by By Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Angel Goodrich (Cherokee Nation) helped Kansas make the most of its return to the NCAA women’s tournament.
Goodrich scored 20 points to lead 11th-seeded Kansas to a 57-49 win over former Big 12 rival and sixth-seeded Nebraska in the first round on Sunday.
The Jayhawks (20-12) led by as many as 10 points in the first half and held on in the second for their first NCAA tournament win since 1999. The appearance was the school’s first since 2000 and the first in eight seasons under coach Bonnie Henrickson.
The win comes after Kansas narrowly made the tournament after losing six of its final eight games when leading scorer Carolyn Davis injured her knee.
Goodrich picked up the slack on Sunday, and Chelsea Gardner added 15 points and 16 rebounds.
Kaitlyn Burke led the Nebraska, which was just 20 of 61 (33 percent) from the field, with 14 points.
The Huskers top two scorers, Jordan Hooper and Lindsey Moore, were a combined 9 of 39 from the field — including 0 of 14 on 3-pointers. Nebraska was 1 of 19 on 3-pointers overall, with Emily Cady connecting on the team’s only shot from behind the arc.
Cady was one of four Huskers in double figures, finishing with 10 points. Moore had 12 on 5-of-21 shooting, while Hooper had 11 and was 4 of 18 from the field, including 0 of 8 on 3-pointers.
Kansas didn’t fare much better from the field, finishing 25 of 66 (38 percent) from the field. However, the Jayhawks made the plays they needed to in the final minutes after Nebraska cut the lead to 46-42 after a pair of free throws by Cady.
The Huskers trailed 52-47 after Cady’s 3-pointer, and they appeared to have the momentum after a turnovers by the Jayhawks with 1:19 remaining.
Nebraska followed with a turnover of its own on the other end, one of 15 in the game, and Goodrich responded with a drive and basket on the other end to put Kansas up 54-47.
She followed moments later with a pair of free throws, and Gardner added the final free throw to secure the Jayhawks’ first NCAA tournament win since defeating Marquette in the first round in 1999.
Henrickson took over Kansas in 2004 and had led the school to the WNIT five times in her seven seasons before this one, but she had never taken the Jayhawks to the NCAAs before this year.
