KU, MU struggling, but rivalry still intense
Tonight, Kansas University women’s basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson will be introduced to the KU-Missouri rivalry.
KU’s first-year coach wasn’t aware of the rivalry’s intensity until well after she came to Lawrence.
“When I took the job, I anticipated that to be K-State,” Henrickson said. “Not that it’s not, but I didn’t anticipate the intensity of the of the rivalry with Missouri.
“I certainly do now. I’ve picked it up pretty quick.”
Tipoff is 7 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Border Showdown boiled over into a postgame fracas last season in Columbia, Mo., but KU guard Erica Hallman said she didn’t expect that to happen again.
“It did get a little nasty,” Hallman said. “That’s in the past. Both teams will go out and show some class — unlike last season.”
Both team’s seasons have been too difficult to worry about fighting.
Missouri (7-9 overall, 1-4 Big 12 Conference) won its first league game over Oklahoma State, but it’s been grim for the Tigers since.
Missouri lost a close game Tuesday at home against Colorado, 56-51, and will face a rested KU squad that hasn’t played since losing Saturday to Texas A&M.
Henrickson said the week off was welcome relief for her beleaguered squad.
| Tipoff: 7 tonight.Where: Allen Fieldhouse.TV: Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.PROBABLE STARTERSKansas (7-8, 0-4 Big 12)F — Crystal Kemp, 6-foot-2, Jr. (14.6 ppg)F — Taylor McIntosh, 5-11, Fr. (4.7 ppg)G — Aquanita Burras, 5-9, Sr. (10.5 ppg)G — Kaylee Brown, 5-8, Jr. (9.5 ppg)G — Erica Hallman, 5-8, Jr. (11.9 ppg)Missouri (7-9, 1-4)F — Christelle N’Garsanet, 6-3, Jr. (12.4 ppg)F — Carlynn Savant, 6-1, So. (8.6 ppg)F — EeTisha Riddle, 6-3, So. (4.9 ppg)G — LaToya Bond, 5-7, Jr. (12.3 ppg)G — Tiffany Brooks, 5-11, So. (14.3 ppg) |
“Our focus is in trying to get better this week,” Henrickson said. “It’s been good timing for us. We just might need another one.”
The Jayhawks (7-8, 0-4) need as much preparation as they can get to figure out ways to score points, but they at least face a Tiger team that shares the burden of an unproductive offense.
Both teams rank in the bottom three in the Big 12 in scoring and field-goal percentage.
The challenge for KU will be getting around Missouri’s big lineup that features five players as tall or taller than KU’s biggest forward, Crystal Kemp.
Henrickson said her team didn’t stack up well against Missouri.
“It’s a huge team, an athletic team,” Henrickson said. “We don’t match up very well at any of those positions, but we have to improve defensively and our offensive execution has to be aggressive.”
Offensive execution will be tough for the Jayhawks, who use Crystal Kemp — who averages nearly 15 points per game — as their primary scoring threat. Missouri ranks second in the Big 12 with 85 blocked shots — Tigers’ centers Megan Roney and Christelle N’Garsanet have blocked more than 20 shots each.
6Sports video: Lady Jayhawks to take on rival MUKU will need the victory tonight not only to get their first tally in the conference win column, but also to pad their slight lead in the all-time series against the Tigers. KU currently leads Missouri, 34-31.