Kansas Women Fight Hard to Defeat Sam Houston State 66-51

Jayhawks Start Season Strong with Impressive Win

After some back-and-forth play in the first quarter, Kansas pulled ahead in the second quarter and never looked back. They went into halftime with a 35-23 lead and continued to build on their advantage in the second half. Sam Houston State fought hard but couldn't overcome Kansas' lead.

Aniya Thomas led the way for Kansas with 16 points, while Wyvette Mayberry added 15 points, Taiyanna Jackson had 11 points, and Brenda VanLengen chipped in 10 points.

The game was physical, with both teams battling for rebounds and loose balls. Kansas outrebounded Sam Houston State 45-30 and forced 15 turnovers.

Kansas defense was on shutdown mode for the game. They forced several turnovers and held Sam Houston State to just 51 points.

This was a great start to the season for Kansas. After making it to the NCAA Tournament last year, they are looking to take the next step.

"We were really excited to get the season started," said Kansas coach Brenda VanLengen. "I thought our team played hard and did a good job of executing our game plan. We still have some things to work on, but I'm proud of the effort our players put in tonight."

Kansas will be back in action on Sunday when they host South Dakota State. Sam Houston State will look to bounce back on Tuesday when they host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.