Just seven games into the season, Kansas University’s women’s basketball team has experienced its fair share of highs and lows.

But, starting with a convincing victory over Western Illinois on Dec. 8, the team is expecting to remain on its high though today’s game against Dartmouth.

KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said she would prefer to dispense with the up-and-down season she has had so far.

“We’d like to stay off the roller coaster as much as possible,” Henrickson said.

It appeared KU was moving in the right direction before taking 10 days off for final exams. While the Jayhawks’ defense steadily has improved during the last five games, the game against Western Illinois showed the offense finally was coming around.

The Jayhawks looked like a one-dimensional offense early on as they struggled to find other scoring options besides forward Crystal Kemp, who has averaged nearly 16 points a game.

Against Western Illinois, KU guard Aquanita Burras finally seemed to find her touch as she deposited 14 points to complement Kemp’s 17. Guard Erica Hallman steadily has increased her output for the Jayhawks as well.

The team’s recent turn in fortunes has been a testament to its gradual adaptation to the new coaching staff. Henrickson said she was pleased with how the team has adjusted to the new situation.

“I think it’s been good,” Henrickson said. “I’ve respected how these kids have made changes and to become coachable. Through all of that, they’ve been coachable and positive.”

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Henrickson said that she didn’t expect too much of a letdown from the 10-day layoff, and that practices have gone well this week, despite taking it easy because of exams. But she added that the stress of exams could affect her young team.

The Jayhawks will have to take advantage of the night off from finals to prepare for Dartmouth, which isn’t too rested itself after victorious trip Thursday to Illinois-Chicago.

The Big Green, the preseason pick to win the Ivy League, have had success on offense this year, averaging 65 points a game — 11 more than the Jayhawks — but haven’t had an easy time defensively. Dartmouth has been helped along by sharp-shooting guard Angie Soriaga, who has made 48 percent of her shots behind the three-point line.

Henrickson said a key for the Jayhawks was trying to control the tempo of the game because the Big Green’s transition game. Another of Dartmouth’s strengths is its ability to spread its scoring around with four players who average double-digits in scoring, twice as many as Kansas has.

The Jayhawks faced the Big Green last year and pushed them to overtime in the first round of Dartmouth’s Blue Sky Classic before being dominated in extra time and falling, 86-78.

After tonight, the Jayhawks’ next game will be Tuesday at Creighton in Omaha, Neb.