Result: A 73-62 loss to Nebraska in Allen Fieldhouse.

Jaclyn Johnson scored 19 points and Jennifer Jackson had 14, but the other member of the KU senior triumvirate, Brooke Reves, spent all but 16 minutes on the bench in foul trouble.

“If any of those three are not on the floor,” KU coach Marian Washington said, “there’s no way.”

Actually, for awhile in the second half, it appeared there might be a way. Nebraska had fashioned a 10-point lead, but with Reves still on the bench the Jayhawks went on a 10-1 run that cut the Cornhuskers’ lead to 49-48 with 10:57 remaining.

Earl Richardson/Journal-World Photo

At that point, it appeared Kansas had regained the momentum. Instead the Jayhawks wilted under a trio of three-point goals by NU reserve guard Amanda Went down the stretch.

“We went into a zone and that really helped us,” Washington said, “but throughout we did not rebound well, and it took its toll on us.”

The Huskers owned a 48-34 edge on the boards. NU had 19 offensive boards and nine of those were converted into stick-back baskets.

Johnson had 11 boards for the Jayhawks, but no teammate had more than five.

“The problem is people not doing the little things,” Johnson said. “I’m in there fighting those huge (Nebraska) girls and there’s no one at my back to pick up the ball. It’s frustrating.”

It was also frustrating for Reves to have to spend the last 12 minutes of the first half on the bench after picking up her second foul, then being whistled for Nos. 3 and 4 just 11 seconds apart early in the second half.

“I just didn’t play smart,” Reves said. “I really wanted this game because we lost to them three times last year. We seemed prepared, but I didn’t play smart at all.”

Another Jayhawk who seemed prepared was KC Hilgenkamp, a junior transfer from Hutchinson CC who grew up in Arlington, Neb. But Hilgenkamp missed her first seven shots and bricked 9 of 11 overall, settling for seven points in 38 minutes.

“I’m pretty disappointed,” Hilgenkamp said. “It was a big game for me playing against my home state school. I was getting open looks. I just had an off night.”

Kansas bolted to a 15-10 lead in the first six minutes, then Nebraska went on a 15-2 run as the Jayhawks suffered for 7 1/2 minutes with just two Hilgenkamp free throws.

Only eight straight points by Johnson in the three minutes before intermission enabled the Jayhawks to cut the halftime margin to seven (36-29). Despite a second-half spurt that brought KU within a point, the Jayhawks never really recovered from that first-half dry spell.

“It’s a tough loss,” Washington said. “I was really hoping we might be able to pull this one out. But obviously we’re short-handed. That’s a reality.”

KU was even more short-handed than usual on Wednesday night with Fernanda Bosi, a reserve guard who is second on the team in three-point goals, missing. It was reported that Bosi, a junior from Brazil, was attending to “personal matters.”

Nebraska, led by guard Shannon Howell’s 18 points and Went’s 13 off the bench, halted a five-game losing streak. The Huskers climbed to 10-11 overall and 2-6 in the Big 12. Kansas is also 2-6 in the league and 8-11 in all games.

“The way we’re playing now,” Johnson said, “we don’t have a chance for the postseason. Period.”

The Jayhawks, losers of eight of their last 10, will travel to Texas for a 5 p.m. game on Saturday, then return home next Wednesday night to meet Colorado.