Kansas City
Centenary
'Roos Nab Second Road Victory With 71-67 Win Over Centenary.
1/13/2011 11:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Shreveport, La. -- The UMKC men's basketball team (10-7, 3-3) survived a scare from Centenary (0-18, 0-7) on Thursday night, downing the Gents 71-67 at the Gold Dome. In the game, the 'Roos out-shot the Gents from the free throw line, 72.4 percent to 58.8 percent.
Senior Jay Couisnard finished with a team-high 17 points, along with five rebounds before fouling out with 2:44 left in the second. Fellow senior Bakari Lewis was the only other 'Roo in double figures with 13, while Spencer Johnson had nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds, before fouling out with 1:22 left.
The 'Roos opened up with the game's first five points, getting a jump hook from Bernard Kamwa and a three-pointer from Couisnard in the games opening 2:30.
Another three-pointer by Couisnard would extend the lead to eight at 10-2, but the Gents would respond with 13 of the next 19 points to cut the lead to one with 10:40 left in the first.
Bakari Lewis would end the Centenary run with an offense rebound and put back before forcing a turnover on the next Centenary possession.
Two UMKC possessions later the 'Roos would extend their lead to six when Lewis lobbed the ball up for Couisnard, who completed the alley-oop with a thundering dunk.
Dustin Dibble and Trinity Hall would then knock down a pair of free throws each, helping the 'Roos to an eight point lead, matching their largest of the half.
Centenary though, would counter with an 11-6 run to pull within three before a Maxx Rockmann three extended the UMKC lead back to six.
The two teams would then close out the first half with a pair of free throws each, and the 'Roos would take a 36-30 lead into halftime.
UMKC would open the second with a 10-3 run, extending its lead to 13 at 46-33 with 17:39 left in the game.
The Kangaroos would then increase their lead to as many as 15, when the Gents went on a 6-2 run to pull with 11 at 53-42 with 13:17 remaining.
Five straight by the 'Roos would give them their biggest lead of the game at 16, but the Gents would answer with a 14-6 run, slicing the lead to eight at 64-56 with 5:22 remaining in the game.
The two teams would then go without a field goal over the next 2:45 before a layup by the Gents cut the lead to seven at 66-59 with 2:37 left in the contest.
UMKC would push the lead back to nine with 40 seconds left, but a three by Centenary's Leo Davis put the score at 68-62 with 29 seconds remaining in the game.
Trinity Hall would knock down a free throw 16 seconds later but a jumper by the Gents cut the lead to five.
Reggie Chamberlain would then step to the line and knock down a pair of free throws with four seconds left to salt the game away.
A three at the buzzer from Centenary would put the final score at 71-67.
In the game, UMKC out-rebounded the Gents 40-32, while Dibble finished with a season-high eight points for the 'Roos.
The Blue & Gold will be in action again on Saturday when they head to Tulsa, Okla., to take on Oral Roberts at 7:05 p.m.
