Kansas City
South Dakota State
Spencer Johnson Ties The UMKC Rebound Record In 63-58 Win Over South Dakota State.
1/27/2011 7:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Brookings, S.D. -- The UMKC men's basketball team (13-8, 6-4) avenged its only home loss of the season with a 63-58 come-from-behind win over South Dakota State (13-8, 5-5) at Frost Arena on Thursday night. In the win, senior Spencer Johnson scored 15 points and collected 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season, while also tying Darecko Rawlins for the top spot on the UMKC career rebound list with 639.
Senior Bakari Lewis led the 'Roos with 17 points, while sophomore Max Rockmann set a new career-high with 10 points and matched his career-high with five rebounds.
The two teams started the game slow, but Johnson scored the contest's first points off a Lewis assist with 17:09 on the game clock.
Five straight by the Jacks gave them their first lead of the contest, but a Lewis three on the ensuing possession knotted the score at five apiece.
South Dakota State then extended its lead to 16-9 before a Dustin Dibble three-pointer cut the lead to four.
The 'Roos and Jacks then traded the next 12 points before a 5-0 run gave SDSU their largest lead of the half at 27-18.
UMKC then cut the lead to seven on a Reggie Chamberlain jumper, but SDSU built its lead back up to eight at 33-25 heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break, Johnson buried a three, trimming the lead to five, but a 7-2 South Dakota State run pushed the lead to 10 at 40-30.
UMKC then began its comeback, using a 10-2 run, capped by a Lewis jumper, to pull to within two with 11:21 left to play.
SDSU then extended its lead back to four at 44-40, but Max Rockmann cut the lead to one with a three from the left wing.
Jay Couisnard then put the 'Roos on top, 49-48, with a spinning layup, giving them their first lead since taking a 2-0 advantage on the games opening score.
Johnson then gave the 'Roos a four point lead at 52-48 on a three-pointer with 5:39 remaining in the contest.
The Jackrabbits would respond with five straight to recapture the lead, but by a free throw by Couisnard tied the game at 53 with 3:52 to go.
A pair of free throws by Lewis put the 'Roos back on top and another layup from Johnson extended the lead to four with 1:48 to play.
After a free throw from SDSU, Couisnard hit a jumper to push the lead to five, but South Dakota State senior Clint Sargent buried a three to cut the UMKC lead to two with 41 second left in regulation.
The 'Roos would then come up empty on their next possession after running the clock down to 28 seconds, giving the Jacks an opportunity to tie or take the lead on their next possession.
Sargent though could not make his three-point attempt and Rockmann would convert three free throws in the final 10 seconds to propel UMKC to the 63-58 win.
The 'Roos ended the game on a 31-16 run, while limiting the Jacks to just 34.9 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from three-point range. UMKC, meanwhile, shot 42.9 percent from the field and out-rebounded SDSU 39-35.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again on Saturday when they head to Fargo, N.D. to take on North Dakota State at 7:30 p.m.
