The Kansas bench is jubilant against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

After being tied with Western Kentucky at halftime, the Kansas women’s basketball team outscored the Lady Toppers by 15 points in the third quarter and never looked back, winning 86-72 in the opening round of the WNIT.

After their loss to the TCU Horned Frogs to open the Big 12 Tournament, the Jayhawks came out swinging Friday at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas hustled for every loose ball and came up with seven offensive rebounds, winning the overall rebound battle 15-9 in the first quarter.

“That’s something that we should always do. We always talk about how effort shouldn’t be coachable, you should always bring that to the table,” senior guard Zakiyah Franklin said.

Kansas senior Zakiyah Franklin dribbles the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

“We just knew that coming into this and after the TCU loss, we just had to learn from that and move on. Obviously, we’re in the postseason right now, those type of things matter and we know that, so we just wanted to control that stat.”

Western Kentucky forced over 20 turnovers a game this season, but that was not a factor in the opening quarter. Kansas turned the ball over just one time, forced four turnovers by WKU and gained four points off of them.

The Jayhawks forced the Lady Toppers to stretch the floor and shoot long-range jump shots instead of getting inside the arc. Western Kentucky attempted 10 3-point shots in the first quarter, making just two.

KU closed the quarter on a 9-0 run spanning the last 2:56 and entered the second quarter with a 20-14 lead.

Despite the dismal 20% shooting from behind the arc, the Lady Toppers didn’t shy away from the 3-point line in the second quarter. Western Kentucky converted 3 of 9 shots from deep, forcing Kansas to contest outside jumpers.

On the other hand, the Jayhawks couldn’t buy a long-range basket in the quarter. KU made just 1-of-7 attempts from deep as the Lady Toppers kept Kansas out of the paint.

Western Kentucky went on a huge 14-2 scoring run in the middle of the second quarter to erase its six-point deficit. The Lady Toppers dominated for 3:22 minutes of play as they retook a five-point lead.

Kansas retaliated with a 7-2 scoring run of its own to end the quarter, with Franklin hitting a contested mid-range jumper with two seconds remaining. The Jayhawks tied the game at 36-36 headed into halftime.

Franklin led the Jayhawks with 10 points in the first half, with senior center Taiyanna Jackson recording seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

WKU guard Acacia Hayes led the Lady Toppers with 10 points, with forward Jaylin Foster right behind her with nine points.

KU came out of the break with a goal to get out in transition for easy baskets. Even with just three WKU turnovers in the third quarter, the Jayhawks scored seven fastbreak points on wide-open layups.

Kansas managed to get inside the paint all quarter long, feasting on shots right at the rim. The Jayhawks scored a whopping 20 points in the paint in the third quarter alone, with Jackson scoring nine points at the basket.

Closer shots led to a stellar field goal percentage of 75% for the quarter for Kansas as the Jayhawks extended their lead on Western Kentucky. KU outscored the Lady Toppers 30-15, taking a 15-point lead into the final quarter.

“”I think we had to attack the paint multiple times,” head coach Brandon Schneider said. “And I think we did a better job guarding the ball. We gave up way too many blow-bys in the first half.”

The Lady Toppers’ 15-point deficit proved too much to overcome in the fourth quarter as the Jayhawks cruised the rest of the way. Kansas came away with the 86-72 victory to open its WNIT Tournament play.

Jackson dominated the paint all night long and was the tallest player on the floor with a four-inch advantage over Western Kentucky’s tallest player. Jackson ended the night with a team-high 21 points and game-high 15 rebounds, adding two blocks and two steals to her performance.

Franklin also racked up 20 points with six rebounds and seven assists on the night, while junior guard Chandler Prater hustled her way to a 13 point, 13 rebound double-double.

Foster led Western Kentucky with a game-high 24 points on 50% shooting, adding six rebounds to her stat line.

Kansas next will take on Missouri in the second round of the tournament, with tipoff set for Monday at 6:30 p.m.

“Monday’s a big day,” senior guard Holly Kersgieter said. “It’s been a long time since Kansas women’s basketball has played Missouri; it’s a really big matchup.”

Kansas senior Holly Kersgieter drives the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

“We’re really excited to be able to host that game on Monday night; we hope it’s a game that really energizes our fanbase,” Schneider said. “These players have never participated in the rivalry. I think, over the next couple of days, it’ll be important for us to educate one another on the importance of it is and what it means.”

Kansas junior Wyvette Mayberry shoots the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

Kansas senior Zakiyah Franklin (15) is jubilant against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

Kansas senior Holly Kersgieter shoots the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

Kansas junior Wyvette Mayberry drives the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

Kansas junior Chandler Prater drives the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

Kansas sophomore Sanna Strom is jubilant against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.

Kansas sophomore Sanna Strom shoots the basketball against Western Kentucky during the first round of the WNIT on Friday, March 17, 2023.