Kansas looks to break free from logjam

By J-W Staff Reports     Jan 22, 2008

? Talk about a logjam.

Four games into the Big 12 Conference women’s basketball race, and seven of the dozen teams are sitting on identical 1-3 records.

Two of those seven – Kansas and Colorado – will tangle tonight in Boulder, Colo. Tipoff will be at 8 p.m. (Lawrence time) in the Coors Events Center.

Not only are the Jayhawks and Buffaloes situated among the raft of 1-3 clubs, they have the same overall record (12-5) as well.

Kansas, however, has to prove it can be competitive on a Big 12 opponent’s floor. The Jayhawks’ first two road trips resulted in lopsided defeats – by 24 points at Baylor and by 20 at Nebraska.

“We know it’s not going to be easy,” KU junior guard Ivana Catic said about today’s game. “We just have to go in with the right mind-set.”

KU’s recent road history, according to sophomore Sade Morris, hardly serves as prologue.

“We don’t even think about it,” Morris said. “I’m excited. I’m confident we’ll be ready.”

Added coach Bonnie Henrickson: “It’s a great chance for a quality win on the road.”

Kansas started slowly in Boulder last season, scoring only 18 points in the first half, but the Jayhawks staged a late rally before bowing, 59-50.

Danielle McCray accounted for 40 percent of the Jayhawks’ scoring in that late-February meeting with 20 points. Overall, KU shot a chilly 29.5 percent.

Also in that game, Colorado received a sub-par performance from standout Jackie McFarland, who scored only six points in 30 minutes on the floor. McFarland, a 6-foot-3 senior from Derby, currently ranks No. 2 in the league in scoring (18.5 ppg) and No. 3 in rebounding (8.2 rpg).

Colorado’s imposing front line also features Brittany Spears, a 6-1 freshman averaging 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds, and Aija Putnina, a 6-3 sophomore averaging 8.4 points and 8.1 boards.

KU sophomore guard Kelly Kohn, who has missed the last three games due to an ankle injury, remains day-to-day. She suited for Saturday’s 66-60 victory over Missouri, but limped noticeably during warmups and did not play.

Still another team with a 1-3 conference record will be the Jayhawks’ next foe. Texas A&M will be in Allen Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Saturday.

PREV POST

6Sports story: KU moves to #2

NEXT POST

27690Kansas looks to break free from logjam