Kansas concludes 2018 series with Texas Tech

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Game 18: vs. Texas Tech
January, 17
7 p.m.
Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
JTV/ESPN3
Listen
Live Stats
Game Notes
 Stats  KU  TTU
Record 11-6 6-11
Points/GM 65.4 66.2
Field Goal % 40.0 43.0
3-PT Field Goal % 28.0 27.3
Free Throw % 65.5 55.4
Rebounds/GM 40.6 42.5
Assists/GM 12.1 14.7
Blocks/GM 3.8 4.1
Steals/GM 6.5 5.6

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas women’s basketball concludes its two-game series with Texas Tech on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m., inside Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Television Network/ESPN3 and the Jayhawk Radio Network.

Fast Breaks

  • The Jayhawks are 6-8 when facing the Lady Raiders inside Allen Fieldhouse and 11-19 overall against Texas Tech.
  • Kansas has won two out of the last three matchups with TTU, including a 60-47 win earlier this season (1/3) to mark the first Big 12 road win in the Brandon Schneider era.
  • KU opened the 2017-18 season with a seven-game winning streak, marking just the eighth time in program history to begin a season 7-0.
  • KU ranks 20th in the nation for field goal percentage defense, holding its opponents to shooting 35.1 percent from the field. 
  • Junior guard Christalah Lyons leads the Jayhawks, averaging 15.8 points and 3.5 assists per game in Big 12 play, ranking her 10th in scoring and sixth in assists through six conference games played. The Dallas, Texas native has netted 15 double-digit scoring efforts in KU’s 17 games thus far in the 2017-18 season.
  • Junior guard Kylee Kopatich has netted 12 3-pointers in conference play, placing her fifth in the Big 12 for long-range baskets.
  • Lyons netted her second 20-point scoring performance at Texas (1/13) with 20 points. The 5-5 guard previously notched a career-high 22 points against UMKC (11/29).
  • Junior guard Brianna Osorio has knocked in 11 3-pointers in Big 12 play, ranking her eighth in the league for baskets beyond the arc. Osorio is ninth in the Big 12 for 3-point field goal percentage, connecting on 37.9 percent of her attempts from long range in Big 12 play.
  • When Brandon Schneider-coached teams are leading with less than five minutes to play, his overall record is 366-14, and 21-2 at Kansas.

About the Jayhawks
Following three-straight losses to ranked opponents, the Jayhawks look to sweep the series against Texas Tech. Kansas earned its first Big 12 road victory at Texas Tech earlier this season (1/3), which was the first conference road win under Brandon Schneider. KU has already matched its Big 12 win total from the 2016-17 season with victories at Texas Tech (1/3) and against TCU (12/31) and looks to top last year’s total against the Lady Raiders on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

The Kansas offense has been paced by impressive performances by junior guards Christalah Lyons, Kylee Kopatich and Brianna Osorio throughout Big 12 play. Lyons is leading the Jayhawks with 15.8 points per game through the first six league games, including a 20-point performance at No. 7 Texas (1/13). The Dallas, Texas native’s offensive efforts rank her 10th in the conference for scoring, while also dishing out 3.5 assists in league play which is the sixth-best in the Big 12. Kopatich has averaged 12.8 points to start off Big 12 play and netted 12 3-pointers thus far, marking the fifth most long-range baskets made in conference play. In four of KU’s six Big 12 games so far, Osorio has netted double-digit scoring efforts, including a career-high 19 points in the Jayhawks’ 60-47 victory at Texas Tech. Additionally, the Las Vegas, Nevada native has connected on 37.9 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc and is trailing Kopatich by just one, netting 11 3-pointers in league play.

The Jayhawks are continuing their best defensive efforts in Big 12 Conference play, holding their opponents to shooting just 35.1 percent from the field. KU’s field goal percentage defense is one of the best in the nation, ranking 20th among NCAA Division I programs. In its 17 games so far, Kansas is third in the Big 12 for field goal percentage defense, trailing only Baylor and West Virginia. The Jayhawks have held their opponents to 61.9 points per game, which is third best in the league. Kansas is second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage defense, keeping its opponents to connecting on just 27.9 percent of their long range attempts. 

Scouting the Lady Raiders
The Lady Raiders enter Wednesday’s matchup 0-6 in Big 12 play and 0-4 under Interim Head Coach Shimmy Gray-Miller. Texas Tech’s league opponents have each beaten the Lady Raiders by 12 points or more.

Offensively, Texas Tech is scoring 66.2 points per game and shooting 43.0 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from long range. TTU’s offense is led by four players that are averaging 10-plus points per game. Junior guard Recee Caldwell leads the Lady Raiders, averaging 10.7 points per game. Caldwell has also dished out a team-best 78 assists this season. Senior center Jada Terry and sophomore forward Brittany Brewer are each netting 10.5 points per game, on average, while senior forward Brielle Blaire rounds out the double-digit scorers for TTU with 10.2 points per game.

Defensively, Texas Tech is grabbing 42.5 rebounds per game and nabbing in average of 5.6 steals each game. The Lady Raiders have swatted away 4.1 shots per game through their first 17 games.

Series Breakdown
Record
Texas Tech leads the overall series, 19-11 which began in 1978.

Overview
The Jayhawks have won two out of the last three matchups against the Lady Raiders.

Last Time Out
Kansas notched its first Big 12 road win in the Brandon Schneider era, beating TTU, 60-47, in United Supermarkets Arena. The Jayhawks were led by Brianna Osorio with a career-high 19 points. Christalah Lyons and Kylee Kopatich chipped in 15 and 14 points, respectively.

This Day in Kansas Women’s Basketball History
Record on Jan. 17: 8-6
Kansas women’s basketball will play on the 17th day of January for the 15th time in program history. In 2010, the Jayhawks beat former Big 12 foe Missouri, 72-69, inside Allen Fieldhouse. Danielle McCray led the way for Kansas scoring 26 points in the Boarder War, 20 of which came in the first half.

Nearing 1,000
With 246 points through the first 17 games of her junior season, Kylee Kopatich is just 174 points away from the 1,000 point mark. Kopatich will be the 29th 1,000 point scorer in Kansas women’s basketball history should she achieve this accomplishment.

Every Minute Counts
Three Jayhawk starters rank in the top-15 for minutes played in the Big 12 Conference. Junior guard Brianna Osorio (15th) is averaging 31.8 minutes per game through the first six Big 12 games. Junior guards Christalah Lyons (10th) and Kylee Kopatich (4th) are each playing just under 40 minutes per game at 36.0 and 37.2 minutes per game, respectively.

D-D-Defense
Junior guard Austin Richardson is leading the Jayhawks on the defensive end with a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game. Richardson ranks 12th in the Big 12, grabbing an average of 2.3 offensive rebounds per game and is tied for 12th for blocked shots. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri native has swatted away 16 shots this season, an average of 0.9 per game.

Up Next
Kansas concludes the 2018 series with TCU on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m., inside Schollmaier Arena. The game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network.