🏀 Jayhawks Fall in a Close Contest, 72-69, to North Dakota State
Lawrence, Kan. – Despite a 16-point performance by senior Tina Stephens, the Jayhawks’ women’s basketball team fell to the North Dakota Bison, 72-69, on Monday afternoon inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas was led by Stephens, who scored 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting. She was 1-of-2 from behind the arc and 3-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Junior Brooklyn Mitchell added 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. The 5-6 guard also recorded three assists. Graduate transfer Julie Brosseau was perfect from the free-throw line (9-of-9) and ended the game with 13 points.
The Jayhawks started the game off scoring 13 points and leading the Bison 18-5 at the end of the first 10 minutes of play. In the second quarter, KU struggled to keep up its momentum from the first quarter, resulting in a Bison come-from-behind effort. Kansas held onto a one-point lead at the game’s midpoint as NDSU erased a 13-point deficit, 30-29.
In the third quarter, the Jayhawks kept the game within their control, staying within one possession of the lead. Kansas came up with 24 points in those 10 minutes of action to give KU a 54-52 lead at the end of the quarter.
It was a down-to-the-wire type of game, where the Jayhawks and the Bison went point-for-point until North Dakota State iced the game with free-throws down the stretch and prevailed by the score of 72-69.
NOTES:
- Kansas started off the game on an 18-5 run in the first quarter, shooting 8-of-16 from the field.
- Five points is the fewest points Kansas has allowed in the first quarter this season, and the second-fewest points Kansas has allowed in any quarter this season.
- Five Jayhawks scored in the first quarter.
- Kansas tied the game with 9:14 left in the first quarter and didn’t trail until 8:46 left in the third quarter.
- After shooting 0-of-3 from 3-point range in the first quarter, Tina Stephens made Kansas’ first 3-pointer in the game with 3:30 left in the second quarter.
- Kansas tied its fewest points scored in the second quarter this season, scoring 12 points.
- Kansas made a season-high 21 free throws, shooting 21-of-28 from the stripe.
- Kansas pulled down 40 rebounds, the first time Kansas earned 40 rebounds since 12/3/20 against Ole Miss.
- Kansas had three different players score in double figures: Tina Stephens (16), Julie Brosseau (13) and Brooklyn Mitchell (15).
- Grad transfer Julie Brosseau made her first start as a Jayhawk this season putting up 13 points overall and going 2-of-8 from the field. She also set her career-high in rebounds, recording four overall in the game. In addition, she went 9-of-9 from the charity stripe.
- Senior Tina Stephens led the team with a season-high 16 points, in shooting 6-of-14 this game as well as converting on her first 3-pointer of the season.
- Redshirt-freshman Chandler Prater had a career-high in scoring with four points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field to go along with tying a career-high three rebounds.
- Junior Brooklyn Mitchell set several career highs in this afternoon’s game with her 15 points, in shooting 4-of-9 from the field, along with grabbing three steals.
- Freshman Ioanna Chatzileonti recorded 12 rebounds to go along with her three blocked shots.
Up Next:
After the holiday break, the Jayhawks will take on New Mexico State inside of Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 12 p.m. (Central). The contest will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and broadcasted on the Jayhawk Radio Network.
