KU sophomore Porscha Weddington maneuvers around a University of Missouri-Kansas City defender. The Jayhawks held on to beat the Kangaroos, 64-58, on Wednesday in Allen Fieldhouse.

Bonnie Henrickson opened her postgame media session with a plea.

“If you have an answer,” the Kansas University women’s basketball coach said, “I’m open to suggestions.”

Henrickson had just watched the Jayhawks stage a Jekyll and Hyde performance in clipping UMKC, 64-58, on Wednesday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

For 18 minutes, KU looked like a Final Four team. The Jayhawks hit shots, forced misses, stole passes and intimidated the Kangaroos.

With two minutes left before intermission, KU led 37-12.

But then the ‘Roos outscored the Jayhawks, 10-1, before the break and 36-26 in the second half. In other words, in the last 22 minutes, UMKC administered a 46-27 whipping.

“We get up by 25 : I don’t know if we need to get up by 40,” Henrickson said. “I don’t know what it is. We got softer and softer and softer.”

UMKC cut the gap to 62-58 with 15 seconds remaining, but Sade Morris hit two free throws with :13.7 showing to push the Jayhawks’ record to 2-0.

“We need to learn to keep the lead,” said Taylor McIntosh, one of only two seniors on the roster. “We need to grow as a team and learn not to let up.”

McIntosh didn’t let up. The 5-foot-11 veteran bounced back from her three-point, one-rebound clunker in the opener against Hartford with a rare double-double – 13 points and 12 rebounds.

The secret? McIntosh avoided foul trouble. She was whistled for the first time after only 62 seconds had elapsed and seemed headed for a Hartford redux. But McIntosh didn’t commit foul No. 2 until 51â2 minutes remained.