KU women take 20-point victory over Central Arkansas

By Avery Hamel, Special to the Journal-World Dec 16, 2023

KU's Zakiyah Franklin (15) drives past Central Arkansas' Randrea Wright (3) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Jayhawks extended their win streak to three with a dominant 69-48 win over the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears in the penultimate nonconference contest of their season. The game featured balanced scoring across the starters and bench alike, while Taiyanna Jackson recorded her sixth double-double of the season.

Kansas (6-4) got off to a fast start thanks to two quick 3-pointers by Zakiyah Franklin. The Jayhawks started the game on a 10-2 run before Central Arkansas (6-5) went on a run of its own to tie the game at 12. Laia Conesa broke this tie with her first points as a Jayhawk followed by another bucket to end the quarter with a 16-12 lead.

Kansas remained dominant to start the second, scoring its first 10 points of the quarter from the post. After two missed layups by Holly Kersgieter and Jackson, Ryan Cobbins followed up with the third offensive rebound of the possession to make it 24-16. Another layup by Jackson 30 seconds later capped off a 10-4 Jayhawk run to start the period. Three fast break layups by Franklin, Cobbins and freshman Paris Gaines gave the Jayhawks a comfortable 32-23 lead. A foul on the floor led to two made free throws by Wyvette Mayberry to give them their largest lead of the game, as they went up 11. After a made free throw on the other end, Kansas finished its first half up 34-24.

Though she didn’t score in the second quarter, Conesa looked comfortable in her first real minutes with Kansas, picking up an impressive assist on the Cobbins layup and forcing a steal in her eight minutes of playing time. Franklin led the Jayhawks with eight first-half points, while Jackson did her job in the post, grabbing rebounds and one block in 12 minutes played.

A nice move by S’Mya Nichols got her to the hoop where she completed a three-point play after being fouled on the shot. She made her way back to the line the next possession, going two for two, after the Jayhawks gave up a three-pointer for Central Arkansas’ second field goal of the half. A 3 from Cobbins off a steal by Gaines, followed by Gaines’ first points of the half, gave the Jayhawks their first 20-point lead of the game, up 49-29. Kansas would end the quarter with the same lead, up 54-34 with 10 minutes left to play.

A group effort propelled a relatively low-scoring final quarter, as the Jayhawks maintained their 20-point advantage. The bench scored more than half of the points in the final period, playing plenty with the solid Kansas lead in place. The Jayhawks won 69-48 with plenty of bench production, as Cobbins joined Franklin with a team-high 11 points, while Jackson and Nichols finished close behind with 10 apiece. Jackson achieved yet another double-double, grabbing 11 rebounds to go along with her 10 points. Kansas held the Sugar Bears to 32.7% shooting from the field while accumulating 10 steals and two blocks and outrebounding them 40-33.

KU’s Zakiyah Franklin (15) spots up to shoot a 3 over Central Arkansas’ Bree Stephens (5) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Taiyanna Jackson (1) blocks the shot of Central Arkansas’ Randrea Wright (3) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Holly Kersgieter (13) looks to past the ball to teammate S’Mya Nichols (12) through the defense of Central Arkansas’ Bree Stephens (5) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Holly Kersgieter (13) looks to make a play Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Taiyanna Jackson (1) and Zakiyah Franklin (15) shake hands during a timeout Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Taiyanna Jackson (1) shoots a hook shot over Central Arkansas’ Elizabeth Abiara (32) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Laia Conesa (6) goes for a reverse layup Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Laia Conesa (6) shoots a turnaround jump shot over Central Arkansas’ Jade Upshaw (0) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Laia Conesa (6) drives to the paint against the tough defense by Central Arkansas’ Jade Upshaw (0) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Laia Conesa (6) looks to make a move to the rim Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s S’Mya Nichols (12) attempts a layup over Central Arkansas’ Bree Stephens (5) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s S’Mya Nichols (12) attempts a jump shot Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Zakiyah Franklin (15) helps up teammate Wyvette Mayberry (0) Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU’s Taiyanna Jackson (1) and Central Arkansas’ Jade Upshaw (0) fight over the ball early in the first quarter Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse.