Jayhawks Fall To SMU 68-56
Nov. 24, 2007
Box Score in PDF FormatFinal Stats
DALLAS – Kansas sophomore guard-forward Danielle McCray turned in a season-high 21 points, but it was not enough as the Jayhawks dropped their first game of the season 68-56 to tournament host SMU on Saturday evening. KU (3-1) finished as the SMU Hoops for the Cure Classic runner up after falling to the Mustangs (4-1) in the title game.
McCray, who hit 8-of-18 shots from the field, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, was named to the All-Tournament team after putting together back-to-back double figure scoring games.
SMU senior Janelle Dodds was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after collecting 29 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas. Dodds led a second-half Mustang charge, scoring eight-straight points during the first 10 minutes of the second period to help extend SMU’s tight lead to double digits.
KU was plagued by turnovers, committing 24 compared to SMU’s 15. They were also done in at the free throw line, knocking down 6-of-11. SMU, on the other hand, hit 24-of-27, outscoring the Jayhawks by 18 points on their way to the win.
The first half of play was tightly contested. SMU’s Katy Cobb was the first to score as she knocked down a jumper, but answered back for the Jayhawks and went on to put up 13 points in the first half. McCray also pulled down five first-half rebounds, while senior forward Taylor McIntosh grabbed seven as the Jayhawks out did the Mustangs 22-13 on the glass in the opening period of play.
KU inched out to a four-point lead midway through the first half after a three-point basket by McCray, but SMU countered with a four-point play by Sharee Shepherd as she was fouled while making a three-point basket and also knocked down the ensuing free throw. The remainder of the half was a back and forth affair. The two teams went to the break tied at 25 after KU sophomore guard LaChelda Jacobs hit a running jumper with less than a minute to play to knot it up.
McIntosh finished the game with her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 13 rebounds. It also marked the sixth double-double of her career. McIntosh also had four steals. Jacobs was the third Jayhawk player in double digits with 12 points. It marked the second-straight double digit scoring performance by the Mansfield, Texas, native.
KU will return to the court on Tuesday, Nov. 27, when they play host to Creighton. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m., in Allen Fieldhouse.
