Kansas Jayhawks women’s basketball team falls to USC, bows out of NCAA Tournament

The Kansas Jayhawks women’s basketball team’s return to the Sweet 16 will have to wait at least another year.

KU’s journey through the NCAA Tournament hit a roadblock Monday night in Los Angeles in the form of JuJu Watkins and the top-seeded USC Trojans. Eighth-seeded KU hung around for three quarters, even pulling within one point in the third quarter, but lost 73-55.

The freshman Watkins, who came in averaging 26.9 points per game on 40.7% shooting, led USC with 28 Monday and also grabbed 11 rebounds. McKenzie Forbes was the only other Trojans starter in double-digits (20 points).

USC raced to a quick and sizable lead, scoring 13 points off six KU turnovers in the opening quarter. By the end of the first half, USC had scored 16 points off 12 Kansas giveaways.

That was the difference early for the Jayhawks, who trailed 33-24 at halftime.

“We played an exceptionally good team,” KU coach Brandon Schneider said. “I thought the difference in the game was points off turnovers. And uncharacteristically, we turn the ball over quite a bit in the first 15 minutes of the game and enable them to get to a fast start.”

Taking better care of the ball, KU played a strong third quarter and a potential comeback seemed to be in the works. The Jayhawks outscored the Trojans 22-20 in the frame, getting 15 points combined from freshman S’Mya Nichols (7) and fifth-year player Holly Kersgieter (8).

A shooting foul on USC’s Kayla Padilla sent Kersgieter to the line with 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Kersgieter hit both free throws to pull KU within a point, 47-46.

But the Trojans responded with a 17-2 run that extended well into the fourth quarter, and KU never recovered.

“I feel like as a team we really lift each other back up,” Nichols, who led KU with 22 points on 7-of-19 shooting. “So blocked shot, turnover, it’s the next-play mentality.

“I wouldn’t say we were down the whole game. I wouldn’t say we felt terrible or felt bad for ourselves. We genuinely went out there and played, and in the fourth quarter, they got ahead and I feel like that’s the end of it.”

Kansas’ Taiyanna Jackson recorded a double-double in her final game in crimson and blue, putting up 10 points and pulling down 18 rebounds.

She’s among a group of seniors — Kersgieter, Zakiyah Franklin and Ryan Cobbins being the others — who played their final game for the program on Monday (senior Wyvette Mayberry still has a year of eligibility remaining).

“It’s just a lot right now, especially at this moment ...” Franklin said of her memories as a Jayhawk. “The last three years, just the growth of this program ...

“The people who were here, that aren’t right now, and the other two seniors (Kersgieter and Jackson) who kind of stuck it out here, as well, I would have to say that they’re a big part of this and just the growth of this program.”