Coming off of a loss in its first Big 12 game of the season, the Kansas University women’s basketball team will look to bounce back at 8 tonight on the road at Colorado.
The Jayhawks (13-2) dropped their Big 12 opener in heartbreaking fashion last Saturday night. Despite leading Texas Tech by as many as 15 points, the Jayhawks fell, 61-57, at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas led by nine at halftime but was outscored by 13 in the second half, as the Red Raiders’ pressure defense, precision offense and a KU scoring drought that spanned more than five minutes led to KU’s demise.
In the loss, leading scorer Carolyn Davis tallied 11 points and 13 rebounds but attempted just five shots. Aishah Sutherland led KU with 17 points and Monica Engelman added 11, but needed 15 shots to score them. In all, KU shot just 44 percent from the floor, including 40 percent in the second half and just 9-of-18 from the free throw line.
The challenge for the Jayhawks now is to bounce back the way they did after a loss at Michigan last month. KU followed up that setback with a convincing thrashing of Alabama at home the next game.
“After a tough loss at Michigan, (we) played Alabama at home awfully well, so that’s where myself, the staff and the upperclassmen have to lead,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “We just have to figure out what we need to fix, get our heads together and bounce back.”
Colorado enters tonight’s game at 9-5, also on the heels of a loss in its Big 12 opener. CU lost to Texas A&M, 85-57.
Although the Buffs dropped a handful of non-conference games only one came at home. CU is 9-1 in Boulder this season.
Colorado is led by All-Big 12 performer Brittany Spears, who averages 17.6 points per game. Spears also ranks second on the team with 7.6 rebounds.
During Henrickson’s time in Lawrence, KU has never won more than six conference games in a single season.
“This league is tough and we can’t dwell on this,” sophomore guard Angel Goodrich said.