LAWRENCE,  Kan. | The Grambling State University women's basketball team returned from a 15-day layoff on Sunday and suffered its worst shooting performance of the season in a 76-45 loss to Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.
 
The Lady Tigers (1-5) made 14 field goals, including five 3-pointers, to finish with 22.2 percent shooting. Meanwhile, Kansas capitalized on the sluggish shooting by going 23-of-45 from the floor (51.1 percent).
 
Kansas (7-1) led 14-8 after one period, but put the game away in the second and third quarters. The Jayhawks outscored the Lady Tigers, 25-9, in the second to take a commanding 39-17 lead into the break. Kansas cruised to the win with 23 points in the third and led 62-29 heading into the final quarter.
 
Shakyla Hill paced the Grambling State offense by recording 12 points, along with eight rebounds, two steals and one assist. Madison Connally-Banks added a team-high nine boards, along with two points, two steals and one assist.
 
Christalah Lyons was 7-of-9 shooting and led Kansas with 18 points, five steals, one rebounds and one assist. Jessica Washington added 16 points, while Kylee Kopatich chipped in with 11 points and seven boards.
 
Turning Point
Grambling State trailed, 12-4, with 3:55 left in the opening quarter, but buckets by Takerra Parsons and Kendriana Washington cut the deficit to 12-8 with 1:15 remaining.
 
Kansas responded with a 23-5 run, capped by a Kylee Kopatich 3-pointer with 3:27 remaining before halftime and the Jayhawks extended the margin to 39-15 after two free throws by Brianna Osorio.
 
The Jayhawks proved to be too much as Grambling State could not recover from the big first-half run.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State was 14-of-63 (22.2 percent) shooting and 12-of-20 (60.0 percent) from the charity stripe
> Kansas shot 51.1 percent (23-of-45) from the field and 80.8 percent (21-of-26) from the free-throw line
> GSU registered 39 rebounds, including 25 coming on the offensive glass
> The Jayhawks pulled down 39 rebounds, with 29 coming on the defensive end
> Grambling State finished with 30 bench points, 14 points in the paint, 10 second-chance points, seven points off 20 Jayhawk turnovers and six fastbreak points
> Kansas tallied 29 bench points, 29 points off 19 Lady Tiger turnovers, 28 points in the paint, 12 second-chance points and four fastbreak points
 
Up Next
Grambling State returns to action with a 12 p.m. game on Tuesday as the Lady Tigers visit Wichita State.
 
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