`Roos Close Out Regular Season Road Games At IUPUI And Western Illinois
2/18/2011 5:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kansas City, Mo. -- The UMKC women's basketball team takes its last regular season road trip this weekend to IUPUI and Western Illinois. The Kangaroos will face the Jaguars on Feb. 19 at 3:30 p.m., and then face the Leathernecks on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
UMKC is coming off of an exciting 81-77 win over Summit League leader Oral Roberts. The Kangaroos are 12-13 overall this season and 7-7 in The Summit League.
The `Roos worked their way to a successful 2009-10 campaign that was highlighted by the program's first ever Division I postseason appearance. The `Roos took on Memphis in the inaugural Women' s Basketball Invitational.
Head coach Candace Whitaker is back for her fourth+ season and returning with her are four starters and 10 letterwinners from the 2009-10 record breaking squad. Whitaker welcomes back two seniors, six juniors and two sophomores. The Kangaroos will also welcome five newcomers, four freshmen and one sophomore, to the 2010-11 team.
Be A Part of the Action
Fans can listen LIVE to T.J. Jackson on 1510 AM for the Kangaroos match-up with the Jaguars tomorrow and the game at Western Illinois can be heard on KCWJ 1030 AM The Light.
Live statistics and streaming for both games can be accessed by going to www.iupuijags.com and www.goleathernecks.com.
Opponent Preview
IUPUI is 3-21 overall and 1-13 in The Summit League this season. The Jaguars are coming off of a 62-47 loss at South Dakota State. Kerah Nelson leads the squad with 11.9 points per game.
Western Illinois is 7-17 overall and 5-9 in league play. The Fighting Leathernecks are coming off of a 65-50 loss at North Dakota State. Western Illinois is led by Sadie Webb with 12.4 points per game.
Series Record
The Kangaroos are 13-13 all-time against IUPUI. UMKC posted a 73-55 win over the Jaguars on Jan. 24. Dayon Hall-Jones led the `Roos with 13 points, while Jade Tinner contributed 12 points and LeAndrea Thomas had 10. Brianna Eldridge brought down a career-high 13 rebounds in the win over the Jaguars.
UMKC holds an all-time record of 17-22 against Western Illinois. The `Roos held on for a 58-51 win over the Fighting Leathernecks on Jan. 22. Tinner led UMKC with 14 points, while freshmen Ashli Hill and Eilise O'Connor each had 12.
`Roos Qualify for Summit League Championships
Following last weekend's league games, eight teams have qualified for The Summit League Women's Basketball Championships in Sioux Fall, S.D. on March 5-8. This year's tournament will feature Oral Roberts, IPFW, Oakland, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, UMKC and Western Illinois.
Summit League Standings
While eight teams have made the tournament the seedings are still up in the air. Oral Roberts is still the league leader at 13-2, while IPFW is second at 11-3 and Oakland is third with a 10-4 league record. North Dakota State and South Dakota State are both 9-6 in league play for fourth and fifth.
UMKC and Southern Utah are both 7-7 on the year, but the Kangaroos will edge the Thunderbirds in head-to-head competition for sixth and seventh, while Western Illinois is eighth in the league at 5-9.
Whitaker Finds Starting Five
Head coach Candace Whitaker may have finally found a consistent starting five in forward Kaycie Boyles, center Ashli Hill and guards Brianna Eldridge, Eilise O'Connor and LeAndrea Thomas. The five have started in the past seven games and UMKC is 5-2 with this starting line-up.
UMKC Statistical Leaders
Dayon Hall-Jones is back on top for the Kangaroos, averaging 9.8 points per game. Hall-Jones has scored a season-high 20 points twice this season and scored a career-high 21 points against Drake last season.
Eilise O'Connor in second in scoring with 9.3 points per game overall and 11.4 points in league play only this season. O'Connor has landed in double figures in 10 games this year and scored a career-high 22 points on Dec. 29 against the Bison.
Brianna Eldridge is averaging 6.4 boards per contest overall and 7.2 in league play to lead UMKC. Eldridge finished with a career-high 13 rebounds against North Dakota State on Dec. 29, and another 13 rebounds against IUPUI on Jan. 24.
Last Time Out: Hall-Jones Sends `Roos Past Summit League Leader Oral Roberts, 81-77
The UMKC women's basketball team played its way to a 81-77 victory over Oral Roberts on Valentine's Day. The Golden Eagles drop to 17-9 overall and suffer just their second Summit League loss, putting them at 13-2. Junior Dayon Hall-Jones led the `Roos with 16 points, while Kaycie Boyles had a season-high 13 points and Eilise O'Connor finished with 10. Kim Nezianya brought down a career-high 13 rebounds and LeAndrea Thomas finished with six assists.
Despite being out-boarded by the Golden Eagles, 54-45, UMKC would shoot over .710 percent from the free throw line and relied on a .410 first half field goal percentage to come out on top.
Kangaroos Win Over Oral Roberts Long Over Due
The win over Oral Roberts is the first for the UMKC women's program since Jan. 23, 2006, when then-head coach Bo Overton handed the Golden Eagles a 73-62 loss in Tulsa, Okla. Tonight's victory was also a career-first win over Oral Roberts for head coach Candace Whitaker.
Future `Roo Hardieck Breaks Kansas Three-Point Career Record
Incoming UMKC women's basketball player Lexi Hardieck broke the Kansas record for career three-pointers on Jan. 27. The senior hit five three's to break the record of 331 set by Laurie Koehn in 2000. Hardieck is the single season record holder with 132 three's, set last season. The senior is currently at 334 career-three's and counting.
The previous record holder, Koehn, was a Kansas State standout from 2001-05. Koehn led the Wildcats from the three-point line all four years and was drafted by the Washington Mystics in 2007 as a free agent.
Hill Second In Summit League
The 6-5 freshman is currently second in The Summit League in blocks overall and in league games. Hill is averaging 2.5 blocks per game in league play. Overall, the Lawrence, Kan., native has 58 blocks this year and is just 19 blocks short of the UMKC single season record.
The current school record is held by Alysa Klein. During the 2007-08 season, Klein recorded 77 blocks in 31 games, averaging 2.5 blocks per game.
Eldridge Shows Some Muscle
Brianna Eldridge has been working real hard for the Kangaroos underneath the basket during league play, recording her fourth straight double figure game. Eldridge brought down 11 rebounds at Southern Utah on Saturday. The junior has recorded 13 rebounds, a career-high, on two occasions this year (NDSU, Dec. 29; IUPUI, Jan. 24).
`Roos Winning Battle Below
Despite its average height, other than 6-5 Ashli Hill, the UMKC women's basketball team has been fighting hard underneath the basket for the ball and it has been paying off. The Kangaroos are first in The Summit League in rebounding margin, both in the league and overall, holding a 6.3 advantage in Summit League play over opponents. The `Roos are also first in offensive rebounds.
Eldridge is first in The Summit League stats in offensive rebounds and third in rebounds per game at 7.6.
Overall this season, UMKC holds a 10-5 record when it out-rebounds its opponents.
Defense Big Part of Success
The UMKC defense has worked very hard the week of Jan. 17-24 and that hard work paid off as they were able to hold the past three opponents to 55 points or less. The `Roos held the Ladies to just 49 points and kept the Fighting Leathernecks to 51 points. UMKC held IUPUI to 55 total points on Monday night.
Hill Breaks UMKC Freshman Blocking Record
Hill is sitting at 47 blocks this season, making her the top blocking freshman in UMKC school history. Hill surpassed teammate Mariah Davis, who recorded 41 blocks her freshman year in the 2008-09 season. The freshman also holds the school record for most blocks recorded in a half. The Lawrence, Kan., native finished with six blocks at Kansas, all recorded in the first half.
`Roos Hold Kansas To 56 Points
UMKC may have dropped a 56-41 decision at Kansas on Jan. 3 but the `Roos achieved something that no other non-conference opponent has been able to do this season against the Jayhawks. Prior to facing the Kangaroos, Kansas (13-1) was averaging 82 points a game in non-conference play this season and the UMKC defense was able to hold them to just 56.
O'Connor Voted Lady Osprey Holiday Tournament MVP
UMKC freshman guard Eilise O'Connor was voted to the all-tournament squad for the Lady Osprey Holiday Tournament. O'Connor was also chosen as the MVP of the tournament after leading UMKC to a 2-0 record at North Florida. The San Francisco, Calif., native averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds over the weekend.
O'Connor finished with 13 points in the 60-51 win over Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 18. She scored 10 points in the 62-55 win over Troy on Dec. 19. O'Connor shot .813 (13-16) from the free throw line over the weekend and averaged three assists.
Nezianya Doubles Up
Kim Nezianya recorded her second double-double of the season at Missouri, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Nezianya finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds against Texas-Arlington.
The Carrollton, Texas, native recorded three double-doubles last season as a freshman. Her last double-double was against Oral Roberts in The Summit League Tournament on March 8, where Nezianya finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Women's Hoops To Be Aired On KCWJ 1030 AM The Light & Hot Talk 1510 AM
Kangaroo fans will now have the opportunity to follow the UMKC women's basketball both home and away this season. During the 2010-11 campaign, over 80 percent of Kangaroo women's basketball games will be broadcast on the radio on KCWJ 1030 AM The Light and Hot Talk 1510 AM. T.J. Jackson will call all the play-by-play action for the 'Roos for the fifth straight season.
The Summit League Releases Women's Basketball Preseason Poll; `Roos Tabbed Sixth
The UMKC women's basketball team has been picked to finish sixth in The Summit League Preseason Poll after receiving a total of 253 points in a vote of the league's coaches, SIDs and members of the media. Oral Roberts is tabbed to finish first in The League this year, after claiming the 2009-10 regular season title.
School (1st place votes), Points
1. Oral Roberts (26), 438
2. South Dakota State (4), 393
3. Oakland, 336
4. IPFW, 285
5. North Dakota State, 274
6. UMKC, 253
7. Southern Utah, 162
Western Illinois, 162
9. IUPUI, 99
10. Centenary, 48
`Roos Break Even In 2009-10
UMKC finished the 2009-10 season with a 16-16 (.500) overall record, which is the second best winning percentage for the women's program since its admittance into The Summit League (former Mid-Continent Conference).
