🏀 Kansas Upsets No. 13 Texas in Overtime, 70-66
AUSTIN, Texas – Led by three players in double-figures in scoring, including a team-high 19 points from Holly Kersgieter, the Kansas Jayhawks upset the No. 13/12 Texas Longhorns, 70-66, in overtime inside the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas on Wednesday evening.
“I’m just really happy for our players. They worked really hard. Their focus over the past few days has the best I have ever seen,” Head Coach Brandon Schneider said. “It just says a lot about the growth of our team and the leadership of our team.”
Along with Kersgieter, Aniya Thomas (11 points) and Zakiyah Franklin (10 points) scored in double-figures.
Kansas improves to 11-2 on the season and 2-1 in Big 12 Conference play, while winning two road games over the last three days. Kansas’ win is also the first over a ranked conference opponent on the road since its last time defeating No. 23/25 Texas, 72-67 on January 4, 2012.
After falling behind 9-2 in the early going, Kansas went on a 7-0 run and tied the game on a layup by Aniya Thomas at the 3:46 mark of the first quarter. The teams would be tied at 13-all after the first quarter, with Kansas taking its first lead early in the second as Julie Brosseau hit a free throw, following by a three-pointer to put KU up 17-13. The Jayhawks got four points from Kersgieter during a 7-0 run that put KU up 29-21 late in the first half. A three-pointer from UT made the score 29-24 at the break.
A corner three-pointer by Thomas with 7:02 to play in the third put the Jayhawks up 37-30, but it would be KU’s final field for nearly four minutes as UT went on a 10-0 run to take the lead for the first time in the second half. Kansas closed the quarter with three free throws and trailed by one, 43-42, at the end of three.
Neither team would lead by more than three points in the fourth quarter, but KU had a three-point lead with just over a minute to play after a Kersgieter three made it 59-56 with 1:07 remaining. Texas would answer with a three in the closing seconds of regulation, however, to force overtime tied at 59.
In overtime, the Jayhawks remained poised and scored the first points out of the break on a Franklin 3-pointer.Two possessions later, Kersgieter drove the lane on a pass from Taiyanna Jackson to give KU a 66-61 lead with 2:01 remaining in overtime.
After Texas trimmed the lead to three at 66-63 with 1:33 remaining, the Jayhawks cashed in at the free throw line with a pair of free throws from Franklin and Kersgieter to put the game away, giving KU its first win in Austin in 10 years.
As a team, Kansas shot 49 percent (25-of-51) from the floor, while holding Texas to 41 percent (25-of-61) shooting. The Jayhawks scored 36 points in the paint, while keeping Texas to just 14 points around the rim.
Up Next
Kansas returns home on Sunday, Jan. 16, for its second straight matchup against a ranked opponent. The Jayhawks will host No. 14/13 Baylor at 2 p.m. CT from Allen Fieldhouse.
