Game Primer: How to Watch, Key Players and Important Information for Kansas vs Oklahoma

Overview
The Numbers
How to Watch
Game Coverage
Key Players
Fun Facts

The Kansas Jayhawks enter the Big 12 Women's Championship Tournament as the 5th seed and play in the first game of the day on Friday. Their foe is the 4th seeded Oklahoma Sooners, the same team that they beat on Saturday in Norman to close out the regular season.

Overview

The Jayhawks are currently projected as a 9-seed in the NCAA tournament, but a win here would give them a potential matchup against Baylor, a team that they played tough twice this season. A win there would certainly improve their seed and potentially allow them to avoid facing off against a 1-seed in the second round next weekend.

In their way is an Oklahoma Sooners team that is trying to hold on to a top 4 seed and potential hosting spot for the first weekend of the tournament. And given that they just lost to these Jayhawks, they likely will not take this game lightly.

The Kansas Jayhawks received votes in both the AP and Coaches polls this week, but are currently unranked in both polls. The Sooners are #21 in the AP poll and #19 in the Coaches poll.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series 44-34, including a 2-0 record in the Big 12 Championship. However, the Jayhawks have won 3 of the last 5 meetings between these two teams.

Here are the essentials:

The Numbers

Kansas: 20-8, 11-7 Big 12

(19) Oklahoma: 23-7, 12-6 Big 12

Line: KU +2.5

O/U: 155.5

How to Watch

Friday, March 11th, 11:00 a.m. CST

Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, MO

TV: ESPNU

- Chuck Kempf (Play-by-Play), Andrea Lloyd (Analyst)

Radio: IMG Jayhawk Radio Network

- Jimmy Chavez (Play-by-Play)

Webcast: Kansas Online Radio

Online Streaming: www.espn.com/watch or the ESPN app (subscription required)

Game Coverage

Follow along during the game for live updates from my Twitter account.

Check out the tournament preview episode of the Rock Chalk Podcast:

Come join the conversation in the Blue Wings Rising Discord Server.

Key Players

Kansas

Taiyanna Jackson #1 (C): She delivered against the Sooners on Saturday, tallying 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks. That's a lot, but her biggest contribution may have been locking down the post, with both Liz Scott and Nydia Lampkin being rendered largely ineffective.

Aniya Thomas #5 (G): Thomas was able to pick up the slack when Kersgieter struggled in the last game, leading the Jayhawks with 19 point and nabbing four steals. The senior's emergence on the bench has the potential to make the difference for the Jayhawks in the postseason.

Zakiyah Franklin #15 (G): She had 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the last game. But the Jayhawks will need her to help get Holly Kersgieter and Ioanna Chatzileonti going, or step up in a big way on her own if they can't.

Oklahoma

Madi Williams #25 (G): The Jayhawks were able to limit her production in the last matchup, holding her to 8 points and 9 rebounds. Plus they got her to commit 5 turnovers. That's the second game in which the Jayhawks have forced her to commit those turnovers, so look for Kansas to pressure her often.

Taylor Robertson #30 (G): She was held to 14 points and 2 rebounds in the last meeting, both under her season averages. The Sooners will need her to step it up to get past the Jayhawks.

Skyler Vann #24 (G): Earning the Sixth Player Award from the Big 12 Coaches this year, Vann has been a huge presence for the Sooners. She stepped up in a big way in the last matchup, with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals.

Fun Facts

Taiyanna Jackson's 84 blocks this season are the 4th most in a single season by a Jayhawk. She only needs 5 more blocks to move past the top three seasons in Jayhawk history, which were all accomplished by Lisa Tate.

This is the third time this season where the Jayhawks have the same opponent twice within a seven day period. Against Oklahoma State, they defeated Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Jan. 29th and in Lawrence on Feb. 2nd. They defeated West Virginia in Morgantown on Feb 9th and then in Lawrence on Feb 15th.

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