AMES, Iowa — Efficiency on the offensive end was one reason the Jayhawks went on a four-game winning streak.

A lack of offensive efficiency was the main reason that same streak ended Saturday night on the road against Iowa State. Kansas lost to Iowa State 59-49.

In Iowa State’s loss in Lawrence two weeks ago, Cyclones coach Bill Fennelly didn’t think the Jayhawks’ defense really affected them too much. He thought that it was more about his team’s inability to run efficient offense.

It was the same story Saturday night, but this time, it was Kansas’ offense that sputtered. The Jayhawks’ 49-point scoring output was its lowest since they scored the same number against Texas Tech at home.

“We just didn’t do what we were supposed to do on the offensive end,” senior Ivana Catic said.

At times, the only shots Kansas could get came off of isolation plays for junior Danielle McCray with the shot clock running down. And even the shots she made were often not too pretty. By unofficial count, she banked in three of her four three-pointers.

“They were just all over me, face-guarding me,” McCray said. “When I drove inside, there were five people in there waiting for me.”

McCray said another factor in the lack of offensive efficiency was Iowa State’s changing defenses. The Cyclones started the game in a 2-3 zone, but switched to a diamond-and-one and a sagging man-to-man for the rest of the game.

Ivana Catic said they knew what Iowa State was going to do on the defensive end but were unable to execute. They missed open shots and easy layups time and time again.

“We didn’t have the same composure and the same sense of urgency as we did in the previous four games,” Catic said.

Coming off four games where the Jayhawks shot the ball fewer times than their opponents in each game but still made more field goals, Iowa State’s ability to slow down Kansas was a bit unexpected.

McCray realized other teams may notice the Cyclones’ success in stifling other Kansas scorers and use a similar strategy to guard the Jayhawks the rest of the season.

“Overall, everyone has to produce more,” McCray said.

Coach Bonnie Henrickson echoed that sentiment.

“In this league, kids got to show up and play,” she said.

She said junior Sade Morris needed to pick up some of the scoring slack. Morris agreed with that, saying she needs to “step up.” Morris was 3-for-10 from the field and had five turnovers in 40 minutes of play.

But, as many of the Jayhawks realized after the game, it isn’t hard to recognize why the team wasn’t efficient on the offensive end.

“Eventually, it comes down to making a play,” Catic said.

— — Edited by Realle Roth