Kansas women’s basketball preview

By Staff     Jan 30, 2016

When: 5 p.m. today

Where: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, Texas

Who: Texas Tech

Series: Tech leads, 16-9

Is this it?: Kansas University’s women’s basketball team has yet to win a Big 12 game this season, losing by an average of 24 points (67.2-43.2) in nine conference outings.

The league standings say KU’s game tonight at Texas Tech might be the best chance yet for the Jayhawks (5-15 overall, 0-9 Big 12) to bust out of an 11-game losing slump. The Red Raiders (10-10, 1-8) are only a game ahead of Kansas in the conference win column.

In Big 12 action, Tech ranks last in the league in points allowed (74.8 a game), free-throw percentage (60 percent) and field-goal-percentage defense (47.5 percent).

The lone Red Raiders conference win came at home against Iowa State in overtime, on Jan. 17.

Texas Tech averages 55.6 points a game — still 12.4 a game better than KU’s 43.2.

While this is first-year KU coach Brandon Schneider’s first trip to Lubbock, Texas, the Jayhawks have won three in a row at Texas Tech.

Search for front-court production: KU has searched all season for consistent scoring from its post players. Junior forward Caelynn Manning-Allen had her best Big 12 performance of the season earlier this week, at No. 6 Texas. Manning-Allen shot 6-for-9, providing 14 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes.

It marked the first time since Dec. 22 that the junior forward scored in double figures.

Still, KU scored a season-low two points in the paint against the mighty Longhorns.

Freshman forward Tyler Johnson, who had started the previous game for KU, only played 11 minutes off the bench and scored two points at UT.

Deep threat: Kansas sophomore guard Lauren Aldridge has hit two or more three-pointers in five of her last six games, including a 5-for-8 showing at Texas.

On the season, Aldridge (11.1 points per game) is shooting 37.9 percent from long range.

During her past six games, Aldridge has made 16 of her 37 shots from long distance — 43.2 percent.

Probable starters

Kansas

(5-15 overall, 0-9 Big 12)

G — Lauren Aldridge, 5-7, so.

G — Kylee Kopatich, 5-10, fr.

G — Jayde Christopher, 5-8, fr.

G — Chayla Cheadle, 6-0, so.

F — Caelynn Manning-Allen, 6-4, jr.

Texas Tech

(10-10 overall, 1-8 Big 12)

G — Ivonne CookTaylor, 5-8, jr.

G — Rayven Brooks, 6-0, sr.

G — Japreece Dean, 5-6, fr.

F — Dayo Olabode, 6-2, so.

C — Leashja Grant, 6-2, jr.

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