SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KUAthletics.com) – The Kansas Jayhawks suffered their first defeat of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday evening, falling 71-58 to Iowa at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
S’Mya Nichols and Elle Evans both scored more than 20 points for the second straight game, with Nichols finishing with 26 while Evans contributed 22. The duo combined for 48 of the 58 Kansas points in the contest.
Kansas falls to 4-1 on the year while Iowa stays unbeaten and improves to 5-0.
“We didn’t make shots and have the kind of aggression that you have to start a game like this,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “I thought we settled down and played more aggressive the last three quarters. Credit to the Iowa fans, this was a terrific environment.”
Iowa scored the first five points of the game before Evans hit a basket just over two minutes in to put the Jayhawks on the board. Nichols added a pair of free throws to bring Kansas within three at 7-4, but Iowa held the Jayhawks scoreless for the final 6:23 while utilizing an 11-0 run to lead 18-4 at the end of the first.
Nichols scored the first four points of the second quarter and Evans connected on a three-pointer, her first of three in the quarter, but KU faced a 28-13 deficit with 5:02 to play in the half. The Jayhawks responded with the next seven points, two from Nichols and five from Evans, to make it 28-20. That was the closest Kansas got before halftime, with Iowa leading 38-27 at the break despite KU holding a 23-20 scoring edge in the second quarter.
Evans led the Jayhawks with 15 points in the half, while Nichols had 10 as the duo combined for 25 of KU’s 27 points. Despite a slow start shooting the ball, Evans warmed up and hit 3-of-5 three-pointers in the half.
Iowa extended their lead by one point in the third quarter, outscoring Kansas 20-19 despite the Jayhawks hitting four three-pointers in the period. Iowa’s lead briefly reached 17 points, but Nichols and Evans hit threes down the stretch to get it back to 12 at 58-46 at the end of three.
Kansas cut its deficit to ten at 60-50 early in the fourth quarter, but that’s as close as the Jayhawks got down the stretch. KU was held to just 2-for-6 shooting in the fourth quarter, but connected on 8-of-10 free throw attempts.
Up Next
Kansas has more than a week off until its next competition, which will come at the U.S Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. The Jayhawks will play three games in the Virgin Islands, beginning against Pittsburgh on Thursday, Nov. 28, at 11:30 a.m. CT, in a game that will be streamed on ESPN+.
