Inside what Taiyanna Jackson has meant to Kansas women’s basketball during her career
LAWRENCE — As Taiyanna Jackson celebrated Kansas women’s basketball’s win on senior day this past weekend, the super-senior center stood on the court and waved to the crowd.
Jackson wasn’t looking for anyone specific, the Jayhawks’ star explained a handful of days later. Seemingly more than anything, it was an opportunity to showcase how much love she had for Allen Fieldhouse and the fans inside of it. And the emotion that was evident on her face and in her body language, after an 83-74 win against Oklahoma, did nothing but support that.
But while there was more to Kansas’ victory, it shouldn’t overshadow a chance to recognize Jackson for what she’s meant to the Jayhawks across the past few seasons. While beating the Sooners certainly helped Jackson and her teammates better position themselves for not just the Big 12 Conference tournament this week, but the NCAA tournament to follow, Jackson’s legacy will hold regardless of how either tournament goes. Under the guidance of coach Brandon Schneider, she’s developed into one of the best interior players the college game has to offer.
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“KU will always be home for me,” Jackson said. “KU made me the woman I am today. My teammates, my coaches and also the other people we work with — so, it means a lot. I love KU. Even though I’ve only been here for three years, it feels like I’ve been here forever.”
After making her way to Kansas from Trinity Valley Community College, Jackson has established herself as a defensive force. In addition to making the Big 12’s all-defensive team each of her three years with the Jayhawks, she’s also earned first team All-Big 12 honors last season and this season. This season alone she’s averaging a double-double of 13 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, with an average of 3.3 blocks per game to go along with it.
Alongside super-senior guards Zakiyah Franklin and Holly Kersgieter, those stellar seasons helped Kansas reach the NCAA tournament in 2022 and win the 2023 Postseason WNIT last season. This season, no matter what happens in the Big 12 tournament, the Jayhawks should reach a second NCAA tournament in three tries. However far they advance in each, every game is an opportunity for Jackson to further cement herself as a program great at KU.
Jackson has already set the career mark for blocks among Kansas players. Should she finish this season with the double-double she’s averaging, that would make it back-to-back seasons when she’s been able to do that. Team-wise, going on a run in the NCAA tournament could see the Jayhawks reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since they did it back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013.
“I recruited her out of high school, so I thought she just oozed and oozed potential even as a high school junior,” Schneider said. “So, it was a — I knew that we could change how we played on both ends of the floor if we were able to get Taiyanna.”
Schneider’s appreciation for Jackson, as well as Franklin and Kersgieter, does go beyond what that trio has accomplished on the court together for Kansas. From his perspective, those three not only picked the Jayhawks — when that might not have been a popular decision — but stuck with them. The team is relevant now in a way it might not have been otherwise.
That relevance, of course, can heighten depending on how Kansas performs in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. This week, the Jayhawks (18-11, 11-7 in Big 12) are a No. 7 seed in the Big 12 tournament and will open its stay in Kansas City with a game Friday against No. 10-seed BYU (16-15, 6-12 in Big 12) in the second round. Jackson hasn’t enjoyed much Big 12 tournament success during her time at KU, but that can change this week.
“She, on the court, competitive and fierce, and then off the court like a sweetheart,” freshman guard S’Mya Nichols said about Jackson. “And as a teammate, that’s what you really need, someone who can get into you on the court because you’re not boxing out or someone’s backdoor-ed you, and then off the court you know it’s all love.”
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Taiyanna Jackson is one of Kansas women's basketball's best ever
