Kansas City
IUPUI
Stellar Second Half From Nance Sends UMKC Past IUPUI, 58-48
1/31/2009 8:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kansas City, Mo. -- UMKC improved to 10-11 on the year and 5-5 in The Summit League following a 58-48 win over IUPUI on Saturday afternoon in Kemper Arena. Chazny Morris recorded a double-double in the win, scoring 19 points and brought down 12 rebounds, while Kalei Nance recorded 15 points to send the Kangaroos past the Jaguars. IUPUI falls to 10-11 overall and 5-5 in league play with the loss in Kansas City, Mo.
Both teams hit the court flat in the opening half, as UMKC would shoot just 29 percent and IUPUI at 19.4 percent. IUPUI jumped out to an early three-point lead (8-5) following a good jumper from Farren Stackhouse with 13:56 in the first half. But the Jaguars wouldn't keep the lead for long as the `Roos would begin to warm up and start hitting some of their shots.
A Mariah Davis layup on the following UMKC possession would put them up by one and the Kangaroos would sustain the lead for the remainder of the first half. With 33 seconds left in the first half, Jade Tinner would make a free throw to send UMKC into the locker room with an 11-point lead, 27-16.
The Jaguars appeared to be awoken from their dismal first half and went on a 10-0 run to start the second half and cut the UMKC lead to one, 27-26, with 13:38 left in the game.
At this point in the game, UMKC relied on the senior leadership of Nance, who dominated the second-half, scoring all of her 15 points in the last 13 minutes of the game. Nance put an end to the Kangaroos eight minute drought with back-to-back buckets with 12:42 left in the game, putting her team up by three, 31-28.
IUPUI would tie the game with 12:16 remaining following a Kiara Butler three at 31-31, but UMKC would never allow them to tie or regain the lead again.
Another four points from Nance and a pair of free throws from Jessica Halsig would put UMKC up by six, 39-33, with 8:43 remaining. Free throws in the final minutes of the game would again secure the win for UMKC, who shot 10-of-13 from the line with under five minutes remaining.
UMKC will get little rest inbetween games, as they host Western Illinois on Monday, Feb. 2 inside Swinney Recreation Center. Tip-off between the Kangaroos and the Westerwinds is set for a 7:00 p.m. start.
