Kangaroos Hit The Road To Face Southern Utah
1/9/2009 3:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kansas City, Mo. -- The Kangaroos head to Cedar City, Utah, to take on Southern Utah at 6:00 p.m. UMKC is 7-8 overall and 2-2 in The Summit League, following a 80-75 overtime win at IUPUI.
UMKC handed IUPUI its first loss in the Summit League, thanks to a plethora of players who had big nights. Kalei Nance recorded her second double-double of the 2008-09 season with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Chazny Morris finished with 21 points and Simone Bridges had a career-high 10 points.
SUU will be looking to snap a two-game losing skid against the Kangaroos. The Thunderbirds are 1-3 in the league and 5-9 overall. The game will be in conjunction with "Food Fight" night sponsored by The Summit League.
Second Half Standout
Chazny Morris has been coming up big for her team this season as the leading scorer in almost all 16 of the contests. But Morris hasn't proven to be a big threat until the second half. The junior is averaging 10.7 points in the second half, compared to her 6.8 points in the first half.
Morris led her team with 18 second-half points in the 80-75 overtime victory over IUPUI. She finished with 21 overall points on the night. The Oakland, Calif., native's biggest second-half game was against Cal Poly on Nov. 28, where she finished with 19 points.
Career-High Night
After sitting out for two games due to an injury, Simone Bridges was anxious to get back out onto the court against IUPUI and it showed in her numbers. Bridges scored a career-high 10 points against the Jaguars. The freshman also finished with a career-high five steals, and is one-of-two players to post that figure this season.
A Night of Firsts
LeAndrea Thomas is one freshman who has really started to standout from the pack. Since Heather Wimberly suffered a knee injury, Thomas has stepped in and taken the point guard duties. Thomas also had a banner night against the Jaguars when she sent the game into overtime.
A pair of Morris free throws with 54 seconds remaining would get UMKC within in two, 64-62. Both teams turned the ball over in the next 40 seconds but the sequence finally ended with a UMKC foul, sending James to the line with nine seconds on the clock. James missed the first and made the second, giving the Jaguars a three-point lead, 65-62. UMKC rebounded the ball and got across the court with head coach Candace Whitaker taking a timeout. With five seconds left on the clock, Morris threw the ball in to LeAndrea Thomas and with one second remaining, the freshman guard shot the ball from the top of the arch and drained the three, sending the game into overtime.
Eldridge Gets Back Into the Groove
Brianna Eldridge got off to a great start in her freshman season but had to sit out following her debut against Iowa State due to an ankle injury. Eldridge started to chalk up some minutes following the Cal Poly Tournament and is beginning to get back into her game.
Evidence of that can be shown from her recent performance in the 67-53 win over Central Missouri. The Stillwell, Kan., native scored a career high nine points and grabbed eight rebounds. She also logged in a career high 37 minutes against the Jennies.
