?Roos Going For Fourth Straight Win On The Road Against Roadrunners
2/19/2014 9:17:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Bakersfield, Calif./Icardo Center
Television: none
Live Online Video: UMKCKangaroos.com
Radio: 102.9 FM – - TJ Jackson (p-b-p)
Live Online Audio: KCXL.com (Free) - TJ Jackson (p-b-p)
Twitter: @TheUMKCKangaroos
The Game
The Kansas City women's basketball team (10-14, 6-5) will kick-off its penultimate road trip of the season when it heads to Bakersfield, Calif., on Thursday to take on Bakersfield (14-9, 8-3) in WAC play. The 'Roos and the Roadrunners are slated for a 9 p.m. CT tip at the Icardo Center on Feb. 20.
The Opponent
Bakersfield enters the game with a 14-9 record overall and an 8-4 mark in conference play after knocking off league-leading Idaho and falling to Seattle. Three-time WAC Player of the Week Tyonna Outland leads the Roadrunners at 20.3 points and 6.0 rebounds, while Melissa Sweat is averaging 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. Batabe Zempare, meanwhile, is adding 9.0 points and a league-high 11.4 rebounds.
The Series
This will be the third meeting between the 'Roos and the Roadrunners with Bakersfield winning earlier this season, 87-80 in Kansas City.
First Meeting
Senior Eilise O'Connor finished with 31 points on a career-high 11 made baskets, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the Kansas City women's basketball team's (7-13, 3-4) 87-80 loss to WAC foe Bakersfield (10-8, 4-2) on Jan. 25 at the Swinney Recreation Center.
Senior Kim Nezianya added 17 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Kelsey Barnwell added 10 points and five rebounds. Offensively, the 'Roos knocked down 8-of-15 from three-point range for a season-high 53.3 percent.
Bakersfield
Series: Bakersfield leads 2-0.
Home: 0-1
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 1-1
Last Meeting: Bakersfield won 87-80 on Jan. 25, 2014 in Kansas City.
Bakersfield (0-2)
N29, 2008 (N) L, 61-78 Whitaker
J25, 2014 (H) L, 80-87 Frese
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.
Greg McCall is in his third season as the head women's basketball coach at CSU Bakersfield. Limited at times to just six players during his first campaign, the Roadrunners continued to compete, winning two of its final four games to finish the 2011-12 campaign with a 7-22 record. CSUB improved to 12-17 in year two, winning a school Division I record nine games at one point.
Last Time Out
The Kansas City women's basketball team (10-14, 6-5) picked up its third straight victory after holding off Texas – Pan American (12-13, 6-6) in an back and forth WAC contest, beating the Broncs 87-84 on Saturday afternoon at the Swinney Recreation Center.
Seniors Eilise O'Connor and Kim Nezianya paced the 'Roos in the victory, as O'Connor finished with 31 points, including hitting 15-of-17 free throws, and five rebounds, while Nezianya picked up her third straight and 13th overall double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Freshman Grace Mitchell was the final 'Roo in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds, while freshman Calli White and sophomore Taylor Leathers each added eight.
As a team, the 'Roos scorched the nets, shooting 53.8 percent from the field, including 44.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 81.8 percent from the line, while out-rebounding UTPA 37-33. In the game, O'Connor broke the WAC record for free throws in a season with 199, passing Wyoming's Amy Burnett who hit 194 during the 1993-94.
Nezianya Named WAC Player of the Week
Kansas City women's basketball senior Kim Nezianya was named WAC Player of the Week after leading the 'Roos to a 2-0 record with two home victories over New Mexico State and Texas-Pan American. Nezianya had 38 points, 21 rebounds and 16 made field goals against New Mexico State, all career-highs and WAC season-highs. The 38 points is the fifth most ever in a UMKC game and she became the first player in school history with a 30 point, 20 rebound performance. She followed up that historic performance with her 13th double-double of the season, scoring 26 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the victory over UTPA. On the week, Nezianya averaged 32 points, 17.5 rebounds and shot 56.5 percent from the field and broke the UMKC record for career rebounds. Her 248 rebounds this season is currently 10th best in school history and she moved into seventh place on the UMKC career scoring list. Nezianya also was honored as WAC Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.
Packing the House
On Feb. 15 against Texas - Pan American, the 'Roos played in front of their second largest crowd ever at Swinney with 826 people looking on. The only game with more fans was on Feb. 2, 2013 against South Dakota State in front of 860 fans.
Turning Up the Heat
Over the last three games the 'Roos have picked up the pace offensively, averaging 87.7 ppg, producing their three highest point totals of the season and shooting over 50% in each contest. Against Chicago State, the 'Roos scored 84, against NMSU, 92 and against UTPA, 87.
Leathers' Perfect Week
In last week's games against New Mexico State and Texas - Pan American, sophomore Taylor Leathers went a perfect 9-for-9 from the field, including 3-of-3 from three-point range. Against the Aggies, the Overland Park, Kan., native finished 6-for-6 before going 3-for-3 against the Broncs.
'Roos In The Classroom
During the first fall semester, UMKC excelled in the classroom as six 'Roos earned 4.0 GPAs, leading to a cumulative team GPA of 3.63, the highest in team history. Individually, Justice Collins, Lauren Dudding, Lexis Hardiek, Taylor Leathers, Grace Mitchell, Eilise O'Connor, Audrey Thrasher and Calli White were each named Scholar Athletes, while Dudding, Leathers, Mitchell, O'Connor, Thrasher, White and Kim Nezianya garnered spots on the Dean's List.
Kim's Big Night
In the home game against New Mexico State, senior Kim Nezianya went off on the Aggies, finishing with career-highs of 38 points and 21 rebounds. Both totals stand as a WAC season-high, while the 38 points are the fifth most in school history and the 21 rebounds are two back for the most. In the same game, the Carrollton, Texas native grabbed 13 rebounds in the first half, a new school record, while also breaking the UMKC career rebound record.
Record Breaking Night
On Feb. 13 against New Mexico State, the 'Roos broke several records. Kim Nezianya set the record for rebounds in a half with 13, while breaking the career rebound mark of 854. Eilise O'Connor, meanwhile, broke her own record fro free throws in a season, hitting her 181st in the contest.
O'Connor Named To 2013-14 CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Team
Senior Eilise O'Connor was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Team for her efforts on and off the court. On the court, O'Connor's name is littered throughout the record book, while off the court, the San Francisco native holds a 3.99 GPA in Health Sciences.
Games Played List
Senior Kim Nezianya is climbing the list of games played at UMKC, currently sitting tied for third place with 123 games played.
Double-Double Machine
This season, the 'Roos have produced 19 double-doubles with Kim Nezianya leading the way with 13. Eilise O'Connor has added four and Grace Mitchell has two, accounting for the other six.
Closing in on the Top Spots
Senior Eilise O'Connor is closing in on a pair of school records. O'Connor trails Chazny Morris by 162 points, leaving her with a 27.0 ppg pace to overtake the top spot, while she trails Penny Waggener by 49 assists with 8.2 per game needed for the record.
100 Starts and Counting
Halfway through her senior season, Eilise O'Connor has started 113 games, unofficially ranking 13th among all NCAA Division I players.
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 again setting records in 2013-14. In the season opener, she tied her own mark with 17 made free throws at North Texas. On Jan. 18, meanwhile, O'Connor again broke the record, hitting 22 against New Mexico State, marking a new WAC record and finishing one shy of the NCAA record. Against NMSU on 1/13, she broke her own record for free throws in a season and on 1/15 broke the WAC record for free throws in a season.
Against the NCAA
Senior Eilise O'Connor stacks up tall against her peers, as the 5-8 guard currently ranks third among active leaders in free throws (562), 12th in free throw percentage (83.6%), 26th in assists (454) and 33rd in points (1,644). On the season, she ranks 23rd in points with 510 and ppg at 21.3 and 28th in FT% at 86.9%. Kim Nezianya, meanwhile, is 20th in double doubles (12) and 22nd in rebounding (10.8).
White from Deep
This season, freshman Calli White has made 51 three-point field goals, hitting them at 36.1 percent. Currently, her 531 made threes ranks second in school history as a freshman, just seven off the record, while her percentage ranks fifth.
