Kansas Jayhawks Maul Last 5 Minutes, Defeat TCU Horned Frogs 75-60

Kansas picks up a crucial win in its quest to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament

It didn't start out well, but the Kansas Jayhawks were able to gut out a big win at home against the TCU Horned Frogs on Sunday.

TCU started out hot in the first quarter, going 6-8 on FGs in the first 6 minutes of the game. However, the Jayhawks were able to weather the storm thanks to tough defense and forcing turnovers, and took the lead on a Holly Kersgieter three-pointer with 2 minutes to go in the first quarter.

From there, the game went back and forth. Neither team led by more than 3 points until the 4th quarter, except for one 30-second span where TCU led by 6 in the second quarter and one 30-second span in the 3rd quarter where KU led by 5.

 Ultimately, the Jayhawks had too much power down low, and used a big run in the 4th quarter to put the game away.

Top Performers:

Chandler Prater: With 17 points and 8 total rebounds, she dominated the paint in the 4th quarter to help Kansas stretch the lead.

Taiyanna Jackson: Her 13 points were third most on the team, but it was the 7 offensive rebounds that gave Kansas multiple opportunities to stay in the game early, and helped to seal the game at the end.

Holly Kersgieter: She only had 11 points for the Jayhawks, but she had three crucial 3-point baskets that helped change the direction of the game. The first put Kansas ahead in the 1st quarter, capping a huge run by the Jayhawks. The second came with 3 minutes left in the half to start a 10-1 run to take a 3-point halftime lead. The final one with 2:26 to go in the game gave Kansas a 10-point lead to put the game out of reach.

Key Plays:

With 1:30 to go in the third quarter and TCU only down one, Kansas C Chandler Prater got a huge defensive rebound, followed by an offensive rebound and score on the other end to put Kansas up by 4.

At the 6:15 mark, Aahliyah Jackson of TCU went crashing into the lane and drew an extremely questionable foul on Katrine Jessen. She made the free throw to take the lead.

Trailing 57-56 with just over 5 minutes to go, Kansas went on a 14-2 run over the next 4 minutes to put the game out of reach. 4 different Jayhawks scored in that final push.

Up Next:

 The Jayhawks hit the road to face the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown, WV. The game tips at 6pm on Feb 9th and will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+