Kansas City
Omaha
UMKC Succumbs To Mavericks In Omaha
12/3/2015 11:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – Aries Washington finished with team-high's of 11 points, five rebounds and three assists in UMKC women's basketball's 57-42 loss to Omaha on Thursday night at the Baxter Center in Omaha, Neb.
“I'm disappointed in our efforts on the boards tonight as we knew it would be critical against Omaha's zone,” Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “At times our defensive intensity was really, really good, but mental lapses here and there led to runs and that was the difference in the game tonight.”
In her return to her hometown, Samantha Waldron finished with nine points, knocking down three of her six attempts from beyond the arc, while matching Washington for the team lead with three assists. Kristen Moore, meanwhile, added eight points and two rebounds.
The loss drops the Kangaroos to 0-6 on the season, while Omaha improves to 5-2 this year.
Omaha struck first in the game, but the 'Roos came right back with the next seven points, keyed by back-to-back threes from Waldron.
After an Washington free throw pushed the lead to five, the Mavericks answered to bring the lead down to three, but Ceidra Coleman came back with a steal and a coast-to-coast layup to make it a 9-4 lead.
Omaha would score the quarter's final four points, but the Kangaroos would hold a 9-8 lead after the first period.
The Mavericks would open the second quarter with the first five points to make it a 9-0 run, before a Washington jumper ended the rally.
A second basket by Washington and two free throws by Taylor Leathers would keep the lead at two, but a 7-2 Omaha rally pushed the lead to a first half-high seven with 1:22 left in the half.
Washington, though, closed the half with the final two points, cutting the deficit to 24-19 at the break.
In the second half, Omaha extended the lead to 11 with just over six minutes remaining, but threes from Waldron and Kelsey Barrett and a layup by Nebraska native Paige Husa during an 8-2 run brought the lead down to five at 36-31.
The two teams would trade a pair of baskets each, before Omaha struck last to close the quarter with a 42-35 edge.
The Mavericks stretched the lead to 14 to start the fourth, before baskets by Moore and Washington cut UNO's lead to 10 midway through the final period.
UMKC, however, would be unable to get any closer as Omaha came away with the 57-42 win.
Defensively, UMKC limited the Mavericks to just 26.7 percent shooting from three-point range and just five second chance points.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again on Sunday when they welcome in Stephens College to Kansas City for a 2 p.m. showdown at the SRC.
