LINCOLN, NEB. ? Kansas University’s women’s basketball team let a nine-point lead slip away, and Nebraska rallied for a 59-48 victory Saturday over the Jayhawks at Devaney Sports Center.

The Jayhawks (9-11 overall, 2-7 Big 12 Conference) led, 42-31, with 9:42 to play, but the Huskers went on a 12-0 run and never looked back.

“We just kind of lost focus,” KU interim coach Lynette Woodard said. “We had a lot of layups we missed, chip shots and two-footers that could have put it away. We missed those shots. … We were never able to recover.

“They executed very well to build a nine-point lead, but when it got down to crunch time, we weren’t able to make shots.”

The Jayhawks played without freshman Lauren Ervin, who sat out Saturday’s game for violating team rules.

Ervin, who missed Wednesday’s game at Texas Tech for personal reasons, traveled to Lincoln, Neb., but did not play.

Woodard and Ervin met Saturday afternoon.

“Lauren and I have met,” Woodard said, “and I think she is able to understand what I was trying to get across to her in terms of team policies.”

A 6-foot-4 freshman from Inglewood, Calif., Ervin has played in 18 games this season, starting one. She has averaged 7.7 points and a team-best 6.9 rebounds a game.

Her absence was felt for KU, especially in rebounding. The Huskers (15-6, 5-5) outrebounded Kansas, 27-16.

“Lauren is a strong rebounder,” Woodard said. “We need her on this team. I hope she’s learned the lessons she needs to learn to help this ballclub.”

Junior guard Larisha Graves led KU with 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting to go with five rebounds. Sophomore forward Tamara Ransburg recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while sophomore forward Crystal Kemp scored 10 points and pulled down three rebounds.

KU will play host to Kansas State Wednesday. Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.