No. 9/10 Xavier Edges No. 18/23 Kansas, 76-71, In Opening Round of Junkanoo Jam
Nov. 26, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
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Despite 23 points, including 18 in the second half, by senior All-American Danielle McCray, No. 18/23 Kansas suffered its first loss of the season as No. 9/10 Xavier controlled the paint on its way to collecting a 76-71 win over the Jayhawks in the opening round of the Freeport Division of the 2009 Junkanoo Jam.
The loss dropped Kansas to 3-1 on the season, while the Musketeers, who out-scored KU 40-18 in the paint, improved to 4-0.
The first half of play was a back and forth affair that saw five ties and 12 lead changes. Xavier sophomore Tyeasha Moss got the Musketeers on the board first with a lay-up just 16 seconds in the game. Sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland answered right back for KU with a jumper from the right elbow.
Xavier scored the next four points, before Kansas came racing back with an 8-0 run off of four points by senior guard Sade Morris, a lay-up by McCray and a bucket down low by junior center Krysten Boogaard.
The two teams went back and forth with Xavier scoring most of its points in the low post and Kansas knocking down several three point baskets. KU took its biggest lead of the game at 35-30 on another lay-up by Sutherland with just under three minutes to play in the half. Xavier then took advantage of some Kansas foul trouble, going on an 8-2 run to close out the half and take a 38-37 lead into the break.
Sutherland led Kansas in the first half with 10 points off of 4-of-6 shooting from the floor, while Morris had seven points and four rebounds and junior forward Nicollette Smith knocked down two threes on her way to six points.
Xavier controlled the opening minutes of the second period as juniors Amber Harris and Ta’Shia Phillips made KU pay in the post. XU extended its lead to 10 points at the 15:51 mark of the second frame on a jumper in the lane by Harris.
After a quick Kansas time out, Smith drilled a three for the Jayhawks and KU began slowly cutting into the Musketeer lead. The two teams traded baskets over the next eight minutes before McCray went to work and led the Jayhawks back into the game.
McCray started the rally with a three-point basket to cut the lead to four points with 7:34 remaining in the game. She scored 12-straight points for KU, getting the Jayhawks to within two points.
After two foul shots by Harris with 48 seconds left in the game and two by KU freshman guard Angel Goodrich with just 36 seconds remaining, KU fouled Harris just one second later and she missed the front end of the one-and-one. McCray got the rebound and was fouled and knocked down both charity attempts to trim the lead to just one point at 72-71 with 27 seconds on the clock.
KU fouled Harris on the ensuing in-bounds play, but this time she did not miss the foul shot and the Musketeers again took a three-point advantage at 74-71 with 24 seconds to go. The Jayhawks came down and got McCray the ball, but she missed a contested three-point basket with 10 seconds remaining on the clock. XU junior guard Special Jennings got the rebound and hit both charity shots to make the final score 76-71.
McCray’s 23 points led all scorers. She also five steals and two assists. Sutherland was the only other Jayhawk in double figures as she netted 16 points. She also registered four rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Smith finished with nine points, knocking down all three of her three-point attempts, while Goodrich dished a career-best 11 assists.
Harris finished with 22 points and nine boards for Xavier and T. Phillips had 12 points and 11 rebounds. April Phillips had 11 points and eight caroms, while Jennings added 17 points.
KU will face either TCU or Minnesota in the consolation round of play on Saturday, Nov. 28. Game time is scheduled for 12 p.m., (CT).
