Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament Kansas vs. Texas Preview
Here is everything you need to know about Kansas and Texas in our Jayhawks vs. Longhorns Big 12 Tournament women’s basketball quarterfinal preview.
Game 9: No. 7 Kansas (19-11) vs. No. 2 Texas (27-4, 14-4)
Time, TV: 5:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Big 12 Now/ESPN+
Location: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
Season series (Texas 1-0): Texas def. Kansas, 91-56
Winner: Advances to the Big 12 semifinals on Monday at 4 p.m.
Here is the full Big 12 women’s tournament schedule and results.
Projected starting lineups
Kansas: C Taiyanna Jackson, G S’mya Nichols, G Wyvette Mayberry, G Holly Kersgieter, G Zakiyah Franklin.
Texas: F Madison Booker, F Taylor Jones, F Aaliyah Moore, G Shay Holle, G Shaylee Gonzales.
Players to watch
Kansas
G Zakiyah Franklin: One of three super-seniors that returned for one more season after winning the postseason WNIT last April, Franklin has been a consistent force in Kansas’ offense. The other two super-seniors are Taiyanna Jackson and Holly Kersgieter. Franklin is coming off a 20-point performance against BYU on Friday. For the season she’s averaging 11.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. She’s also one of the most capable defenders on the team.
Texas
F Madison Booker: Booker pulled off the rare feat of being named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and the Big 12 Player of the Year, though she shared the latter honor with Oklahoma’s Skylar Vann. Booker has a fluid game and she grew into Texas’ star, especially after the season-ending injury to guard Rori Harmon. Booker averaged 16.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game in the regular season. If Texas makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, Booker will be a pivotal part of it.
Key storylines
Kansas
The Jayhawks entered the season with one of the most experienced starting lineups in the league but struggled mightily to start Big 12 play. At one point, after a loss to Oklahoma in late January, the Jayhawks were 10-10 and appeared to be heading nowhere. But after that loss, Kansas has now won nine of its last 10 games and looks like it is solidly in the NCAA Tournament Field. But, there is more than a week to go in the tournament season and who knows what could happen. The Jayhawks are intent on continuing to win.
Texas
In spite of losing Rori Harmon, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, Texas put together a season that should make them a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. Only a pair of losses to Oklahoma kept Texas from winning the Big 12 regular season title on its way to the SEC. Along with Booker’s revelatory play, Texas has gotten fine seasons out of Taylor Jones, Aaliyah Moore and Shaylee Gonzales. Shay Holle has done her usual glue player job as both a reserve and as a starter all season.
Prediction
Texas 78, Kansas 68. Kansas is in much better shape than it was the last time these two teams met. But Texas is a more talented team and I’m not certain Kansas has an answer for Booker defensively.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
