Kansas Closes out Home Stretch Saturday vs. Cincinnati

Saturday, February 7

Lawrence, Kan.

4:30 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

Cincinnati

LAWRENCE, KS - February 04, 2026 - S'Mya Nichols #12 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the game between Kansas and BYU at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS. Photo by Brayden Crest/Kansas Athletics

Kansas Closes out Home Stretch Saturday vs. Cincinnati

2/6/2026 2:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes (pdf)Watch Listen Live Stats Tickets

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks will play their third home game in seven days on Saturday, Feb. 7, when they welcome Cincinnati to Allen Fieldhouse for a Big 12 matchup.

Tipoff is set for approximately 4:30 p.m. CT and will take place one hour following the conclusion of the Kansas men's basketball matchup against Utah. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Josh Klingler (play-by-play) and Wayne Simien (analyst) on the call. Fans can also listen on the Jayhawk Radio Network from Learfield, with Steven Davis and David Lawrence calling the action.

Kansas got back in the win column with an 81-60 victory over BYU on Wednesday night. The win gave the Jayhawks three wins in the last five games, with both defeats coming by one possession.

The Jayhawks were led by freshman forward Jaliya Davis, who recorded her first career double-double against BYU, totaling 28 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. The five-time defending Big 12 Freshman of the Week, Davis scored 23 points in the second half to lead the way as KU broke a halftime tie by outscoring the Cougars 49-28 in the second.

Kansas improved to 14-10 on the season and 4-8 in Big 12 play with the win. The Jayhawks are No. 51 in the NET Rankings with six remaining games in the regular season. KU is 9-4 this season at Allen Fieldhouse and averaging 3,845 fans per game, which is the second-highest single season total in program history.

Davis became the third player in Big 12 history to be named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week in five straight weeks when she claimed the award on Feb. 2. A five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American, Davis is ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 in both scoring (22.5 ppg) and field goal percentage (.645) during conference play.

Junior guard S'Mya Nichols, the nation's leading free throw shooter, added 17 points, five rebounds and four assists in the win. Nichols hit both of her three-point attempts and 7-of-8 free throws to score double figures for the 21st time in 24 games this season. KU's all-time leader in free throws made with 547, Nichols maintains her national lead in both free throws made (163) and attempted (197).

Senior forward Lilly Meister scored in double figures for the fifth time in Big 12 play as she totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots against BYU. Meister is fifth on the team in scoring (9.0 ppg) and leads the Jayhawks in rebounding (6.5) this season.

Senior guard Elle Evans was 2-for-3 from three-point range against BYU to regain her national lead in three-point shooting. Evans has hit 48.6 percent (52-107) from downtown this season, while also hitting all eight free throws she's attempted.

Cincinnati comes to Lawrence with a record of 8-15 (3-8 Big 12) following consecutive close defeats at Houston (72-70) and at home to No. 15 Baylor (76-70). The Bearcats are scoring 70.3 points per game behind the duo of Mya Perry (16.8 ppg) and Caliyah DeVillasee (15.6).

Kansas and Cincinnati will be meeting for the third time in series history, which dates back two seasons to when the Bearcats joined the Big 12. Each team has protected its home court, with KU claiming a 75-60 win on Feb. 14, 2024, in Lawrence before the Bearcats defeated the Jayhawks 78-74 in overtime on Feb. 8, 2025, in Cincinnati.

Promotion
Saturday's game will feature the recognition of the 2026 honorees for the Marian E. Washington Trailblazer Series: Ernest 'Ernie" Shelby and Lynette Woodard. Woodard is a Kansas women's basketball legend who played for the Jayhawks from 1978-81, becoming one of the most dominant players in collegiate basketball history. Both players will be honored at halftime of the game on Saturday. See below for more information about Woodard's legendary Kansas career.

In honor of Black History Month, Kansas Athletics recognizes the notable achievements and accomplishments of African-Americans who have helped shape the Jayhawk program throughout the years by creating the Marian E. Washington Trailblazer Series. The series began 2020 and each February, this endeavor chronicles several prominent African-Americans and their impact on Kansas Athletics.

Lynette Woodard | Wichita, Kan. | Women's Basketball | 1978-1981

Played women's basketball at KU from 1978-81, becoming one of the most dominant players in collegiate history.
Finished her KU career as the all-time leading scorer in women's college basketball history at the time with 3,649 points.
Earned four All-America honors and led KU to the AIAW national championship game in 1981.
Won the Wade Trophy in 1981 as the nation's top women's college basketball player.
Became the first woman named Kansas Female Athlete of the Year.
Made history in 1984 as the first woman to play on a U.S. Olympic women's basketball team, helping Team USA win gold at the Los Angeles Games.
Broke another barrier in 1985 as the first female member of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Advocated for women's sports and gender equity, expanding opportunities for girls and women in athletics.
Built a legacy at KU defined by excellence, leadership and her role in advancing women's athletics during the post–Title IX era.

Tickets
Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 Kansas women's basketball season are available for each remaining game. Fans attending the Kansas men's game against Utah on Saturday can stay and attend the Cincinnati game in a general admission seat without an additional ticket. Doors for the women's basketball game will open following the conclusion of the men's game. Parking areas for the women's game will be free and will resume normal traffic flow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the men's basketball game. For more information, fans can visit KUAthletics.com or call 800-34-HAWKS.

Up Next
Kansas heads to Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to face No. 18 Texas Tech. Tipoff from United Supermarkets Arena is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+.