Kansas women to meet similarly ‘underachieving’ A&M

By Chuck Woodling     Jan 26, 2008

Go figure Texas A&M.

Tapped as the preseason favorite by Big 12 Conference women’s basketball coaches, the Aggies are off to a surprising 1-4 start in league games.

“We have problems,” A&M coach Gary Blair said, “but the biggest problem is who the Big 12 is this year. It’s solid from top to bottom.”

Tell Kansas University coach Bonnie Henrickson about it. The Jayhawks, who compiled an 11-2 nonconference record, have been slow out of the league gate, too, matching A&M’s 1-4 start.

“Both teams are underachieving,” Henrickson said. “Both of us are disappointed with our starts.”

Thus when the Aggies and Jayhawks collide tonight, one of the teams is assured of going deeper into its funk.

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

In a preseason poll of Big 12 coaches, the senior-laden Aggies received seven of the 12 first-place votes after sharing the 2007 championship with Oklahoma. But they’ve struggled, even losing a pair of games at home to Kansas State and Oklahoma State.

A&M was guilty of 30 giveaways in Saturday’s 73-60 loss at Nebraska.

Meanwhile, Kansas has been giving opponents its best games when it plays at home. In Allen Fieldhouse, KU owns a victory over Missouri and bowed by just five points to emerging league power Oklahoma State.

Although competitive here, the Jayhawks have been road kill. Typical was Saturday’s 59-41 loss at Colorado. In that lopsided defeat, KU was guilty of 27 turnovers, committed 23 fouls and shot just 32 percent (16 of 50). KU has also fell at Baylor (59-35) and at Nebraska (71-51).

Kelly Kohn, who missed four games because of an ankle injury, saw limited duty against the Buffaloes, but her court time may expand tonight. Kohn was a solid member of the rotation during the Jayhawks’ 11-2 start.

“She’s looked better,” Henrickson said of the 5-foot-9 sophomore guard. “It’s just a matter of getting her back in rhythm.”

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