🏀 Jayhawks Dominate Tennessee State 83-60

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Women’s Basketball used its size and speed to blow past Tennessee State with an 83-60 victory Sunday afternoon in Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas improved to 2-0 for the fifth-consecutive season, scoring 44 points in the paint to TSU’s 18. The Jayhawks forced 19 Tennessee State turnovers and outscored the Tigers 25-4 on fast break points. The Jayhawks handed Tennessee State its first loss of the season as the Tigers fell to 2-1.

"We did a good job executing against their pressure. They’re a very hard team to play against. It’s a style you don’t really see a lot anymore with pressing on made baskets, misses, trapping passes on every inbounds pass. I was pleased early with how we executed when we were able to get into some number situations."

Head Coach Brandon Schneider

For the second-straight game, KU senior guard Aniya Thomas led all scorers with 19 points. She was joined in double figures by sophomore forward Ioanna Chatzileonti pouring in 16 points, junior guard Zakiyah Franklin adding 13 and sophomore forward Katrine Jessen 10. Junior center Taiyanna Jackson led all rebounders with 13 for the game, her second straight double-figure rebound contest. Franklin led KU with six assists, while Thomas had five.

At the game, Kansas Athletics celebrated Native America Heritage Day with video and in-person tributes and recognitions of local Native American groups in attendance during the contest. Included was a video tribute from former WNBA Jayhawk and Native American Angel Goodrich.

Down 8-6, Kansas exploded and went on a 16-0 run to take a 22-8 lead with just over a minute to play in the opening quarter. Thomas had all six of her first-quarter points in the run. Chatzileonti paced the Jayhawks with eight first-quarter points on 3-for-3 shooting. Kansas would take a 26-13 lead into the second quarter and never looked back.

Kansas kept its pace up in the second quarter and built an 18-point lead, 33-15, on a pair of Franklin free throws. Kansas led 48-34 at intermission and outscored Tennessee State 30-2 in points in the paint and 18-0 on fast break points in the first half. Chatzileonti led KU with 12 first-half points. She would end the contest 4-for-7 from the field and 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Franklin was 5-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from the line for the game.

Kansas scored nine of the first 10 points in the third quarter to take a 58-35 lead. In the run, Thomas drained two three-pointers. KU would then go on a 10-1 run to take its largest lead of the game, 68-37, with 5:15 left in the third quarter. Thomas would account for four of KU’s 10 points with back-to-back layups in the run.

Kansas continues its four-game homestand when it plays host to Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.

Notes
• Kansas improved to 2-0 on the year and has started 2-0 for the fifth straight season.
• The Jayhawks went on a 16-0 run over 6:26 in the 1st quarter to turn a two-point deficit into a 14-point advantage.
• Kansas held a 44-18 advantage in points in the paint and a 25-4 edge in fast break points.
• Kansas had 11 steals in Sunday’s contest. They have double-digit steals in each of the first two games.
• Kansas had four players finish in double figures (Aniya Thomas – 19, Ioanna Chatzileonti – 16, Zakiyah Franklin – 13, Katrine Jessen – 10).
• Junior Taiyanna Jackson finished with a game-high 13 rebounds to go along with six points in 29 minutes of play. She has recorded 10+ rebounds in each of the first two games this season.
• Senior Aniya Thomas posted a game-high 19 points on 7-for-13 (53.8%) shooting, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks in 31 minutes.
• Sophomore Katrine Jessen contributed a career-high 10 points on 4-for-7 (57.1%) shooting in 19 minutes off the bench.
• Sophomore Ioanna Chatzileonti scored 16 points and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. She also grabbed eight rebounds in her 27 minutes.