LAWRENCE, Kan. – Led by junior Taiyanna Jackson’s second double-double of the season, the Kansas Jayhawks erased a 14-point deficit to defeat Oklahoma State 65-56 on Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Jackson had a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win to pace the Jayhawks, who also topped the Cowgirls on Saturday by 14 in Stillwater.
The back-to-back wins against the Cowboys mark the first season since 1995-96 that the Jayhawks have swept the season series against OSU. Kansas is now 14-5 on the season and 5-4 in Big 12 play on the year.
“I think the teams that continue to get better are the ones that reach the goals that they have set and you just can’t be satisfied right now, you have to continue to work and get better,” Coach Brandon Schneider said. “I have said this over and over, you have to have the belief and the confidence that you can play with anyone in the league, but you also have to have the humility and the maturity to understand that you can lose to anybody, if you don’t prepare the right way.”
Kansas posted the first points of the game with a bank shot from Jackson, but the Cowboys followed with an 8-0 run to take control. Despite seven points in the first quarter from Jackson, the Cowgirls ended the first quarter, leading 15-10.
The Cowgirls came out with a 6-0 run starting the second quarter, but the Jayhawks stayed in the game with free throws, shooting 87.5% from the line (7-8) in the quarter. Kansas ended the quarter with a 6-0 run, to trim the lead down to eight at 33-25.
The Jayhawks swung the momentum in their favor in the third quarter, outscoring the Cowgirls 15-5, helped by their hustle defense and 17 rebounds. The Jayhawks tied the game 38-38 with a minute a half left in the quarter and soon regained the lead as a part of their 8-0 run. Leaving the Cowgirls scoreless for the last six minutes of the quarter, Kansas finished the third up 40-38.
Kansas carried the momentum into the fourth, opening the quarter with a 12-0 run, giving the Jayhawks a 20-0 run over the third and fourth quarters. By the time the run was over, Kansas led 52-38. Holly Kersgieter had a big quarter with two three-pointers, helping the Jayhawks to again outscore the Cowboys 25-18 in the fourth, solidifying the win.
All total, Kansas outscored Oklahoma State 40-23 in the second half.
Kersgieter finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. Ioanna Chatzileonti had 13 points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. The Jayhawks outrebounded Oklahoma State 49-36 in the win and outscored the Cowgirls in the paint, 32-24.
Up Next:
Looking forward, the Jayhawks will host TCU in Allen Fieldhouse on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. CT
Notes
– Kansas scored a season-low 10 points in the first quarter after shooting 3-of-10 from the field. The Jayhawks previous season-low for the first quarter was 11 points against both Tennessee (Nov. 26) and Wichita State (Dec. 21).
– Taiyanna Jackson recorded her second double-double of the season after finishing with a season-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. She previously had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Oklahoma (Jan. 8)
– Jackson finished with four blocked shots in the game, giving her 55 for the season. She has moved into ninth place on Kansas’s single-season list for blocks.
– Wednesday’s win over OSU marks the third time this season that Kansas has won after trailing at halftime.
– Kansas defeated Oklahoma State despite trailing by 14 points in the first half, which is the largest deficit overcome by the Jayhawks this season.
