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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Exhibition season tips off on Friday, Nov. 1, for the Kansas women’s basketball team as the Jayhawks host the Washburn Ichabods.
Tipoff from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Josh Klingler (play-by-play) and Wayne Simien (analyst) on the call. Fans can also listen to the game on the Jayhawk Radio Network from Learfield, with Steven Davis and David Lawrence calling the action.
Under the direction of 10th-year head coach Brandon Schneider, the Jayhawks have been picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 this season. Kansas returns two starters from its 2023-24 team, which finished 20-13 overall and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas women’s basketball has won at least 20 games and won a game in the postseason in each of the past three seasons.
Jayhawks return two starters from last season, led by standout sophomore guard S’Mya Nichols. Following a stellar freshman campaign, Nichols earned a spot on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team and was named to the Naismith Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Watch List. Nichols led the Jayhawks in scoring last season at 15.4 points per game, while scoring in double figures 29 times in 33 games, with nine games of 20-plus points.
Also returning to the starting lineup is super-senior guard Wyvette Mayberry, who is now in her third season at Kansas. Mayberry was fifth on the team in scoring (9.7 ppg) last season and tied with Nichols for the team-lead with 45 steals. The returning duo also combined to hit 70 three-point field goals last season.
Kansas is facing a Washburn team was picked to finish ninth in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and was tabbed 10th by the coaches. The Ichabods were 13-16 last season and advanced to the first round of the MIAA Tournament. Washburn opened exhibition season on Wednesday, falling 89-36 in Manhattan at Kansas State.
Kansas has six players returning to the roster, led by Nichols and Mayberry. The Jayhawks also return seniors Nadira Eltayeb and Danai Papadopoulou in the post, and sophomores Laia Conesa and McKenzie Smith.
Schneider and his staff rounded out the lineup with an impressive recruiting class that includes three freshman and five transfers. Highlighting the list of newcomers is Division I transfers Elle Evans (North Dakota State), Brittany Harshaw (Creighton), Sania Copeland (Wisconsin) and Jordan Webster (UC Riverside). Kansas also added Freddie Wallace after two years at Butler CC.
The freshman class consists of three prep prospects: Zoe Canfield, Carla Osma and Regan Williams. Canfield comes to Lawrence from nearby, starring at Washburn Rural HS in Topeka, while Williams crossed the border from Kansas City, Missouri after her prep career at Park Hill South HS. Osma joins the Jayhawks from Madrid, Spain, where she previously played with Conesa in international competition.
Tickets
Friday night’s exhibition game is free to fans, who are encouraged to wear their favorite Kansas Jayhawks jersey to the game in celebration of National Jersey Day.
Single game and season tickets for the 2024-25 Kansas women’s basketball season are on sale now. For as low as $95, fans can lock in their seats for the year, with single-game tickets ranging from $8-15. To purchase tickets, visit KUAthletics.com or call 800-34-HAWKS today.
Up Next
Kansas opens the 2024-25 regular season on Wednesday, Nov. 6, against Lindenwood in a game that will tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The game begins a streak of four-straight games that the Jayhawks will play at Allen Fieldhouse to open the season.
