Seattle Visits Kansas City On Opening WAC Weekend
1/3/2014 2:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Site: Kansas City, Mo./Swinney Recreation Center
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 (4-10, 0-1) will continue its opening week of WAC play when it welcomes in preseason favorite Seattle (6-8, 1-0) to Kansas City on Saturday. Tip between the 'Roos and the Redhawks is slated for 2 p.m. at the Swinney Recreation Center.
The Opponent
Seattle enters the game with a 6-8 record overall and a 1-0 mark in conference play after beating Chicago State 85-58. Kacie Sowell leads a group of five Redhawks in double figures at 15.0 ppg, while Sylvia Shephard (12.4), Ashley Ward (11.6) and Taelor Ross (10.7) are also over the mark. On the glass, Sowell is grabbing a team best 8.7 of the team's 39.2 rpg.
The Series
This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
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.
Joan Bonvicini, one of the most successful coaches in women's collegiate basketball history and former coach at the University of Arizona and Long Beach State, was named head coach of the Seattle University women's basketball team on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009. The veteran head coach is in her fifth season at Seattle University behind an all-time 666-365 (.645) record (as of Nov. 17, 2013) and is currently 11th on the NCAA Division I all-time wins list for women's college basketball.
The Venue
The home of UMKC Athletics, the Swinney Recreation Center houses the Kangaroo administration, coaches and student-athletes. The Dutton Brookfield Strength and Conditioning Center, the Victor F. Swyden Athletics Training Facility and the Student-Athlete Support Services Office also are located in the facility.
Last Time Out
Senior Kim Nezianya recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while classmate Eilise O'Connor added team-high's of 16 points and eight assists, as the Kansas City women's basketball team (4-10, 0-1) dropped its WAC opener 81-64 against Idaho (8-7, 1-) on Thursday night at the Swinney Recreation Center.
Freshman Grace Mitchell chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds in the loss, with Taylor Leathers notching 10 points as the fourth 'Roo to reach double figures. As a team, UMKC out-rebounded the Vandals 41-38, while matching the taller Idaho squad with 30 points in the paint.
