?Roos Go For Two Straight League Wins Against Cougars
1/10/2014 9:36:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Kansas City, Mo./Municipal Auditorium
Television: none
Live Online Video: UMKCKangaroos.com (Subscription) – TJ Jackson (p-b-p), Steven St. John (color)
Radio: 1510 AM – TJ Jackson (p-b-p), Steven St. John (color)
Live Online Audio: 1510.com (Free) – TJ Jackson (p-b-p), Steven St. John (color)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (Free)
Twitter: @TheUMKCKangaroos
The Game
The Kansas City women's basketball team (5-10, 1-1) will look to pick up its second straight WAC victory when it takes on former Mid-Continent Conference foe Chicago State (3-12, 0-2) on Saturday afternoon. The game between the 'Roos and the Cougars will open a doubleheader with the men's team, starting at 2 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium.
The Opponent
Chicago State enters the game with a 3-12 record overall and an 0-2 mark in WAC play after falling to Idaho and Seattle last week and knocking off IU Northwest on Wednesday. Tierra Williams leads the Cougars at 14.0 points while Paris Williams is adding 12.7 points. On the glass, Pari Williams and Chan Wilson-Stewart are tops on the team at 6.0 and 6.3 rebounds, respectively.
The Series
This will be the 36th meeting between the former members of the Mid-Continent Conference with the 'Roos leading the series 25-8 after vacating a pair of wins from 2000.
Chicago State
Series: Kansas City leads 25-8.
Home: 13-4
Away: 12-4
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: Kansas City won 52-41 on Jan. 8, 2007 in Kansas City, Mo.
Chicago State (25-8)
F20, 1988 (H) W, 109-52 Norman
J21, 1989 (A) W, 67-63 Agler
J19, 1991 (H) W, 79-42 Agler
F21, 1991 (A) W, 64-51 Agler
J18, 1992 (A) W, 85-57 Agler
F15, 1992 (H) W, 93-49 Agler
M4, 1993 (H) W, 80-48 Agler
J29, 1994 (H) W, 82-57 Glass
F24, 1994 (A) W, 64-55 Glass
J14, 1995 * (A) W, 87-60 Glass
F20, 1995 * (H) W, 100-48 Glass
J20, 1995 * (A) W, 61-55 Glass
F19, 1996 * (H) W, 65-53 Glass
J18, 1997 * (H) W, 77-44 Tadtman
F12, 1997 * (A) W, 72-69 Tadtman
J10, 1998 * (A) W, 82-58 Tadtman
F5, 1998 * (H) W, 69-54 Tadtman
J2, 1999 * (H) W, 93-43 Tadtman
J30, 1999 * (A) W, 78-62 Tadtman
J6, 2000 * (A) WX, 56-25 Tadtman
F5, 2000 * (H) WX, 76-42 Tadtman
J13, 2001 * (A) L, 45-59 Eikenberg
F19, 2001 * (H) L, 48-55 Eikenberg
J28, 2002 * (H) W, 72-51 Eikenberg
F23, 2002 * (A) L, 43-65 Eikenberg
J13, 2003 * (A) L, 57-61 Eikenberg
F8, 2003 * (H) L, 79-83 Eikenberg
J6, 2004 * (A) W, 60-45 Eikenberg
F21, 2004 * (H) W, 63-49 Eikenberg
J3, 2005 * (A) L, 48-58 Overton
F5, 2005 * (H) L, 51-58 Overton
J4, 2006 * (A) W, 56-49 Overton
F6, 2006 * (H) L, 55-57 Overton
D18, 2006 (A) W, 51-48 Whitaker
J8, 2007 (H) W, 52-41 Whitaker
The Coaches
Renowned for her top-notch recruiting classes, Marsha Frese enters her second season as head women's basketball coach at UMKC. Named as the Kangaroo head coach on April 25, 2012, Frese brings 16 seasons of experience as a Division-I player and coach to the UMKC campus.
The 2013-14 season will be Angela Jackson's 11th season as Chicago State's women's basketball head coach. She is the program's all-time leader in wins with 120. She guided the Cougars to the program's best ever season in 2010-11 when her squad won the Great West Conference regular season and tournament championships.
The Venue
Municipal Auditorium, which has a rich and storied basketball tradition, is now in its eighth decade in Kansas City. The Venue, which was opened in 1936, has hosted nearly every type of event - from U.S. presidential campaigns to NCAA Final Four Championships. In fact, the auditorium has hosted a total of nine NCAA Championships, which are the most of any other building in the country. The facility is also the home to the NAIA National Tournament and the MIAA Tournament.
In the fall of 2013, a $5 million renovation included new video boards, LED scorer's table, sound system, lighting, seating in the lower level and electrical upgrades.
Last Time Out
All five starters scored in double figures, led by senior Eilise O'Connor's 23, as the Kansas City women's basketball team (5-10, 1-1) knocked off preseason Western Athletic Conference favorite Seattle (6-9, 1-1) 77-65 on Saturday afternoon at the Swinney Recreation Center for its first ever WAC victory.
O'Connor added seven rebounds and a pair of assists, while senior Kim Nezianya grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with 12 points and three steals for her sixth double-double of the season and her second straight. As a team, UMKC out-rebounded Seattle 42-37, while limiting the Redhawks to just 9.1 percent shooting from long range.
Closing in on the Top Spots
Seniors Kim Nezianya and Eilise O'Connor are each closing in on school records. Nezianya sits just 100 rebounds behind Laurie Smith and would need to average 6.7 rebounds over the remaining 15 games to eclipse the mark. O'Connor, meanwhile, trails Chazny Morris by 376 points, leaving her with a 25.1 ppg pace to overtake the top spot, while she trails Penny Waggener by 84 assists with 5.6 per game needed for the record.
100 Starts and Counting
Halfway through her senior season, Eilise O'Connor has started 104 games, unofficially ranking 13th among all NCAA Division I players.
Chasing Her Cousin
Eilise O'Connorr now has 1,430 career points, placing her in fourth place all-time, just 15 points behind her cousin Katie Houlehan.
Back at the Line
After setting the UMKC record for free throws in a career, season and game last year, senior Eilise O'Connor is already setting records, tying her own mark with 17 made free throws at North Texas. Currently the San Francisco, Calif., native ranks fourth among active players with 486 made free throws and eighth in free throw percentage at 83.1 percent.
Against the NCAA
Senior Eilise O'Connor stacks up tall against her peers, as the 5-8 guard currently ranks fourth among active leaders in free throws (486), eighth in free throw percentage (83.1%), 21st in assists (419) and 35th in points (1,430). On the season, she ranks 15th in points with 296.
