Kansas women's basketball extends its season with a massive win over Nebraska, 64-55 in the Super 16 of the WNIT to advance to the Great Eight.
The highly anticipated rematch between the two teams got off to a quick start. The Jayhawks scored first after senior center Taiyanna Jackson put in a layup to give Kansas a 2-0 lead.
Jackson would not stop there as she had a monster first five minutes of the game. Five minutes into the game Jackson scored six points, grabbed two rebounds and blocked a shot.
Jackson’s offense powered the rest of the Jayhawks, as went on a 7-0 run over a two minute time span giving Kansas an 11-3 lead. Nebraska bounced back on offense bringing the score within three.
Junior forward Isabelle Bourne led Nebraska in points at the end of the first quarter with seven. Bourne's offensive output still was not enough to bring the Cornhuskers back even as the Jayhawks took an 18-13 lead into the second quarter.
Kansas defense suffocated Nebraska to start the second quarter. The Jayhawks held Nebraska to no points through the first five minutes of the second quarter.
Jackson continued her amazing game as well, entering double figures with 10 points and four rebounds with 4:53 left to play in the first half.
Coming out of the media timeout Nebraska's offense fired off a 7-0 run against the Jayhawks bringing the score within four points at 24-20 with 2:33 to play in the half.
The score stayed close the rest of the half with the Jayhawks taking a 30-25 lead into the locker room.
Senior guard Zakiyah Franklin who scored over 20 points in the first two games of the WNIT was held to seven points in the first half by the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska continued to fight its way back into the game tying the score at 36. The Jayhawks responded with a three pointer from senior guard Holly Kersgieter, and senior guard Chandler Prater followed that up with two points of her own.
The Jayhawks took a 41-36 lead into the third quarter media timeout. The Jayhawks were not able to keep the pace up as they went on a two minute scoring drought to end the third quarter.
Prater’s offensive output kept the Jayhawks in the lead however with 10 points at the end of the third quarter paired with 9 rebounds. The Jayhawks, despite the scoring drought still held onto a 48-45 lead at the end of the quarter.
The two teams continued to battle it out in the third with Kansas holding onto a 58-53 lead with under five minutes to play in the game.
With under a minute to play the Jayhawks clung onto a 60-55 lead. Nebraska was unable to complete the comeback with the Jayhawks pulling away in the end. Jackson and Prater both recorded double-doubles, powering the Jayhawks to the Great Eight of the WNIT.
Kansas awaits the winner of Texas Tech and Arkansas to see who its Great Eight opponent will be.
