Evans, Nichols Lead Jayhawks Past North Alabama

Sunday, November 17

Lawrence, Kan.

2 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

4-0,0-0Big 12

North Alabama

2-2,0-0ASUN

North Ala.

Kansas

Photo by: Missy Minear/Kansas Athletics

Evans, Nichols Lead Jayhawks Past North Alabama

11/17/2024 4:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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LAWRENCE, Kan. - Elle Evans scored a game-high 21 points and S'Mya Nichols added 20 as the Kansas Jayhawks improved to 4-0 on the year with an 81-64 victory over North Alabama on Sunday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.

With the win, Kansas improves to 4-0 for the third time in the last four seasons and the sixth time in 10 years under head coach Brandon Schneider. North Alabama falls to 2-2 on the year with the loss.

"I'm happy with how we took care of the ball, committing just six turnovers," Schneider said after the game. "S'Mya was really aggressive when we needed her to be. We have to challenge her to be that way, probably at a higher percentage all the time. Sania Copeland's defense was exceptional and we were forecasting Elle Evans would have a breakout game of shooting from the perimeter. She did that and found different ways to score."

Kansas got off to a quick offensive start in the first quarter, quickly responding to UNA's opening basket with a three-pointer from Laia Conesa. The Jayhawks capitalized on efficient shooting and tough defense with both Evans and Nichols adding key baskets. A steal by Conesa set up an easy bucket for Nadira Eltayeb, building an early 11-4 lead.

Making her first appearance of the regular season, Wyvette Mayberry extended the lead further with a three-pointer, putting Kansas ahead 14-4. KU held the Lions scoreless for nearly three minutes in that span. Copeland and Regan Williams added layups to push its advantage 18-7. The Jayhawks maintained their momentum, carrying a solid 24-14 lead into the second quarter.

North Alabama scored the first eight points of the second quarter to narrow the gap to 24-22. Kansas quickly responded as Conesa drained a key three-pointer to halt the Lions' run. The quarter continued to stay tightly contested but Kansas would maintain their lead. Baskets by Nichols and Carla Osma would extend the advantage 31-27.

UNA got within two points on two more occasions in the second quarter, but Mayberry hit three baskets and Evans knocked down a three-pointer and a layup to put the Jayhawks up 42-35 at the break.

The Jayhawks started the second half strong, extending their lead 47-35 after a pair of free throws from Williams and a layup from Evans. North Alabama struggled with turnovers, and despite a brief response from the Lions, Kansas would stay in control. With the lead pushed to 50-40 on an Evans three-pointer, UNA called a timeout.

Kansas pushed its lead to 16 at 58-42 following an 11-2 run that spanned nearly three minutes of action and was capped off with a layup by Copeland with 3:28 to play in the quarter. UNA answered with the next nine points and closed it within six before a pair of Nichols free throws put KU on top 62-54 at the end of the third.

In the final quarter, the Jayhawks extended their lead with a 9-0 run that spanned 3:34 and made it 71-56 with 5:03 to play. Kansas maintained a lead of at least 10 points for the final 7:21 of the game and topped the 80-point mark for the first time this season on a Carla Osma three-pointer in the games' final minute.

Up Next
Kansas will play its next four games at neutral sites, beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 20, with a trip to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to face reigning national runner-up Iowa. That game will tip off at 6 p.m. CT and be televised on on Big Ten Network

Postgame Notes
Team
- With the win, Kansas improves to 4-0 for the third time in the past four seasons and the sixth time under head coach Brandon Schneider.
- Kansas finished with six turnovers to tie for No. 4 in school history for fewest turnovers in a single game, with the record of five turnovers being matched on three occasions. In back-to-back seasons, Kansas has tied a single-game record for fewest turnovers as the Jayhawks only had five turnovers against Oklahoma State on January 13, 2024.
- S'Mya Nichols and Elle Evans both scored over 20 points to combine for 41 out of the total 81 Kansas points. The last time Kansas had two players score over 20 points in the same game was Nichols (29) and Holly Kersgieter (26) in a 83-74 regular season finale win over No. 20 Oklahoma on March 3, 2024.
- Eight Kansas players made their way into the scoring column and all scored at least four points.
- Kansas shot 50.0% (31-62) from the field and 42.9% (9-21) from the three in the game, with the field goal percentage representing a new season high.

Individual
- Junior Elle Evans led the team with season-highs in both points and rebounds as she scored 21 on 8-for-18 shooting and grabbed seven boards. This was the 10th time in her career that Evans scored 20 or more points, and her first as a Jayhawk.
- Sophomore S'Mya Nichols scored in double figures for the 33rd game of her career. Her 20 points is the second time out of the four games this season that she's scored 20+ points and it's the 11th time in her career.
- Super-Senior Wyvette Mayberry appeared in action for the first time this season and finished with nine points on 4-for-5 shooting in 10 minutes, including four straight Jayhawk points at the end of the first half.
- For the first time in her career, Laia Conesa started off scoring for the Jayhawks from behind the arc just 47 seconds into the game and added another three in the second quarter for her six points on the day. Conesa also finished with a career-high in steals (2) and added her first career block.