Kansas City
Central Arkansas
Johnson's Double-Double Helps 'Roos To 73-71 Win Over Central Arkansas
11/16/2010 10:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Conway, Ark. -- The UMKC men's basketball team (2-0) picked up its second straight win to open the season, with a 73-71 victory over Central Arkansas (1-1) on Tuesday night at the Farris Center.
Senior Jay Couisnard led the 'Roos in scoring for the second consecutive game, notching 23 points, one shy of his career-high. Fellow senior Spencer Johnson notched his first double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while junior Reggie Chamberlain finished with 11 points and a career-high five assists.
The 'Roos took the early lead in the game, opening with three-pointers from Couisnard and Reggie Chamberlain, gaining a 6-3 advantage over the Bears. The two squads would exchange the next four baskets, before an 8-0 UCA run gave the Bears a 15-11 lead.
After a Bernard Kamwa layup cut the lead to 15-13, UCA would use a 7-0 run to push its lead to 22-13 with 10:06 to play. Max Rockmann would end the UCA run with a driving layup, before Central Arkansas built its largest lead of the contest at 32-20 with 7:12 to play in the half.
UMKC would battle back into the game with a 7-1 run though, capped by a Couisnard three to cut the UCA lead to five at 36-31 with 2:25 to play.
Central Arkansas would build its lead back up to nine, but the 'Roos would get the last bucket of the half on a Trinity Hall layup, cutting the lead to 43-36 heading into halftime.
The 'Roos came out of the break ready to fight, opening the half on an 10-0 run, highlighted by a Kamwa breakaway dunk, taking its first lead of the game since leading 11-9 with 15:36 in the first half.
UCA would stop the UMKC run with a pair of free throws, but back-to-back layups from Couisnard and Johnson gave the 'Roos their largest lead of the game at 50-45 with 15:47 left in the game.
Eight straight points Bear points would give Central Arkansas back the lead at 52-50, before Rockmann's drive tied the game up at 52-52 with 10:16 to play.
Johnson's jumper in the lane would give the 'Roos back the lead at 54-53 with 8:44 remaining in the contest. After a UCA basket, a pair of Bakari Lewis free thows put the 'Roos back on top 56-54 and started a 6-0 run that pushed the lead to 59-55 with 4:08 to play.
The Bears would battle back with a 7-3 run to tie the game at 62-62 with 3:07 remaining, before Johnson's layup with 2:38 gave the 'Roos back the lead at 64-62.
After a three-pointer from Central Arkansas gave UCA the lead, Chamberlain would answer with a three of his own from the left corner to recapture the lead for the 'Roos.
A pair of Central Arkansas free throws would tie the game at 67, but Chamberlain would answer the bell again with another three, this time from the opposite corner to push the lead to three.
Another set of UCA free throws would cut the UMKC one at 70-69 with 25 seconds to play, but Lewis would then step to the line and knock down 1-of-2 free throws to give the 'Roos a 71-69 advantage.
After a Central Arkansas turnover, Chamberlain would ice the game for the 'Roos with a pair of free throws with 4.6 second to play to give UMKC its second win of the season.
In the game, the 'Roos out-shot the Bears, 54.3 percent to 47.9, while registering nine steals in the contest.
The Blue and Gold will be back in action next on Saturday at 7:05 p.m., when they return to Kansas City to take Southeast Missouri State at the SRC.
