McCray Leads Surging Jayhawks Past Marquette, 74-55
Dec. 6, 2007
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes |
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Sophomore Danielle McCray scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>University of Kansas recorded its 300th all-time victory in Allen Fieldhouse with a convincing 74-55 win over Marquette on Thursday night.
The Jayhawks improved to 6-1 in the process, including a spotless 5-0 mark at Allen Fieldhouse this season. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
McCray, who has now scored in double-digits every game this year and twenty or more twice, topped her previous career-best of 25, which she tallied against KansasState on Feb. 18 of last season. Her scoring barrage was the most by a KU player since Erica Hallman netted 29 on Feb. 25, 2006 again Missouri.
The Olathe, Kan., native also pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds, marking her third-career double-double and first of this season. McCray also set a career-mark by finishing 12-of-14 from the foul line.
Kansas, as it has become accustomed to doing, jumped out on the Golden Eagles early, holding them scoreless for the first 5:18 and eventually building an 18-2 lead nearly ten minutes into the contest. McCray and sophomore Sade Morris, who scored 12 of her career-high 18 points in the first half, paced the Jayhawks throughout the opening frame, helping their team extend its lead to as many as 19.
McCray carried her hot shooting into the second half, where she, along with freshman Krysten Boogaard, who finished with a season-high 12, combined to score Kansas’ first nine points of the half.
Marquette, though, continued to stay within striking distance and eventually cut Kansas’ lead to 13 at the 6:52 mark of the second half after a 7-0 run. However, the Jayhawks put the game out of reach over the next two minutes with an 8-2 run in which all of their points came from the free-throw line. Marquette never threatened again.
In a game that witnessed players from both teams whistled for a combined 39 fouls, Kansas had a significant advantage in what became a war of attrition from the charity stripe, finishing 26-of-33 compared to the Golden Eagles’ 12-of-18. During one stretch late in the game, which, ironically, was played under dimmed lights after a power-surge, both teams combined to score 22 points, 17 of which came on the free throw line.
Senior Ivana Catic continued her solid point-guard play for KU, finishing with six points, five assists and a season high five boards while freshman Nicollette Smith scored five off the bench.
Kansas will be in action again on Dec. 9 when it faces Indiana at 2 p.m. in Lawrence. The game, which is KU’s last before a week-long break for final exams, will be televised by Sunflower Channel 6.
