Clumped with bodies both black and gold and crimson and blue, the paint was mobbed with action Sunday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas defeated an injury-depleted Emporia 85-48, leaving the overtime drama of the last time these teams met in the past.

After a quiet opener last week against Pittsburg State, junior center Krysten Boogaard arrived with a storm, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The lofty center exhibited with potentially dominant influence that she can play for a team in need of a multi-dimensional threat.

“Like Aishah set the tone on the offensive boards last week, I thought she did it for us this week,” coach Bonnie Henrickson said.

While senior guard-forward Danielle McCray’s shooting met expectations, Kansas’ true dominance lived down low. Boogaard and sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds, were authoritative in the paint, setting high picks for their guards and then rolling down low for easy layups and other high percentage shots.

“I thought it was important to go inside early and often,” Henrickson said.

It was a perpetually busy scene down on the blocks, but advantages in skill and size overcame the effects of the crowded lanes. Kansas’ backcourt towered over anyone Emporia threw its way. Boogaard, 6-foot-5, stood three inches taller than any Hornets player. Sutherland, 6-foot-2, was constantly matched a forward four inches shorter. As a result, both players had their way, finishing with a double-double of points and rebounds.

Boogaard was able to reach the high goals she set for herself, which proved too much for Emporia.

“She’s been working hard in practice to get that low post presence,” McCray said.

Over a 23-second sample late in the first half, Boogaard highlighted her capabilities. After a bounced entry pass, she turned her right shoulder into the defender and laid it in with her left hand. On the very next play on the other end, she blocked a shot attempt, immediately turned into a sprint, ran the length of the floor and was delivered an easy layup by an assist from freshman guard Angel Goodrich.

“The bigs just got to be ready for her,” McCray said of Goodrich.

Early in the second half, after helping defend and eventually stop senior guard Cassondra Boston mid-drive, Boogaard gathered a pass, waited for defenders to congregate and then found senior guard Sade Morris wide open in the corner. Morris nailed the shot and the fieldhouse erupted.

“If you play well in the paint right away, it sucks up the perimeter defense and then you can kick it out to the wings,” Boogaard said.

Emporia State struggled to find a groove, shooting only 29 percent in the first half. Boston knocked down some well-guarded three pointers, but the team’s only easy points came when deceiving Kansas down low, drawing fouls and creating closer shots.

“When you let a team like that get in a rhythm offensively, they can make shots,” Henrickson said.

Despite defensive errors here and there, all the starters were gone with seven minutes left to play. That’s a comfort level that will make any coach breathe a little easier.

“That’s what this time of the year is for,” Henrickson said. “But this time of the year is over now. Now it’s for real.”

— Edited by Amanda Thompson