LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks received a combined 73 points from the senior trio of Zakiyah Franklin, Taiyanna Jackson and Holly Kersgieter, but No. 15 Oklahoma prevailed 86-80 over the Jayhawks on Sunday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
Franklin scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Jayhawks, hitting 11-of-17 field goal attempts and 6-of-8 free throws as she topped her previous best of 27 points. Kersgieter had 24 points on the strength of a career-high six three-pointers, while Jackson recorded her league-leading 17th double-double of the season, finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots.
The loss drops Kansas to 16-8 on the year and 6-8 in Big 12 play, while the Sooners move to 22-4 (12-3 Big 12) this season.
"Oklahoma was terrific. I think if you have three players play really well, it's hard to beat you. We had that with Holly, Zakiyah and Taiyanna, but Oklahoma was just that good today. We had open looks to end the game but just couldn’t convert and make the shots."
Kansas Coach Brandon Schneider
After a slow start, Kansas went on a 6-0 run to take a 19-17 lead with 2:50 left in the first quarter. During that run, Franklin, Jackson, and Kersgister each tallied points. KU led, 27-22 with a minute left in the first quarter, however, OU would tie it up ending the quarter on a 5-0 run.
Kersgieter drained back-to-back three pointers during the first minutes of the second quarter to secure an eight-point lead over the Sooners. Oklahoma soon fought back with a 9-0 run to regain the lead and the teams would go back and forth throughout the rest of the quarter. Kersgeiter and Franklin scored nine points apiece in the second, keeping the Jayhawks close as KU trailed 50-46 at halftime.
Out of the locker room, Oklahoma remained on top through the third quarter, however, a 4-0 run at the six-minute mark and a 6-0 run starting at the three-minute mark helped decrease the deficit to one at the end of the quarter. Franklin went 4-of-5 from the field and collected 10 points to lead the Jayhawks in scoring in the third quarter.
OU led throughout the fourth quarter, despite Kansas cutting the deficit to one on four occasions. KU held Oklahoma without a field goal for the final five minutes of the game, but the Jayhawks couldn’t convert on their final eight field goal attempts, which allowed the Sooners to put the game away with six free throws down the stretch.
Kansas and Oklahoma both shot 48% (31-of-64) from the field, but the Sooners had the advantage from behind the arc, where they hit 10-of-21 three-pointers compared to 8-of-22 for the Jayhawks. Kansas outscored Oklahoma 40-36 from in the paint teams shot 34% from the field and KU and OU both tallied 38 rebounds.
Up Next
The second installment of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown will be played on Wednesday, Feb. 22, as KU travels to Manhattan to face Kansas State. Tipoff from Bramlage Coliseum is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Big 12 NOW.
