PROVO, Utah – Zakiyah Franklin scored a season-high 24 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter to lead Kansas to a fifth-straight win, defeating BYU 70-62 on Saturday night at the Marriott Center.
With the win, Kansas improves to 15-10 on the year and 8-6 in Big 12 play with four games remaining in the regular season.
In addition to Franklin’s big night, Wyvette Mayberry added 19 points and four rebounds, while Holly Kersgieter had 16 points and seven rebounds. The trio accounted for 59 of KU’s 70 points in the contest.
“Coming into this game, we knew that we would need to be the toughest version of ourselves for four quarters to have a chance to be in the game,” Kansas Coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “Basketball is a game of adjustments and we had to make some adjustments with the foul trouble. Fortunately, we contested strong enough in the zone to get some rebounds and then we were able to come back and finish it in the last four minutes or so.”
Kansas scored the first four points of the game and led by four on four different occasions throughout the first quarter, but faced its first deficit of the game at 11-10 with 1:29 to play in the quarter. Franklin hit a three-pointer on KU’s final possession and led the team with seven points in the quarter, keeping the Jayhawks ahead 13-11 after 10 minutes of play.
The second quarter was very balanced on both ends of the court, featuring eight ties and 10 lead changes. Kansas battled foul trouble but led by three at 26-23 with 2:57 to play following a four-point run that included free throws from Mayberry and a layup by Kersgieter. On KU’s last possession of the half, Kersgieter nailed a three-pointer just before the shot clock expired, putting the Jayhawks up by one. BYU hit a free throw to close out the half tied at 31.
Franklin hit a three-pointer on KU’s opening possession of the second half and Mayberry added an old-fashioned three-point play of her own to put the Jayhawks up 37-31 less than two minutes into the third quarter. BYU answered with an 8-0 run to regain the lead, the first of six lead changes in the quarter. Mayberry scored on KU’s final two possessions of the third as Kansas closed the quarter on a 4-0 run to lead 46-43 at the end of three.
S’Mya Nichols hit her first basket of the contest on a three-pointer with 8:05 to play as the Jayhawks extended the lead to seven, 51-44, for the first time in the game. Franklin took over after that, scoring three of KU’s next four baskets. A 5-0 run pushed the lead to nine after a Nichols jumper made it 65-56 with 3:05 to play. From there, the Jayhawks closed out the game at the free throw line, hitting five free throws down the stretch to complete their first Big 12 sweep of the season.
Next Up
The Jayhawks are on the road for a second-straight game, traveling to Waco, Texas, to face No. 21 Baylor. Tipoff from Foster Pavilion is set for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.
