Freeport, Bahamas ? Kansas University senior All-America candidate Danielle McCray’s untimely call for a timeout cost the Jayhawks dearly in the Junkanoo Jam.
With 13.8 seconds left against Texas Christian on Saturday, McCray called a timeout, but the Jayhawks didn’t have any left. Awarded a technical, TCU hit two free throws immediately, then hit two more from the ensuing possession to ensure a 74-69 victory over the 18th-ranked Jayhawks.
“I have never had that happen before. I have never had a staff member or a player call timeout in that situation,” Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “In our last huddle, the first and last thing I said was, ‘Don’t call timeout, we are out.’ But in the heat of a tight game, sometimes those things happen.”
It was KU’s second straight setback.
There were six ties and 13 lead changes, but KU (3-2) seemed to have it under control with a 64-55 lead with just under seven minutes to play.
But the Horned Frogs (4-2) whittled away and led, 68-67, with just under a minute to play.
Krysten Boogaard hit a lay-up with 36 seconds left for a 69-68 lead, but KU didn’t score again.
“I am sick about how we played down the stretch,” Henrickson said. “We took bad shots, made bad decisions in our offense and didn’t get back in transition. Give TCU credit. They kept playing and kept their composure.”
Boogaard finished with 21 points off of 8-of-8 shooting from the field, but managed to hit only five of 14 shots from the foul line.
Sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland had 16 points and seven boards, while McCray had 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Red-shirt freshman guard Angel Goodrich had nine assists to go along with seven points.
KU hit 47.5 percent of its shots from the field, but managed only 3-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc and just 8-of-18 shooting from the foul line. TCU made 45.6 percent of its field goals, but connected on nine of 20 threes and made 13 of 18 free throws.
Kansas will play host to UCLA on Thursday. Tipoff will be 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.