Via Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Four players scored in double figures as the Kansas Jayhawks had their highest-scoring game in conference play in an 85-68 victory over Houston on Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
Freshman forward Jaliya Davis led the way for the Jayhawks with her 25 points, followed by junior guard S’Mya Nichols who scored 22 points and dished out a season-high nine assists in the win. Senior guard Elle Evans hit 4-of-7 three-point attempts in the game and finished with 18 points, while senior forward Lilly Meister notched her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
With the win, Kansas improved to 16-11 on the year and 6-9 in Big 12 play with three games remaining in the regular season. Houston fell to 7-18 (1-12 Big 12) for the year. Kansas returns to action next Saturday, Feb. 21, with a trip to Bramlage Coliseum to face Kansas State. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I think when you really study Houston over the last month or so, they’ve condensed their lineup and they’ve been playing much better,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said following the game. “I thought we got valuable contributions from several players tonight and I think they all really understand what their strengths are and the type of looks that we’re trying to get them.”
Davis, Evans and Nichols scored 20 of KU’s 22 points in the first quarter, helping the Jayhawks to a 22-18 lead after 10 minutes of play. Davis scored seven of KU’s first nine points to put KU up 9-6 before the Cougars hit back-to-back three-pointers to take a 12-9 lead. Evans then got on the board with a three-pointer before Nichols scored five straight points to put KU back on top 17-14. Evans hit a second three and Nichols closed out the quarter with a pair of free throws, giving Kansas its 22-18 advantage.
Meister scored on the opening possession of the second quarter, pushing KU’s lead to six before Houston responded with a 9-2 run and took a brief, 27-26 lead. Kansas answered with an 11-3 stretch that featured six points from Davis, the last a pair of free throws that put Kansas up 37-30 with 2:48 to play in the half. KU’s lead reached nine as Evans scored on a drive to the basket, but Houston got the final four points of the half, leaving KU with a 41-36 lead at halftime.
Evans hit two more three-pointers as part of a 12-2 stretch that lifted the lead to 61-45 with 3:47 to play in the third quarter. Houston scored the next nine points to get back within seven before Nichols scored at the buzzer to put KU up 63-54 entering the fourth.
Kansas started the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run to extend their lead to 21 points with 6:15 left to play. The Jayhawks continued the run throughout the fourth quarter, and after a Davis layup with 2:18 left to give her a game high 25 points, Kansas held its largest lead of the game of 22-points, leading Houston 85-63. Kansas would go on to win the game with a final score of 85-68.
NOTES
- Kansas had two players score 20 or more points with Jaliiya Davis (25) and S’Mya Nichols (22) for the sixth time this season, and the fourth time in Big 12 play. Kansas’ record in those games are 4-2.
- Kansas had four players score in double figures with Jaliiya Davis (25), S’Mya Nichols (22), Elle Evans (18), and Lilly Meister (10) for the second consecutive game and sixth time this season.
- Senior Elle Evans finished with 18 points and went 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Evans has now hit multiple threes in 20 games this season, and 71 times in her career. Evans’ four three pointers made ties a season high, something that Evans has accomplished seven times this season, and 24 times in her career. With Evans four three pointers made, she moved into 10th place in career 3FG made at Kansas, passing Shannon Kite (1990-93).
- Evans has scored in double figures 14 times this season, and 88 times in her career.
- Evans tied her season high in blocks with two, and now has recorded 19 blocks on the season and 111 blocks in her career.
- Evans recorded three assists against Houston, marking her eighth game this season with at least three assists, and 28th time in her career.
- Junior S’Mya Nichols scored 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field marking her sixth consecutive game scoring in double figures, and 24th game this season.
- Nichols is now tied for 10th for most 20-point games in a season with 12, and has recorded 37 career 20-point performances.
- Nichols went 8-of-8 from the charity stripe in Saturday’s contest, and Nichols moved to 7th in Big 12 history for career free throws made, passing Kelsey Griffin of Nebraska (2006-10) and Odyssey Sims of Baylor (2011-14). KU’s all-time leader in free throw shooting, Nichols has now made 568 free throws in her career.
- Nichols moved into 8th place in school history for career assists after recording a season high nine against Houston, passing Kay Kay Hart who had 356 from 1988-92.
- Jaliya Davis finished with 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field. Davis has scored in double figures in all 17 games she has played in this season. Davis recorded her 12th 20-point performance of the season, making her tied for the 10th most 20-point games in a season.
- Davis moved into fifth on the program’s all-time freshman scoring record, passing Zakiyah Franklin who scored 352 points in 2020. Davis sits at 367 points on the season, now behind Adrian Mitchell who scored 416 points in 1976.
- Davis pulled down five rebounds for the 12th time this season, and ninth time in her last 10 games.
- Senior Lilly Meister recorded her third double-double of the season, fourth of her career, after finishing the game with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field, and pulling down 10 rebounds.
- Meister tied a career high with three assists in Saturday’s contest against Houston.
- Junior Laia Conesa recorded four assists against Houston, tying a conference season high. Conesa has recorded four or more assists in six games this season, and eight games in her career.
