Kansas Beats Arkansas in Women’s NIT Quarterfinal
Kansas advanced to the Fab Four of the Women’s NIT Tournament on Sunday afternoon, defeating Arkansas, 78-64, at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas (23-12) was the first team in the field to advance to the Final Four. The Jayhawks await the winner of the Oregon-Washington game. Kansas will play on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
The Jayhawks are the only Big 12 team left in women’s postseason action. Kansas State and Texas Tech were eliminated on Friday. Kansas has beaten Western Kentucky (86-72), Missouri (75-47), Nebraska (64-55) and Arkansas to get to this point.
The last Big 12 team to win the WNIT was Oklahoma State in 2012.
Paced by center Taiyanna Jackson and guard Holly Kersgieter, the Jayhawks set the pace in the first quarter by taking a 20-12 lead. Kansas boosted the lead to 38-19 at halftime after the Jayhawks outscored the Razorbacks, 18-7, in the second quarter.
Arkansas made a run at Kansas in the third quarter. The Razorbacks outscored the Jayhawks, 31-22, in the third, cutting the lead to 60-50 going into the final 10 minutes.
But, all Kansas had to do was maintain the lead, which it did.
Kersgieter had a 25-point game for Kansas, which included three 3-pointer and a 10-for-13 game at the free-throw line. Jackson ended up with another double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. She also blocked four shots.
Wyvette Mayberry and Zakiyah Franklin each had 10 points for the Jayhawks.
Makayla Daniels had a big game for Arkansas, as she scored 21 points to lead four Razorbacks in double figures.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
