photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas forward Jaliya Davis puts up a short one-handed shot against Fort Hays State in Allen Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 in Lawrence.

Kansas women’s basketball roared past Fort Hays State in an exhibition game on Wednesday night, winning by a score of 90-59 at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Jayhawks were led in scoring by their highly touted freshman forward Jaliya Davis, who finished with 29 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three blocks on the evening.

“I think (Jaliya had) a really high activity level,” KU head coach Brandon Schneider said after the exhibition win. “She scored it in a multitude of ways – transition, offensive rebounds, got her off some actions – but I thought (she) was really relentless with her effort.”

KU trotted out a starting five of junior guard S’Mya Nichols, freshman guard Libby Fandel, senior guard Elle Evans, the aforementioned Davis and senior forward Lilly Meister. This starting lineup included three newcomers for the Jayhawks and they struggled to mesh early, with KU trailing 16-6 just over five and a half minutes into the first quarter.

“First off, you have to commend and respect how hard Hays plays,” Schneider said. “I mean, they’re not a championship program year in and year out, but just with (their) talent, they play extremely hard, and they’re tough. Our transition defense, they exposed us there. This is the least prepared we’ll ever be because we have no idea what they’re going to do.”

But the Jayhawks were able to turn it around in the final four minutes of the first quarter after going on a 15-3 run that included eight points from Davis, and KU went to the second quarter with a two-point cushion. The Jayhawks never relinquished the lead from there.

It wasn’t just Davis who had an impressive evening, as the Jayhawks’ leading scorer from last season, Nichols, showed out with 20 points and five assists for KU.

Sophomore forward Regan Williams also heard her name called over the public address system multiple times, including two 3-point baskets. Williams shot just 1-for-4 from beyond the arc last season.

“Good players add things to their game in the offseason,” Schneider said postgame. “She’s worked really, really hard and again I think that’s something that from a matchup standpoint, if she can pull bigger players away from the basket, it’s to her advantage, and then I think she’s also quick enough to put the ball on the floor.”

Kansas will be back in action next Wednesday, when the Kansas City Roos visit Allen Fieldhouse to kick off the nonconference slate.

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