KU Jayhawks women's hoops team advances to WBIT semis with win vs. San Diego St.

Freshman Jaliya Davis leads the way as Kansas advances past the Aztecs at Allen Fieldhouse.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:50am

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The Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball team beat the San Diego State Aztecs 85-78 in a WBIT quarterfinal game at Allen Fieldhouse. Freshman Jaliya Davis led the Jayhawks with 25 points and 6 rebounds, while junior S'Mya Nichols added 18 points and 5 assists. The game came down to the wire, with Kansas holding on for the victory.

Why it matters

The win advances the Jayhawks to the WBIT semifinals, where they will face the winner of the BYU-Stanford matchup. This is an important postseason run for the KU women's basketball program as they look to build on their successful regular season.

The details

Kansas led by 4 points at the end of the first quarter, but San Diego State stormed back in the second to take a 45-43 lead at halftime. The Aztecs led 65-63 at the end of the third quarter, but the Jayhawks shot 60% from the field and 75% from deep to pull out the victory. Kansas dominated inside, scoring 40 points in the paint, while San Diego State made 11 three-pointers.

  • The game was played on Thursday evening, March 27, 2026.
  • Kansas will face the winner of BYU-Stanford in the WBIT semifinals on March 30, 2026.

The players

Jaliya Davis

A freshman guard from Blue Valley North High School who led the Jayhawks with 25 points and 6 rebounds.

S'Mya Nichols

A junior guard who starred at Shawnee Mission West High School, recording 18 points and 5 assists for Kansas.

Lilly Meister

A senior player who scored 14 points for the Jayhawks, shooting 4-for-4 from 3-point range.

Naomi Panganiban

A player for the San Diego State Aztecs who missed a 3-point attempt late in the game.

Sania Copeland

A Kansas player who made 1 of 2 free throws late in the game to help seal the victory for the Jayhawks.

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What’s next

Kansas will face the winner of the BYU-Stanford game in the WBIT semifinals on March 30, 2026 at Koch Arena in Wichita.

The takeaway

The Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball team showed their resilience and ability to win a close, hard-fought game against a tough San Diego State squad. This victory keeps their postseason run alive and sets up an intriguing semifinal matchup as they continue their pursuit of a WBIT championship.