Comeback falls short and Kansas women’s basketball season ends

By Tom Keegan     Mar 4, 2017

? The Kansas women’s basketball team made a late charge in the fourth quarter, but it fell short, and the Jayhawks’ season ended Friday night in Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Kansas couldn’t overcome Oklahoma State’s height and strength advantage and the Cowgirls advanced to the second round with a 79-74 victory.

Oklahoma State’s two biggest players, Kaylee Jensen (23 points, 12 rebounds) and Mandy Coleman (14 and 18) by themselves out-rebounded Kansas, 30-24. As a team, the Cowgirls had 53 rebounds and had more offensive boards (20) than Kansas had on the defensive end (15).

“Honestly, no,” Kansas junior guard Jessica Washington said when asked if she had ever been a part of such one-sided rebounding game.

KU countered with effective full-court pressure to go on a 12-0 run that pulled the Jayhawks within 69-66. They never could draw closer.

“That’s something we work on every day in practice,” Washington said of the full-court press. “It puts a lot of pressure on the ballhandlers. It just forces them to make quick decisions. It worked out really well for us down the stretch.”

Kansas turned it over just 10 times, compared to 23 for the Jayhawks.

Washington and Kylee Kopatich shared teams scoring honors with 18 points and Jada Brown pitched in with 14 points and six boards.

KU finished coach Brandon Schneider’s second season with an 8-22 record and finished last in the Big 12 with a 2-16 mark.

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