Cheadle Shines In 69-44 Win Over Texas Southern

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Freshman guard Chayla Cheadle came off the bench and netted 4-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc. Cheadle led the floor with a season-high 15 points as Kansas cruised to a 69-44 victory over Texas Southern Tuesday evening inside Allen Fieldhouse. 
 
On the night, three Jayhawks managed to score in double-figures, but Kansas was plagued by a total 22 turnovers. Cheadle, in her inaugural season out of Columbia, Missouri, connected on five of her eight field goal attempts. Close on Cheadle’s heels, senior forward Chelsea Gardner added 14 points and five rebounds in only 18 minutes, while fellow freshman guard Terriell Bradley rounded out the over-10 club with 11 points and five boards.
 
There were two Lady Tigers in double figures; senior Morgan Simmons (11) and junior Brianna Sidney (10). TSU was held to 24 percent from the field going 15-for-62, but shot 73 percent from the free throw line (11-for-15).
 
Both teams came out shooting strong, both scoring on their own respective possessions for the first few minutes of the game. That was until Knight sank back-to-back three’s in the first four minutes of the game to give the Jayhawks the lead, 13-5. Knight’s hot shooting sparked a Jayhawk 24-5 run that lasted nearly 10 minutes.

Texas Southern fought to come back during that run, but the Jayhawks refused to be silenced. At the 13-minute mark, Cheadle got the crowd excited when she grabbed a defensive board and knocked in a three-pointer at the other end to bring the score to 21-10. Another three-point shot from Bradley forced Texas Southern to call a timeout.

The effective KU defense kept TSU dormant for eight minutes. A layup by senior guard Miracle Davis with seven minutes remaining in the half was the first bucket for the Lady Tigers since Sidney knocked in a three at the 15-minute mark. Going into the under-eight media break Kansas comfortably led Texas Southern 30-12.

The Lady Tigers reorganized a bit during the break. This was apparent due to Williams stealing the ball away from Brown and sinking a layup at the other end. This was matched by the strong offensive efforts of Boyd who fought for a lose ball and dished it to Cheadle, who was fouled before she could get a shot up. The freshman went 1-for-1 from the line.

On the next Jayhawk possession, Boyd was able to covert again, this time with a shot of her own beyond the arc. The duo of Boyd and Cheadle were at it again with three minutes left to play in the first frame. Boyd passed the ball to Cheadle, who knocked in a trey. Kansas led 37-20 going into the final media timeout of the half.

KU struggled offensively after the break committing three turnovers in two minutes. This allowed for TSU’s Toni Cheadle to steal the ball. She delivered it to Sophus, who put up a layup. This Lady Tiger spark led to a Kansas timeout, which would prove to be successful as Morgan and Bradley shot back-to-back buckets to close the half, 41-24.

The Jayhawks shot an impressive 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the three-point line. They held the Lady Tigers to 26 percent from field-goal range. Cheadle led Kansas with nine points and three rebounds in the first 20 minutes of action. 

Boyd continued what she started in the first half, hitting back-to-back layups to start the second frame. The Jayhawks and the Lady Tigers then traded baskets until the first timeout on the floor of the half. Kansas still had a safe lead, 49-30.

TSU came out of the break with Simmons sinking two buckets in a row. Gardner answered with a layup just outside the paint with 13 minutes left to play in the game. Struggling to contain the ball offensively, Kansas committed five turnovers before the 10-minute mark of the half. This resulted in 11 TSU points at the other end.

Luckily, Texas Southern was silent for four minutes going 0-for-7 from the field. This kept the Kansas lead safe despite turnovers, and sparked a 13-2 Jayhawk run that lasted six minutes. During that run, Cheadle hit another shot beyond the arc, her third of the night. Her shot brought the score to 62-35.

TSU went on a 7-0 run of its own over three minutes. During their run, Sidney knocked down a three for the Lady Tigers with just over four minutes to play. The Jayhawks we able to answer though, Bradley hit two buckets at the line and came back on the next possession with a jumper. This along with multiple turnovers forced Texas Southern to use a timeout.

A fourth three by Cheadle sealed the win for Kansas, 69-44.

NOTES:

  • Kansas freshman Chayla Cheadle marked a career-high in both points and rebounds, 15 and four, respectively.
  • Cheadle shot 80 percent from the three-point range and 62.5 percent from the free throw line.
  • Lorraine Enabulele made her Jayhawk debut, in which she pulled down four rebounds and played 11 minutes.
  • Kansas’ win brings the all-time series record to 3-0 against Texas Southern.

UP NEXT:
Kansas will face Alabama in the opening game of the 2014 Naismith Hall of Fame Women’s Basketball Challenge on Friday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. inside Allen Fieldhouse.
 
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