STILLWATER, Okla. – Kansas women’s basketball put forth its best offensive effort during Big 12 Conference and erased an 18-point deficit, but Oklahoma State held on to its lead late in the game to come out on the winning end, 74-70, on Wednesday evening inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Redshirt junior guard Jessica Washington sparked KU’s near come-from-behind win with 23 points in the final half. She connected on 6-of-12 attempts from long range, as the Jayhawks (6-14, 0-9 Big 12) stormed back into the game and gave the Cowgirls (13-6, 3-5 Big 12) a scare for the final 20 minutes. After outscoring OSU, 23-16, in the third quarter, KU’s offense came alive and tied the game twice, but the Jayhawks couldn’t manage to take the lead as the game wore on.

For most of the final period, it was a one-possession ballgame and after trailing by as many as 18 in the opening half, cut the deficit to one with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation. Despite every effort to earn its first league victory of the season, Kansas couldn’t complete the comeback and leave Stillwater with the win.

Washington ended the night with 26 points to lead all scorers for the seventh time in her last nine outings. She shot 50 percent (10-of-20) from the floor for the third time in 2016-17, while also recording a pair of steals and assists. Redshirt sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert added 15, including a 4-of-5 mark from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Kylee Kopatich rounded out the Jayhawks in double figures after netting 10 points, her sixth game this season to reach double digits.

Sophomore guard Karli Wheeler led the Cowgirls with 22 points after connecting on 3-of-5 attempts from long range and converting all seven tries from the free throw line. Junior center Kaylee Jensen registered a double-double after recording 19 points and 13 rebounds. Jensen made 6-of-12 (.500) shots from the floor. Junior forward Mandy Coleman was the final Cowgirl to net double figures after scoring 19 points behind 6-of-10 effort from the field.

After a pair of makes from the 3-point line, Oklahoma State got out in front, 7-4, in the first quarter. After losing Washington, its leading scoring going into the contest, due to foul trouble in the opening minutes, KU was able to keep the game within reach for most of the quarter. It wasn’t until the final minute of the period, that OSU’s advantage reached double-digits. Calvert brought the Jayhawks’ deficit back to single-digit with a jumper from the elbow, but OSU’s Jensen answered with a jumper of her own at the buzzer, sending the Cowgirls into the second period with a 23-12 lead.

Calvert scored first coming out of the break at the end of the quarter, as KU’s defense went on to hold the Cowgirls scoreless for the first four minutes. Kansas forced 11 OSU turnovers in the first 13 minutes of the contest, but was unable to capitalize on Oklahoma State’s miscues and chip away at its deficit. By the end of the game, Kansas has forced a total of 24 turnovers.

Washington reentered the game in the final minutes of the first half and sank her first 3-pointer of the night to end an OSU run and spark five unanswered Kansas points. Despite its slow start to the period, Oklahoma State maintained its double-digit advantage and headed into intermission with a 34-21 lead. Calvert and Kopatich paced KU’s offense in the first 20 minutes of play with six and five points, respectively. The duo combined for three of KU’s five steals.

Junior guard Chayla Cheadle started off the second half with a drive the basket, good for the first points of the half. Cheadle’s layup sparked a 9-0 run coming out of the break, including seven-straight points from Washington, to cut Oklahoma State’s lead, 34-30. After staying within two possessions of the Cowgirls for several minutes, a 6-0 run by Calvert and Washington tied the ballgame, 41-41, with just over two minutes to play in the third period. After tying the game, OSU went on a 9-3 run to end period and headed into the final quarter with a 50-44 lead over KU.

Oklahoma State got on the board first in the final period, but KU quickly stole the momentum with a 9-0 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers from senior guard Timeka O’Neal. Kansas’ nine unanswered points tied the game for the second time of the night, 52-52, with just under eight minutes to play. With each attempt that Kansas made to take the lead, Oklahoma State had an answer and wouldn’t relinquish its advantage. Calvert sank a pair of free throws to make it a two-point contest with 1:30 left on the game clock, but OSU once again found a way to keep the score in its favor as the time ticked off the clock.

With 27 seconds left to play and down by four, Washington made her sixth triple of the night, which brought KU within one of the home team. Following Washington’s trey, the Cowgirls converted 2-of-2 attempts from the charity stripe to extend its lead to three. On the next possession, Washington had two tries to tie the game, but couldn’t get either attempt to fall and Oklahoma State held on to win, 74-70.

UP NEXT
Kansas returns to Allen Fieldhouse to host its first meeting of the year against Texas Tech on Saturday, Jan. 28. The Jayhawks and Lady Raiders tipoff at 11 a.m.

— KU Athletics —

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Esa Ahmad had hoped to improve his defense entering a matchup with No. 2 Kansas. He ended up with a career scoring night.

Ahmad got plenty of open looks at the basket and broke out of a shooting slump with a career-high 27 points to lead No. 18 West Virginia to an 85-69 victory Tuesday, snapping the Jayhawks’ 18-game winning streak.

No. 1 Villanova also lost Tuesday, 74-72 to Marquette.

“I’ve kind of been passive and just passing the ball around,” Ahmad said. “I took it upon myself. My teammates looked for me and kept me positive. I love those guys for that.”

Ahmad led West Virginia in scoring over the first two months of the season but entered Tuesday’s game with four straight games in single digits.

He scored West Virginia’s first eight points against Kansas and finished 10 of 17 from the field. His previous scoring high was 19 points on two other occasions.

“We didn’t guard him and he got off to a great start,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Of a team that played exceptionally well tonight, I thought he was probably the best player in the game.”

Coach Bob Huggins said Ahmad, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound sophomore, was West Virginia’s “best chance” at beating Kansas.

“Esa had two good days of practice, and he’s our best guy at attacking the rim,” Huggins said. “He’s got size. He’s wider. He’s got those huge hands.”

West Virginia (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) blew a double-digit lead after halftime for the third straight game. Svi Mykhailiuk’s 3-pointer put the Jayhawks ahead 59-58 midway through the second half. But that was their last lead.

Kansas (18-2, 7-1) then went nearly 3 minutes between field goals. Ahmad started and finished a 12-1 run with baskets to put the Mountaineers ahead 70-61 with 4:55 left.

West Virginia limited its turnovers to eight and went 19 of 23 from the line, making nine of their final 10.

“We did both of those things today,” Huggins said. “And when we do, we’re pretty good.”

Nathan Adrian added 11 points and Daxter Miles Jr. and Tarik Phillip each had 10 for West Virginia, which beat Kansas for the fourth straight time in Morgantown.

Josh Jackson matched a season high with 22 points before fouling out for Kansas. Devonte’ Graham added 17 points and Big 12 scoring leader Frank Mason III finished with 15, tying his third-lowest point total of the season.

BIG PICTURE

Kansas: This was the start of the Jayhawks’ toughest stretch of the season with games against three straight ranked teams, including two on the road. Kansas came into the game shooting 50 percent from the field but was limited to 42 percent (25 of 59) on Tuesday.

The Jayhawks also went 6 of 15 from the free throw line.

“Just got to get in the gym and get better at that,” Jackson said.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers snapped a two-game losing streak with arguably their most complete performance of the season. When Kansas took the lead midway through the second half, West Virginia didn’t wilt the way it did in losses to Oklahoma and Kansas State.

“It was a must win,” Phillip said. “It’s what we talked about all week. Losing wasn’t on our mind.”

BEATING 1-2

Coupled with an 89-68 victory over then-No. 1 Baylor on Jan. 10, West Virginia accomplished the rare feat of defeating teams ranked first and second in the AP poll in same season. During the 2011-12 regular season, Indiana beat No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Ohio State.

HUGGINS BOOST

Huggins moved past Eddie Sutton into ninth place in major college history with his 807th career victory. Huggins also earned $25,000 for another win over the Jayhawks, a stipulation from a 2012 contract extension.

UP NEXT

Kansas plays at No. 4 Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday, then hosts No. 5 Baylor on Feb. 1.

West Virginia hosts Texas A&M on Saturday ine the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

— Associated Press —