KU center Krysten Boogaard struggles for a rebound in the Jayhawks' home open against Sacred Heart.

Brunch basketball may be out of context, but Kansas University’s women’s basketball players aren’t likely to be out of sorts.

“We’ve had 5 a.m. practices and 7 a.m. practices,” junior guard Kelly Kohn said. “We’re used to a lot worse conditions than an 11 a.m. game.”

Kansas and Iowa indeed will tip off at 11 a.m. today in Allen Fieldhouse.

Why the early start, particularly on a weekday? ESPN dictated the time after tapping KU-Iowa as the only women’s game during the national cable outlet’s college basketball marathon that began Monday night.

“It’s a big opportunity for us,” KU forward Danielle McCray said, “and for other people to see who we are.”

The Jayhawks, who have been muddling around in the Big 12 Conference second division for the last several years, were impressive in their 106-64 season-opening romp over Sacred Heart and would clearly like to make a statement with a victory over a quality team like Iowa.

The Hawkeyes have two starters returning from a team that finished 21-11 overall last year and shared the Big 10 championship with Ohio State.

Iowa will have the Jayhawks outsized up front with 6-foot-6 Megan Skouby, 6-3 JoAnn Hamlin and 6-2 Wendy Ausdemore.

“They’re big,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said, “and they’re really good offensive rebounders.”

Skouby scored 18 points, and Hamlin added 13 when the Hawkeyes opened Sunday with an 87-45 thrashing of Texas State. Hamlin, a native of Douglass in southcentral Kansas, began her college career at Kansas State, transferring after her freshman year.

Kansas sophomore forward Nicollette Smith, who had to leave the Sacred Heart game after taking an elbow to the nose, will be available for today’s game. She’ll wear a protective mask until the injury heals.

How many people will attend today’s game is anybody’s guess because of the restricted campus parking on weekdays. Fans are being encouraged to use the Park and Ride lot west of Shenk Complex on Clinton Parkway and board a free shuttle bus. Another option is the parking garage north of Allen Fieldhouse, where the cost is $1 an hour.

After today, the Jayhawks won’t play again until Sunday, when they travel to Saint Louis U.