Kansas women’s basketball misses NCAA Tournament, accepts WNIT bid
The Kansas women’s basketball came into the 2022-23 season filled with high hopes and expectations.
After all, the Jayhawks had made the 2022 NCAA Tournament — for the first time in nine seasons. KU ultimately lost 91-65 to Stanford in the second round, but it was a big step in the right direction under coach Brandon Schneider.
Schneider was not able to build on that success this year, despite KU returning its top four scorers — and five of its top six. The Jayhawks were not selected for the 2023 NCAA Tournament and instead accepted a bid to play in the 2023 WNIT on Sunday.
The 2022 NCAA Tournament appearance marked a major turnaround after a 7-18 season and last-place finish in the Big 12 for KU a year prior. After the turnaround season, Schneider signed a contract extension with the program.
With so much production back, expectations surrounding the team were high, including making the NCAA Tournament and finishing higher than fifth in the Big 12 Conference.
Instead, the Jayhawks failed to hit both marks.
Kansas was listed as one of the first four out of the tournament field.
The Jayhawks finished seventh in the conference with a .500 conference record (9-9) and a 19-11 overall mark. Kansas also flamed out in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament — losing to No. 10-seed TCU (8-22, 1-17 Big 12).
KU was on the tournament bubble most of the season and that loss likely kept the Jayhawks out.
A small silver lining? The Jayhawks placed multiple players on the All-Big 12 first team for the first time — center Taiyanna Jackson and guard Zakiyah Franklin.
Now, Kansas will play in the WNIT. It will be the sixth time that the Jayhawks will compete in the WNIT and first time since 2011. In 2009, KU made it to the WNIT championship and played in front of a record-setting crowd of 16,113 fans at Allen Fieldhouse — the high mark for both the KU women and the Big 12.
First-round matchups for the 2023 WNIT will officially be announced Monday.
This story was originally published March 12, 2023 at 9:47 PM with the headline "Kansas women’s basketball misses NCAA Tournament, accepts WNIT bid."
