O’Neal scores 18, but Kansas women fall to ’Cats, 81-67

? Kansas University junior guard Timeka O’Neal scored a career-high 18 points, but Kansas State’s women’s basketball team handed the Jayhawks their 15th straight loss, 81-67, on Saturday night in Bramlage Coliseum.

KU trailed 42-29 at halftime and 65-37 entering the fourth quarter.

“Whether it’s missing shots or defensive assignments, we just can’t get consistent,” KU coach Brandon Schneider said.

Kansas fell to 5-19 overall and 0-13 in Big 12 play; K-State is 16-8 and 6-7.

O’Neal was a bright spot for the Jayhawks. She connected on six of 12 three-point attempts.

“She probably should’ve had a couple more,” Schneider said. “There were a couple that were just off in the first half. Tonight, unfortunately, we just didn’t have a lot of awareness. In the first half, defensively, we didn’t have a lot of awareness. We got beat on a slant screen, we got beat on a cross screen, just situations where you have to have situational awareness and sniff that stuff out, especially when you’re talking about playing defense in February.”

Kylee Kopatich added 11 points, and Tyler Johnson scored 10 for KU. Breanna Lewis led the Wildcats with 24 points.

Kansas shot 39 percent to K-State’s 50 percent, and the Wildcats outrebounded KU, 39-26. And K-State hit 21 of 27 free throws, while Kansas made six of seven.

The Jayhawks will host TCU at 7 p.m. Wednesday.