🏀 Jayhawks to Host Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Round two of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown is set for Saturday, Feb. 12, in Lawrence as Kansas hosts Kansas State at Allen Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.
Kansas brings a four-game winning streak into Saturday night’s matchup following a 65-47 victory at West Virginia on Wednesday night. The win improved the Jayhawks to 16-5 on the year and 7-4 in Big 12 play. Kansas State enters the Dillons Sunflower Showdown with a record of 17-7 and 7-5 in Big 12 play following a 95-50 loss at No. 10/11 Baylor on Wednesday night. KSU won the first meeting between the teams this season, defeating the Jayhawks 69-61 on Jan. 19 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
The Jayhawks rose to No. 34 in the latest NET rankings, which factor in games through Feb. 9. KU is the sixth-highest team from the Big 12 in the NET rankings and the Jayhawks are currently a No. 11 seed in the latest edition of ESPN Women’s Bracketology.
KU’s win at West Virginia snapped a 13-game winless streak against the Mountaineers and was the Jayhawks first win over WVU in Morgantown since 2013. The Jayhawks have now won four straight Big 12 games for the first time since 2009. A win on Saturday evening would give KU its first five-game win streak in conference play since Jan. 26-Feb. 10, 2000.
Holly Kersgieter led the Jayhawks with 18 points at West Virginia. A junior from Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Kersgieter is now just eight points shy of becoming the 30th player in program history to score 1,000 points in a Jayhawk uniform. Kersgieter is also eighth on KU’s all-time three-point field goal list with 132, which is three away from Angel Goodrich (135; 2010-13) in seventh place.
Zakiyah Franklin had her second-highest scoring day of the season at West Virginia with 17 points. Franklin was 9-of-9 from the free throw line and she has now hit 21 consecutive free throws over the past three games. For the year, Franklin is shooting 89.9 percent (71-of-79) from the line, which ranks third in the Big 12 and 15th in the country.
K-State fell to 17-7 on the year and 7-5 in Big 12 play following a loss at Baylor on Wednesday night. The Wildcats are 13-1 at home this season and 4-6 in true road games. KSU is led by junior center Ayoka Lee, who leads the Big 12 in scoring (24.0 ppg), blocked shots (77) and field goal percentage (57.8) while ranking second in rebounding (10.3 rpg).
The Dillons Sunflower Showdown between Kansas and Kansas State dates back to 1969, with 126 all-time meetings between the in-state rivals. Kansas State leads the all-time series 78-48, which includes a record of 33-26 in games play in Lawrence. The rivals split a home-and-home series in 2020-21, with each team winning on its home court. The Jayhawks claimed a 70-63 victory over KSU on Jan. 23, 2021 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Up Next
Kansas plays its second straight game at home on Tuesday, Feb. 15, as the Jayhawks host West Virginia. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT at Allen Fieldhouse.
