Monday, November 3, 2008
Led by juniors Danielle McCray and Sade Morris, Kansas trounced Fort Hays State in its season opener, 93-37, at Allen Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon.
Freshman forward Aishah Sutherland braces for contact while taking the ball strong to the hoop during Sunday's game. Sutherland scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in fourteen minutes.
The Jayhawks looked great both offensively and defensively, scoring 39 points off of 27 Fort Hays turnovers. McCray led Kansas in scoring with 20 points and seven rebounds. She was also solid on the defensive end, making four steals. Morris aided McCray’s offense, dropping 14 points with four assists.
“I have a lot more confidence in shooting my shots,” she said. “Every shot I took, I thought was going in.”
Kansas led from the beginning and didn’t look back. The team’s largest lead was 58 points towards the end of the second half. The Jayhawks shared the ball well and were able to get multiple players involved, with 31 points coming from the bench. Eleven players scored for Kansas, with four posting double-digit totals.
“I think everyone’s ability to share the ball was great tonight,” McCray said.
In addition to McCray and Morris’ domination, junior forward Porscha Weddington did not miss, going 5-5 from the field with 10 points and three rebounds. Also impressive was the shooting of junior guard Kelly Kohn. Kohn went 3-4 from behind the arc and did not miss from the free throw line, scoring 13 points for Kansas.
The unselfish play of senior guard Ivana Catic — who posted seven assists — also helped get the ball inside for Kansas. With the exception of several missed layups, sophomore center Krysten Boogaard played well, putting up eight points and four rebounds.
Defensively the Jayhawks were sound with 28 defensive rebounds and 13 steals, but coach Bonnie Henrickson stressed the need for improvement in one-on-one situations.
Junior guard Sade Morris goes up between two Fort Hays State defenders during the first half of Sunday's game at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won the exhibition match easily, putting away the Tigers 93-37.
“Defensively we’ve got some work to do,” she said. “Our ability to contain one-on-one is making me a little nervous right now.”
As a team, the Jayhawks shot 53.6 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from the free-throw line. Their ability to move the ball around and get guards Morris and McCray open looks was the most important factor in Kansas’ offensive attack.
After a disappointing 17-16 finish last season, the Jayhawks hope their performance against Fort Hays State will be characteristic of this year’s squad.
“I think we’ve matured a lot,” Morris said. “I think we all have more confidence in each other and in ourselves. The game has kind of become easier for us because we’ve put in so much work.”
Next weekend the Jayhawks face a much more competitive Washburn team and hope to improve on their preseason record. The game will take place at 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 at Allen Fieldhouse.
For now, Kansas can enjoy its victory, as the Jayhawks open their season with a decisive win over Fort Hays State.
“It just felt good to play,” Morris said. “It felt good to get out there in front of the fans.”
— — Edited by Rachel Burchfield
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