Kansas women's basketball player Katie Hannon has to wonder where this has been her whole career.
Coming into this season, the 6-foot-2 senior guard/forward from Rochester, N.Y., had scored only 18 points, but over the past two games her first career starts she's contributed 14.
"It definitely feels good," Hannon said. "I'm kind of running on a high right now. I've always been there more for emotional support, but now I'm able to do more emotionally and physically."
Hannon's scoring boost couldn't have come at a better time for Kansas (5-15 overall, 0-7 Big 12). The Jayhawks will look to break a school record seven-game losing streak when they play host to Oklahoma State (10-9, 2-4) at 2:05 p.m. today in Allen Fieldhouse.
"Yes, (Hannon's) really been an important piece for our team," said KU coach Marian Washington. "With Blair (Waltz) being sidelined, teams really isolate on KC (Hilgenkamp). Blair really helps so much with our long-range shooting and taking pressure off KC, and now Katie's definitely filled in on that roll and added another scoring punch."
Still, the Jayhawks have their work cut out for them as they are winless in 2002 and haven't had a victory since they smacked Morgan State, 88-53, on Dec. 29 in the St. Joseph's Classic.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is a game over .500 with an impressive conference victory over No. 11 Kansas State, which defeated the Jayhawks on Wednesday night in Manhattan.
But Washington thinks her team, which has lost seven in a row, may have turned a corner against Kansas State.
"I thought at K-State we were really focused and really played hard for 40 minutes," said Washington, whose team connected on a season-high seven three-pointers and was within three points at halftime.
"It was good to see. It's a small victory and I think they played with a lot of heart in front of a lot of people and made people proud. I was proud."
But Washington said her team, which holds a 25-16 advantage over OSU in the all-time series and has won nine of the last 10 meetings with the Cowgirls, will have to maintain the same intensity today.
"They have a great inside game," Washington said. "Not quite as many outside, long-range shooters as other teams in this conference, but they're a very aggressive team. "We'll have to play great defense, be very aggressive on the boards and be able to eliminate turnovers."
That's a tall order considering poor rebounding and a tepid offense have been the Jayhawks' most glaring deficiencies.
In Kansas' last seven defeats all to Big 12 schools the Jayhawks have shot 36.2 percent and been outrebounded by an average of 41 to 32. They're averaging only 50.7 points a game during the slide.
And you can bet that OSU's leading scorer, sophomore Trisha Skibbe, who hails from Oxford, won't want to lose in her home state.
Still Kansas may have one advantage on its side this is alumni weekend.
After a banquet on Friday night there will be an 11 a.m. all-star game today, featuring such former KU standouts as Lynette Woodard, Tamecka Dixon and Lynn Pride.
"It's a great weekend for us," Washington said. "It's a chance to bring alums back that did a lot for our programs. They helped us win conference titles, and get to the NCAAs. I'm tickled every time they get back here."
And Hannon said she wouldn't mind providing a little of her newly-found scoring ability if it meant the alumni would get a chance to see a KU victory.
"I wouldn't mind it all," she said. "I think we're all on the same page, going for one goal. We have an opportunity tomorrow, and with alumni weekend will be really psyched and want to represent KU proudly."
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