LAWRENCE – Kansas Women’s Basketball lost a back-and-forth thriller against Iowa State on Wednesday night in Allen Fieldhouse, falling to the Cyclones 84-82.
Kansas dropped to 7-12 on the season and 3-10 in Big 12 play. Iowa State improves to 14-8 on the season and 10-5 in Big 12 play.
The Jayhawks had four players in double figures in the contest. Zakiyah Franklin set a career high with 26 points, while Holly Kersgieter dropped 18 points. Ioanna Chatzileonti poured in 11 points, and Chandler Prater had 10 points. The Jayhawks shot 49 percent from the floor and their 82 points are tied for their most in a conference game this season.
In the first quarter, both teams traded baskets, but it was the Cyclones who got out to an early lead. Iowa State’s leading scorers Ashley Joens and Lexi Donarski scored half of the Cyclones 20 points in the first quarter giving the visitors a six-point lead at the end of the frame.
Iowa State took that lead and ran with it at the start of the second quarter. The Cyclones went on an 8-2 run, extending their lead to 12, the largest of the night. The Jayhawks would not go quietly, answering the visitors’ run with a 15-3 run of their own to even the score at 31 apiece. Iowa State tallied baskets towards the end of the half to carry a four-point lead into halftime.
Chatzileonti got Kansas rolling in the second half, scoring the Jayhawks’ first eight points and giving them their first lead of the night. The Jayhawks would lead for the remainder of the third quarter, and took a two-point lead into the final quarter of play.
Iowa State tied the game at 68 with 7:33 left in the contest and then took the lead off a Joens layup on the ensuing possession. They refused to give up the lead for the remainder of the game despite Kansas’ best efforts. The Jayhawks cut it to two twice, but never got closer.
As a team the Jayhawks shot 31-63 (49.2%) from the field, 5-16 (31.3) from beyond the arc, and 15-20 (75%) from the charity stripe.
Iowa State shot 26-58 (44.8%) from the field, 9-28 (32.1%) from beyond the arc, and 23-24 (95.8%) from the free throw line. Iowa State outrebounded the Jayhawks 35-32, but had six more turnovers.
--kuathletics.com--