Women's Basketball Hosts Nebraska Saturday Evening

Feb. 26, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Game Notes in PDF Format

OPENING TIP

The University of Kansas women’s basketball team (15-11, 4-9) hosts Nebraska (13-13, 4-9) on Saturday, Feb. 28 as it welcomes back Jayhawk alums while celebrating 40 Years of Women’s Sports at KU. Game time is slated for 7 p.m., in Allen Fieldhouse. Fans attending the game are ecouraged to bring a nonperishable food donation to support the Just Food program in Lawrence and its three partners: the East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity Corporation, Trinity Interfaith Food Pantry and the Salvation Army. Any fan bringing a food item for donation will be admitted to the game for $3.

FAST BREAKS

-Kansas is attempting to collect three-straight wins in conference play for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, when they finished with an 11-5 mark in league play and had a five-game winning streak against Big 12 foes.

-The Jayhawks snapped a 14-game conference road losing streak with their 67-52 win at OSU and are looking to post back-to-back home wins in Big 12 play for the first time this season.

-Junior guard-forward Danielle McCray had scored 20 or better in 14 games on the season, including nine of the last 11 outings. McCray, who is leading KU with 19.5 points per game, ranks second in the Big 12 Conference in scoring behind only Andrea Riley of Oklahoma State.

-Kansas junior Sade Morris has now scored in double figures in five-straight games with 11 points in KU’s win at Oklahoma State. On the season, Morris has tallied 10 or more points in 18-of-27 games. Morris averages 11.8 points per game on the season, second best on the team.

-KU sophomore forward Nicollette Smith scored 13 points in the Jayhawks win over Oklahoma State. Smith scored all 13 of her points in the second half of play, including eight during a decisive stretch of play for KU.

-Jayhawk senior Ivana Catic has made her presence felt without scoring many points. Catic, who has only scored 14 points in 13 conference games this season, has dished 36 assists in league play and has also 13 steals. Catic, KU’s top free throw shooter by percentage on the season, knocked down clutch free throws in the Jayhawks’ wins over Iowa State and at Oklahoma State.

A LOOK AT NEBRASKA

The Huskers are 13-13 overall and 4-9 in the Big 12 Conference entering Saturday’s game at Kansas. Nebraska has won three of its last four games, but owns an 0-6 mark in road games during conference play. Junior Cory Montgomery leads the Cornhuskers with 14.3 points per game, while also pulling down a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game. Montgomery is making 42.6 percent of her shots from the field and 83.3 percent of her foul shots. Junior Yvonne Turner is turning in 11.5 points per game, while leading Nebraska with 56 steals. Turner ranks second on the team in assists with 48 and has knocked down a team-high 49 three-point baskets. Sophomore Dominique Kelley is the third Husker in double figures with 9.7 points per game. Kelly is the leader in assists with 66 on the season and also pulls down 3.3 rebounds per game. Head coach Connie Yori is 119-94 in her seventh season at the helm of the NU program. Yori’s overall coaching mark is 314-234 in her 19th season in the business.

KU-NEBRASKA SERIES HISTORY

The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 46-28, including an 24-7 mark in games played on Lawrence. Nebraska haulted a two-game KU winning streak in the series by defeating the Jayhawks, 67-58, in Lincoln in January. KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 3-7 versus NU, picking up two of her victories last season.

A LOOK AT KANSAS

Kansas enters Saturday’s game with a 15-11 overall record, including a 4-9 ledger in Big 12 Conference play after picking up back-to-back wins over Iowa State and Oklahoma State in its last two outings. Led by a pair of double figures scorers in Danielle McCray and Sade Morris, the Jayhawks are out scoring their opponents by 7.8 points per game. McCray tops the Jayhawk scorers with 19.5 points per game, while Morris adds 11.8. Sophomore Krysten Boogaard is next with 9.4 points per game. In addition, LaChelda Jacobs and Nicollette Smith are each adding 7.5 points per game. KU is shooting 45.4 percent from the field, while holding its opponents to just 38.1 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 193 steals on the season, led by McCray with 39 pilfers. Jacobs is the leader in assists with 92 dimes, while Ivana Catic has dished 80 assists and Morris 58. McCray is pulling down a team-leading 7.8 rebounds and Boogaard is grabbing 5.5 per game. Kansas is also shooting well from the three-point line as it has connected on 123-of-318 shots from beyond the arc, good for 38.7 percent, tops in the Big 12 Conference. McCray is leading the way from beyond the arc as she has knocked 49-of-125 shots. Ivana Catic leads the Jayhawks from the foul line as she has connected on 26-of-30 attempts. McCray has connected on 85.0 percent of her foul shots.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

-Kansas has one player from the state of Nebraska in senior guard Katie Smith (Omaha). Nebraska does not have any native Kansans on its roster.

-KU sophomore center Krysten Boogaard and NU sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke both hail from Canada and arrived at their respective college campuses after being two of 12 players selected to attend the Canadian National Elite Development Academy. Of the 12 players selected for the academy, six are currently playing in the United States at Division I schools.

-Jayhawk junior guard LaChelda Jacobs and Nebraska sophomore Catheryn Redmond both attended high school in Mansfield, Texas. Jacobs prepped at Mansfield Summit High, while Redmond played at Mansfield Timberview. KU freshman forward Aishah Sutherland and `Husker senior guard Tay Hester each prepped at Perris High School in Perris, Calif.

LAST TIME VERSUS NEBRASKA

Despite a career-high 30 points from junior Danielle McCray and a double-double from Krysten Boogaard, the Kansas women’s basketball team fell 67-58 in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. McCray and Boogaard combined for 48 of the team’s 58 points in the contest as Boogaard notched her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds. McCray pulled down eight boards, while Nicollette Smith added six points and four rebounds in the effort. Despite KU’s late run at the end of the first half to take a 33-32 lead at the break, Nebraska came out with all the momentum in the second half scoring 15 of the first 18 points as it led 47-36 eight minutes in. McCray scored 17 of her 30 points in the second half but the Jayhawks couldn’t stop NU’s offense as the Cornhuskers outscored KU 35-25 in the last 20 minutes. For the fifth time this season, the Jayhawks shot over 50 percent from the field hitting 24-of-47 for 51.1 percent during the contest, while NU shot 42.6 percent from the field. Kansas also outrebounded the Cornhuskers 35-27 but was hurt by turnovers as NU converted 22 Jayhawk miscues into 20 points, eight of which came off fastbreaks. In the first half, Nebraska took away an early KU lead at the 14:43 mark. KU stayed within five points of the Cornhuskers until a Boogard layup through traffic underneath the basket put KU back up 29-27 with just 3:44 left in the half. McCray proceeded to hit a shot from beyond the three-point arc just 30 seconds later and Smith added a free throw before the half was over. NU then missed a layup under the basket with less than a minute left allowing the Jayhawks to keep a 33-32 advantage. McCray and Boogaard were already in double digits after 20 minutes having scored 13 and 12 points, respectively.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD…

Make Kansas 16-11 for the first time since the 2005-06 season … Give the Jayhawks a 47-28 mark versus Nebraska, including an 25-7 mark in games played in Lawrence … Give Kansas its first three-game conference win streak since collecting five-straight Big 12 Conference wins during the 1999-2000 season … Mark KU’s fifth conference win of the season, tying the most conference victories in a season under head coach Bonnie Henrickson (2005,06; 5-11) … Make KU 80-126 all-time in Big 12 Conference action and a 279-265 all-time mark versus Big 12 Conference schools … Improve Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson to 4-7 versus Nebraska … Give Henrickson a 73-76 mark at Kansas and a 231-138 overall record … Make Kansas 669-474 all time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…

Drop KU to 15-12 overall and 4-10 in Big 12 play … Make the series versus NU 46-29, including a 3-8 mark for KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson … Give the Jayhawks a 24-8 mark versus the Cornhuskers in games played in Lawrence … Make KU 79-127 overall versus the Big 12 Conference … Drop Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record at KU to 72-77 and her overall mark to 230-139 … Make Kansas 668-475 all time.

MCCRAY NAMED TO NAISMITH MIDSEASON LIST

Kansas junior guard-forward Danielle McCray was named a Naismith Trophy Mid-Season candidate by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. McCray is listed as one of 30 mid-season candidates, including six players from the Big 12 Conference. League members joining McCray include Kansas State guard Shalee Lehning, Oklahoma forwards Ashley and Courtney Paris, Oklahoma State guard Andrea Riley and Baylor forward Danielle Wilson. The 30 finalists are vying for the 2009 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, which will be presented at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in St. Louis. Last year’s winner was Tennessee’s Candace Parker.