UMKC To Battle It Out At IUPUI On Monday Night
1/4/2009 5:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kansas City, Mo. -- The Kangaroos head to Indianapolis, Ind., for a Summit League battle against IUPUI. UMKC will take on the Jaguars on Mon., Jan. 5 at 6:00 p.m. UMKC is 6-8 overall and 1-2 in league play, coming off of a 61-57 loss to Western Illinois on Saturday night.
UMKC was led in scoring by LeAndrea Thomas with 11 points and Chazny Morris was second with 10 points but first in rebounds with nine. The loss to the Westerwinds was the first time this season that Morris hasn't led the `Roos in scoring.
IUPUI is 7-6 overall and 2-0 in The Summit League after snapping a two-game losing skid to Southern Utah, 68-47. Jernisha Cann finished with 14 points and 11 boards for her 12th straight double-double. Cann become the first player in IUPUI basketball history with at least 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.
UMKC Comes Up Short Against Western Illinois, 61-57
UMKC suffered a disappointing loss to Western Illinois on Saturday night, 61-57. The Kangaroos drop to 1-2 in Summit League action and 6-8 overall on the year, while the Westerwinds improve to 1-1 in league play and 3-10 overall. UMKC was led by freshman LeAndrea Thomas, who finished with 11 points while Chazny Morris finished with 10 points and led in rebounds with nine.
Both teams got out to a slow start but the Westerwinds were able to hold UMKC scoreless and go on a six-point run to lead 8-2 with 13:49 left in the first half. Following a timeout called by head coach Candace Whitaker, UMKC was able to regroup and go on a run of its own. Mariah Davis came out and got a three-point play, following a Western Illinois foul to get within three points (8-5) and a Morris three would tie the game at 12:45.
The Kangaroos took over the lead following another Morris field goal and extended their lead to seven (15-8) following a Davis jumper. UMKC led for the middle minutes of the half but while the clocked ticked down, the Westerwinds began to battle their way back. With 1:06 remaining, Lyndi Thorman sunk a pair of free throws to tie the game at 23-23 and Western Illinois took the lead into the locker room at 25-23 following an Ashley Lord layup.
UMKC would struggle in the second half and Western Illinois jumped out to a 38-27 lead with 16:15 left in the game. The `Roos hit a spurt with back-to-back three-pointers from Jessica Halsig at the 14 minute mark and got within three (38-35), following a Thomas jumper.
Their spurts wouldn't last long and were few and far in between and with Davis landing in her fourth personal foul with 10 minutes remaining, things didn't look good for UMKC.
UMKC would make one last run with one minute remaining, following a pair of Brianna Eldridge free throws to get within two, 55-53. But with time running out, UMKC was forced to foul Western Illinois to regain possession of the ball and the Westerwinds went 6-of-8 from the free throw line in the last 30 seconds of the game to seal the win.
Despite forcing Western Illinois to commit 22 turnovers, the Western Winds had four players land in double figures in scoring.
