Top 13: Women's Basketball Advances to Back-to-Back Sweet 16s

Kansas Athletics and Jayhawk student-athletes had numerous successful athletic and academc accomplishments during the 2013 calendar year and will relive the top 13 moments in a nearly two week series leading up to New Years Eve. One crowning moment will be posted to KUAthletics.com and across the department’s social media platforms. Like, favorite or vote for your favorite 2013 moment and a top three, based on fan votes, will be revealed on New Year’s Eve. Check back daily for video highlights, a recap and your chance to weigh in on your favorite moments of 2013.

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For the fourth time in school history and the second time in the last two seasons, the Kansas women’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after a 75-69 upset victory over No. 17/14 South Carolina March 25 at the Coors Events Center thanks to a career-best 27 points by senior Monica Engelman. Kansas has appeared in seven of the last nine postseasons under head coach Bonnie Henrickson.
With the victory, Kansas advanced to face the Notre Dame in the round of 16 at the Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va. With the win, Kansas became the first No. 12 seed to win a second round game in the NCAA Tournament since 1996.

The two teams traded the first six baskets of the game with one of Kansas’ being a three-pointer, as the Jayhawks jumped out to a 7-6 lead. KU followed with an 8-0 run, thanks to six points from Engelman, to push its lead to 13-6 with 13:34 left in the first half.

South Carolina countered with an 8-2 run, but Kansas held on to a slim, 15-14, lead. Kansas remained in control until the 8:48 mark in the first half when Ieasia Walker converted a fast-break layup off a CeCe Harper turnover, as the Gamecocks took the lead, 22-21. Walker’s basket was part of a 10-0 run, as South Carolina claimed a 28-21 advantage with 6:55 on the clock.

Engelman shot Kansas back into the game, posting 18 points in the first half, and Angel Goodrich added a driving layup in the final 33 seconds to put Kansas in the lead, 42-41, at the half. The 42 first-half points equaled KU’s most in NCAA Tournament play, matching its total against Texas on March 18, 1996.

With the game tied, 50-50, USC committed three-straight shooting fouls, Engelman and Chelsea Gardner combined to shoot 5-for-6 from the line to take a 55-50 lead. After a South Carolina basket, Goodrich fouled on her made three-point try and converted the four-point play for a 59-52 lead.

South Carolina went on a 7-0 run and tied the game, 59-59. With the game still tied, 65-65, at the 6:40 mark, and Gardner and Carolyn Davis with four fouls apiece, the two teams combined to score eight points over the next four minutes for a 69-69 tie. However in the final two and half minutes, it was all Kansas as the Jayhawks finished on a 6-0 run for the win.

In addition to Engelman’s game-high 27 points, Kansas was led by Goodrich with 20 points and Davis added 12. Gardner collected 12 rebounds and tossed in five points. In the last three days, No. 12-seed Kansas has knocked off No. 5-seed Colorado and No. 4-seed South Carolina in the Norfolk Region.

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