KU women ‘out for blood’ against Nebraska

Give the Kansas University women’s basketball team credit.

With a roster of 10 players — only seven of whom see significant minutes — the Jayhawks have mustered four league victories while navigating the treacherous Big 12 Conference.

Now they want to finish strong, starting today with Nebraska.

Tipoff will be at 1 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. Fox Sports Midwest (Sunflower Broadband Channel 36) will televise the game, but won’t join the contest until 2 p.m.

“I think we’re out for blood now,” senior guard Aquanita Burras said after Wednesday’s 66-53 loss to Texas Tech. “I think just the fact that how we played today, we’re going to be more determined to play better on Sunday.”

Against Nebraska (16-8 overall, 8-4 Big 12), the Jayhawks (11-12, 4-8) have a chance to earn a fifth conference victory for the first time since the 2000-01 season. In the three previous seasons, they won only five league games combined.

In the first meeting Jan. 29 in Lincoln, Neb., NU pulled away in the second half to earn a 59-48 victory. That game marked a career night for NU freshman forward Danielle Page, who recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds, and hasn’t slowed down since.

“We did a nice job on (Page) for about 30 minutes, and then she ended up with 15 or 17 up at their place,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said.

NU sophomore guard Kiera Hardy, a Kansas City, Mo., native, also has been hot. She’s the leading scorer in conference games and has scored at least 27 points in seven games this season.

Nebraska is one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won five of its last six contests — presenting a solid case for its first NCAA Tournament bid in five seasons.

Henrickson is more concerned about her players after watching them recover their confidence Wednesday night against the No. 15 Red Raiders.

Tech led 37-16 at halftime, but Kansas came back to shoot 60 percent from the floor in the second half and cut the gap to 13 points.

“These kids don’t play afraid,” Henrickson said. “Sometimes they don’t come focused, but they don’t come to the gym scared of competition.”

The Jayhawks have four regular-season games remaining, and they’re all against the league’s elite. KU’s home finale will be Wednesday night against league-leading Baylor. KU’s last two games will be Saturday at Kansas State and March 1 against Iowa State.