Her name is Zane Teilane, and the native of Latvia is not an ordinary basketball player.

Teilane, whose name is pronounced zah-NAY tee-LAH-nay, is the starting center on Western Illinois University’s women’s basketball team. She stands 6-foot-7 and is averaging 17.4 points and 10.6 rebounds a game.

“She’s very, very good,” Kansas University coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “She’s mobile, shoots the ball well and covers a lot of ground.”

Teilane and the rest of the Westerwinds will be in Allen Fieldhouse tonight to tangle with the Jayhawks.

Tipoff will be at 7:05 p.m. The game will be telecast live on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 and broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network, including 1320 KLWN.

How to minimize Teilane’s impact has been a priority task for Henrickson and her staff this week.

“We’ve got to pressure their passes and limit her touches,” the KU coach said. “We can’t allow her to get under the rim.”

Kansas players can’t collapse too much on the WIU standout because the Westerwinds also have an outside presence in point guard Jessica Cook, who is averaging 15.2 points a game.

Western Illinois is coming off a 72-57 road win over Bradley. In that one, Teilane had 22 points and nine boards, while Samantha Greer, a 6-0 junior from Kansas City (Mo.) Ruskin via Allen County CC, added a dozen points and 13 boards.

KU-Western Illinois game notes (.pdf)

The Westerwinds’ record is 2-3, but the three losses have been to Nebraska, Xavier and Rice — all on the road.

Kansas (3-3) is coming off its only road game. The Jayhawks were at then-No. 18 Minnesota on Sunday and bowed 62-45, wilting in the second half as they did in last week’s 62-59 home loss to Division II Washburn.

“I was proud of our effort Sunday,” Henrickson said. “I think we’ve made progress. I think we can be successful when we find consistency.”

Henrickson has settled on a starting lineup of junior Crystal Kemp and freshman Taylor McIntosh up front with Kaylee Brown, Aquanita Burras and point guard Erica Hallman in the backcourt.

“I think we’re pretty comfortable with that as long as we don’t go backward,” Henrickson said.

The Jayhawks will be playing their fifth game in the last 12 days, but after tonight they’ll take a break for final exams, and resume Dec. 18 against Dartmouth, also in Allen Fieldhouse.