Jayhawks Take Third-Straight Sunflower Showdown, 71-64
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MANHATTAN, Kan. — Junior Chelsea Gardner helped Kansas women’s basketball to its third-consecutive win over in-state rival Kansas State with her third double-double in as many games. The Jayhawks (10-10, 2-5 Big 12) defeated Kansas State (8-11, 2-6 Big 12), 71-64, in the Dillon’s Sunflower Showdown on Saturday afternoon inside Bramlage Coliseum.
Gardner led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season and 12th of her career. The De Soto, Texas, native also had two blocked shots in the victory.
In addition to Gardner, KU had four other players finish the game in double-figures led by senior guard CeCe Harper, who finished the game with 16 points, a career-high eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Junior guard Asia Boyd knocked in 11 points, while junior guard Natalie Knight recorded 10 points, grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and dished out five assists. Senior guard Markisha Hawkins was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field to add 10 points for Kansas.
K-State was led by freshman guard Leticia Romero, who finished the game with 17 points, tied a career-high with eight assists and grabbed five rebounds for the Wildcats. Also finishing in double-figures for K-State was senior forward Katya Leick who recorded 12 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
The Jayhawks overcame a slow start that saw both teams trading baskets early in the first half. Kansas took control of the game and the lead with a quick 6-0 run sparked by a jumper from Knight as the Jayhawks led 15-9 with 10:27 left to play until half time.
The Wildcats answered with six-straight points of their own to pull within one, 21-20, with 5:54 remaining, but Gardner ended the run with her sixth bucket of the opening half. Boyd followed with three points the old-fashioned way to extend the Jayhawk lead back to six with just under four minutes to play in the first half. The Jayhawks headed into the locker room with a six-point lead, 32-26 over K-State. Gardner led KU with 17 points in the first half and was two rebounds shy of a double-double.
In the second half, Gardner went to the bench early with her third personal foul. The Kansas offense got a spark from Boyd, who drove to the basket and delivered her second three-point play of the game to extend the Jayhawks lead to 37-29 with 16:47 left in the game.
After Boyd picked up her third foul, Hawkins took over on offense with the two leading scorers on the bench. The Little Rock, Ark., native knocked in her fifth basket in as many attempts to extend Kansas’ lead to double digits with 12:58 left in the game. However, just like her teammates, Hawkins picked up her third foul and was sent to the bench with just over 11 minutes to play in the game.
Despite their foul trouble, the Jayhawks were able to build their lead to 55-41 with 7:28 left in the game. With Gardner and Boyd waiting at the scorer’s table to check in, the Wildcats recorded back-to-back buckets to get within 10. Gardner returned to the floor and scored the Jayhawks next four points to maintain KU’s lead. K-State made one last effort to get back in the game with eight-straight points to pull within six, 61-55, with 1:21 left in the game, but it was too late as the Jayhawks closed out the Wildcats, 71-64.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will return home on Tuesday, Jan. 28, to take on Texas at 7 p.m., inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Postgame Notes
KANSAS STARTERS (SEASON/CAREER): Fr. Jada Brown (6/6), Sr. CeCe Harper (15/36), Fr. Keyla Morgan (10/10), Jr. Chelsea Gardner (19/47) and Jr. Natalie Knight (20/73)
KANSAS’ WIN…
• Improves Kansas’ all-time record to 767-543.
• Improves the Jayhawks’ all-time conference record 234-241.
• Improves KU’s all-time Big 12 record to 111-173 and 54-102 in conference play under head coach Bonnie Henrickson.
• Gives the Jayhawks their third-straight win over the Wildcats and closes their gap in the all-time series against K-State, which the Wildcats lead 62-45.
• Improves KU to 369-387 all-time on the road and 46-90 away from Lawrence under Henrickson.
• Improves Henrickson’s record 168-145 at KU and 326-207 overall.
• Improves KU to 26-53 under Henrickson during the month of January.
• Improves the Jayhawks to 6-2 when playing on Sunday during the 2013-14 season and 52-25 on the week’s first day under Henrickson.
TEAM NOTES
• With K-State leading by two, 9-7, the Jayhawks scored eight-straight points to take a 15-9 lead with 10:39 left in the first half.
• After the Wildcats cut the lead to one, 21-20, with 5:42 left in the first half, the Jayhawks responded with a 5-0 run, to extend their lead to six, 26-20, with 4:16 left in the first half.
• The Jayhawks finished the game 0-for-9 from beyond the arc. Marking the first time this season the Jayhawks didn’t record a single three-pointer.
• The Jayhawks scored 71 points in their victory over the Wildcats. Kansas is 8-0 when they score at least 70 points during the 2013-14 season and 111-13 under Henrickson when reaching 70 points.
• Kansas scored 21 points off the bench in its win over K-State, marking the 10th time this season that the Jayhawks’ bench has scored at least 20 points.
• Five KU players finished the game in double-figure points, marking the first time that has happened during the 2013-14 season. The last time five Jayhawks finished in double-digits was last season in the NCAA Tournament against Colorado (3/23/13).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Junior Asia Boyd recorded knocked in a three-point play with 4:16 remaining in the first half and got a second one with 16:47 left in the game. The Detroit, Mich., native finished the game with 11 points.
• Junior Chelsea Gardner scored a game-high 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked two shots for her seventh double-double of the 2013-14 season and 12th of her career.
• Senior CeCe Harper recorded a career-high eight rebounds to best her previous mark of seven, which she previously recorded twice with the last one coming in the Jayhawks previous game against Oklahoma State (1/22/14).
• Junior Natalie Knight grabbed a career-best eight rebounds to eclipse her previous mark of seven, which she recorded four times, with the last time coming against Wake Forest (11/18/12).
• Senior Markisha Hawkins connected on all five of her field goal attempts for 10 points. Hawkins five field goals tied a season best mark, which she also recorded against Central Michigan (11/28/13).
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