Kansas returns home to host Oral Roberts

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas women’s basketball returns to Allen Fieldhouse to host Oral Roberts on Wednesday, Nov. 23 before the team takes a quick break for the Thanksgiving holiday. Tipoff against the Golden Eagles is slated for 6 p.m., on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN3 and the Jayhawk Radio Network.
 
Fast Breaks

• Kansas and Oral Roberts meet for the 14th time in program history and ninth time inside Allen Fieldhouse. KU is 12-1 against the Golden Eagles and 8-1 when hosting ORU in Lawrence.
• Oral Roberts is KU’s only opponent from the Summit League this season. The Jayhawks are 27-7 all-time against members of the Summit League.
• In the month of November, KU is 123-45 all time and has won nine of its last 14 contests in the 11th month of the year.
• Kansas has a record of 410-178 (.697) in Allen Fieldhouse.
• After completing the 2015-16 season with the youngest team in the Big 12, Kansas will enter this season with one of the conference’s most experienced squads. The 2016-17 Jayhawk roster includes 12 returning players, more than any other Big 12 team, and nine upperclassmen.
• The Jayhawks are the only squad in the Big 12 without a freshman on their roster.
• Redshirt sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert tied her career-high of 21 points on the road against Memphis. She also set new career-best marks with five assists and four steals.
• Junior guard Chayla Cheadle netted a career-high 21 points against Memphis, while sophomore guard Kylee Kopatich also notched a career-best afternoon with 16 points.
• Calvert and Cheadle accounted for 42 of KU’s 68 points against the Tigers. The duo was responsible for 61.7 percent of the Jayhawks’ offense at Memphis.
• Kansas shot 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from beyond the arc at Memphis, marking KU’s best 3-point field percentage in a single game this season. Kopatich and Cheadle each finished the game shooting above 50 percent from the 3-point line. Kopatich connected on 4-of-8, while Cheadle sank 3-of-5. 

 
About the Jayhawks
Following a 0-2 start to the 2016-17 season, Kansas earned its first victory of the year and first road win under head coach Brandon Schneider Sunday against Memphis. With the 68-58 victory over Memphis, the Jayhawks improved to 1-2 heading into Wednesday’s matchup with Oral Roberts.
 
Kansas’ 68-58 road win came after career-high performances by redshirt sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert, junior guard Chayla Cheadle and sophomore guard Kylee Kopatich. Calvert’s third-straight double-digit scoring effort at Memphis tied her career-best mark of 21 points. Additionally, Calvert dished out a career-high five assists and swiped a career-best four steals. Cheadle and Kopatich each set new career-high scoring marks with 21 and 16 points, respectively. The Jayhawks finished the afternoon shooting 47.6 percent from long range as both Cheadle and Kopatich ended the game shooting above 50 percent from the 3-point line.
 
Kansas is averaging 65 points per game behind 36.1 percent shooting from the field. From behind the arc, KU is connecting on 36.2 percent of its attempts. A total of three Jayhawks are averaging double figures with Calvert leading the way with 19.3 points per game. Defensively, Kansas is averaging 37 rebounds, 10.3 steals and 4.0 blocks per contest.
 
Scouting the Golden Eagles
After a 14-16 mark last season, including a 10-6 record in Summit League action, Oral Roberts is off to a 1-2 start to the 2016-17 campaign. The Golden Eagles were selected to finish conference play in fourth place behind South Dakota, IUPUI and South Dakota State.
 
Head coach Misti Cussen enters her fourth season at the helm of the ORU women’s basketball program. She returns seven letterwinners and four starters from last season’s squad that advanced to the Summit League Tournament semifinals.
 
Offensively, the Golden Eagles are led by 2016 Summit League Sixth Man of the Year Faith Ihim, who is averaging 17 points per game behind a 56.8 shooting percentage from the field. Maria Martianez, an all-conference selection in 2016, is also scoring in double figures after the first three games with 13.3 per contest. She is also tied for the most boards per game, averaging 6.7 per contest.
 
Oral Roberts is averaging 69 points per game behind 37.7 percent shooting from the field. From long range, ORU is connecting on just 22.8 percent of its shots. Defensively, the Golden Eagles average 38.7 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 7.7 steals per game.
 
This Day in Kansas Women’s Basketball History
Record on Nov. 23: 10-3
Wednesday’s game against Oral Roberts is the 14th contest to be played on Nov. 23 in program history. Wednesday’s game marks the third year in a row the Jayhawks have played on Nov. 23. In 1984, Kansas and Oral Roberts met in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Kansas started the 1984-85 campaign with an 84-77 victory over the Golden Eagles. The Jayhawks outrebounded Oral Roberts, 53-27, in a seven-point win. KU was led by Vicki Adkins’ double-double after recording 28 points and 11 rebounds. Jackie Martin also tallied a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Memphis Leftovers
Junior guard Chayla Cheadle and redshirt sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert accounted for a combined 42 points in Kansas’ first win of the season, a 68-58 decision, at Memphis on Sunday afternoon at Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
 
A trio of Jayhawks netted career-high scoring efforts to lead KU’s offense at Memphis. Cheadle and Calvert each scored 21 points for the Jayhawks, a career-best for Cheadle and tied Calvert’s career-high mark. Sophomore guard Kylee Kopatich was the third KU player to finish the game in double digits with a career-high 16 points, including four from beyond the arc.
 
Memphis was led offensively by Taylor Williams, who ended the game with 18 points, while Cheyenne Creighton and Taylor Barnes had 16 and 10 points, respectively. After a cold start from the field, Kansas ended the game shooting 45.3 percent from the field, while the Tigers only connected on 37.3 percent of their attempts. More impressively, KU shot 47.6 percent from the 3-point arc.
 
The Jayhawks impressive stamina and energy throughout four quarters led to head coach Brandon Schneider’s first true road victory at the helm of the Kansas women’s basketball program. His other win away from Allen Fieldhouse came on a neutral court against TCU during the Big 12 Championship last season.

Up Next
Kansas hosts North Dakota on Sunday, Nov. 27 before hitting the road for two games away from Lawrence. Tipoff against the Fighting Hawks is slated for 2 p.m., inside Allen Fieldhouse. The matchup will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Television Network and the Jayhawk Radio Network.
 
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