Kansas Welcomes Lady Raiders to Allen Fieldhouse

Kansas vs. Texas Tech
Date Wednesday, Feb. 4
Time 7 p.m.
Location Lawrence, Kan.
Arena Allen Fieldhouse
Series Texas Tech leads, 16-8.
Television Jayhawk TV Network/ESPN3
Radio Jayhawk Radio Network
Live Stats KUAthletics.com
Notes Kansas
Big 12
Stats at a Glance KU TTU
Record 12-10, 3-6 13-8, 3-6
Rankings
Points/GM 63.9 58.1
FG% 43.8 37.9
Rebounds/GM 36.4 36.9
Assists/GM 14.5 10.7
Blocks/GM 4.0 2.9
Steals/GM 6.1 8.2

LAWRENCE, Kan. – It was just two weeks ago that Kansas came from behind and rallied late in the game to defeat Texas Tech on the road in the final seconds. The Jayhawks welcome TTU to Lawrence for the final meeting of the regular season on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. A KU victory would clinch a series sweep over the Lady Raiders for the second year in a row. The game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN3 and the Jayhawk Radio Network.
 
ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS
Kansas is looking to bounce back after No. 3 Baylor defeated KU in Waco, Texas (2/1). It was the first loss for the Jayhawks since they hosted the Lady Bears at home (1/17). Despite the setback, KU posted an impressive performance against BU, as it shot 43 percent from the field, the highest of a Baylor opponent since Michigan State on Dec. 20. Kansas’ defense also held Baylor to its lowest field goal percentage since its sole loss to Kentucky on Nov. 17. The Lady Bears only made 25-of-62 from the field resulting in a 40 percent shooting rate. Before the defeat, Kansas recorded a three-game win streak with victories over Texas Tech (1/21), West Virginia (1/24) and Iowa State (1/28).
 
Senior forward Chelsea Gardner is averaging a team-high 16.0 points per game, the third-best average in the league, while shooting 55.0 percent from the field. Senior guard Natalie Knight has stayed consistent for the Jayhawks connecting on 38.8 percent of her shots from beyond the arc. She is second the team with 12.4 points and 4.0 assists per game. Knight has scored in double figures in all but four games this year, while Gardner has posted 18 games this season with 10 or more points. Guards Terriell Bradley and Asia Boyd tallied strong performances against the Lady Bears, both scoring in double digits. It was Boyd’s 10th game this season to accomplish the feat and Bradley’s fourth.
 
Freshmen guards Lauren Aldridge and Chayla Cheadle are making an impact in KU’s lineup averaging 7.4 and 6.2 points, respectively. Aldridge has started every game this season at point and is fifth in the conference in assists per game with 4.5. She has played the most minutes (732) among the Jayhawks in 2014-15. Cheadle led the squad with 15 points at Kansas State (1/11) and is connecting on 33.9 percent of her shots from long range. Sophomore forward Jada Brown is the final member of Kansas’ starting lineup. The Las Vegas, Nevada native is grabbing 3.1 rebounds per contest, which is tied for fifth-best on the team. She is also averaging 2.0 points per game in 22 starts.
 
The Jayhawks are averaging 63.9 points per game with a +3.3 scoring margin over their opponents. KU is shooting 43.8 percent from the field, while holding its opponents to shooting 37.4 percent. Kansas has connected on 36.7 percent of its attempts from the three-point line, which is the best mark in the Big 12. The Jayhawks are averaging 36.4 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.0 blocks per game.
 
KANSAS FAST BREAKS
• Three or more Jayhawks have netted double-figure scoring performances in 16 of Kansas’ 22 games this season. KU had four reach double-digit scoring in three-straight games and in a total of seven contests. Senior forward Chelsea Gardner has scored 10 or more points in 18-of-22 games in 2014-15, while senior guard Natalie Knight has also contributed double figures in all but four games this season.
• For the first time in nearly 14 years, the Jayhawks shot 67 percent from three-point range on a minimum of 10 attempts against Incarnate Word (12/4), connecting on 8-of-12 shots from beyond the arc. It marked the highest completion rate from three since Dec. 2, 2000, when Kansas went 8-for-11 (72.7 percent) against St. Joseph in Allen Fieldhouse. KU followed that with a 7-for-11 effort from the three-point line against then-No. 10 Cal (12/7).
• KU has limited its opponents to 37.4 percent shooting from the field this season. The Jayhawks have held three opponents to less than 30 percent shooting, including holding the Cal Golden Bears to 25 percent from the field. Cal averaged 90 points coming into the match-up (12/7) and KU kept the Bears under 40 points. KU’s defense has held seven opponents to under 50 points.
• Kansas’ all-time record is 782-560 while the program has an all-time conference record of 240-255. Head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 341-226 all-time and 183-164 at KU.
• Gardner, a Preseason All-Big 12 selection, joined the 1,000-point club after scoring 24 points in the season opener against South Dakota (11/16). Knight has 963 career points and needs 37 more to join Gardner in the 1,000-point club, which she is on pace to reach by the end of February. It would mark the first time since 2012-13 that multiple Jayhawks have reached the 1,000-point milestone in the same season.
• Rookie Lauren Aldridge is one of two freshmen in the Big 12 Conference starting at the point guard position. The Marshfield, Missouri native is fifth in the league in assists per game with 4.5 and is in the top 10 in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio (seventh, 1.5).
 
SCOUTING THE LADY RAIDERS 
Texas Tech comes into Wednesday’s matchup with a 13-8 record overall and the Lady Raiders are tied for eighth place in the Big 12 with a 3-6 mark in the conference. TTU is coming off a close 41-38 loss against Kansas State (1/31) at home and is looking to even out the record with Kansas, as it fell at home to the Jayhawks in the first meeting of the two teams this season.
 
Senior guard Amber Battle leads Texas Tech, as she is averaging a team-high 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Battle was at the helm of the TTU offense against K-State with 19 total points. The Albuquerque, New Mexico native is also leading Texas Tech in field goal attempts, averaging 14.9 shots per game. She is the only Lady Raider to average in double figures, but senior forward Kelsi Baker is close to that mark with 9.6 points per game.
 
As a squad, Texas Tech is averaging 58.1 points per game behind an average 37.9 field goal percentage. The team dishes out an average of 10.7 assists each contest. On defense, the Lady Raiders are pulling down 36.9 rebounds and snagging 8.2 steals per game. TTU also rejects an average of 2.9 shots.
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN
Record
Texas Tech leads the overall series, 16-8, and is 4-7 in Lawrence.
 
Overview
Kansas looks to extend its win streak to four over the Lady Raiders, as the Jayhawks have won the past three meetings against Texas Tech. Overall, KU has won five of the last seven contest against TTU. A Jayhawk victory would clinch a series sweep over Texas Tech for the third season in the last four years.
 
Last Time Out
After erasing a 17-point deficit, senior guard Asia Boyd knocked in a layup with less than a second left to give Kansas the lead. After the final inbound play by Texas Tech, Kansas’ defense got the ball back as time expired, giving Kansas a 68-66 win over the Lady Raiders. Four Jayhawks reached double figures for the first time since the contest against Samford on Dec. 29. It marked the seventh game this season with four players finishing with 10 or more points for KU.
 
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Kansas is set to play 19 games in the comfort of Allen Fieldhouse in 2014-15, 12 of which come during the non-conference slate. KU is 10-4 at home this season, while the Jayhawks compiled a 9-8 mark in Allen Fieldhouse in 2013-14. KU has a record of 130-62 (.686) in Allen Fieldhouse under head coach Bonnie Henrickson and an all-time home record of 404-163 (.715).
 
CHELSEA LATELY
Senior forward Chelsea Gardner opened the 2014-15 season with her 50th double-digit scoring effort and her 21st double-figure rebounding performance with 24 points and 11 rebounds on Nov. 16 against South Dakota. She converted six of her nine shots in the 2014-15 season opener for a 64.3 shooting percentage from the field. Gardner has 24 double-doubles in her career and six on the year, which is tied for third in the league. During her senior campaign, Gardner is averaging 16.0 points, the third-best scoring average in the Big 12, and 8.0 rebounds per game, which is the fifth-best mark in the league. She is also shooting 55.0 percent from the field, which is good for fifth among the Big 12 players.
 
THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS
Kansas added four freshmen to the 2014-15 roster during the offseason and several are making an impact for the Jayhawks. Lauren Aldridge has started all 22 games at point guard and is fourth on the team in scoring with 7.4 points per game. She played two games in a row without a turnover while dishing out 13 assists. Aldridge has scored in double figures eight times, including a season-high 14 against No. 3 Baylor (1/17). Chayla Cheadle is sixth on the team with 6.2 points per game and scored a career-high 19 points against Arkansas State (12/14), 16 of those coming in the final 20 minutes of play. Terriell Bradley came off the bench against Creighton (12/22) to net a career-high 21 points. She also recorded the second-best single-game three-point percentage after a perfect 5-for-5 from behind the arc against Iona (11/26).
 
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
After 22 games of the 2014-15 campaign, Kansas has several players among the top of Big 12 statistical categories. Senior Chelsea Gardner is third in the league in scoring (16.0), fifth in rebounds (8.0) and fifth in field goal percentage (55.0). Gardner is third in the Big 12 in blocks per game (2.0). Senior Natalie Knight is fourth in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (38.8). Freshman Lauren Aldridge is No. 5 in assists per game (4.5). The Jayhawks lead in the league in three-point percentage (36.7) and are third in free throw percentage (70.9).
 
HOW THE JAYHAWKS STACK UP NATIONALLY
Kansas also stacks up well with the rest of the country and is represented in the top half of several categories in 2014-15 as of Jan. 30. The Jayhawks are currently ranked 41st in the country in field-goal percentage by shooting 43.8 percent. From long range, KU is 20th in three-point field goal percentage (36.7). Senior forward Chelsea Gardner ranks 24th in the country with a field goal percentage of 55.0, while senior guard Natalie Knight is 61st in three-point field goal percentage (38.8).
 
A SPARK OFF THE BENCH
The Jayhawks’ bench is providing a spark offensively in 2014-15 and is averaging 20.3 points per game. Kansas’ bench has scored in double figures in 20 of KU’s 22 games this year, including a season-high 49 against Iona (11/30). KU’s bench has scored 20 or more points on 11 occasions. Senior Asia Boyd is one of the first players head coach Bonnie Henrickson calls upon off the bench and she is the Jayhawks’ third-leading scorer with 9.8 points per game.
 
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks continue their two-game home stretch in Allen Fieldhouse with the first meeting of the season against Oklahoma State on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m., on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN 3 and Jayhawk Radio Network.  Saturday’s match-up with the Cowgirls is also KU’s annual ‘Jayhawk for a Cure’ game.
 
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