Chatzileonti's career high 21 not enough for Jayhawks in loss to Bears
A career-high 21 points from sophomore Ioanna Chatzileonti and a blistering 11 points in the 4th quarter for Zakiyah Franklin wasn't enough for the Kansas Jayhawks as they fell 85-77 to the Baylor Bears in Waco today. Baylor's NaLyssa Smith matched Chatzileonti's performance with her own career-high 33 points and 16 rebound. Ja'Mee Asberry was 4-5 from 3-point range, finishing with 19 points.
The game started with a very sloppy first quarter, as the teams combined for 12 turnovers, 6 by each team. The quarter ended with Baylor holding a 15-13 lead thanks to a 3-pointer by Asberry. The Kansas attack was led by Julie Brosseau with 6 points and Chatzileonti with 4 points.
It was a balanced effort from the Jayhawks, in the second quarter, as both Holly Kersgieter and Franklin got on the board early in the quarter. But Kersgieter's 6 points weren't enough to keep Baylor from extending their lead. Baylor was led by Smith's 14 points, but the Jayhawks held the rest of Baylor mostly in check to go into the half with only a 4-point deficit.
The 3rd quarter is where Baylor finally got it going. The half started out well enough, with Kansas leaning on Chatzileonti to help fuel a run to take a 45-43 lead. But Asberry started to heat up, scoring 6 straight points before Smith and Caitlin Bickle joined in the scoring, pushing the lead to as much as 10 in the quarter. A small run by the Jayhawks, consisting entirely of made free throws, allowed Kansas to keep it within single digits, but Baylor entered the final quarter up 61-54.
The final period was an exercise in frustration, as every good play that seemed to help the Jayhawks draw closer was counterbalanced by a critical mistake that gave the ball back to Baylor. Every miscue by Baylor was paired with a huge shot to stretch the lead back out.
Ultimately, while Kansas turned in an admirable performance, it wasn't enough to overcome the Bears on the road.
Top Performers:
Ioanna Chatzileonti: She was by far the best player for the Jayhawks, active on both the offensive and defensive end. Her point total of 21 was by far the most impactful stat in the box score, but she was all over the floor making big plays.
Zakiyah Franklin: Franklin's huge 4th quarter got the Jayhawks back into the game. She finished with 17 points on 8-13 shooting, all from inside the arc.
Key Plays:
A huge run by Baylor to end the half turned a 28-20 deficit into a 36-32 lead.
After pulling it within 3 on a 3-point play to make it 75-72, Baylor got back to back buckets by Queen Egbo, including one where Taiyanna Jackson picked up her fifth foul.
Up Next:
The Jayhawks come back home for Senior Day as they host the #11 Texas Longhorns. While they currently project as a 9-seed in the tournament, a win would give them the season sweep of the Longhorns and all but punch their ticket to the tournament. The game tips at 7pm on Tuesday Feb 15th and will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+
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