Kansas City
Grand Canyon
'Roos Fall To Lopes On Senior Night
2/27/2014 10:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
“We didn't get the result we would have liked tonight, but that doesn't overshadow what these seniors have meant to the program,” Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “It's not all about points and rebounds or what they've done statistically, but what they've brought to this team. They've shown what a championship culture looks like and that's something our underclassmen are going to look at and build toward in the future.”
O'Connor led the 'Roos offensively tonight, finishing with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Nezianya added 13 points and six rebounds and Houser finished with six points and two boards.
“Tonight was a battle, which is what we expected,” O'Connor said. “I wish it could have ended in our favor for my fellow seniors on such a big night, but we have lots of basketball left to play. I'm excited for our last road trip and conference tournament. We will be ready.”
Freshman Calli White, meanwhile, was the third 'Roos in double figure, scoring 10 points, including two threes which gives her the UMKC freshman record for three-point field goals in a season at 61.
In the opening half, the 'Roos struck first, taking a 9-4 lead with O'Connor accounting for seven of the nine.
GCU scored the next five to tie the game at 9-9, but White's first and record tying three put UMKC back in front.
The 'Roos would continue to lead at 16-14, but five straight from the Lopes put the visitors in front for the first time with 8:33 left in the first period.
The 'Roos answered back to tie the game at 22, but Grand Canyon would go on to build their lead to a first half-high of seven before taking a 31-26 lead into halftime.
After giving up a three to open the half, White immediately answered with a three of her own that gave her the record all to herself and jump started an 11-4 run that pulled the 'Roos to within one at 38-37.
Kansas City, though, was unable to retake the lead and the Lopes extended the lead back to seven with just over 11 minutes remaining.
The lead remained at seven until the 7:32 mark when back-to-back baskets by Nezianya and O'Connor brought the score to 51-48, but Grand Canyon again withstood the rally and stretched the lead to nine with 1:12 left in the contest.
UMKC would make one final charge down the stretch, cutting the lead to 66-63, but the rally was too little too late and Grand Canyon held on for the 67-63 victory.
As a team, Kansas City out-rebounded the Lopes 34-28, while limiting GCU to just 29.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again in one week when they head west to take on Seattle at 9 p.m. in their penultimate regular season contest.
