Marian Washington’s season from hell is in the homestretch.

In 28 previous years as Kansas University’s women’s basketball coach, Washington had a handful of losing seasons, but nothing like this.

If Kansas doesn’t defeat Texas in its home finale tonight, the Jayhawks (5-23 overall, 0-15 Big 12) are doomed to become the first conference team in 18 years to go winless in league play.

Tipoff will be at 7:05 p.m. tonight in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast live on the Jayhawk Radio Network (KLWN 1320), with a delay telecast available on Cable 6 at 10:30 p.m.

“It’s been a tough season,” Washington said.

And how. The Jayhawks have dropped 15 straight  all to Big 12 Conference teams  and haven’t won a game in 2002. Their last victory was an 88-53 pasting of Morgan State on Dec. 29, 2001.

Washington has five seniors on her roster, and she’ll start all five of them tonight against the Longhorns (18-8 overall, 9-6 Big 12). All five have started at least one game during the 15-game slide, but only guard Selena Scott has started them all.

Notes: Freshman Chelsey Thompson, who missed last Saturday’s Iowa State game for personal reasons, won’t play tonight, either. Â KU’s next game will be at 2:30 p.m. next Tuesday at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. The Jayhawks’ foe could be any one of five teams, including Texas. Â Iowa State was the last league team to go winless. The Cyclones finished 0-14 in the old Big Eight in 1983-84.

Probable Starters

TEXAS (18-8, 9-6)

F Â Annissa Hastings (6-2, Soph.) 3.7 ppg

F Â Stacy Stephens (6-1, Soph.) 14.6 ppg

F Â Heather Schreiber (6-2, Sr.) 14.8 ppg

G Â Kala Bowers (6-2, Fr.) 8.6 ppg

G Â Kenya Larkin (5-9, Sr.) 6.5 ppg

KANSAS (5-23, 0-15)

F Â Katie Hannon (6-2, Sr.) 2.9 ppg

F Â Nikki White (6-3, Sr.) 7.4 ppg

C Â Kristin Geoffroy (6-6, Sr.) 6.6 ppg

G Â KC Hilgenkamp (5-10, Sr.) 11.6 ppg

G Â Selena Scott (5-5, Sr.) 10.8 ppg

Tipoff: 7:05 p.m., tonight, Allen Fieldhouse.

Radio: Jayhawk Network (KLWN 1320).

Television delay: 10:30 tonight, Cable 6.