For nine minutes, Kansas University looked like it had the best women’s basketball team in America.

The Jayhawks dropped two dozen unanswered points on San Diego State during the first half on their way to a 71-45 triumph Tuesday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

“I didn’t realize we had a 24-0 run,” said KU junior guard Erica Hallman, who started the run with a pair of three-pointers.

“I’m like Erica. I didn’t know, either,” said junior forward Crystal Kemp, who led the Jayhawks with 18 points and 10 rebounds. “We were just working on keeping our intensity.”

San Diego State, coming off an 80-36 loss a week earlier at Southern Methodist, had forged a 12-11 lead with 12:15 remaining. Then the wheels fell off.

Kansas forced 10 turnovers, the Aztecs threw up seven bricks and the Jayhawks led, 35-12, with 3:14 remaining until intermission.

“I’m certainly excited about our defense during that 24-0 run,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “I didn’t think in that stretch the majority of those (points) were from our offense. I thought the majority were in transition off our defense.”

Henrickson had stressed defense after the Jayhawks fell behind.

“Coach told us we had to be strong,” senior Aquanita Burras said, “and bring it out on defense, then everything just took off from there.”

Kansas University junior guard Erica Hallman (23) shoots over San Diego State's Jordie Smith. Hallman finished with 17 points and five assists in the Jayhawks' 71-45 victory Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Aztecs’ 10 turnovers during that decisive nine-minute span were half their total for the entire 40 minutes.

“It was good for us to respond,” Henrickson said. “Good things happen when you play hard and pressure the ball.”

San Diego State coach Jim Tomey has lost one starter for the season because of a knee injury and another starter, Michelle Elliott, had missed the last five games. Elliott came off the bench Tuesday night, but scored only two points in 12 minutes.

“Kansas has a great team,” Tomey said. “I think they were a little too physical for us. I thought we competed for the first 10 minutes and then we got into foul trouble.”

The Aztecs were whistled 22 times and the Jayhawks converted 19 of 26 free-throw attempts.

KU junior forward Crystal Kemp, front, drives against San Diego State's Ashley Cheesman. Kemp led the Jayhawks with 18 points.

“We just have too many injuries to overcome that kind of serious foul trouble,” Tomey added.

Meanwhile, KU (6-4) was tooted just 12 times and the Aztecs shot only three free throws.

Michelle Strawberry, a niece of former baseball standout Darryl Strawberry, led the Aztecs (3-6) with a dozen points. No other SDSU player counted more than six points.

All nine Jayhawks who played scored. No KU player logged more than 28 minutes and that was by design because the Jayhawks will board a plane this evening for Muncie, Ind., where they’ll meet Ball State on Thursday night.

Kansas University women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson cheers on her squad in the second half against San Diego State. The Jayhawks beat the Aztecs, 71-45, Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.

“We’ll have a short turnaround, so that’s good for us,” Henrickson said about the division of playing time.

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Notes: Kansas has held its opponents under 49 points in seven of its 10 outings. KU has forced 20 or more turnovers in four of those games. … Kemp recorded her third double-double of the season and 10th of her career. She’s been the Jayhawks’ leading scorer in seven of the 10 games. … Hallman made 3-of-4 three-point attempts and boosted her season shooting percentage from beyond the arc to .400. … Burras, who had nine points, four assists and three steals in 24 minutes of duty, started her 67th straight game. Burras has started every game since transferring from a junior college after her freshman year.

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