Kansas City
IUPUI
Kangaroos' Defensive Efforts Not Enough In Loss To IUPUI
2/23/2013 5:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Kansas City, Mo.) - The Kansas City women's basketball team fell 47-33 to IUPUI in a defensive battle on Saturday afternoon's Senior Day at the Swinney Recreation Center.
The Kangaroos, who honored seniors Emile Blakesley and Kim Nezianya in their final home game as 'Roos, fall to 9-19 on the season and 5-10 in Summit League play, while IUPUI improves to 17-10 overall and 10-4 in the league.
"Senior Day is always a day to remember," Blakesley said. "I'll never forget the girls on this team; they're like family to me. These girls and this team changed my life and I'll never forget it. Win or lose, I'll always love them."
Offensively, junior Eilise O'Connor was the only 'Roo to reach double figures, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds, while fellow junior Hailey Houser added seven points and a team-high six caroms.
Defensively, Kansas City limited the Jaguars to just 47 points, the lowest opponent point total of the season, while limiting IUPUI to just 31.9 percent shooting from the field, including 27.8 percent from three-point range.
IUPUI opened with the game's first basket, but sophomore Lexis Hardiek immediately answered for the 'Roos, drilling a three from the right wing to put Kansas City up by one early.
The Kangaroos then stretched their lead to two after three straight points by Houser, but a 17-2 run by IUPUI over the next 8:27 gave the visitors a 25-12 advantage with 1:11 left in the first.
Kansas City, however, cut into the Jaguar lead heading into the break, as Houser notched the final four points of the half to cut the score to 25-16.
Coming out of the break, IUPUI scored the half's first seven points before junior Ashli Hill converted a layup and O'Connor knocked down two free throws to trim the lead to 14.
The 'Roos would go on to cut the lead to 10 at 36-26, after holding IUPUI without a field goal for over 11 minutes of play, but Kansas City would get no closer over the final 4:20 of action, as the Jaguars came away with the 47-33 victory.
"We battled and fought today," Blakesley added. "I know the girls played with heart for us seniors, we just came up short. We will continue to fight and we'll be ready next Saturday for Omaha."
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again next Saturday when they head north to take on Omaha in their regular season finale at 2 p.m.
