🏀 Vuksic Ties School Record for 3s in Loss to Wildcats

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Freshman Mia Vuksic tied a school record for 3-pointers made in a game with eight Saturday at Kansas State, but Kansas fell to its in-state foe 77-66 at Bramlage Coliseum in the final edition of the 2020-21 Dillons Sunflower Showdown.

Vuksic, a freshman from Sibenik, Croatia, finished 8-of-14 from deep to finish with a career-high 24 points. The eight makes from long distance tie Charisse Sampson (1996) for the school record. The 14 attempts also tied a school record.

Vuksic was lights out in the first half from deep, knocking down four 3-pointers. She had never hit more than three 3-pointers in a game prior to Saturday. Vuksic was 3-of-4 from deep in the first quarter and she was 4-of-6 by half. Her hot hand from deep kept the Jayhawks within reach in the game’s first 20 minutes.

The freshman didn’t connect from three in the third quarter, but then hit four in the fourth quarter, including two in the final minute of the game. Coming into the game, Vuksic had made 12 3-pointers in her debut season.

While Vuksic was hot for Kansas, Kansas State had a balanced attack in the first to build a healthy lead. The Wildcats shot 44 percent from the floor in the first half and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. The Wildcats had four players score at least five points in the first half and led 39-18 at the break.

The Jayhawks’ offensive attack came alive in the third quarter with a 27-point frame. The Jayhawks outscored the Wildcats by seven in the third. Kansas shot 53 percent from the floor in the third with Holly Kersgieter scoring 12 points in the third quarter alone. Brooklyn Mitchell also scored eight points in the third quarter, giving the Jayhawks a lift.

Kansas made a couple of runs at Kansas State in the second half and got the lead down to as many as 10, but couldn’t get any closer against a Wildcat team that shot 46 percent from the floor for the game and had three players score 15 or more points.

For Kansas, Kersgieter topped the 20-point mark for the second-straight game, finishing with 22 points on 9 of 19 shooting. She also had five rebounds and four steals.

UP NEXT
The Jayhawks play next on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at home against Iowa State at 7 p.m., on Big 12 Now.