Kansas City
Missouri State (First Round)
UMKC Closes Out Season With Hard Fought 81-79 Loss To Missouri State
3/15/2012 8:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Senior Dayon Hall-Jones and sophomore Ashli Hill led the 'Roos with 17 points apiece, while senior LeAndrea Thomas and junior Kim Nezianya chipped in 14 and 12 points, respectively.
On the glass, Hill grabbed a team-high nine and Nezianya added seven. Thomas, meanwhile, had a team-high five assists.
Missouri State got on the board first with the game's first four points, but a three from Hall-Jones and a jumper by sophomore Ashli Hill put the 'Roos in front for the first time 5-4.
The Bears would retake the lead with a jumper before six straight from Hall-Jones put UMKC in front 11-6 at the 16:19 mark of the first half.
An MSU jumper cut the lead back to three for Missouri State, but senior Brianna Eldridge answered with the next four points to give UMKC its largest lead of the half at 15-8.
Missouri State then reeled off the next eight points before a steal and layup by senior LeAndrea Thomas stopped the run and gave the Kangaroos a 17-16 advantage.
The two teams then traded baskets and the lead on the next four possessions before a jumper by junior Kim Nezianya stretched the lead to 23-20.
MSU cut the lead to one with short jumper, but a Thomas three put the lead back at four with 8:42 left in the half.
Following the three, the Bears used an 8-0 run to retake the lead by four, but a Jade Tinner layup sliced the lead to 30-28 with just over five minutes until halftime.
The two teams then went scoreless over the next 1:30 before Nezianya came up with a steal at the top of the key and converted a three-point play to give UMKC a 31-30 lead.
The lead would change five more times and be tied twice in the final 3:14 of the half before Thomas found Tinner open underneath the basket for a layup at the buzzer to put UMKC in front 40-38 at the half.
Coming out of the break, the Bears struck first, but UMKC answered with 11 of the next 13 points, including six by Hill, to push the lead to 51-42 with just under 15 minutes left to play.
The Bears, though, stormed back with nine of the next 10 points to pull to within one before Eldridge found junior Kaycie Boyles open at the basket to increase the lead to 54-51 at the 12:00 mark of the second half.
The two teams then traded free throws before Nezianya converted down low to give the 'Roos a three point advantage.
Two MSU free throws cut the lead back to one, but UMKC answered with a free throw and a layup to move ahead 57-53.
The two teams then traded the next eight points before a 5-0 run by MSU gave them their first lead of the second half at 62-61 with 6:25 left to play.
Thomas then scored the 'Roos next six points, while MSU countered with three jumpers to put the score at 67-66 UMKC at the 5:07 mark.
The Bears would score five of the next nine points to tie the game at 71, but a Hill jumper and free throw gave the 'Roos the 74-71 lead late in the second half.
Three straight free throws, though, by the Bears tied the game at 74 with just under three minutes left in the game.
After two missed free throws on the ensuing UMKC possession, the Bears took the lead with a layup with 1:32 on the clock.
The 'Roos would again miss two free throws on their next trip down the floor, while MSU knocked down a pair to take a 78-74 lead with under a minute to go.
On the next Kangaroo possession, the 'Roos would again come up empty and Missouri State converted one of two free throws to build a five points advantage with 25 seconds on the clock.
Hall-Jones would miss a three on the next UMKC possession, but Thomas would come up with the loose ball and drill a three to cut the lead to two with 11.5 left in regulation.
At the other end, Missouri State connected on both free throws to make it a four point game with 7.7 seconds on the game clock.
The 'Roos would miss the first layup on the final possession, but Nezianya grabbed the rebound and hit a layup at the buzzer to make the final score 81-79 Missouri State.
As a team, the 'Roos out-scored the Bears 40-32 in the paint, 20-18 off turnovers and 18-12 on second chance points and out-rebounded MSU 37-30.
