Women's Basketball Opens Exhibition Play Against Pittsburg State Sunday

Nov. 2, 2007

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Game Notes in PDF Format

OPENING TIP

The University of Kansas hosts Pittsburg State in its first of two exhibition games to start the 2007-08 season Sunday, Nov. 4. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. Bonnie Henrickson begins her fourth season at the helm of the women’s basketball program after leading the Jayhawks to a 40-49 overall mark during her first three campaigns, including a 17-13 mark and a bid to the Women’s NIT during the 2005-06 season.

FAST BREAKS

-Three freshmen will make their debut in a Kansas uniform. KU’s roster consists of 11 returning players including three starters: senior Taylor McIntosh and sophomores Kelly Kohn and Danielle McCray, although nine players on the 2007-08 roster have starting experience.

-Kansas holds a 29-9 all-time record in exhibition games and has won 20 of its last 22 preseason contests. See page two for complete preseason exhibition results.

-Today’s game will mark the ninth time the Jayhawks have played an in-state Division II foe in the preseason.

-KU defeated Pittsburg State, 90-65, on Nov. 6, 2005, in Bonnie Henrickson’s second season as head coach. KU is 1-0 in preseason exhibition games against the Gorillas.

-Kansas leads the regular season series with Pittsburg State, 4-1. All five games were played during a 15-year span (Feb. 22, 1969 to Dec. 13, 1986). Kansas opened the series with a win before falling in the second game of the series. The Jayhawks have now won four-straight, including their exhibition win over the Gorillas in 2005.

-The Jayhawks will host Emporia State in an exhibition game on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m., before opening the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 11. KU will play Hartford at 1 p.m. in the season-opener for both teams.

A LOOK AT KANSAS

The Jayhawks enter the 2007-08 season with a wealth of young athletic players mixed with two senior forwards in Taylor McIntosh and Jamie Boyd. A trio of juniors in guards Ivana Catic and Katie Smith and forward Marija Zinic will look to help anchor a young group of talented underclassmen. With six sophomores and three freshmen on the roster, the Jayhawk future is bright.

THE OPPONENT

The Gorillas are starting a new era under first-year head coach Lane Lord. PSU is starting fresh, as all five starters from last season’s 11-16 squad have moved on and just three letterwinners are back to play on this year’s team. Sophomore guard Marissa Poppe is the leading returner as she tossed in 9.0 points and pulled down 3.5 rebounds per game last season. Pitt State’s roster features nine Kansas natives, including Lawrence’s own Jenna Brantley. Brantley played her high school ball at Free State High School.

LEADERS OF THE HAWKS

Seniors Jamie Boyd and Taylor McIntosh and junior Ivana Catic have been named tri-captains for the 2007-08 season. It is the second-straight year for both McIntosh and Catic to be bestowed with the honor, while Boyd is serving as a captain for the first time in her Jayhawk career.