Postgame Notes

April 1, 2009

Recap | Box Score | Quotes |

Kansas Postgame Notes

WNIT Semifinals

Kansas 75, Illinois State 72

April 1, 2009

Kansas’ win…

…made Kansas 22-13 for the first time since 1998-1999 season.

…gave Kansas a win in its first WNIT semifinal appearance in school history.

…made KU 4-0 all-time against Illinois State and 2-0 in games at Allen Fieldhouse.

…made KU 80-28 all-time against the Missouri Valley Conference schools.

… was Bonnie Henrickson’s first victory over Illinois State in her first game against the Redbirds

… gave Henrickson a 79-78 mark at Kansas and a 237-140 overall record.

…made KU 675-476 all-time.

Team Notes:

– Tonight’s attendance of 8,360 was the fifth largest home crowd in Kansas history.
– Kansas trailed 14-17 at the 9:40 mark in the first half. Beginning with a put-back by Aishah Sutherland at 8:23, the Jayhawks went on an 11-2 run over the next 4:22 giving Kansas a 25-19 lead. Kansas extended the run to 17-8 to close the first half.
– The Jayhawks continued their strong run out of the break starting off the second half with a 13-3 run ending with a Danielle McCray layup and made free throw after being fouled on the shot with 16:20 remaining in the game. Kansas would extend their lead to 17 points (48-31) on a Sutherland put-back at the 13:22 mark.
– Illinois State cut the Kansas lead from 17 to two with 3:35 left in the game and the score 61-59. Along with field goals by Ivana Catic and McCray, Nicollette Smith and McCray converted 10-of-11 free throws down the stretch to close out the victory.
– The Jayhawks’ 58.3% (14-of-24) first-half field goal percentage was the best percentage in a half since KU shot 62.1% (18-of-29) in the second half against Creighton on March 23, 2009. It was Kansas’ best opening half shooting percentage since shooting 64% (16-of 25) against Texas A&M on January 31, 2009.
– The Jayhawks have now won six straight home games.
– The Jayhawks shot 54.3% from the field, their best since shooting 56.4% against Texas A&M.
– Kansas made 24 free throws compared to 21 attempts by Illinois State. This marked the second consecutive game the Jayhawks have accomplished this.
– The Jayhawks have shot 49% or better in all four games of the WNIT. Overall, Kansas has shot 52.4% (110-of-210) in the tournament.
– The Jayhawks outrebounded the Redbirds, 39-29. Kansas has outrebounded all of its opponents during the WNIT at an average rebound margin of +8.
– The Jayhawks will next meet South Florida in the championship game of the WNIT on Saturday, April 4, 2009, at 1 p.m.

Player Notes:

– Sophomore Krysten Boogaard began the night making her first five shots from the field. Her first miss came with 13:24 left in the game. She finished the night with 18 points on six-of-eight shooting. Boogaard also tied a season high for free throws (six), free throws attempted (seven), and blocks (three).
– Boogaard’s 18 points following up her 11 points against New Mexico on Monday marked the first time she has scored in double figures in consecutive games since January 4 and 7, 2009 (New Mexico State-14, Fairfield-13).
– Junior Danielle McCray was held scoreless until the 7:36 mark in the first half when she hit a two-point jumper. McCray finished the night with 31 points.
– McCray’s 31 points marked the third consecutive game and sixth time this season that she has scored 30 or more points. McCray has now averaged 30.8 points over the four WNIT games.
– McCray scored her 1,500th career point tonight and now has 1,515. She trails Angie Snider by three points for ninth on the all-time Kansas scoring list.
— McCray hit three of Kansas’ 14 first-half field goals including the team’s only three pointer on the night. In the second half, she converted seven of the Jayhawks 11 field goals.
– Senior Ivana Catic finished the night with six assists against three turnovers. She now has 38 assists and only six turnovers in her last six games.
– Catic tallied her 400th career assist tonight and now has 401 for her career.
– Sophomore Nicollette Smith tied her career high for free throws with seven and set a new career high with eight free throw attempts. All of them came in the final 1:33 of the game.
– Freshman Aishah Sutherland was perfect from the field, going 4-for-4 on the night. She finished the game with nine points, seven boards, and three blocks in 28 minutes.