26 February 2024
LAWRENCE (KSNT) – Sunday’s edition of the Sunflower Showdown between Kansas and K-State is one KU’s Holly Kersgieter will remember for a long time.
The super-senior Jayhawk has been with Kansas for five seasons since joining the squad as a freshman back in 2019. She’s played in several Sunflower Showdowns over the years, but KU’s upset over No. 10 K-State on Feb. 24, she says, was her favorite.
“Even though the attendance was technically less than the NIT, in my head, the first thought was, this is the best memory I have in Allen Fieldhouse,” Kersgieter said.
The Jayhawks won the NCAA WNIT Championship in Allen Fieldhouse almost a year ago in front of 11,701 fans.
But for Kersgieter, Sunday’s ranked rivalry win still meant more.
“Whether you’re playing for a championship or whatever it is, having a home rivalry game this packed against a top 10 team at a crucial moment in the season, I thought to myself, ‘You know, this is the best moment I’ve had,'” she said.
Seeing a crowd like that for her second-to-last home game was almost emotional for the Oklahoma native.
Exactly 9,007 fans, which is the fourth-largest home regular season crowd for KU women’s basketball and the most since 2002, packed the Fieldhouse to watch an instant classic between KU and K-State.
“I thought it was incredible,” KU head coach Brandon Schneider said of Sunday’s attendance. “This is our best regular season crowd here for Kansas women’s basketball game in a long, long time. I credit the K-State fans for traveling over, but just really appreciative of our fans and in particular of our student section.”
Kersgieter couldn’t keep the smile off her face during the post-game press conference.
“I did not expect it,” Kersgieter said of the atmosphere. “I don’t think our team expected it to be that crowded, and the turnout was great. That roar you get late in the game, you go on a run. We don’t get that a lot. We’re girls. But, it was great.”
The crowd may have played a role in the Jayhawks’ 58-55 win over the Wildcats. KU and K-State split the Sunflower Showdown down the middle this season, as K-State took the game in Manhattan 69-58 on Jan. 20.
Up next, Kansas is on the road at UCF on Feb. 28 before returning to Lawrence for the final home game of the season against Oklahoma on March 2. Tip-off at UCF is set for 5 p.m.