Via Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. ā The Kansas Jayhawks hit four free throws in the final 39 seconds of regulation to force overtime, but Colorado outscored the Jayhawks 15-12 in the extra session to claim a 69-66 victory Sunday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
S’Mya Nichols led the Jayhawks with 22 points, five assists and three rebounds. Nichols was held to 5-of-16 shooting from the field, but continued to attack and get to the free throw line, where she connected on 12-of-14 attempts. Jaliya Davis had 14 points and six rebounds before fouling out in 26 minutes of action. Elle Evans added 12 points and a season-high nine rebounds in the effort.
Kansas was held to a season-low 35.8 percent (19-53) shooting from the field, while also committing a season-high 25 turnovers. Both teams hit just two three-pointers in the game and Colorado hit 27 free throws compared to 26 for Kansas. The Jayhawks outscored Colorado 30-22 in the paint and outrebounded the Buffs 39-37.
“When we didn’t foul, I thought our defense was pretty good,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said following the game. “You can’t put a team on the line 39 times, especially at home. That’s just not the kind of discipline we want to play with. Our backs are against the wall, there’s no question about that. Our margin for error has become very small and that’s something we’re going to have to understand when it comes to the importance of every single possession.”
The setback is Kansas’ second one-possession defeat this week, after the Jayhawks fell 79-77 at No. 12 TCU on Thursday in Fort Worth. KU is now 13-10 (3-8 Big 12) on the year, while Colorado improved to 15-7 (6-4 Big 12).
Kansas continues its three-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb 4, hosting BYU at 6:30 p.m. CT from Allen Fieldhouse on ESPN+.
Defense dominated the first 10 minutes of action, as the teams combined to hit just five field goals while committing 15 turnovers. The Jayhawks got baskets from Libby Fandel and Nadira Eltayeb, but hit just 2-of-12 attempts as a team. KU got two steals and held Colorado to 3-of-12 shooting, but the Buffaloes scored the final five points of the quarter over 1:41 of game time and led 7-4 at the end of the first.
The lid came off the basket in the second quarter and Kansas took the lead on an Evans three-pointer to put KU up 12-11 at the 6:39 mark. The Buffs regained the lead with a pair of free throws, but Regan Williams put the Jayhawks back on top with a lay-in with 6:14 to play in the half. Nichols scored the final five points of the half, sending Kansas to the break with a 21-19 advantage.
Colorado scored the first four points of the third quarter and opened on a 12-5 run to take a 31-26 lead after Zyanna Walker knocked down a jumper with 7:02 to play in the period. Kansas responded with a 7-0 run to regain the lead at 33-31 as Williams converted a layup at the 4:24 mark. KU scored 10 points the rest of the quarter, with eight coming from the free throw line, and the Jayhawks held a 43-39 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Kansas opened the fourth quarter with a 5-1 spurt that gave the Jayhawks their largest lead of the game at 48-40 with 8:56 to play after Davis converted a traditional three-point play. After that, KU was held without a basket for nearly six minutes, allowing Colorado to hit a three-pointer and five free throws as part of an 8-0 run that tied the game, 48-48, with 3:28 to play.
Nichols broke the dry spell with a layup, but Colorado again answered with six-straight points as the Buffs went on top 54-50 with 1:57 to play. Davis hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit in half with 38 seconds to play, before Nichols was fouled with nine seconds remaining and also hit two free throws to tie the game. Colorado missed a three-pointer on their final possession of regulation and grabbed the rebound, but the potential game-winning basket was ruled off after review showed it was not released in time.
In the extra session, both teams scored on their opening possession, but the next six points went to Colorado as the Buffs opened up a 62-56 lead with 2:28 to play. Forced to play from behind again, Kansas clawed back to within one after Evans hit a three-pointer with 12 seconds remaining. Desiree Wooten of CU hit two free throws with 11 seconds remaining and KU’s final possession ended with a missed three-pointer by Laia Conesa as time expired.
NOTES
- Sunday’s game marked Kansas’ second overtime game of the season and KU fell to 1-1 in overtime this season. The Jayhawks previously defeated Missouri State 73-70 on Dec. 7 in Springfield, Missouri.Ā
- S’Mya Nichols’Ā five assists moved her into ninth in career assists at Kansas with 343, surpassing Natalie Knight who had 340 from 2012-15.
- Elle EvansĀ set a season high in rebounds with nine.
- Kansas held Colorado to just seven first quarter points, the fewest first quarter points in any game this season.
- The Jayhawks forced 22 turnovers, 6 more than their average this season.
