Kansas City, Mo. ? Sixty-six is a number of significance for Bonnie Henrickson, and not because it’s half the name of the sponsoring oil company of the Big 12 Conference basketball tournaments.
Sixty-six is the number of free throws Nebraska attempted in its two meetings with Kansas during the regular season.
So, with the rubber match on tap tonight, Henrickson’s strategy is simple.
“We can’t foul them,” said KU’s fourth-year women’s basketball coach.
Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. in Municipal Auditorium. Metro Sports (Sunflower Broadband channel 37) will carry a live telecast.
When the two teams met in January in Lincoln, Neb., the Cornhuskers steamrolled Kansas, 71-51, thanks in large part to deadly free throwing. The Huskers made 30 of 32 charities that day, an almost unbelievable 93.7 percent.
When the Huskers came to Lawrence about a month later, they attempted two more charities than they did in Lincoln, yet for some reason made only half of their 34 attempts, enabling KU to salvage a 62-61 victory.
“I think free throw shooting is the funniest thing in coaching,” NU coach Connie Yori said afterward. “You just don’t always understand it.
“Why do you make them on this day and not on this day? And today was the day we didn’t make them and it was costly for us.”
That was also the day KU donned pink uniforms to promote breast cancer awareness and drew a season-high crowd of 6,122. Since then, it’s been all downhill. The Jayhawks haven’t won since.
Kansas will go into the conference tournament mired in a five-game losing streak caused primarily by an inability to score. KU has averaged only 53 points in those five defeats. Only cellar-dwelling Missouri keeps Kansas from being the lowest-scoring team in the league.
In attempt to rejuvenate the offense, Henrickson started LaChelda Jacobs at point guard in the regular-season finale, a 61-50 home loss to league champion Kansas State.
Jacobs, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, will make her second start of the season tonight after scoring 14 points and committing just two turnovers during 36 minutes on the floor against the Wildcats.
“I liked her fight and her energy,” Henrickson said of Jacobs.
Nevertheless, it’s no secret the Jayhawks won’t have a strong postseason unless freshman center Krysten Boogaard shakes her slump.
During a five-game stretch in February, the 6-5 Boogaard averaged 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds a game. But during the last four games, she has averaged 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds.
“Krysten’s got to be a factor for us to make a run,” Henrickson said, “and she knows that.”
Although it’s possible Kansas (15-14) could run the tourney table and earn the Big 12’s automatic NCAA berth, it’s probable the Jayhawks will be playing in the WNIT next week even if they lose to Nebraska tonight.
“Absolutely,” Henrickson said. “As good as this league is, I’ll bet 11 of the 12 teams will be in the postseason.”
Eleven of the 12 league teams are assured of finishing with .500 or better records and Henrickson says she thinks as many as eight could earn NCAA bids.
If Kansas wins tonight, it would meet No. 3 seed Oklahoma State at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Cowgirls earned a first-round bye.
