Smiles this week have been brighter and grins much wider than they have been in the Kansas University women’s basketball offices this week.
After KU clipped Texas A&M, 64-57, Saturday in College Station, Texas, coach Marian Washington wasn’t sure if her team had won a basketball game or the lottery.
“Everyone was just so excited about it,” she said. “You would have thought we had won the Super Bowl.”
Not quite, but Saturday’s victory certainly had an impact.
In one game, the Jayhawks (8-9 overall, 1-5 Big 12) not only snapped a 21-game conference regular-season losing streak, but also escaped the league cellar for the first time since 2001.
“We have been in a lot of ball games,” Washington said. “We just have not been able to finish, and to be able to finish a game finally was just a real confidence booster.”
Tonight KU hopes to snap another losing streak when Nebraska comes to town. Tipoff will be at 7:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network, including 1320 KLWN.
Big 12 teams have won 12 straight games in Allen Fieldhouse since the Jayhawks toppled Iowa State, 69-61, Feb. 17, 2001, and Nebraska appears vulnerable.
The Huskers (0-5) are the only winless team remaining in the Big 12 and are in a transition period with a new head coach, Connie Yori, who took the job after 10 seasons at Creighton.
Still, the Huskers have won the last seven meetings against Kansas, dating back to 1999.
“The last two years, we have just not had the kind of personnel that we have had in the past,” Washington said. “Hopefully, we will be able to do a better job against them.”
KU sophomore Aquanita Burras and freshman Crystal Kemp were the big guns in the Jayhawks’ win at Texas A&M. Burras scored 16 points while Kemp had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Both also sank crucial free throws in the closing minute.
| When: 7:05 tonight.Where: Allen Fieldhouse.Radio: Jayhawk Network, including 1320 KLWN.Records: Jayhawks (8-9 overall, 1-5 Big 12) vs. Cornhuskers (7-9, 0-5). |
“Down the stretch, we did a much better job than we have in a lot of other games,” Washington said.
KU’s schedule will get tougher after tonight. Eighth-ranked Texas Tech will visit Saturday, then the Jayhawks will make road trips to Colorado and Texas next week.
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Jones leaves team: Washington said Tuesday that Sereeta Jones has left the team for personal reasons. A red-shirt freshman forward from Vista, Calif., Jones had played in just six games, averaging one point and 1.2 rebounds.
Probable Starters
NEBRASKA (7-9, 0-5)
F — Alexa Johnson, 6-1, Jr., 15.7 ppg
F — Amanda Cleveland, 6-2, Sr., 9.3 ppg
G — Margaret Richards, 5-9, Sr., 12.2 ppg
G — Shahidrah Roberts, 5-9, Sr., 7.6 ppg
G — Jina Johansen, 5-7, So., 5.6 ppg
F — Blair Waltz, 6-0, Soph., 8.1 ppg
F — Crystal Kemp, 6-2, Fr., 10.8 ppg
C — Tamara Ransburg, 6-4, Fr. 10.6 ppg
G — Aquanita Burras, 5-9, So., 10.9 ppg
G — Leila Mengüç, 5-6, Jr., 3.0 ppg
Tipoff: 7:05 tonight, Allen Fieldhouse.
Radio: Jayhawk Network, including 1320 KLWN.
