Kansas City
New Mexico State
Nezianya?s Career Nights Sends ?Roos Past Aggies
2/13/2014 10:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – Kim Nezianya scored a career-high 38 points and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds, while breaking the UMKC record for rebounds in a career, leading the Kansas City women's basketball team (9-14, 5-5) to a 92-84 WAC win over New Mexico State (8-16, 5-6) on Thursday night at the Swinney Recreation Center.
“Kim had a performance unlike any I have seen in my career,” Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “She was in a zone tonight where everything she put up went in. She's created a legacy here that is going to be hard to top. The thing that I am most proud of though is she made a commitment to this team to do whatever she could to help us be successful. It looks different every single night, but she definitely cares more about the team's success than her own. It's amazing to see seniors end their careers this way.”
The 38 points are fifth most in school history and the most in the WAC this season, while the 21 rebounds are just two shy of the school record and tied for the most in the WAC this season.
“I want to say glory to God,” Nezianya said of her performance. “The first half was a struggle for me to fight through the fatigue, but I said a little prayer at half and continued to fight in the second. I am just really glad that we won the game.”
Senior Eilise O'Connor, who was battling flu-like symptoms, added 17 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:11 on the clock, and four assists, while sophomore Taylor Leathers narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 13 points, shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, and nine rebounds.
“I'm very proud of this team,” Frese added. “They are embracing the expectations of being a great team down the stretch. It hasn't been without its challenges this season, but tonight is a great example of when people come in and do their jobs and fill their roles, we can have a lot of success. It was an extremely gutty performance by Eilise, who has been sick the last 24 hours, and Taylor Leathers, our dirty work kid, who came in and gave us great energy and really picked up for some of the energy that Eilise lacked tonight.”
Kansas City opened with nine of the game's first 11 points, getting baskets from Grace Mitchell, Calli White, Jordan Evans and Nezianya in the process.
New Mexico State battled back to tie the game at 15 before taking their first lead of the contest at 20-19 with 7:52 left in the first.
The Aggies would go on to push the margin to a first half-high eight before taking a 40-34 lead into the locker room.
At the break, Nezianya had grabbed a new school record of 13 rebounds in a half, propelling her past Laurie Smith on the career rebounds list with 865, while registering her second straight and third total halftime double-double and her 12th overall double-double of the season.
“It's an honor to have played for this program for as long as I have,” Nezianya said. “It's a way to keep my legacy going. Coach had a couple words of encouragement for me before the game about not only breaking the record, but keep pushing it higher and higher to motivate the underclassmen.”
Coming out of halftime, the 'Roos began chipping away, cutting the lead to one on back-to-back baskets by O'Connor and Nezianya less than three minutes in.
Kansas City finally reclaimed the lead at 50-49, but, after trading the next six baskets, New Mexico State built the lead back up to seven at 59-52 with 12:29 left to play.
Three straight 'Roo layups cut the lead back to one, but the Aggies again countered, extending the lead to six at 64-58.
UMKC, though, answered with a rally of their own, using a 9-2 run to retake the lead at 67-66 with 8:40 left to play.
The 'Roos would maintain their one point edge two possessions later, before New Mexico State tied the game at 69-69 with a free throw.
The two teams would continue to fight tooth and nail over the next six minutes, with neither team gaining more than a three point advantage and the score being tied seven more times, including at 84-84 with 1:40 on the clock.
At that point, the 'Roos turned to their senior duo, as Nezianya found O'Connor for the go-ahead jumper with 1:11 left to play.
UMKC would come up with three more stops down the stretch, while Lauren Dudding, Nezianya and O'Connor each converted a pair of free throws, sending the Kangaroos to the 92-84 victory.
As a team, the 'Roos shot 55.1 percent from the field and 86.7 percent from the line leading to the season-high of 92 points, while out-rebounding NMSU 49-26.
The game also marked the first time that four player from Native American descent played in one Division I game with Kelsey Barnwell and Lauren Dudding suiting up for the 'Roos and Bradley Nash and Abby Scott playing for the Aggies.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action on Saturday take on Texas – Pan American in WAC play at 2 p.m. in the Swinney Recreation Center.
