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Jayhawks outlast Wildcats thanks to big nights from Mayberry, Jackson.

Kansas takes the first edition of the Sunflower Showdown over Kansas State to get back to .500 in the Big 12.
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It was a stop and start game for the Kansas Jayhawks in the first edition of the Sunflower Showdown this season, as they overcame a lighting malfunction and multiple Kansas State runs in the second half to earn a much-needed 85-72 victory. Kansas moved to 14-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big 12 with the win.

Both teams got off to a slow start, with the Wildcats missing their first five shots and the Jayhawks missing their first six. The only lead for the Wildcats came at 3-0 over two minutes into the first quarter, as Sarah Shematsi's three got the Wildcats on the board. The first media timeout arrived with the score tied at 3. After the short break, the lid came off the basket for the Jayhawks, as they finished the period making 7 of their 10 shots, spurred by their suffocating defense. They went into the first quarter break with an 18-10 lead.

The second quarter seemed to go just as well, with Kansas stretching the lead quickly to double digits. The Wildcats had a bit of a run to shrink the lead to 5, but some hot shooting for Holly Kersgieter and Chandler Prater, along with fantastic defense, opened the lead up to 14 before settling at a 10 point halftime lead.

But this is a rivalry game, and Kansas State wasn't going to go quietly. Gabby Gregory scored seven straight points for the Wildcats early in the second half, and just 2:38 into the period the margin was back down to two. But this time the Jayhawk interior sparked a run, with Zsofia Telegdy getting a layup just before Taiyanna Jackson did. Then Wyvette Mayberry and Zakiyah Franklin chipped in to stretch the lead back to 10. But it wouldn't last, as a three at the end of the quarter brought the lead back down to just 6 again.

The fourth quarter saw the lead shrink again, this time all the way to just a single point. But a quick 7-0 run from Kansas put the game out of reach and the Wildcats didn't challenge again.

Wyvette Mayberry led all scorers with 26 points, also tallying 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Taiyanna Jackson did a bit of everything (which she noted in the postgame press conference), totalling 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Kersgieter also notches a double-double, with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Zakiyah Franklin, who fouled out late in the fourth quarter, was the only other Jayhawk to hit double digits.

The Jayhawks are back in action on Wednesday, February 1st, as they travel to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears. They will be looking to avenge a loss earlier this season, which was their first loss of the season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7pm CST and will be broadcast on Big 12 Now 

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