No. 20 Jayhawks Host Oral Roberts in 2009-10 Season Opener
Nov. 13, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Game Notes in PDF Format
OPENING TIP
No. 20 Kansas hosts Oral Roberts in its 2009-10 season-opener Sunday, Nov. 15. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. Bonnie Henrickson is in her sixth season at the helm of the women’s basketball program after leading the Jayhawks to a 79-79 overall mark during her first five campaigns, including a 22-14 mark and a trip to the Women’s NIT Championship game in 2008-09. KU defeated Pittsburg State, 86-56, and Emporia State, 85-48, in its two exhibition contests. The Jayhawks are ranked entering the season for the first time since 1999-00.
FAST BREAKS
-Bonnie Henrickson is 4-1 in season openers at KU, including a 106-64 win over Sacred Heart last year. Henrickson has compiled a 11-1 record in season openers as a head coach.
-The Jayhawks are 8-2 in their last 10 season-opening contests and have won four-straight season-openers.
-KU wrapped up its exhibition season with a 2-0 mark for the sixth-straight season under Henrickson. The Jayhawks defeated Pittsburg State, 86-56, and Emporia State, 86-48.
-Kansas leads the all-time series with Oral Roberts, 9-0. The Jayhawks and Golden Eagles have not met since KU took a 94-66 win over ORU on December 3, 1993 in Lawrence.
-The Jayhawks will dress out 13 players as senior forward Porscha Weddington is out with mono and freshman forward Tania Jackson is taking a redshirt this season. Weddington is expected to miss two weeks of action while she recovers.
A LOOK AT ORAL ROBERTS
After a disappointing 13-17 season a year ago, the Golden Eagles enter the 2009-10 campaign looking to make a run at their third Summit League title and NCAA appearance in the last four seasons. ORU will be one of the youngest teams in the nation, as 11 of the 14 eligible players are underclassmen. However, the Golden Eagles’ upperclassmen are loaded with experience, as last year’s Summit League First-Team selection Janae Voelker and Newcomer of the Year Georgia Jones return to the court. The Golden Eagles were tabbed to finish fourth in this year’s Summit League preseason polls, as voted on by the conference’s coaches, sports information directors and media. Voelker was picked to repeat as a first-team all-conference performer, while Jones was honored on the preseason second-team. ORU is coached by Jerry Finkbeiner, who owns a 209-176 record in his 14th season. Finkbeiner’s overall coaching mark is 408-210 in 20 years.
A LOOK AT KANSAS
Kansas, ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press preseason poll, will hit the court to begin the 2009-10 season returning eight letterwinners, including four starters, from last season’s 22-14 team that earned a spot in the WNIT Championship game. Senior guard-forward Danielle McCray returns as the Jayhawks’ leading scorer (21.6 ppg) and rebounder (7.7 rpg). McCray, who was tabbed the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, earned Honorable Mention All-America honors and was an All-Big 12 First Team performer as a junior after scoring in double figures in 33-of-36 games. Senior guard Sade Morris returns after averaging 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game game a year ago, while junior center Krysten Boogaard returns her 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game to the line up. Junior forward Nicollette Smith started 34 games last season, turning in 6.4 points and 4.5 boards a game. Senior guard LaChelda Jacobs recorded 5.9 points per game in 08-09, while also dishing 110 assists and sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland collected 5.9 points and 4.7 caroms per contest during her rookie campaign. Leading the way for the Jayhawk newcomers is redshirt freshman Angel Goodrich. Goodrich, who arrived in Lawrence as a WBCA High School All-American, will see the court for the first time after missing all of the 2008-09 season with a knee injury. Junior college transfers Rhea Codio and Marisha Brown join KU’s four incoming freshmen to provide the Jayhawks with valuable depth for the 2009-10 season.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will hit the road for the first time during the 2009-10 season when they travel to Iowa City, Iowa for a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Game time is slated for 7 p.m., in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. KU defeated Iowa, 77-56, in Lawrence last season. Wednesday’s game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
