KANSAS VS AUBURN

PHOTO BY: @billkiser / @vidaily.news

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas – S’Mya Nichols turned in a 28-point effort, hitting the game-winning free throws in the closing seconds as the Kansas Jayhawks (7-1) captured the Island Tournament championship at the 2024 Paradise Jam, picking up a thrilling 61-60 victory over Auburn (5-3).

The Jayhawks started fast, opening the game on an 8-0 run, but Auburn flipped the script midway through the opening quarter, and outscored KU 19-4 over the final six minutes to take a 19-12 lead after one. Auburn continued its hot shooting through the second quarter, growing the Tigers’ lead to as many as 13 (34-21) before taking a 12-point (40-28) lead into the half. 

KU charged back in the third quarter, pulling to within two (42-40) four minutes in. and knotted the contest with 3:44 remaining in the quarter after a layup by S’Mya Nichols. 

The Jayhawks pulled ahead for the first time since the opening quarter with 1:31 to go after another layup by Nichols, and carried a one-point (48-47) lead into the fourth. 

The two teams traded leads five times in the fourth quarter, but Auburn used an 8-0 run to claim a six-point (60-54) lead with just over a minute to play, but the Jayhawks closed the gap, pulling to within one on a Nichols 3-pointer with 31.5 seconds to play. Nichols iced a pair of free throws with 14.5 seconds to play to seal the Jayhawks win. 

Auburn returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 5, traveling to Charlottesville, Va. for a non-conference matchup against Virginia, while Kansas also plays on Thursday, hosting Wichita State in Lawrence.

-30-