Jayhawks Return to Allen Fieldhouse; Host Arkansas
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LAWRENCE, Kan. –Kansas women’s basketball returns to Allen Fieldhouse after being on the road for four-straight games. The Jayhawks open a six-game homestand with Arkansas on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
The stretch of six games inside Allen Fieldhouse includes the final five non-conference games of the 2013-14 season and Big 12 opener against West Virginia on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. All six games will air live on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN3 and Jayhawk Radio Network.
KANSAS FAST BREAKS
- The Jayhawks boast a 328-151 (.686) record all-time versus non-conference opponents and are 91-25 in non-conference play under head coach Bonnie Henrickson.
- KU has a record of 117-49 (.704) in Allen Fieldhouse under Henrickson and an all-time home record of 393-150 (.723).
- In the month of December, the Jayhawks have an overall mark of 179-77(.695) and are 45-16 (.737) during the Bonnie Henrickson era in the final month of the year.
- Senior guard CeCe Harper was named to the Island Division Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team after averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She also recorded her first two starts of the season at the tournament. Harper led the team with 15 points against Xavier and dished out a season-high six assists.
- Freshman guard Keyla Morgan came off the bench and led Kansas with 11 points against No. 2 Duke. Morgan hit 2-of-2 three-pointers and 5-of-8 from the free throw line. She also grabbed two rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes.
- In 2013, KU finished 4-3 in the month of November. The Jayhawks have an overall mark of 114-29 (.797) and are 45-8 (.849) under Bonnie Henrickson in the 11th month of the year.
ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS
Kansas (4-3) returns home after playing four-straight games away from Allen Fieldhouse. KU closes out 2013 with its final five non-conference games and rings in 2014 with its Big 12 opener against West Virginia, all of which will be played at home. The Jayhawks are 3-0 inside Allen Fieldhouse this season.
Junior Chelsea Gardner leads the team with 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Fellow junior Natalie Knight leads the team with 24 assists and 13 steals after seven starts. She also is averaging 7.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Junior Bunny Williams scored the first four points as the Jayhawks trailed No. 2 Duke, 5-4, early in the game. She is averaging 2.4 points and 3.0 rebounds a game. New to the starting line up are seniors CeCe Harper and Markisha Hawkins. Harper led the squad with 15 points against Xavier at the Paradise Jam. She was named to the Island Division Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team after averaging 9.7 points per game. Hawkins has recorded nine assists, three steals and a block this season, while averaging 6.3 points per game.
All five freshmen saw action on the hardwood together for the second time this season against Duke. Guard Keyla Morgan led the team with 11 points against the No. 2 team in the nation. She added two rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes.
KANSAS VS. Arkansas: THE SERIES
The series between the Jayhawks and Razorback is tied, 3-3, after six meetings. The first game between the two programs was in 1983 and Arkansas came away with the win, 72-53. Kansas recorded its first victory over the Razorbacks, 75-68, in 1987. The longest winning streak for KU was two games from 1987-89 and the largest margin of victory was 16 points. The last time Kansas defeated Arkansas was in 2009 by a score of 75-59.
LAST TIME OUT
A year ago Arkansas handed Kansas, who was ranked No. 17 in the nation, its first loss of the 2012-13 season with a 64-56 win. The Razorback win also ended the Jayhawks’ winning streak, which was seven games long. Angel Goodrich led KU with 21 points, six assists and four steals. Junior Natalie Knight dished out team-high five assists last year against Arkansas and added six points. Junior Chelsea Gardner added eight points, three rebounds and block.
SCOUTING THE RAZORBACKS
Coming into Wednesday’s game, Arkansas is undefeated with an 8-0 record. The Razorbacks are 2-0 on a neutral courts and their visit to Allen Fieldhouse will be their third road test of the season. Arkansas averages 76.4 points per game, while allowing opponents to score an average of 40.5 per game. After eight games, the Razorbacks are averaging 40.0 rebounds, 10.3 steals and 5.8 blocks per game. Freshman Jessica Jackson leads the offense with 14.4 points per game and has a team best 14 blocks on the year. Senior Keira Peak leads the team with 48 rebounds, averaging 6.0 per game. Junior Calli Berna leads the squad with 59 assists and 20 steals.
KANSAS – ARKANSAS CONNECTIONS
The Jayhawks have one member on their roster who hails from the Natural State, while Arkansas has two on its roster from the Sunflower State. Senior Markisha Hawkins is the lone native of Arkansas on the KU squad. She is from Little Rock and prepped at North Little Rock High School. Arkansas freshman Kelsey Brooks is from Olathe, Kan., and played for Olathe Northwest, while junior Jhasmine Bowen, a native of Wichita, played for the Falcons of Wichita Heights.
THIS DAY IN KANSAS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HISTORY
The Jayhawks play on Dec. 4 for the 10th time in program history. Kansas owns a 6-3 record on the fourth day of December and enjoyed a four-game winning streak that stretched from 1993 to 2010. On Dec. 4, 1998, KU defeated Maryland Eastern Shore, 75-47. It marked the largest margin of victory for the Jayhawks on Dec. 4. Jaclyn Johnson led Kansas with 16 points, while Lynn Pride recorded 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.
