Kansas to battle TCU in Fort Worth
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After dropping the previous two matches to No. 5 Texas and instate rival K-State, Kansas (15-9, 8-5 Big 12) will look to right the ship when it takes on TCU on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at the TCU Recreation Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
In its last match against K-State, KU rattled off two set victories, but ultimately fell to the Wildcats, 2-3. K-State captured the series sweep of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown.
Senior Gabby Simpson provided a positive note in a down moment for the Jayhawks. The Colorado Springs, Colo., native logged her first triple-double at KU, finishing with 10 kills, 46 assists and 14 digs. Simpson is the first player in the Big 12 this season and 19th nationally to log a triple-double this season. The achievement is the ninth of her career.
In the last meeting between KU and TCU, the Jayhawks earned a 3-1 victory, which was the beginning of a 6-0 start to Big 12 action for Kansas. The streak marked the second time since 2015 that Kansas started league play 6-0. KU began 2015 Big 12 play 7-0.
Fans can watch the game live on Fox Sports Southwest Plus and Fox Sports Go, or tune into the audio broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network via KUAthletics.com/Radio with Jackson Schneider calling the action.
QUICK HITS
• Kansas enters Saturday’s match with a 15-9 overall record and a 8-5 mark in Big 12 play, falling to No. 5 Texas (L, 1-3) on Nov. 10 and K-State (L, 2-3) on Nov. 14.
• TCU enters with a 14-11 record and is sixth in the Big 12 standings with a 6-8 mark in conference play.
• Saturday’s match will mark the 15th contest between KU and TCU.
• Kansas ranks first in the Big 12 Conference in blocks per set, averaging 2.89 (5th nationally), while also holding down the top mark in the conference and 18th nationally with 283 total blocks.
• Out of 24 matches played, Kansas has logged double-digit blocks in all but seven, which was comprised of a 10-match streak.
• The .189 hitting percentage Kansas has held its opponents to is also tops the conference, with the next closest being Oklahoma and Texas Tech at .190.
• The win over Texas Tech on Nov. 3, 2018 earned KU its 15th win of the season, which marks the 10th-consecutive season with at least 15 victories.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
• Rachel Langs holds the top spot in the Big 12 and 18th nationally in blocks per set (1.43). She has a total of 110 on the season.
• Junior outside hitter Jada Burse leads Kansas with 369.0 total points and 3.49 kills per set, which rank seventh and sixth, respectively, in the Big 12.
• Freshman Camryn Ennis has started 18 matches, averaging team highs in assists per set (5.38), while senior Simpson has a team-high 470 assists and is second with 5.05 assists per set.
• Ennis has reached 10 assist-dig double-doubles in her 21 matches played as a Jayhawk.
• Junior Allie Nelson leads KU in digs per set (3.71) which is good for sixth in the Big 12.
• Freshman Lacey Angello holds down the second-best average with 2.45 digs per set, while Ennis is close behind with 2.27.
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