Via Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior guard Elle Evans stole the show with three titles during the 37th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships on Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Evans teamed with Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer and Portland State’s Jaylin Henderson to win the Pedigree Team Shootout, then added victories in the Celsius Women’s 3-Point Championship and Skechers Battle of the Champions to headline the night. Her team won the Team Shootout in 38.1 seconds, more than 20 seconds faster than the other two teams.
In the Celsius Women’s 3-Point Championship, Evans tied Lee Volker of Marquette with the best first-round score of 19, advancing to the semifinals alongside Shay Ciezki of Indiana and Iyana Moore of Notre Dame, who both scored 17. Evans then raised her total to 22 in the semifinals and repeated that mark in the final to hold off Ciezki and claim the title.
As the winner of the women’s title, Evans advanced to the Skechers Battle of the Champions, where she faced the men’s champion, DePaul’s CJ Gunn. Gunn went first and scored 23 on his round, leaving a high mark for Evans. After missing her first shot, Evans hit her next six and she was perfect on her third rack from the top of the key. She went to the final rack trailing 23-19, then hit three of the first four shots to trail 23-22 as she fired her last shot. Evans ended the event in dramatic fashion by sinking her final shot, the money ball worth two points, to win her third event of the evening.
“I feel so blessed and honored for the opportunity to compete in the 3-Point Championship and be surrounded by so many other high-caliber athletes,” Evans said. “The environment was so much fun and I’m super grateful to have been a part of an event like that. This was a pretty memorable way to cap my college career and something I’m never going to forget.”
Evans recently concluded her two-year career at Kansas, and she exits tied for the program’s all-time lead in three-point field goal percentage. The Edwardsville, Illinois, native hit 137-of-314 attempts in her time as a Jayhawk. Her 43.6 percent 3FG accuracy matches the school record held by Sandy Shaw since 1988. With 137 made 3FG at KU, Evans is tied for seventh in school history. Her single season total of 69 made threes last season is tied for second in school history, while her 68 made this season is fifth. Evans ranked among the national leaders all season in 3FG percentage, and she finished at 45.3 percent (68-of-150) for her senior season.
The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships will air nationally on ESPN at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, April 5, ahead of the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship game.
