Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoKansas University point guard Erica Hallman took one step inside Hadl Auditorium on Tuesday and proclaimed, “Whew, it’s hot in here.”
Indeed, a pronounced heat blazed from an amped-up thermostat.
But if it was warm inside the room where the Jayhawks and media mingled after Kansas’ sizzling 67-44 victory over Denver, it had to feel like an absolute inferno to the visiting Pioneers inside Allen Fieldhouse earlier in the evening.
Kansas (3-1) was red-hot in the first half, hardly missing an uncontested shot as the Jayhawks scorched the nets — draining 64 percent of their field goals — en route to winning their third straight game at home.
KU, which hadn’t shot over 40 percent on the season before Tuesday’s lopsided victory, hit 50.9 percent from the field by game’s end and nearly doubled its season average in the first half when it connected on 16 of 25 attempts.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoThe Jayhawks also more than doubled their season three-point shooting percentage against the Pioneers (0-3) in the first half, when they knocked down six of 11 treys. KU was even perfect from the free-throw line, even though it barely had been hitting 50 percent before the game.
And no Jayhawk’s shot was falling more than Hallman’s, who tallied 11 of her 17 points in the first half, including a 3-for-3 three-point performance in the first half.
“I was way overdue, like a book at the library,” said a grinning Hallman, who scored 17 points, three shy of matching her career-high, and also collected five rebounds and five assists with just one turnover.
“We didn’t do anything different tonight. I just think we were due,” she said. “It was just one of those nights when you just kind of feel it, and we all felt it.”
The Jayhawks hadn’t had that scenario yet this season under first-year coach Bonnie Henrickson, instead having to secure their first two victories last week off of their defensive prowess.
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Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo“It’s nice to know for our shooters that the rim looked like an ocean tonight,” said Henrickson, whose team jumped to a 20-8 lead in the first 10 minutes and led by as much as 33 early in the second half before playing mostly reserves in the last 20 minutes. “I think it’s looked a lot smaller than that lately. But we shoot too well in practice to shoot like we have.”
Of course, KU’s most consistent scorer — Crystal Kemp — again was a model of consistency, although she did miss one of her 10 attempts in scoring a game-high 18 points.
“I think I’ll lose a little sleep over that one tonight,” quipped Kemp, who also had five rebounds in just 21 minutes. “When everyone shoots well like that, it’s just nice to see the ball going through the net and not have to worry about offensive rebounds and things like that.”
But Kansas stayed true to the defensive formula that helped it defeat Sacred Heart and UMKC.
The Jayhawks easily pulled away in the first half because their pressure limited Denver to just 24 percent shooting in the first half and also forced nine turnovers.
The victory was also a special one statistically because it was the 600th career win for the KU women’s program. Thursday’s game against Washburn will be the 1,000th game for the Jayhawks, a fact not overlooked by Henrickson.
“We’re certainly proud to share in it, but understand we were just a little speck of what’s going on here for a long, long time,” said Henrickson, who credited longtime KU coach Marian Washington, who retired last season, and legendary Jayhawk Lynette Woodard for the blueprint for Kansas’ past and future success.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoKansas University has gotten into a nasty habit of digging its own grave.
The Jayhawks have fallen behind by two touchdowns in each of their last three football games, a trend coach Mark Mangino would like to stop when KU (2-5, 0-3 Big 12) plays host to Texas A&M (4-2, 1-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
“We just can’t continue to spot teams two touchdowns in the first quarter, so we’ve taken some steps to try and improve on how we get out in the first quarter and how we play in the first quarter,” Mangino said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. “We’re going to start our practices with a little more intensity. That’s something we were highly focused on yesterday and will be the rest of the week.”
Mangino said he hoped having players fired up early in practice would carry over to the first quarters of games.
The Jayhawks’ pattern of starting slow began Sept. 28 at Tulsa, Okla., when the Hurricane stormed to a 13-0 lead.
All three phases of the game contributed to the deficit. First, kicker Johnny Beck missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt on KU’s first drive.
The Jayhawks’ defense gave up two big plays on Tulsa’s first two scoring drives. Hurricane quarterback Tyler Gooch completed a 30-yard pass and had a 22-yard run.
Kansas quarterback Bill Whittemore, meanwhile, fired some poor passes and also was the victim of dropped passes as he completed only four of 14 first-quarter passes. The junior finished 18-of-31 for 218 yards as Kansas rallied for a 43-33 nonconference victory.
The next week at Waco, Texas, Baylor took a 14-0 and went on to snap a 29-game Big 12 Conference losing streak with a 35-32 victory.
The Bears completed five passes of more than 20 yards, including two TDs, on their first-quarter scoring drives.
Once again, KU squandered an early scoring chance when Beck missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt on the Jayhawks’ second drive, which stalled when receiver Derick Mills dropped passes on consecutive plays from the BU 17.
Kansas overcame the two-touchdown deficit for the second week in a row, but the Jayhawks couldn’t hold an eight-point lead in the final three minutes.
Last Saturday at Memorial Stadium, Colorado quarterback Robert Hodge completed two passes of more than 20 yards on CU’s opening drive, and running back Chris Brown added a 78-yard TD run as the Buffaloes claimed a 14-0 lead. KU helped with a Whittemore fumble in between.
Kansas rallied for the third week in a row and led 18-14 in the third quarter, but CU won 53-29.
KU’s coaches hope changing practice routines will change game results.
“We’ve changed the stretch routine,” Mangino said. “We’ve changed what we’re doing in the first half hour of practice. Instead of it being a learning and teaching period, we’re going to get after it and fly around and have some blitz drills and intense group drills. Then we’ll go back to teaching periods.”
Players of week: Mangino announced KU’s players of the week Tuesday. Whittemore and offensive lineman Justin Sands were selected as offensive co-players of the week. Whittemore had his third straight game with 300 or more total yards, and Mangino said the line played its best game of the season as Kansas netted 450 total yards. Defensive lineman David McMillan was the top defensive player with eight tackles, including a sack. Greg Heaggans, who had a 56-yard kick return, was the top special teams player.
Last in the Big 12: KU ranks last in the league in scoring defense (37.1 points per game), rushing defense (261.3 yards per game), passing defense (151.82 yards), total defense (460.1 yards), pass efficiency (99.7 rating), pass defense efficiency (134.3 rating) and opponent first downs (149).
Brown in front: CU’s Brown entered last Saturday’s game against KU as the Big 12’s leading rusher. His 309-yard performance improved his average to a 164.5 yards, which ranks first in the nation.
Ticket sale: KU announced Tuesday that it is offering a special ticket package for the Kansas State (Nov. 2) and Oklahoma State (Nov. 16) games. For $60 fans can purchase the “Two For Blue” mini-pack and receive a reserved ticket to each of those two games. Fans interested in ordering the mini-pack can call the KU ticket office at 1-800-34-HAWKS.
