KU women to face 3-14 Sacramento St.

By Chuck Woodling     Jan 17, 2007

Kansas University is struggling. So is Sacramento State.

Something has to give when the Jayhawks play their last non-conference women’s basketball game of the season tonight.

“(It’s) an opportunity for us to get on the right end of the win-loss column,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said.

Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 will carry a live telecast.

Kansas is mired in a seven-game losing skid. The Jayhawks haven’t won since mid-December. At the same time, Sacramento State has a woeful 3-14 record and has dropped five of its last six outings.

KU is the worst-shooting team in the Big 12 Conference at 38.9 percent, but the Hornets are even worse at 34.1 percent. The Big Sky Conference team also has about twice as many turnovers as assists.

Freshman point guard Kelly Kohn has been a bright spot during this disappointing KU season. The 5-foot-9 native of Adrian, Mich., leads all Big 12 Conference freshmen in scoring at 11.6 points per game. That average also leads the Jayhawks.

In last Saturday’s home loss to Nebraska, Kohn had a team-high 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. But she missed 14 of 23 shots.

“We are rushing our shots and ignoring the pace that we practice,” Kohn said.

Kohn has proven effective as a floor leader, too.

“From the beginning in summer workouts,” Henrickson said, “you could tell she had that ability. Her will to win is as strong as any kid I’ve ever had.”

The Jayhawks aren’t winning, however. The last time KU won was a month ago today – a 78-68 decision over Santa Clara in Allen Fieldhouse. Since then, the Jayhawks have dropped seven straight, including four to Big 12 foes.

Although half the KU roster is composed of freshmen, the Jayhawks began the season with four wins in their first five games. Since then, however, KU has dropped 10 of its last 11 starts.

Kansas will resume conference play Saturday when Iowa State comes to town for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The Cyclones already own a victory over the Jayhawks, a 61-50 decision in the league opener two weeks ago in Ames, Iowa.

PREV POST

KU women still winless in Big 12 action

NEXT POST

23218KU women to face 3-14 Sacramento St.