The University of Arizona women’s basketball team beat the University of Kansas 74-59 on Sunday, Jan. 19, in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, breaking the Wildcats’ three-game losing streak.
The Wildcats (12-8, 3-4 in Big 12) performed well throughout the game, led by key players like Jada Williams, Lauryn Swann and Isis Beh.
Freshman Swann led Arizona in scoring coming off the bench, finishing with 17 points in an impressive performance. Swann shot 5-of-8 from the field, including an impressive 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Additionally, she was perfect from the free-throw line, converting all four of her attempts.
Beh delivered a standout performance as well, showcasing her impact on both ends of the court. Beh finished the game with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds (two offensive, eight defensive).
The Wildcats came out hot in the first half against the Jayhawks, scoring 37 points on 50% shooting from the field with contributions from both the starters and the bench. Williams led the team with 8 points, shooting 3-of-8 from the field, including one 3-pointer, and added three assists in 19 minutes. Paulina Paris was close behind, scoring 7 points going 3-of-7 for scoring.
The Jayhawks went into halftime trailing the Wildcats by 14 points. The energy continued in the second half for Arizona, with the Wildcats scoring another 37 points on 52% shooting from the field along with dominating the paint, scoring 16 points inside. The Wildcats capitalized on their free-throw opportunities as well, hitting 8-of-10.
The Wildcats’ bench added 21 points in the second half, led by Swann and Montaya Dew, who combined for 17 points. Dew contributed 8 points, hitting 2-of-3 field goals. The Wildcats’ ability to get production from the bench and convert scoring opportunities helped secure their dominating performance against the Jayhawks.
Kansas’ S’Mya Nichols led the team with 21 points, shooting 6-of-12 from the field and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. She also contributed four rebounds and an assist but committed a team-high five turnovers.
Kansas (12-6, 2-5 in Big 12) shot 41.3% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 2-of-14 3-pointers (14.3% ). Turnovers were a significant issue for the Jayhawks, who committed 15 turnovers leading to 18 Arizona points.
Looking Ahead
This victory was huge for Arizona, ending the Wildcats’ three-game losing streak. The Wildcats have tough matchups ahead of them, as they will be facing two competitive teams next week: the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University.
Arizona returns home to host the University of Cincinnati Bearcats on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. at McKale Center.
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