KANSAN.COM
SPORTS
1120
+
+
KU takes down North Dakota to pick up third win
Ashley Hocking/KANSAN Senior forward Caelynn Manning-Allen passes the ball during the first half of the women's basketball game on Nov. 27. Kansas beat North Dakota 76-71 in overtime.
JARED ANDERSON
@JAnderson_383
n Sunday's game against North Dakota, the Kansas women's basketball team accomplished something that the Jayhawks haven't done since the 2014-15 season: win three consecutive games.
In a match in which clutch shots were plentiful, the Jayhawks defeated the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in overtime, 76-71.
With the game tied 65-65 in the fourth quarter with just seconds left, senior guard Timeka O'Neal waited anxiously for the ball on the perimeter. Ready to shoot at the top of the key, redshirt junior guard Jessica Washington dished the ball to O'Neal, who knocked down a three, sending the game into overtime.
"She stepped up," Washington said of O'Neal. "It's fun watching her step up and hit threes, seeing the bench go crazy. That's what we're about and that's the type of culture we're trying to build here."
Kansas went into the extra period with some momentum, and as a result, made crucial defensive stops and offensive plays. After going down by four points in the beginning of overtime play, O'Neal was able to bring her team within one point after hitting another crucial three.
one team could seemingly not pull away from the other, bench play was key.
In what was one of senior forward Caelynn Manning-Allen's most impressive games to date — notching 14 points and seven rebounds — she made a vital block when the team was up 70-69 in overtime, allowing Kansas to regain possession.
During the battle in which
"The biggest thing that
That's what we're about and that's the type of culture we're trying to build here."
Jessica Washington Junior guard
stands out to me is our bench today." Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said. "I thought that Jayde Christopher, Jada Brown, Caelynn Manning-Allen and obviously Timeka O'Neal provided not only point production off the bench, but really sparked our comeback."
Kansas would score once again, as would North Dakota, bringing the score to 72-71. With just 10.7 seconds remaining in overtime, Washington was fouled on her shot attempt. She would sink both free throws, putting Kansas up 74-71. After another defensive stop, Kansas
controlled the ball and Washington was fouled again with .8 seconds remaining. Her free throws would fall, closing out the game, 76-71.
["Washington] was really the reason why we saw a lot of zone today," Schneider said. "I think they struggled to stay in front of her and she was making plays for teammates, but also scoring the ball."
Washington finished the game with 19 points and four assists.
One of Kansas' biggest stars this season, redshirt sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert, fouled out in the win after scoring six points on 16 percent from the field. After back-to-back 21-point game performances against Memphis and Oral Roberts, Schneider believes that fatigue was the source of her poor play.
"She played 40-plus minutes in the game against Memphis and then turned around and played a whole bunch of minutes in the double-overtime game. I think when you look at her and [Kylee Kopatich], today could have been the result of fatigue, because those guys have played a lot in some tough situations."
kansas will get some rest before they travel to Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday to take on Creighton. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.