Kansas hosts Mountaineers for midweek tilt

GAME 18 
 

Date January 18, 2017
Time  7 p.m. (CT)
Location Lawrence, Kan.
Notes Game Notes

LIVE COVERAGE
TV JTV/ESPN3
Video WatchESPN
Radio Jayhawk Radio Network
Audio Audio Stream
Stats Live Stats 

 HOW THEY COMPARE

 LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas women’s basketball hosts its second-straight home game when West Virginia comes to Lawrence on Wednesday, Jan. 18. Tipoff against the Mountaineers is set for 7 p.m., on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN3 and the Jayhawk Radio Network. 

AROUND THE GYM
Prior to Wednesday night’s game against West Virginia, Kansas women’s basketball will be giving away team photo cards while supplies last. Also, the Douglas County Special Olympics will scrimmage at halftime. 

FAST BREAKS

• Wednesday’s matchup is the first meeting between Kansas and West Virginia this season. The Jayhawks look to snap a three-game losing streak to the Mountaineers.
• The Jayhawks have an 4-6 mark against West Virginia since 1992 and a 2-3 record when hosting WVU inside Allen Fieldhouse.
• Six of Kansas’ first seven Big 12 Conference games are against a nationally-ranked opponent. Kansas is 0-5 against teams ranked in the top 25 this season.
• The Jayhawks own a 119-217 all-time record against Big 12 Conference foes. 
• When Brandon Schneider-coached teams are leading with less than five minutes to play, his overall record is 355-12, and 9-0 at Kansas.
• Kansas has played four overtime games in 2016-17 and is 3-1 on the season in extended games. Under Schneider, the Jayhawks are 4-1 in overtime games.
• Kansas’ bench is averaging 23.8 points per game and recorded its best effort of the season after providing 42 points against UC Riverside (12/21).
• The Jayhawks are averaging 14.3 offensive rebounds per game, good for the third-best average in the Big 12.
• KU forced Texas (1/4) to turn the ball over 31 times, a season-high mark for the Jayhawks’ defense. 
• Kansas recorded 14 steals against Iowa State (1/8), marking the eighth time this season to record 10 or more steals, including three of the last five games. 
• Kansas dished out 14 assists against Kansas State (1/11) and has recorded 10 or more assists in six of its last 10 games.
• Redshirt junior guard Jessica Washington has led all scorers in four of six Big 12 contests in 2017. Washington leads the league in scoring in Big 12 only games with 18.8 points per contest and is ranked seventh in the conference in all games with 15.2 points per game.
• Washington made 7-of-10 (.700) attempts from the 3-point line at K-State and ended the contest one triple shy of tying KU’s single-game record of eight set in 1996 by Charisse Sampson. 

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS
Kansas continues its two-game homestand with its first meeting of the season against West Virginia. The Jayhawks look to snap their three-game losing skid to the Mountaineers and six-game losing streak to start Big 12 action with a victory on Wednesday. KU is 6-11 on the season and has a 0-6 mark in league play. 

The Jayhawks are averaging 62.2 points per game with a scoring margin of -9.5. KU is making 33.5 percent of its shots from the field, while converting 29.0 percent of its attempts from the 3-point line. Kansas is averaging 40.8 boards per game. The Jayhawks have also swiped 9.2 steals per contest, good for the third-most by any team in the conference. 

Redshirt junior guard Jessica Washington leads the team with 15.2 points per game behind 33.5 percent shooting from the field. During Big 12 Conference play, Washington is top in the league with 18.8 points per game after leading all scorers in four of her last six outings. In conference action, Washington is connecting on 36.7 percent of her attempts, including 46.9 percent of her shots from long range. Redshirt sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert is also averaging double digits with 12.0 points per game. 

Sophomore guard Kylee Kopatich is third on the squad with 9.3 points per game and has recorded double-digit scoring performances in her last four starts. Junior forward Chayla Cheadle is grabbing a team-best 5.2 boards per game, leading the squad in offensive (27) and defensive (61) rebounds. 

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
West Virginia started the 2017 season off by winning its first 13 games, but has lost four of its last five games. The Mountaineers enter Wednesday’s matchup with a 14-4 overall record and 2-4 mark in Big 12 action.  

The Mountaineers are averaging 78.1 points per game heading into the contest against the Jayhawks and have a +20.4 scoring margin. West Virginia is connecting on 46.9 percent of its shots from the field and 35.4 percent from long range. Defensively, WVU is averaging 43.1 rebounds, 9.4 steals and 6.8 blocks per game.

Sophomore guard Tynice Martin is pacing West Virginia’s offense with a team-high 17.6 points per game, while junior forward Teana Muldrow is scoring 14.2 points per contest. Senior center Lanay Montgomery is the final Mountaineer averaging double figures with 12.3 points per game. Montgomery is connecting on 70.4 percent of her shots from the field. Montgomery leads the team with 9.8 boards per game, just shy of averaging a double-double on the season. 

THIS DAY IN KU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HISTORY
Record on Jan. 18: 6-4
Wednesday night’s contest is the 11th time in program history that Kansas has played on Jan. 18. On this day in 2012, Aishah Sutherland pulled down 22 boards, marking the first time since 1981 that a Jayhawk recorded 20 or more rebounds in a game. Sutherland’s defensive efforts helped Kansas defeat Oklahoma State, 65-60, the first loss of the 2012 campaign for the Cowgirls. 

TOUGH AND TOGETHER
Head coach Brandon Schneider has brought a “tough and together” culture to Allen Fieldhouse and Kansas women’s basketball. Schneider has vowed that his squads will compete and play together every day. Whether the Jayhawks are hitting the floor, flying over the scorers’ table or passing to a teammate, they will play tough and together until the final whistle blows.

UP NEXT
Kansas heads back to the Lone Star State for a Sunday matchup with TCU on Jan. 22. Tipoff against the Horned Frogs is slated for 6 p.m., on FOX Sports Southwest and the Jayhawk Radio Network.   

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