Chalk up another nerve-racking Big 12 Conference victory for Kansas University’s women’s basketball team.

Even though the Jayhawks’ 67-64 victory Wednesday over Nebraska was won at the free-throw line, the game itself was anything but free.

“They’ve got to grow up and they’ve got to get tough,” KU coach Marian Washington said of her youthful squad. “They have to compete with a lot of experience in this conference.”

What better way, than with two newcomers hitting free throws when a critical Big 12 victory depended on it?

With KU down 64-63 and 4.8 seconds to play, sophomore guard Aquanita Burras rattled home two free throws to pull Kansas ahead, 65-64.

After a steal and a foul, freshman Crystal Kemp concluded her sensational night by hitting two more free throws with 1.8 seconds to play.

It was reminiscent of Saturday’s 64-57 victory over Texas A&M, which also was iced late in the game by free throws from Kemp and Burras.

“The free throws have hurt us in earlier games,” Washington said. “These two wins, they shot the free throws very well for us.”

The victory makes two in a row for Kansas, which had lost 21 straight regular-season Big 12 games before the win at A&M. KU had lost 12 consecutive league home games before Wednesday’s victory.

Kansas basketball players, from left, Blair Waltz, Aquanita Burras, Tamara Ransburg, Leila Mengüç (wearing headband), Crystal Kemp and Stacey Becker celebrate the Jayhawks' 67-64 victory against Nebraska. KU won its second straight Big 12 Conference game Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

“Everyone’s excited,” Kemp said. “We had a couple people with tears, players from last year. I’m glad to get this victory for Coach and the rest of us.”

Kemp, a freshman who struggled at the beginning of her first Big 12 season, played perhaps her best collegiate game. In addition to the late steal and free throws, she had 26 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

The 6-foot-2 Kemp expanded her scoring repertoire, going coast-to-coast to hit a layup and later draining her first three-pointer of the season.

“She was ballin’,” said point guard Erica Hallman, who added 10 points. “She did everything. When somebody’s hot, you’ve got to keep giving it to her.”

Kansas (9-9 overall, 2-5 Big 12) held a 37-27 lead before Nebraska closed the first half on an 8-0 run. The Huskers (7-10, 0-6) tied the game early in the second half, but a 12-2 run put the Jayhawks up 51-41 with 12:28 to play.

Leila Mengüç (21) of Kansas drives past Nebraska defenders. The Jayhawks defeated the Cornhuskers on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kemp hit a layup with 7:25 left to put Kansas ahead 63-57, but the Jayhawks failed to score again until the late free throws.

Kansas will play host Saturday to No. 8 Texas Tech, hoping to learn something from the Red Raiders (17-2, 6-1).

“They’re one of the best teams in the nation,” Washington said, “and that’s where we’re going to be in the future. Being in that arena with them is just going to help our ball club.”

Dixon will fly in from Italy where she is playing professionally. Aycock will come from Canada where she is a novice nun. Because of her vows, Aycock will be in the fieldhouse but will not be able to participate in the on-the-floor ceremony, Washington said.

Aycock was a three-time, first-team All-Big Eight Conference selection and was the league’s player of the year in 1994. She ranks third on KU’s all-time scoring list with 1,978 points. She played three seasons in the WNBA.

Dixon ranks sixth on KU’s all-time scoring list with 1,689 points. She was the Big 12 player of the year in 1997.

Dixon played for the Los Angeles Sparks’ WNBA championship teams in 2001 and 2002.