It easily was the most KU has dominated a Big 12 Conference opponent at home this season, although it appeared it might be close in the first half, when the Jayhawks (11-11 overall, 4-7 Big 12) couldn’t pull away from the Buffaloes (8-14, 1-10).

Most of KU’s missed shots appeared to be good, but unexpectedly rimmed out.

KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said that with the shots her team was taking, it only was a matter of time before they would go in.

“We got good shots, but couldn’t knock shots down,” Henrickson said. “We kept telling them in timeouts, ‘You’re getting good looks, and your shots are the right shots. They’re going to fall, just continue to defend.'”

Jared Soares/Journal-World Photo

The shots did start to fall about midway through the first half when the Jayhawks seemed to transform into a three-point shooting team. Guards Kaylee Brown and Erica Hallman scored a pair of three-pointers each.

Even forward Crystal Kemp got in on the act with a three-pointer that wasn’t meant to be. Kemp was stuck outside the perimeter with no passing options and an expiring shot clock. Kemp said afterward that she occasionally has the OK to heave a three-pointer.

“I do have three-point range,” Kemp said. “I just really don’t choose to use it often.”

KU went to halftime ahead by nine, but given the team’s history this season of slipping in the second half, the Jayhawks came out looking to add to their advantage.

And they did in the second half with their lead ballooning to 31 at one point. KU went on a 15-2 run early in the second half.

The Jayhawks’ run got under way with the help of perimeter shooting from Brown and Aquanita Burras early in the second half. Henrickson said Brown’s 17 points gave KU another scoring option to spread the scoring around.

“That just gives us a little bit more room inside,” Henrickson said. “We can start to penetrate. We can be a little more aggressive about trying to penetrate and kick it to her.”

Kemp was able to work past Colorado’s tall post players to chip in 17 points, but Henrickson said that Hallman’s and Brown’s scoring took the pressure off of Kemp to always be the team’s primary scoring threat.

“I think we’ve grown as a group that doesn’t have to go to Crystal every single touch, and she’s got to score for us all night,” Henrickson said. “I think it’s a growth and maturation process for us to understand that we need for those kids to take shots and take shots that they can make.”

The Jayhawks also defended well. In the previous victory over Colorado, KU only forced 10 turnovers. The Jayhawks came out and forced 24 on Sunday.

Burras said defensive pressure was what they set out to do.

“That was our emphasis, actually, because last game we only forced 10,” Burras said. “That was our big emphasis on this game, try and force them more than we did on the last one.”

The game gives KU four Big 12 victories for the first time since 1999-2000.

Colorado coach Ceal Berry said she noticed a different KU team than one she has played in years past.

“The last couple of years they were where we are right now,” Berry said. “I think what I see in Kansas is they’re hungry to win, and they’ve been through some frustrating experiences like we’re going through.”

Hear Bonnie: Colorado postgame comments Get the stats: KU vs. Colorado box score

If there was anything the Jayhawks failed to accomplish, it was Kemp falling one point short of 1,000 for her career.

But Henrickson joked that she couldn’t feel too sorry for her.

“I said, ‘If you made your free throw it would be over by now,'” Henrickson said.

KU will play host to No. 12 Texas Tech at 7 p.m. Wednesday.