Kansas City
South Dakota
UMKC Can?t Complete Comeback In 60-54 Loss At South Dakota
2/4/2012 7:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
For the 'Roos, junior Kim Nezianya led the squad with 11 points and 14 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the season, while senior Brianna Eldridge added five points and nine rebounds to the effort. Senior Dayon-Hall Jones, meanwhile, was the only other Kangaroo in double figures, finishing with a team-high 12 points.
The Coyotes opened with the game's first seven points before rebound put back by sophomore Ashli Hill cut the lead to five for the 'Roos.
South Dakota then built a 23-11 lead at the 12:34 mark, but six straight points on layups by Nezianya and senior Jade Tinner and a pair of Eldridge free throws had the Kangaroos trailing by just six with 8:29 left in the first half.
Five straight from USD pushed the Coyotes' lead back to 11, but Hall-Jones answered with a jumper for the 'Roos to slice the lead to single digits.
After the two teams traded field goals on the next two possessions, senior LeAndrea Thomas found a cutting Jade Tinner for an easy layup, narrowing the margin to 31-23 at the 4:41 mark of the first half.
South Dakota though would close the half on a 10-4 run to take a 41-27 lead into the locker room.
Coming out of the break, a layup by Nezianya and a three from Hall-Jones, the 'Roos first of the contest, trimmed the Coyote advantage to nine
After a pair of Coyote free throws, a 6-0 UMKC run, including three points from sophomore Hailey Houser and Hall-Jones' second three, had the Kangaroos trailing by five points seven minutes into the second half.
Four straight from USD put the lead back at nine, but a free throw from O'Connor and a three from junior Kaycie Boyles cut the lead to 47-42 midway through the second half.
A jumper by USD increased the lead to seven, but three straight points by Nezianya pulled the 'Roos to within four with 5:12 left to play for the first time since early in the first half.
A three from South Dakota gave the Coyotes a 52-45 advantage, but Nezianya again battled down low for basket and Hill drilled a jumper in the lane of an inbound, cutting the lead to three with less than three minutes left in the contest.
The Coyotes' Amber Hegge would push the lead back to five with a jumper, but Hill would again answer with a jumper of her own to cut the lead to three heading into the final minute of play.
South Dakota would come up with a pair of free throws on their ensuing possession, but Hall-Jones found O'Connor open from the left corner for a three to cut the lead to 56-54 with 46.4 left on the clock.
Hegge would knock down two more free throws for South Dakota, and Hill and Hall-Jones would come up empty on the 'Roos next two possessions as South Dakota hung on for the 60-54 win.
As a team, the 'Roos shot 76.9 percent (10-13) from the line and out-rebounded the Coyotes 44-36.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again next Saturday when they return to the Swinney Recreation Center for a 4:05 p.m. contest with Summit League leader South Dakota State.
