Kansas City
Southern Utah
Couisnard's Career-High 32 Powers 'Roos To 82-76 Win Over Southern Utah
1/8/2011 10:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kansas City, Mo. -- The UMKC men's basketball team (9-7, 2-3) picked up its second Summit League victory of the season, 82-76, on Saturday night over Southern Utah (4-11, 1-4) at Municipal Auditorium. The 'Roos shot a season-high 60 percent from three-point range, while limiting the Thunderbirds to just 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Senior Jay Couisnard led the UMKC scoring attack, setting a new career-high with 32 points, while fellow senior Spencer Johnson posted 21 points and a team-high six rebounds.
The 'Roos opened up a big lead early in the contest, taking a 21-7 lead on a Johnson three-pointer with 12:33 left to play.
UMKC would then extend their lead to a game-high 17, at 35-18, after Couisnard buried his first three of the game with 5:49 left in the first half.
Southern Utah though, would close the half on a 16-5 run to close the UMKC advantage to seven at 41-34.
Coming out of the break, the 'Roos would push their advantage back to 15 on another Johnson three, while holding a double-digit lead until the 1:58 mark of the second half.
At that point, the Thunderbirds would cut the UMKC lead to nine at 76-67 before getting to within five with 1:01 left to play.
After free throws by Couisnard and Max Rockmann pushed the UMKC lead to six, a jumper by Southern Utah's Ray Jones would get the Thunderbirds to within four, the closest since the 16:40 mark of the first half.
A pair of Rockmann free throws with 0:08 on the clock would put the game out of reach and give the 'Roos the 82-76 win.
In the game, the 'Roos out-shot the Thunderbirds 58.3 percent to 50 percent, while collecting five steals to Southern Utah's two.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again on Thursday when they travel to Shreveport, La. to take on Centenary in Summit League action.
