Game Primer: Kansas vs Texas Tech WBB - Things to Know, Players to Watch

The Kansas Jayhawks finished the year with a heartbreaking loss to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls on Senior Night while missing one of their leaders in Elle Evans. Tonight, they will try to bounce back against a Texas Tech Lady Raiders squad that broke a nine-game losing streak in an 83-79 overtime win on Senior Night.

The Lady Raiders are led by 5th-year head coach Krista Gerlich, who is 73-81 in Lubbock. She is 3-5 against the Jayhawks, while Brandon Schneider is just 8-10 against Texas Tech.

Texas Tech leads the series 26-17, but the Jayhawks have won five of the last six meetings.

Here are the essentials:

The Numbers

Editor's Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are provided by CBB Analytics. CBB Analytics is a new stats website in college hoops, covering both men and women's basketball in D-I, D-II and D-III. You can follow them on Twitter @CBBAnalytics

Kansas: 16-13 (6-12 Big 12): CBB Analytics Adjusted Net Rating - 119th overall, 108th offense, 135th defense

Texas Tech: 15-16 (4-14 Big 12): Net Rating - 117th overall, 167th offense, 71st defense

Line: KU -2.5

O/U: 125.5

How to Watch

Wednesday, March 5th, 8:00 p.m. CST*
*or 30 min after the end of the prior game

Kansas City, MO: T-Mobile Center

TV: ESPN+ - Brenda VanLengen (Play-by-Play), Andrea Lloyd (Analyst)

Radio: Learfield Jayhawk Radio Network- Steven Davis (Play-by-Play), David Lawrence (Analyst)

Webcast: Kansas Online Radio

Online Streaming: www.espn.com/watch or the ESPN app (subscription required)

Game Coverage

8:24pm: Peat gets a layup for Tech, and Kansas calls timeout. We are at the first media timeout.

8:22pm: Maupin hits a three and we are tied.

8:20pm Two Fritz threes the only scoring for Tech, and Nichols and Conesa each have two baskets. Kansas leads 9-6.

8:19pm: Conesa then Nichols score on back-to-back possessions, and Kansas leads.

8:18pm: Fritz with a three for Tech, then Conesa can't hit her runner.

8:17pm: Texas Tech wins the tip, but can't hit their first shot. Kansas gets it inside but Eltayeb has her shot blocked. Nichols travels on the inbound.

8:15pm: Laia Conesa, S'Mya Nichols, Sania Copeland, Brittany Harshaw and Nadira Eltayeb start for the Jayhawks tonight.

8:12pm: Time for player introductions, with Texas Tech up first.

7:55pm: Still in warmups, with tipoff scheduled for 8:12pm. Elle Evans is in street clothes, with indications seeming to be that she might be done for the season.

Opponent Team Form

Not much has changed in the month since these two teams last met. Texas Tech is a plodding team that plays very slow and plays physical. They hit the offensive glass well, but their aggressiveness defensively also gives up a lot of second chances to their opponents. They foul a lot but also force a lot of fouls. They get a lot of blocks and steal the ball a ton, but they also turn the ball over. In all, it's a chaotic style that produces wildly different results, sometimes even in the same game.

Players to Watch

Baily Maupin - 5'10" Junior Guard

Season: 13.0 pts, 2.6 rebs, 2.2 asts, 1.2 stls, 0.1 blks, 45.8% 2P%
Last 5: 12.6 pts, 2.0 rebs, 2.2 asts, 1.8 stls, 0.4 blks, 50.0% 2P%

The Jayhawks held Maupin in check earlier this year, but she is still one of the best options for the Lady Raiders. But she has struggled recently, and she will need to turn it around if Texas Tech is going to be able to compete.

Jasmine Shavers - 5'9" Junior Guard

Season: 14.7 pts, 3.7 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.6 stls, 0.1 blks, 32.0% 3P%
Last 5: 15.6 pts, 3.8 rebs, 2.6 asts, 0.8 stls, 0.0 blks, 40.5% 3P%

Shavers has really picked up her three-point shooting recently, resulting in a small bump in her scoring average. But overall, she has struggled as the team has continued to slide at the end of the year. In fact, her season averages have taken a hit since the last time these two teams played. She led the Lady Raiders in scoring in the last meeting, and she will need to be even better today if they expect to advance.

Prediction

Kansas has been dealing with health issues all year long, and there is some legitimate worry about what Elle Evans will have tonight. But Kansas showed a lot in the loss to Oklahoma State, and the development of multiple perimeter options to fill the gap should be enough to push them through tonight.

Kansas 76, Texas Tech 68.