LAWRENCE, Kan. – Holly Kersgieter and Taiyanna Jackson both had double-doubles to lift the Kansas Jayhawks to a 63-51 win over the Kansas State Wildcats in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
With the win, Kansas has now won five consecutive Big 12 games for the first time since 2000, while improving to 17-5 on the year and 8-4 in Big 12 play.
Kersgieter, who finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, had a hot start to the game, scoring eight of the first 13 points. The junior went over 1,000 career points when she connected on a three pointer with 4:32 left in the opening quarter. That shot gave Kansas an 11-2 lead.
Kansas State answered and closed the deficit to six by the end of the first quarter. Aniya Thomas scored the final bucket of the quarter for Kansas to give the Jayhawks a 13-7 lead. The Wildcats outscored the Jayhawks 19-11 in the second to take a two-point lead into half, 26-24.
The third quarter, however, was all Kansas. Trailing 32-29, Kansas went on a 16-0 run, to take control of the game. Jackson scored the first six points of the run, with a pair of field goals and two free throws. Zakiyah Franklin, who had a team-high 16 points, finished the run with a driving layup to give the Jayhawks a 13-point lead.
Kansas State closed it to nine at the end of the third and scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to tie the score at 45-all with 6:01 to play. That was when Chandler Prater stepped up and scored eight of the next nine points for Kansas, seizing momentum back for the Jayhawks. KU closed the game on an 18-6 run, holding KSU to two made field goals in the final six minutes.
Kansas outrebounded Kansas State 48-31 in the win. Kersgieter had 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Jackson had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Franklin had six assists and five rebounds to go with her 16 points. Ioanna Chatzileonti and Chandler Prater each had eight points in the win.