Jayhawks Host Cyclones For Pink Zone Game Sunday

Feb. 20, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Game Notes in PDF Format

OPENING TIP

The University of Kansas hosts #21/23 Iowa State on Sunday, Feb. 22 in its annual “Pink Zone” game. The Jayhawks and Cyclones will both sport alternative pink uniforms as the teams play in an effort to promote breast cancer awareness and prevention. Game time is slated for noon in Allen Fieldhouse. The teams are meeting for the first of two games this season. Kansas Athletics will donate $1 per person in attendance toward breast cancer research and awareness, while KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson will donate an additional $1 for every KU student in attendance.

FAST BREAKS

-Kansas is attempting to snap a four-game losing streak, with three of the four losses coming on the road.

-The Jayhawks are looking to pick up their first win over a ranked team when they face Iowa State. KU is 0-5 versus ranked teams on the season.

-Junior guard-forward Danielle McCray had scored 20 or better in 12 games on the season, including seven of the last nine outings. McCray, who is leading KU with 18.8 points per game, ranks second in the Big 12 Conference in scoring behind only Andrea Riley of Oklahoma State.

-Kansas sophomore Nicollette Smith has scored in double figures in two of the last three games with 18 points at Texas and 15 points at Colorado. Smith was Kansas’ leading scorer in both games. Smith averages 7.5 points per game on the season.

-Jayhawk freshman Aishah Sutherland has come on strong in KU’s last seven outings. Sutherland has averaged 6.4 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds in the seven-game stretch, doubling her season averages of 4.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She has posted double figures in rebounds in three of the seven outings.

-KU junior LaChelda Jacobs came up big on the boards in the Jayhawks loss at Colorado. Jacobs pulled down 10 boards to lead all players. It marked her first career double-figure rebounding game. Jacobs, who added seven points and three assists in the game, is the fourth Jayhawk to pull down 10 or more rebounds in a game this season (Boogaard, McCray, N. Smith).

A LOOK AT IOWA STATE

The #21/23 Cyclones arrive in Lawrence fighting for a top-four seed in the conference, which would earn them a first round bye in the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City. Kansas leads the all-time series 41-23 and the two teams split last season’s series with each team winning at home. ISU is led on the season by senior Heather Ezell with 12.1 points per game. Ezell also leads the team in both assists with 79 and steals with 45. Junior Alison Lacey also averages double figures in points with 10.4, while leading the Cyclones on the boards with 5.3 caroms per contest.Sophomore Kelsey Bolte is nearly averaging double figures with 9.6 points per game. Bolte also pulls down 4.6 rebounds per game. Iowa State is one of the deepest, most balanced teams in the Big 12 as nine players average 10 or more minutes per game. Head coach Bill Fennelly is in his 14th season with the Cyclones, having collected a 299-138 coaching record at ISU. His overall coaching record is 465-191 in his 21st year in the business.

KU-IOWA STATE SERIES HISTORY

The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 41-23. The two teams split last season’s games, with each team winning on its home court, however, Iowa State has won three of the last four meetings. KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 4-5 versus ISU, including a 2-2 mark in games played in Lawrence.

A LOOK AT KANSAS

Kansas enters Sunday’s game with a 13-11 overall record, including a 2-9 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 7.4 points per game. McCray tops the Jayhawk scorers with 18.8 points per game, while Morris adds 11.7. Sophomore Krysten Boogaard is next with 9.6 points per game. In addition, LaChelda Jacobs and Nicollette Smith are adding 7.9 and 7.7 points per game, respectively. KU is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, while holding its opponents to just 38.8 percent field goal shooting. Three different Jayhawks are making better than 50.0 percent of their shots, led by Rebecca Feickert at 60.0 percent. The Jayhawks have recorded 182 steals on the season, led by McCray with 35 pilfers. Jacobs is the leader in assists with 91 dimes, while Ivana Catic has dished 70 assists and Morris 56. McCray is pulling down a team-leading 7.2 rebounds and Boogaard is grabbing 5.6 per game. Kansas is also shooting well from the three-point line as it has connected on 116-of-299 shots from beyond the arc, good for 38.8 percent, tops in the Big 12 Conference. McCray is leading the way from beyond the arc as she has knocked 44-of-116 shots. Ivana Catic leads the Jayhawks from the foul line as she has connected on 19-of-20 attempts. McCray has connected on 84.4 percent of her foul shots.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

-Kansas does not have any Iowa residents on its roster, however, Iowa State has one native Kansan on its roster in junior guard Denae Stuckey (Kansas City, Kan.), while fellow ISU junior guard Anna Florzak is from Kansas City, Mo.

-ISU junior guard Denae Stuckey is the younger sister of KU junior football player Darrell Stuckey. Darrell Stuckey, who picked up All-Big 12 honors for the second-straight season after helping lead the Jayhawks to a win in the 2008 Insight Bowl and a 8-5 mark this season, and his sister both attended Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan.

-The Jayhawks and Cyclones shared two common opponents outside of conference play this season in Creighton and Iowa. Both the Jayhawks and Cylones came out on the winning side versus Creighton, while KU dropped Iowa and Iowa State fell victim to their cross-state rival.

LAST TIME VERSUS IOWA STATE

Senior forward Taylor McIntosh recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-best 16 rebounds for Kansas, but Iowa State got 19 points from sophomore guard Alison Lacey and pulled away in the second half to claim a 51-42 win over the Jayhawks at Hilton Coliseum. It was a defensive battle in the first 20 minutes of play as McIntosh helped KU to a solid opening period. She pulled down six boards and added six points as the Jayhawks trailed by just two points at the break 20-18. Iowa State forced the ball inside to open the second half, finding center Jocelyn Anderson for eight points in the opening 10 minutes of the half. The Cyclones went on a 9-1 run to open the final frame and the Jayhawks were forced the play catch-up the rest of the way. Trailing 35-21 with 11:48 left in the game, McIntosh started a seven-point KU run with a bucket underneath followed by a three-point play by sophomore guard LaChelda Jacobs. Sophomore guard-forward Danielle McCray finished it off with a basket from the lane, but Lacey was there for the answer, knocking down a three-pointer from the wing. Lacey seemed to have all the answers as she continuously found a way to thwart every KU run in the latter stages of the second half. The Jayhawks trimmed the lead to six on two occasions down the stretch, but Lacey either found an open teammate for a basket or scored herself. Jacobs finished with nine points to compliment McIntosh in the scoring column. Freshman center Krysten Boogaard pulled down seven rebounds, while McIntosh also collected three steals. Freshman forward Kelsey Bolte finished in double digits for ISU with 11 points, while Lacey and junior forward Amanda Nisleit collected seven boards for the Cyclones.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD…

Make Kansas 14-11 for the second-consecutive season … Give the Jayhawks a 42-23 mark versus Iowa State, including a 23-7 mark in games played in Lawrence … Mark KU’s first win over a ranked team since defeating #23/24 Texas on Jan. 3, 2006 … Make KU 78-126 all-time in Big 12 Conference action and a 277-265 all-time mark versus Big 12 Conference schools … Improve Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson to 5-5 versus Iowa State … Give Henrickson a 71-76 mark at Kansas and a 229-138 overall record … Make Kansas 667-474 all time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…

Drop KU to 13-12 overall and 2-10 in Big 12 play … Make the series versus ISU 41-24, including an 4-6 mark for KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson … Give the Jayhawks a 22-8 mark versus the Cyclones in games played in Lawrence … Make KU 77-127 overall versus the Big 12 Conference … Drop Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record at KU to 70-77 and her overall mark to 228-139 … Make Kansas 666-475 all time.