photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas's Laia Conesa, right, brings the ball up the court under pressure from Pittsburgh's Marley Washenitz during the first half of their Paradise Jam women's college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands' Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

Long before most of its stateside fans had sat down to Thanksgiving dinner, the Kansas women’s basketball had already picked up its first power-conference win of the year in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In their opening matchup of the three-day Paradise Jam tournament, the Jayhawks took down Pitt in a 59-53 slugfest to improve to 5-1 on the season.

On a day when neither team could find the basket particularly often — the Panthers shot 31.7% from the field and 23.1% from deep, compared to 33.3% and 18.2% for the Jayhawks — sophomore guard S’Mya Nichols led KU with 20 points, 12 of which came from the free-throw line. Elle Evans added 19, and she and teammate Laia Conesa (12 points and four steals of her own) hit two 3-pointers each as the rest of the Jayhawks hit none.

In fact, Nichols, Evans and Conesa accounted for 51 of KU’s 59 points. Mikayla Johnson led Pitt with 14 points and seven rebounds.

The Jayhawks will continue their run in the Virgin Islands with a matchup against Northern Iowa at 2 p.m. on Friday.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ S’Mya Nichols, right, goes for a shot against Pittsburgh’s Khadija Faye during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ S’Mya Nichols, left, drives past Pittsburgh’s Bella Perkins for a layup during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Elle Evans, right, dribbles while looking for an open teammate while guarded by Pittsburgh’s Bella Perkins, left, and Marley Washenitz during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Nadira Eltayeb, right, shoots over Pittsburgh’s Aislin Malcolm during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Sania Copeland, right, drives past Pittsburgh’s Aaryn Battle during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Elle Evans, left, looks to pass while guarded by Pittsburgh’s Aislin Malcolm, left rear, and Marley Washenitz during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Elle Evans, rear, shoots over Pittsburgh’s Bella Perkins during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Sania Copeland, right, drives to the basket against Pittsburgh’s Khadija Faye during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Elle Evans, right, shoots over Pittsburgh’s Khadija Faye during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas’ Laia Conesa, right, drives for a layup against Pittsburgh’s Khadija Faye during the first half of their Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament game at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, V.I.

photo by: Bill Kiser/Virgin Islands Daily News

Kansas forward McKenzie Smith, second from left, and guard Jordan Webster, second from right, watch as their teammates warm up for the Jayhawks’ game against Pittsburgh on the opening day of the Paradise Jam women’s college basketball tournament Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas, V.I. Both Smith and Webster sat out the game.