Jayhawks Host Evansville In WNIT Second Round Monday

March 21, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Game Notes

OPENING TIP

The University of Kansas women’s basketball team will open the 2008 Postseason WNIT by hosting the Evansville Purple Aces on Monday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. KU (16-15, 4-12 Big 12) will be hitting the court for the first time in 12 days since falling in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Big 12 Championship. Evansville (21-11, 13-5 Missouri Valley) enters Monday’s match-up fresh off a 60-58 win over Southeast Missouri State in the first round of the WNIT.

FAST BREAKS

-Sophomore guard-forward Danielle McCray recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds in KU’s loss to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals. McCray’s seven double-doubles leads the Jayhawks.

-Freshman center Krysten Boogaard was recently nabbed two more honors for her play this season. Boogaard was named to the Dallas Morning News and Waco Tribune-Herald Big 12 All-Freshman Teams.

-Sophomore guard LaChelda Jacobs tied her season-high with 15 points in KU’s last outing versus Oklahoma State. Jacobs, who was in the starting line-up for the third-straight game, played a career-high 40 minutes versus the Cowgirls, while also collecting six rebounds and two steals.

-Kansas is 12-4 at home on the season, including a perfect 8-0 mark versus non-conference foes.

A LOOK AT EVANSVILLE

The Purple Aces are 21-11 overall and posted a 13-5 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play on their way to claiming a share of their first-ever conference title. UE advanced to Monday’s second round game by defeating Southeast Missouri State, 60-58, in the opening round of the WNIT. Evansville is 7-9 in road games this season, including a 2-5 ledger in non-conference play.The Purple Aces are led on the season by senior guard Rebekah Parker’s 14.4 points per game. Parker also leads the team in assists (3.6), while ranking second in steals (1.6) and third in rebounding (5.8). Forward Shannon Novosel and guard Courtney Felke also turn in double figures with 10.8 and 10.0 points per game, respectively, while Novosel leads UE in rebounding with 6.1 boards per game. The Purple Aces average just 15.1 turnovers per game, while forcing their opponents into over 19 per contest. Evansville head coach Tricia Cullop, who was named 2008 MVC Coach of the Year, is 123-109 in her eighth season at the helm of the program. Her overall record is the same.

KANSAS-EVANSVILLE SERIES HISTORY

The Jayhawks and Purple Aces will be meeting for the first time.

A LOOK AT KANSAS

Kansas enters Monday’s contest with a 16-15 overall mark, including a 4-12 Big 12 Conference action. Sophomore guard/forward Danielle McCray is the top Jayhawk in scoring (14.6) and rebounding (7.1). McCray also leads the Jayhawks in steals with 50. Fellow sophomore guard Sade Morris is almost in double figures in points per game with 9.7 tallies an outing. Morris also gives KU 3.5 boards and 2.5 assists per game. Freshman center Krysten Boogaard was inserted into the starting line-up after the team returned from its holiday break and ranks third on the team in scoring with 9.4 points a game to go along with 5.5 caroms per contest. Boogaard also leads the Jayhawks in blocks with 33 on the season, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field. Senior forward Taylor McIntosh is second on the team in rebounding with 6.9 boards per game, while also dropping in 6.7 points. Sophomore guard LaChelda Jacobs has been coming on strong as of late and is averaging 6.1 points on the season, while also collecting 48 dimes. Freshman forward Nicollette Smith comes off the bench to provide 5.9 points per game and leads KU with 41 triples on the season. The Jayhawks are coached by Bonnie Henrickson who owns a 56-64 mark in her fourth season at the helm of the Kansas program. Henrickson owns an overall coaching mark of 214-126 in 11 seasons on the sidelines.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

-Kansas has does not have any Indiana natives on its roster and likewise, Evansville does not have any Sunflower State players in its line-up.

-KU took the court against two Missouri Valley Conference teams this season, posting a 2-0 record versus Drake and Creighton. KU defeated Drake, 69-64, in the first day of action at the SMU Hoops for the Cure Classic in Dallas. The Jayhawks also defeated Creighton, 91-56, in Allen Fieldhouse in November. Kansas and Evansville did not have any other common opponents on the season.

KU IN THE WNIT

KU is playing in the WNIT for the second time under its current format, and also played in the NWIT twice — in 1978 and 1991 — when it was an eight-team tournament. The NWIT later went to 16 teams until its final year of 1996. There was no NWIT tournament in 1997. In 1998, the tournament was brought back under the new name WNIT and in 1999, the field expanded to 32 teams. This year, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams. KU is 1-1 in the current WNIT format having knocked off Northern Iowa, 59-49, before falling to Ole Miss, 78-76, in the second round in 2006.