Few teams, especially rebuilding ones, prefer to play ranked teams.
Squads with no seniors and a slew of freshman aren’t expected to have much success against ranked teams.
But for Kansas University’s women’s basketball team, avoiding ranked teams just isn’t possible in the Big 12 Conference. Struggling KU will face yet another ranked opponent tonight in No. 22 Oklahoma.
Tipoff will be 7:05 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.
OU is the second Top 25 team the Jayhawks (7-8 overall, 0-4 Big 12) have seen this season, but only because the Big 12 season still is relatively young. Three other teams besides OU remaining on KU’s schedule currently are ranked in the Top 25.
Tough as that may seem, it’s still a small task compared to last season, when Kansas went 0-11 against Top 25 teams — all in the Big 12 — including a 79-57 loss to then-No. 4 Oklahoma last year in Norman.
“We expect Oklahoma to come in here and play hard on both ends,” KU coach Marian Washington said. “We have to be able to match that intensity.”
The Sooners (11-5, 2-1) have taken a small step down from a year ago, but they really couldn’t have climbed too much higher. Last season, OU played in the national championship game, falling to Connecticut 82-70 after an impressive run through the NCAA tournament. They finished the season 32-4.
Even without two-time All-American Stacey Dales, who has moved on to the WNBA, Washington labels the Sooners lethal.
“Even though they lost some key players, there was one thing they gained, and that is experience,” Washington said. “There is a great deal you gain from that opportunity.”
Kansas, meanwhile, keeps searching for a Big 12 victory.
KU’s regular-season conference losing streak hit 20 with a 71-50 loss to Colorado on Saturday. Their last Big 12 victory came on Feb. 28, 2001 — a 75-62 triumph at Texas A&M. Only one current Jayhawk, junior Leila Menguç, played in that game.
Settling down offensively may be the key to ending the long losing streak tonight.
“Being more patient is the biggest concern or challenge we have,” Washington said. “We are not as patient as we need to be.”
Kansas will travel to Texas A&M on Saturday.
