STILLWATER, Okla. – The Kansas Jayhawks women’s basketball team achieved a significant milestone on Saturday, defeating the Oklahoma State Cowgirls 75-66 at Gallagher-Iba Arena, marking the Jayhawks' first victory of the Big 12 season.
S'Mya Nichols led the charge for Kansas, scoring 27 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out seven assists. This performance set the tone for the Jayhawks, as Nichols now has four consecutive games with over 20 points and has reached double figures for the tenth time this season.
Regan Williams also shone brightly, posting career-highs with 18 points and three rebounds before fouling out late in the game. Elle Evans contributed significantly as well, adding 15 points, six rebounds, and posting three blocks, underscoring her defensive prowess.
Defensively, Kansas was tenacious, limiting the Big 12’s top-scoring team—Oklahoma State, which previously averaged 87.4 points per game—to just 66 points, marking the fourth time this season OSU has failed to score at least 80 points. The Jayhawks' ability to contain Oklahoma State played a pivotal role as they now boast six straight victories against the Cowgirls, with their last win at Gallagher-Iba Arena dating back to 1995-2000.
The game kicked off with Oklahoma State scoring the first basket, but the Jayhawks swiftly countered with Evans sinking two free throws to equalize, followed by Laia Conesa hitting a three-pointer to give Kansas the lead. Thanks to Nichols's strong performance, who capped off the first quarter with the final 11 points, the Jayhawks ended the first quarter leading 18-12.
The second period began with Kansas holding firm, extending their lead to 25-17. But Oklahoma State rallied, levelled the score, and finished the half with a slender 30-29 lead after erasing Kansas's advantage.
The pendulum shifted again as the Cowgirls surged with an 11-3 run to start the second half, taking their largest lead at 41-32. The Jayhawks responded after Kansas coach Brandon Schneider called for a timeout, stemming the tide with Evans making four consecutive foul shots to narrow the gap.
Intensified scoring from both teams led to back-and-forth action throughout the remainder of the game. Kansas regained control with outstanding play from Nichols and Evans, combining efforts to take back the lead 51-50 by the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter showcased Kansas's best offensive performance of the game, during which they scored 24 points, expertly managing the scoreboard against Oklahoma State's attempts to mount a comeback, which only resulted in 16 points for the Cowgirls.
Williams, Nichols, and Conesa were pivotal during the final stretches, with Conesa delivering what proved to be the decisive three-pointer from the right wing, pushing the Kansas lead to 69-61 with just over a minute to play.
Finishing strong, Kansas completed the game by going six-for-six from the free-throw line, ensuring the 75-66 victory and handing Oklahoma State their first conference defeat of the season, which dropped the Cowgirls to 12-2 overall and 2-1 within the Big 12.
With this victory, the Jayhawks improved to 11-3 and 1-2 within the conference play, setting themselves up for their upcoming matchup against No.11 TCU. The game is slated for Tuesday, January 7, at 6:30 p.m. CT at Allen Fieldhouse, where they’ll aim to continue their momentum against another formidable opponent.