Improve Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson to 1-4 versus Oklahoma … Give Henrickson a 71-74 mark at Kansas and a 229-136 overall record … Make Kansas 667-472 all time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…

Drop KU to 13-10 overall and 2-8 in Big 12 play … Make the series versus OU 27-26, including an 0-5 mark for KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson … Give the Jayhawks a 13-9 mark versus the Sooners in games played in Lawrence … Make KU 77-125 overall versus the Big 12 Conference … Drop Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record at KU to 70-75 and her overall mark to 228-137 … Make Kansas 666-473 all time.