Kansas Returns to Lone Star State to Face Texas

Kansas as won three of the last four contests against Texas.
Game 17: Kansas at Texas
Time 7 p.m.
Location Austin, Texas
Arena Frank Erwin Center
Series Texas leads, 15-10
Television Longhorn Network
Fran Harris (Play-by-Play)
Nell Fortner (Color Analyst)
Radio Jayhawk Radio Network
Affiliate List
Online: Jayhawk Digital Passport
Live Stats Texas Live Stats
Notes Kansas
Texas
Big 12
Stats at a Glance KU UT
Record 8-8 11-5
Rankings NR NR
Points/GM 66.9 71.4
Points Allowed/GM 65.4 55.4
FG% 43.6 44.6
Rebounds/GM 36.8 45.4
Assists/GM 13.9 15.6
Blocks/GM 4.6 3.8
Steals/GM 8.0 6.9

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Jayhawks head back to the Lone Star state for a road test at Texas on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center. Kansas (8-8, 1-3 Big 12) has won three of the last four meetings against the Longhorns (11-5, 2-2 Big 12). The game will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network and the Jayhawk Radio Network.
 
KANSAS FAST BREAKS
• The Jayhawks have won three of the last four contests against Texas and are 4-7 against the Longhorns when playing at the Frank Erwin Center. Kansas trails Texas in the overall series 15-10 and is 5-7 under head coach Bonnie Henrickson.

• Defensively, Kansas has held seven opponents under 37 percent from the field and nine opponents under 40 percent shooting in 2013-14. KU has held three of four Big 12 opponents under 37 percent shooting.

• The Jayhawks have outrebounded 11-of-16 opponents this season, including seven of the last nine games. Kansas grabbed a season-best 52 boards against Texas Tech and outrebounded the Red Raiders by 27.

• Junior Asia Boyd grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against Texas Tech, while freshman Caelynn Manning-Allen grabbed a career-best 10 boards against the Red Raiders. It is the third time this season that two Jayhawks have reached double-digit rebounds in the same game.

• Kansas shot a season-best 53.3 percent from beyond the arc at TCU (1/8) making 8-of-15 against the Horned Frogs. The Jayhawks made a season-high 12 three-pointers against Texas Southern (12/12).

• In Big 12 action, senior CeCe Harper is leading the league in assists per game with 7.5 and is second in conference games only in steals with 2.3 per game. On the season, she is averaging 5.7 assists per game after dishing out 89 in 2013-14.

• Junior forward Chelsea Gardner is averaging 2.5 blocks per game in conference play, which is third among the Big 12. She had two blocks at TCU which moved her into 10th place on Kansas’ all-time blocks list. She has 27 on the year and 92 in her career.
 
ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS
Junior guard Natalie Knight led the Jayhawks with a season-high 20 points at TCU behind 6-of-7 (.857) shooting from three-point line. She followed up by making three of seven three-point attempts against Texas Tech. Knight is averaging 9.3 points per game and 13.3 points per game against Big 12 opponents. She has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. Junior forward Chelsea Gardner leads the team with 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. She also has denied 26 shots on the season and has 92 blocks in her career, which puts her 10th all-time in Kansas women’s basketball history.
 
Senior guard CeCe Harper is averaging 7.5 assists in the last four games and leads the league in assists per game in Big 12 only games. On the year, she is averaging 5.7 assists per game and has a total of 89. Harper has recorded seven or more assists eight times this season, including the last six games. Junior guard Asia Boyd led the team with a career-best 11 rebounds against Texas Tech. It was also the third contest in which Boyd had a double-digit rebounds effort. She is averaging 12.3 points per game in 12 starts and 16 appearances and pulling down 5.7 boards per contest.

Freshman guard Dakota Gonzalez earned her first career start in Crimson and Blue against Texas Tech. She is averaging 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. She scored a season-high of 18 points off the bench against Texas Southern. Senior guard Markisha Hawkins came off the bench and scored 12 points on the road at TCU. She also grabbed a career-high six rebounds. Hawkins is averaging 4.6 points and 14.9 minutes per game. Freshman forward Caelynn Manning-Allen collected her first career start in the final game of 2013 against Yale. The Chicago native grabbed a career-best 10 boards and knocked in a career-high six points against Texas Tech. She is averaging 1.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
 
Freshman forward Jada Brown has started two games and made 15 appearances. The Las Vegas native is averaging 1.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Junior forward Bunny Williams has appeared in every game and started nine this season. She is averaging 2.2 boards and 1.6 points in 14.3 minutes per game. Sophomore guard Lamaria Cole is averaging 12.2 minutes per game in 13 appearances. She has 19 assists and 12 steals on the year and is averaging 3.5 points per game. Freshman guard Dylan Gonzalez is averaging 1.4 points and 3.1 minutes per game in seven appearances.
 
KANSAS VS. TEXAS : THE SERIES
The Longhorns lead the overall series 15-10, however Kansas has won three of the last four contests. KU split the 2013 series with Texas as each program claimed a victory on their home court. The series was born in 1982 and the Longhorns won the series opener 66-47. From 1996 to 2001, the Jayhawks saw five of six games sway in their favor.
 
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
Texas is 11-5 overall and has a Big 12 mark of 2-2 heading into the contest against KU. The Longhorns sit in a tie for fifth place in the conference standings. Texas opened Big 12 play with a 67-61 loss to Oklahoma State and its last two games have been decided in overtime. UT came away with the win in the first overtime game against Oklahoma and fell to West Virginia in the second. Junior forward Nneka Enemkpali leads the team with 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. She is shooting 57.8 percent from the field after 16 starts. Sophomore guard Celina Rodrigo leads the team with 57 assists and 17 steals in 2013-14. Sophomore center Imani McGee-Stafford has swatted away a team-high 26 blocks in 16 appearances. The Longhorns are averaging 71.4 points behind 44.6 percent shooting, while grabbing 45.4 rebounds per game.
 
A LONE STAR STATE OF MIND
After opening Big 12 play at home against West Virginia, the Jayhawks are set to play five-straight games against opponents from Texas. Three of those five games, Kansas travels to the Lone Star state, which is home to Chelsea Gardner, CeCe Harper, Lamaria Cole and Bunny Williams. KU opens and closes the Texas swing with No. 7 Baylor. In that span, Kansas travels to Baylor, TCU and Texas, while hosting Texas Tech and Baylor.
 
HOW THE JAYHAWKS STACK UP NATIONALLY
The national statistical rankings are out and Kansas is in the top half in several categories. The Jayhawks are 42nd in the country in blocked shots per game with 4.6 and 54th in field goal percentage (.436). Individually, Chelsea Gardner has the 16th-best field goal percentage in the country. She is shooting 60.9 percent (98-161) on the season. Natalie Knight is among the best ball handlers in the nation. She has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.5 which is 31st in the country. CeCe Harper ranks 42nd in the nation in assists per game with 5.6.
 
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