Kansas comeback falls short at TCU
FORT WORTH, Texas – Kansas women’s basketball’s comeback effort fell short at TCU, falling 58-53, on Sunday afternoon inside Schollmaier Arena.
Despite trailing by just one point with a minute remaining in the game, the Jayhawks couldn’t complete the come-from-behind attempt and fell to 11-7 overall and 1-6 in Big 12 play.
The senior duo of Kylee Kopatich and Christalah Lyons led the Jayhawks, combining for 34 of KU’s 53 points. Kopatich finished the day with 19 points, eight rebounds and a career-best six steals, while Lyons added 15 points, six assists and four rebounds.
A trio of Horned Frogs led TCU (14-5, 4-4) with double-digit scoring. Senior Jordan Moore posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while adding six blocks. Senior Amy Okonkwo and junior Kianna Ray added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
An evenly matched first quarter ended with the Jayhawks trailing, 15-14, after the Horned Frogs and Kansas went shot for shot. Lyons made seven of the Jayhawks 14 points going 3-of-4 from the field and 1-of-2 from the 3-point line in the first period as Kansas trailed after the first period for just the fourth time this season.
For the first five minutes of the second quarter, Kansas remained within one point of the lead, but a 13-2 TCU run over the final five minutes of the period gave the Horned Frogs their first double-digit lead of the afternoon. Kansas trailed 35-23 at the halftime break, their second-largest deficit at the half during Big 12 play.
Lyons and Kopatich combined for all but six of the Jayhawks 23 points in the first half with Lyons netting nine first half points and Kopatich adding eight points in the first 20 minutes.
Across the final two minutes of the game, the Jayhawks made six-straight points including a layup by junior Niccolly Ramalho to put KU within one, but TCU held off Kansas for a win 58-53 with four-straight free throws from Okonkwo.
NOTABLES
- The Jayhawks trailed after the first period, 15-14, for only the fourth time in the 2018-19 campaign.
- Kansas outscored the Horned Frogs 30-23 in the second half.
- KU outrebounded its opponent for the seventh time this season, grabbing 38 rebounds to TCU’s 29.
- TCU’s 26 turnovers match KU’s season-best of forced turnovers. The Jayhawks last forced 26 turnovers against Iona (11/25).
- Kansas’ 22 turnovers are the most by the Jayhawks this season and mark the third time this year that KU has had at least 20 turnovers.
- Senior Kylee Kopatich snagged a career-best six steals, while matching her season-high of 19 points.
- With three triples on the day, Kopatich has made a 3-pointer in 14 of the 17 games she’s played in.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks return to Allen Fieldhouse to square off with Oklahoma on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN+ and the Jayhawk Radio Network.
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