Friday, March 28, 2008
As the final buzzer sounded to signal the end of the Kansas women’s basketball team’s season, it was a bittersweet moment for senior forward Taylor McIntosh.
On one hand, the 58-54 loss to host Michigan State in the third round of the WNIT ended her collegiate career. But, on the other, the extra postseason games gained her teammates experience for the remainder of their careers.
“I was disappointed because obviously it wasn’t our best performance,” said McIntosh, who grabbed 11 rebounds and scored four points in her final game as a Jayhawk. “But, at the same time, a lot of teams don’t get to reach the postseason so I’m happy I got some postseason play, and especially for my teammates so they have some for next year.”
Jason Chiou/The State News
Michigan State guard Brittney Thomas guards sophomore forward Danielle McCray while seeking to pass during the second half on Thursday at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. The Spartans defeated the Jayhawks 58-54 and has been eliminated from the WNIT Tournament.
The young Jayhawks gained plenty of experience in Thursday’s game against the Spartans, and trailed Michigan State by two heading into halftime.
The game remained close in the early minutes of the second half, and got even closer when sophomore guard Danielle McCray drove to the lane for a lay-up to put the Jayhawks up 43-42 with 7:30 remaining. McCray nearly recorded a triple-double on the game, leading all scorers with 18 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds and getting eight steals.
McCray’s basket was the last lead of the game for the Jayhawks, who saw things unravel from there. With 4:24 left, Michigan State’s Kalisha Keane picked off a pass and found guard Mandy Piechowski in the corner for a three-pointer to give the Spartans a 47-43 lead.
After two successful Kansas free throws, the Spartans again picked off a Jayhawk pass, and this time Keane nailed a three at the top of the key to expand the lead to five.
“In the second half it was our turnovers,” said head coach Bonnie Henrickson of what caused the Spartans to extend their lead. “It had nothing to do if it was a (man-to-man defense), nothing to do if it was zone, they just capitalized on our turnovers.”
Kansas had 22 turnovers in the game, and tried to make up for their earlier mistakes as time was winding down. With just over two minutes remaining, McCray drove the lane and had her shot blocked out of bounds with one second left on the shot clock.
On the inbound pass, McCray got the ball and was fouled and made both to bring Kansas within three. Any momentum that was gained was quickly lost, however, as an offensive foul on sophomore forward Porscha Weddington turned the ball back over to the Spartans.
The Spartans iced the game from the free throw line, and despite a last-second three-pointer by McCray, the Jayhawks’ ended their season with a 17-16 record.
Freshman center Krysten Boogaard had ten points for the Jayhawks, while Michigan State was led by 16 points from Allyssa DeHaan, and ten points a piece from Brittney Thomas and Keane.
Henrickson and McIntosh both agreed the extra practice time and workouts will help the young Jayhawks, who have only two seniors on the team, in the coming years.
While Henrickson said, from a coaching standpoint, it was nice to get the extra practice time in, McIntosh said the felling of being left out of the NCAA Tournament should drive her teammates.
“Physically, and maybe more so emotionally too,” said McIntosh of the positives of playing in the WNIT. “Just to know how it feels to not get where you want to get, and to use that as motivation for the offseason toward next year.”
—Edited by Samuel Lamb
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