Kansas City
Utah Valley
Wolverines Knock-Off ?Roos In WAC Battle
2/22/2014 6:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Orem, Utah) – The Kansas City women's basketball team (10-16, 6-7) fell 49-43 on Saturday afternoon against Utah Valley (6-20, 3-10) at the UCCU Center despite senior Kim Nezianya's 15 double-double of the season.
On the day, Nezianya led the 'Roos in both scoring and rebound, notching 18 points and 14 rebounds, while classmate Eilise O'Connor added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
“Credit Utah Valley for being ready to play today,” Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “We had our opportunities in this one, but we didn't take advantage of them. In this league it's always challenging to win on the road and you have to be locked in from the tip. I'm disappointed that we weren't tonight.”
The 'Roos opened with the game's first points, but Utah Valley quickly responded with a three-point play giving them a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the half, as they stretched the margin to five on two separate occasions.
The 'Roos, though, behind 10 first half points from Nezianya, battled back to cut the lead to one with Taylor Leathers burying a baseline jumper for the last points of the half to trim the lead to 19-18 at the break.
Coming out of halftime, the 'Roos quickly regained the lead as O'Connor scored the first six points of the half, while the defense held the Wolverines scoreless for over five minutes.
Kansas City extended the lead to seven twice on baskets from O'Connor and Nezianya, but an 11-2 run by UVU put the Wolverines back in front 37-35 with 8:39 left to play.
O'Connor ended the rally and knotted the game at 37 with a jumper in the lane and Leathers followed with jumper from the wing, putting UMKC ahead 39-37 with just under six minutes on the clock.
Utah Valley answered on the offensive end with two straight field goals to flip the score again, but Nezianya scored for the 'Roos with 3:20 to go to tie it at 41.
A basket by UVU and two O'Connor free throws tied the score for the sixth time at 43 and after multiple defense stops by both teams, the Wolverines would hit the go ahead basket with 36 seconds left before adding four free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 49-43 victory.
As a team, the 'Roos out-rebounded UVU 42-40 and finished a perfect 6-of-6 from the line, while defensively they limited the conference's leading three-point shooting team to just 14.3 percent in the contest.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action on Thursday when they return to Kansas City for their final home game of the season when they take on Grand Canyon in WAC play and honor their seniors on Senior Night at the Swinney Recreation Center.
