Kansas women's basketball had an impressive nonconference showing, finishing 10-1 with marquee wins over Auburn and Penn State.
Led by head coach Brandon Schneider, the Jayhawks entered the season facing questions about a potential drop-off after losing key seniors Taiyanna Jackson, Zakiyah Franklin, and Holly Kersgieter to graduation. A strong start suggested the team was ready to exceed expectations, but despite their early success, KU stumbled in its Big 12 opener against Baylor.
Kansas women's basketball falls in conference opener
Star guard S'Mya Nichols continued her standout campaign, scoring 25 points in the loss. However, the Jayhawks struggled to find consistent contributions from the rest of the rotation, which raises depth concerns moving forward. Elle Evans, KU's only other double-digit scorer, shot an abysmal 3-for-19 from the field in the defeat.
The Jayhawks came out flat in Allen Fieldhouse, trailing by 13 at halftime and ultimately falling to 0-1 in conference play. The loss dropped Kansas out of ESPN's Charlie Creme's women's bracketology. KU was one of the last teams out of the tourney in the prior edition, so the early conference setback has placed added pressure on the team to rebound quickly.
With a challenging Big 12 schedule ahead, the Jayhawks need to immediately address their offensive shortcomings and find more balanced scoring if they hope to stay in the bubble conversation. Nichols cannot carry the load all season long. Next up, Kansas will travel to Iowa State for a New Year's Day matchup as it looks to bounce back as conference play ramps up.