Sports
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Lawrence Journal-World l LJWorld.com/sports l Sunday, April 2, 2023
KANSAS 66, COLUMBIA 59
CHAMPIONS
Chance Parker/Journal-World Photo
THE KANSAS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM CELEBRATES AFTER SECURING THE 2023 WNIT TITLE with a 66-59 victory over Columbia on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Taiyanna Jackson is a star in the making
It’s the first WNIT title for Kansas
T
here are a dozen different reasons to pay attention to this Kansas women’s basketball team beyond the WNIT championship, which they secured with a hard-fought 66-59 win over Columbia on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse. And make no mistake about it, with nearly everyone back and reinforcements coming, this will be an NCAA Tournament team next season and a factor in the Big 12 Conference race. But if you want a reason to follow the WNIT champs that comes with flair, fight and heartfelt emotion,
By Jack McGarr Special to the Journal-World
After hosting their sixthstraight WNIT Tournament game at Allen Fieldhouse, the Kansas Jayhawks used a dominant 18-3 scoring run in the third quarter to secure a 66-59 victory over the Columbia Lions on Saturday. The win brought the Jayhawks their first WNIT title in school history. “It’s extremely cool,” senior guard Zakiyah Franklin said. “A lot to take in right now, but we’re really thankful for it and we’re just going to enjoy it.” With an official crowd of 11,701 in Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks (25-11) used their home court advantage to power them to victory.
Chance Parker/ Journal-World Photos
ABOVE: Kansas senior Zakiyah Franklin drives the ball. LEFT: Kansas fans cheer for the Jayhawks during the WNIT championship game against Columbia on Saturday.
> CHAMPIONS, 2B
MATT
TAIT
mtait@ljworld.com
you’d do well to pay close attention to KU center Taiyanna Jackson. Already known for her dominance on the court, the 6-foot-6 center who has one year of eligibility remaining spent so much of the recently completed season letting the world see her true personality. And, boy, is there a lot there. Her teammates have known that for a while now. > JACKSON, 2B
NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT
Dream season ends for FAU in buzzer-beater loss to Aztecs By Kristie Rieken Associated Press
Houston — It was one of those Final Four buzzer-beaters no one will ever forget. Oh, but how the FAU
Owls wish they could. The out-of-nowhere team’s first trip to college basketball’s biggest stage ended in excruciating fashion Saturday night, with San Diego State players almost running
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the Owls over as they flooded off the bench and swarmed the court to celebrate Lamont Butler’s jumper at the buzzer that gave the Aztecs a 72-71 victory. The Owls made school
history by getting here, only to walk off the court as part of history. This was the first Final Four buzzer-beater in which the losing team was winning before the shot.
“I was in shock when the buzzer went off,” said FAU’s Nick Boyd. Florida Atlantic’s players smiled and many danced on the bench during a second half in which it appeared they’d move
within one win of a title no one could have seen coming. Instead they ended up with a loss that nobody will ever forget.
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