Kansas City
Indiana State
UMKC Falls In Plaza Lights Opener
11/27/2015 4:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – Ceidra Coleman scored a career-high nine points with two steals and an assist and Kiana Law added six points and team-high eight rebounds as UMKC women's basketball fell 77-47 to Indiana State in the opening game of the Plaza Lights Classic at the Swinney Recreation Center.
“We don't have much time to dwell on this one with another game in less than 24 hours,” UMKC Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “What we need to take away from this game as a team is we are beating ourselves right now with the style of play. We need to share the basketball more and if we get a little more dialed into each other we will find the success that we are looking for.”
The loss drops the 'Roos to 0-4 on the season, while Indiana State improves to 2-4 overall.
The two squads battled early with UMKC taking a 4-2 lead to open the game on back-to-back baskets from Law. The 'Roos continued to lead at 8-7 after Taylor Leathers knocked down a jumper off a Daijane Dillard assist, but five straight from the Sycamores put them in front 12-8.
UMKC would pull back to within two when Leathers connected again with a jumper, but an 8-2 run by ISU to close the quarter ended the first stanza with the visitors leading 20-12.
The 'Roos struck first in the second period on an Aries Washington layup, but seven of the next nine went to ISU to stretch the lead to 11. Leathers, though, immediately answered with a basket and Coleman followed with a steal and a three point play and a driving layup to cut the lead to four at 27-23 with four minutes remaining in the half.
The Sycamores, though, closed the half on a 14-0 run to take a 41-23 edge into the break.
Coming out of halftime, ISU extended the run to 16-0 and the lead to 20, before two Washington free throws and jumper by Coleman brought it back to 16. Later in the quarter, a three point play from Kristen Moore cut the deficit to 51-36, but Indiana State again finished the period strong, scoring 12 of the final 13 points to enter the fourth quarter leading 63-37.
In the fourth, ISU stretched their run to 23-1, before Kiana Law ended the rally. The 'Roos would chip away down the stretch, getting seven points from Kelsey Barrett, including six on a pair of threes, but the Sycamores would come away with the win.
Moore and Washington each chipped in eight points and three rebounds in the contest, while as a team, UMKC notched 20 points in the paint and 26 points off the bench.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again tomorrow when they face SIU Edwardsville on the second day of the Plaza Lights Classic at 3:30 p.m.
