LAWRENCE, Kan. – The first round of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at Bramlage Coliseum as the Kansas Jayhawks travel to Manhattan, Kan., to face the Kansas State Wildcats. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.
Kansas enters the matchup with a record of 11-3, which includes a 2-2 mark in Big 12 play. The Jayhawks are receiving votes in the latest AP Poll after defeating No. 13/12 Texas 70-66 in overtime on Jan. 12 before falling late to No. 14/13 Baylor, 82-79, on Jan. 16. All three of the Jayhawks defeats this season have come against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25.
Kansas will be seeking its first win in Manhattan since 2019 against a KSU team that is 13-4 on the year and 3-2 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats fell from the AP Poll this week following losses to No. 9/12 Iowa State and Texas Tech. Leading the way for Kansas is junior guard Holly Kersgieter, who scored a season-high 23 points against Baylor while matching a career-high with five made three-pointers. Kersgieter moved into sole possession of 10th place on KU’s all-time list for three-point field goals in the game.
Ioanna Chatzileonti scored a career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting against Baylor on Sunday while also pulling down eight rebounds. Zakiyah Franklin also crossed the 20-point mark against Baylor as she finished with a new season-high 20 points. With Kersgieter (23), Chatzileonti (20) and Franklin (20) each scoring 20 or more points against Baylor, Kansas had three players score 20+ for the first time since Jan. 30, 2019 against Oklahoma.
Kansas State is 13-4 on the year and 3-2 in Big 12 play following a 64-45 defeat at Texas Tech on Jan. 15. The Wildcats rank sixth in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 70.5 points per game while holding its opponents to 56.2 points per game, which ranks second in the league. KSU is led by junior center Ayoka Lee, who leads the Big 12 in scoring, field goal percentage and blocked shots while ranking second in rebounding.
The Dillons Sunflower Showdown between Kansas and Kansas State dates back to 1969, with 125 all-time meetings between the in-state rivals. Kansas State leads the all-time series 77-48, which includes a 36-16 record in games played in Manhattan. The rivals split a home-and-home series in 2020-21 with each team winning on its home court. KU last won at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 13, 2019, defeating the Wildcats 61-54.
Up Next
Kansas returns home to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 22, to host Texas Tech. That game tips off at 4 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
